NILES GOVERNMENT Multitasker Telego is new 911 center director

The city official said he's confident he can handle the new duties.
By B.J. ARNOLD
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NILES -- City council made a call for help, and at Wednesday's meeting Tom Telego answered.
In spite of already juggling several duties for the city, which include billing and invoice management, computer maintenance and emergency management director, Telego was named the director of communications for the city's new 911 center.
Telego's new duties will include staffing the new center, which will include the village of McDonald and Weathersfield Township, and maintaining all of the equipment.
"I will be working with the other two communities to help coordinate their needs and our needs," Telego said. "It will involve working with the chiefs from all of the departments, fire and police. We're still a part of the Trumbull County 911 system, but we're trying to help the communities that are more to the south of the county."
Councilman Thomas Scarnecchia questioned the decision to add to Telego's already busy workload.
"[Telego] is doing a great job at his current duties," Scarnecchia said. "Looking at all his duties, this is going to make him a Superman. Is he going to be able to set his time to be able to do all this?"
Mayor's response
Mayor Ralph Infante assured Scarnecchia and the rest of council that this move just consolidates Telego's duties.
"He's running the computers throughout the whole city now, and he handles the fire sirens and tornado sirens," Infante said. "Adding these [911] duties to it is just putting it all into one bundle. Computers, sirens, tornado, EMA -- it's all really one, and with the knowledge he has about the equipment, I think he'll do a great job on it."
Telego said he understands Scarnecchia's concern but is confident he can do the job.
"There's going to be growing pains bringing in two new communities and all new equipment," he said. "It's essentially building a communication center from the ground up. There are going to be challenges, but with everyone's cooperation we're going to be able to get through it."
Property situation
In other business, Niles resident Betty Stephens, accompanied by several members of Valley Baptist Church, addressed council with her concerns about the condition of property that borders the church on Depot Street.
Stephens, of Clay Street, asked that council take action to remedy the situation, which she described as "dangerous and hazardous."
"Someone is using the property as a dumping ground," Stephens said, of lots between 436 and 508 Depot St. "There are piles of dirt and tree limbs all around. We saw kids there the other day, and we're afraid that they'll get hurt."
Health director Mike Burke said that he has been in contact with the property owners and that they have been cooperative.
"A lot has been done in the past few weeks," Burke said. "The plan is to clear the timber, then have the whole lot bulldozed, but it's still going to take a couple of months."
Council will recess during the month of July but will resume meetings at 6 p.m. Aug. 3.
Other business
On Wednesday, council also acted on the following:
UAuthorized the public safety director to buy six new police cars.
UAdopted an ordinance that would require new billboards to be
spaced at least 1,500 feet apart.
UAdopted an ordinance for the service director to execute a deed to Km-I Associates for the old Kmart property on Youngstown-Warren Road that now houses the West Corp. call center. This is pursuant to a lease-option agreement between the parties from 1980.
UAuthorized the service director to advertise for bids for health care insurance for all city employees.