TRUSTEES Weathersfield residents learn about new safety upgrade
The township will borrow $157,000 to pay for the project.
MINERAL RIDGE -- About 85 Weathersfield Township residents attended an informational meeting Wednesday to get details on the planned safety upgrade of Niles-Carver Road.
The session was sponsored by the by township trustees at the high school auditorium.
The township plans to borrow $157,000 through an interest-free state issue 2 loan for the project, which will include piping, grading and paving the road.
Trustee chairman Fred Bobovnyk said the meeting was set up with township officials and Gary Diorio, engineer with MS Consultants, Youngstown, explaining details of the upgrade. MS Consultants is the engineering firm on the project.
Township Clerk David Rouhan explained the financial aspects of the project and noted that the township's total budget for 2005 is $4.24 million. Township trustees James Stoddard and John Vogel also spoke.
Township plan
Trustees are planning to use revenue from gasoline tax and license plate fees to pay back the loan, Bobovnyk said. He said the township is projecting $58,000 in license plate income this year, and $70,000 in gasoline tax revenue.
Bobovnyk said he thinks that opponents to the project, who circulated a petition which gathered nearly 500 signatures, misinterpreted details of the project and its financing.
For example, he said, some of those opposing the loan are saying the project takes up 3.7 percent of the township budget, when it actually consists of 0.3710 of the budget.
Vogel said after the meeting that he doesn't think taking a loan is a good idea because he believes township tax revenues will drop in the future.