YOUNGSTOWN Police bomb-squad vehicles to be stored in rented garage

The city will pay $400 a month in rent.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Youngstown Police Department has found a temporary home for its bomb squad vehicles, including its new bomb containment vessel.
The city's board of control approved a six-month contract Thursday with Brier Hill Slag Co. to use its heated garage on Marshall Street to store the vessel, used to isolate and transport chemical agents, as well as the police department bomb squad's truck and a new truck expected to arrive shortly.
"We can't have them sitting on the sidewalk," said Police Chief Robert Bush.
The garage also is large enough for officers to park their private vehicles inside when they need to drive the bomb squad vehicles, he said.
The city doesn't have the room to store the vehicles inside itself, Bush said.
The contract is effective Thursday and expires March 15, 2006. The city will pay $400 a month to Brier Hill as well as gas and water bills for the garage. Brier Hill will pay the electric bills.
Other action
The board of control also approved a $10,000 economic development grant to Boltech Inc.
The company, a designer and manufacturer of equipment for the metal industry, plans to spend about $300,000 to buy and renovate a building at 1111 Crescent St. The company is located at 1201 Crescent St.
Also, the board approved 12 change orders -- 11 for additional money and one cost reduction -- from A.P. O'Horo, the Liberty company handling foundation work at the convocation center.
The change orders add $83,118 to the amount of money the city will pay A.P. O'Horo.
The convocation center is estimated to cost $45.38 million and to open Oct. 29.
skolnick@vindy.com