MAHONING COUNTY Voinovich to visit area

The county has spent nearly all of its homeland security funding.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning County officials planned to discuss local homeland security issues today with U.S. Sen. George V. Voinovich.
"I think we're probably doing something right, and he wants to come and see what we're doing," said Walter Duzzny, county Emergency Management Agency director.
Voinovich, an Ohio Republican, is a member of the Senate committee that oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Last year, he co-sponsored legislation that increased funding for emergency first-responders.
Funds received
Duzzny said the county has received about $2.5 million so far in federal homeland security funds. All but about $20,000 has been spent or is encumbered for new equipment to be used in the event of a local disaster or terrorist strike.
He said there has been some concern at the federal level that some states or counties are holding on to their homeland security grant allocations rather than spending the money for equipment and training.
"We keep calling or writing and asking them for more money," Duzzny said. "I think [Voinovich] just wants to come up here and take a look at what we've done."
The event was scheduled for 3 p.m. at the EMA office on Industrial Road, on the city's West Side. It will include a demonstration of equipment the county has bought and a roundtable discussion of homeland security issues.
bjackson@vindy.com