TRUMBULL COUNTY Surveys seek more resident input

About 400 residents have returned the surveys thus far.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HUBBARD -- The city councilwoman leading the effort for future city planning is asking all residents to return a survey they recently received.
"We'll see what direction the people want to go," says Councilwoman Bonnie Viele, D-1st, who chairs the comprehensive plan committee.
To determine that direction, Viele and the Trumbull County Planning Commission have sent the two-page surveys to each household that receives a utility bill.
Thus far, about 400 property owners have responded online or by mail. The surveys were sent out last week. The deadline to return them is July 31.
Viele is looking for all residents, including household members who don't receive a city utility bill in their names, to fill them out and return them.
The surveys are available on the city's Web site or at the utility office in the city administration building.
"We want all the citizen input we can get," Viele said.
Questions
The questionnaire seeks to find out if residents are satisfied with city services, what needs to be improved and if they are in favor of the proposed Hubbard Arterial Highway that would connect Youngstown's East Side with Interstate 80 in Hubbard Township.
The information, Viele said, will be used in developing the city's comprehensive plan.
The county planning commission says the plan should be completed by the end of the year.
In June, the Ohio Department of Development approved a $15,000 grant to study downtown improvements.
The grant submitted by the planning commission was approved through the Comprehensive Downtown Revitalization Tier One Program.
The study, or market analysis, will take a year to complete. It will look at, among other things, the types of commercial businesses and infrastructure needed to improve the downtown.
Business owners and residents will be asked what they would like to see in the downtown.
With the results of the market analysis, the planning commission will be able to apply for a maximum $400,000 in Tier Two funds, which could be used for street resurfacing, sidewalks, lighting, landscaping, building fa & ccedil;ades and eliminating building code violations.
yovich@vindy.com