Growth group elects officers, hires law firm

The 711 connector offers major growth potential, a community leader says.
LIBERTY -- Sam D. Roth hopes the newly formed Community Improvement Corp. here can be a catalyst for economic development.
"We have a lot of available land and a lot of available buildings. We need to come up with ways to bring new business into Liberty Township," said Roth, who was elected president of the nonprofit corporation at its inaugural meeting Monday. Roth is a former owner of Roth Bros. Inc., an Austintown heating contractor, which is now part of FirstEnergy Corp.
The Gypsy Lane interchange of the 711 connector highway, which is now under construction, offers significant economic development potential, he said.
Patrick Ungaro, township administrator and former Youngstown mayor, said the township has an even greater need for a CIC than the city because townships can't legally buy land for economic development.
"This is a tool that I've found to be very useful for economic development in the city," he said.
Also elected were Fran Pettit-Poe, vice-president; and Kevin J. McGuire, secretary-treasurer; and Ungaro, executive director. The other CIC trustees are township Trustees Jack Simon and W. Gary Litch. Township trustees appointed the CIC trustees.
Simon and Litch will continue as CIC trustees as long as they are township trustees, but Roth, Pettit-Poe and McGuire will serve three-year terms as CIC trustees. CIC trustees serve without compensation.
Legal help
CIC trustees also hired Manchester, Bennett, Powers & amp; Ullman of Youngstown as their law firm at $90 an hour. Ungaro said the firm would initially be paid from the township's general fund, but could later be compensated from other funding sources, perhaps from partners in economic development projects.
Edwin Romero of Manchester, Bennett told the CIC board that, as a designated agent of the township trustees, it is bound by state open meetings and open records laws. With limited exceptions permitted under state law, Liberty CIC meetings must be open to the public, he said. He and Atty. Gina Agresta Richardson of the same firm will perform CIC work.
Township trustees are to consider a formal resolution designating the CIC as their agent at their meeting at 7 p.m. Monday. The CIC board will meet again at 5 p.m. May 17 to select a bank and an accountant.