Commissioners take no action on new Jobs and Family office

County commissioners called two laid-off 911 workers back to their jobs.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Trumbull County commissioners have again failed to come up with a home for the county Department of Job and Family Services.
Commissioners met in executive session for about an hour Wednesday, only to emerge with very little to say.
Commissioner Daniel E. Polivka said he and the other commissioners couldn't comment because they are still in negotiations to find new offices -- or to keep the department at 150 S. Park Ave.
When asked about renewing the leases with Kleese Development Associates, Warren, Polivka said negotiations are ongoing.
The county's lease with Kleese for JFS and One Stop, a job training agency at 147 W. Market St., expires at the end of this year.
During the commissioners meeting, Charles Joseph of Routh-Hurlbert Realty offered The Gibson Building on East Market Street in the downtown to the county.
Joseph's proposal called for the county to buy the building for $3.2 million and to pay $2 million to remodel it. The two top floors could be remodeled after the employees move in, he said.
Commissioners didn't comment on the proposal.
911 planning committee
As expected, commissioners reactivated the 911 planning committee to free up $300,000 being held in escrow by the state, to address a problem with wireless emergency calls.
The committee will also look at the rate structure 911 charges member communities and attempt to attract those not in the system.
Now, if a person dials 911 on a cellular phone, the call automatically rings into the Ohio State Highway Patrol at Southington. The post notifies the 911 center in Howland, but that call comes in to the center on designated cell phone lines rather than an emergency line.
The money would be used to correct the problem so the cell phone calls go directly to the center.
Commissioners also agreed to bring back two full-time employees, Patty Goldner and Erich Luketic, from layoff status as telecommunicators. Also, two part-time 911 employees, Holly B. Harshman and Dale E. Hahne, will become full-time.
Hired for waterline project
In other business, commissioners authorized MS Consultants Inc. of Youngstown to provide technical services for a waterline to service parts of Brookfield, Vienna, Liberty and Hubbard townships.
Gary Newbrough, county sanitary engineer, explained that MS will be paid $174,417 for such things as bidding assistance and engineering.
Newbrough said the $2 million project calls for the construction of a line from Stillwagon and Niles-Vienna roads, east along Niles-Vienna to Smith-Stewart Road and east to state Route 193.
Water for the area known as the Southeast Water District is being supplied by Aqua Pennsylvania Inc. The line will allow Niles to provide the water at a cheaper rate than Aqua, Newbrough said.
Also, commissioners authorized the county planning commission to submit a grant application for $143,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for engineering of the Maplewood Park Sanitary Sewer Project in Hubbard Township.
Alan Knapp, planning commission director, said if the EPA approves the grant, it will be combined with $117,000 from the county sanitary engineer for a total $260,000 for project engineering.
Plans call for the line to service the Jacobs Road area between Hubbard and Youngstown. Construction cost is an estimated $1.5 million.
yovich@vindy.com