Leaders seek to spur growth

Nine homes along Route 289 don't have municipal water and sewer services.
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
LOWELLVILLE -- Village leaders met with Mahoning County and Poland Township officials to discuss the feasibility of a water and sanitary sewer project they believe would spur residential development along state Route 289 and in Poland and Coitsville townships.
Several property owners, including Greg Haren of Lowellville, have expressed interest in possible residential development if municipal water and sanitary sewer utilities were available, said Mayor James Iudiciani Sr.
Haren said his family owns property both below and above Route 289 in Lowellville and in Coitsville.
Would help homeowners
In addition to encouraging development, Iudiciani said at Monday's meeting that water and sanitary sewer lines would help nine homeowners along Route 289 in the northern part of the village that are without those services. Some of those residents are having problems with their wells, he said.
Representatives of Aqua Ohio, who attended the meeting, said it would be easier and less costly to bring water east down the hill rather than trying to pump it up the hill to Route 289 from the area of the Lowellville Schools campus, which has both water and sanitary sewer and is just below Route 289.
Aqua Ohio said the cost of putting in a 12-inch water line along about one mile of Route 289 from the Struthers City limits to just west of Hubbard Road would be about $300,000, Iudiciani said.
The mayor said the purpose of calling Monday's meeting was to get people thinking about what would have to happen to make the water and sewer lines a reality.
Mahoning County Sanitary Engineer Joseph Warino said if State Issue I, which would extend state funding for capital projects, is approved at today's election, then it would make sense to prepare an application for next year. However, said Warino, if Issue I fails, then he recommended quickly preparing a grant application by the Dec. 2 deadline because this is the last year for funding under Issue II.