A boost for regionalization

A boost for regionalization

EDITOR:

More than 80 local government and school officials and interested citizens who attended the recent Regionalization Summit hosted by the Regional Chamber at the Holiday Inn MetroPlex in Liberty heard some excellent presentations on the need for regional collaboration to restore economic vitality to the Mahoning Valley. There was also discussion of reducing the tax burden on local residents and lessening the continual struggles by local government and schools to provide essential services to the public.

Mahoning County commissioners Anthony Traficanti and David Ludt and county Administrator George Tablack should be applauded for attending the summit. Traficanti, president of the board of commissioners, pledged afterward to renew efforts to merge the 911 dispatch centers in Mahoning County. In fact, during the summit, preliminary talks began on the topic involving the county’s 911 consultant and Atty. Chip Comstock, chief of the Western Reserve Joint Fire District in Poland, who has been a proponent of a unified 911 center.

I was pleased that a representative of the city of Youngstown, Capt. Joe Fergus, said that the city supports efforts to merge the city and county 911 centers.

During a panel discussion on 911, Comstock said that the current 911 dispatch center situation in the Mahoning Valley is antiquated, redundant and inefficient.

The commissioners, along with Commissioner John McNally — who was unable to attend the summit but has been pushing commissioners to merge 911 centers for several years — are showing the necessary leadership to promote efforts to share services, potentially save taxpayer money and provide the best services possible to county residents. We at the Regional Chamber want to see those efforts continue to a conclusion.

I hope that Trumbull County commissioners, who did not attend the summit, will continue their efforts to convince the eight municipalities in Trumbull County to merge their 911 centers.

I am also hopeful that the absence of Trumbull County commissioners at the summit does not mean that commissioners are disinterested in regional collaboration.

TOM HUMPHRIES, President and CEO

Regional Chamber

Youngstown

Support Girard center

EDITOR:

This letter is to the citizens of Girard and to the registered voters in particular.

There will be a 1.8-mill levy on the Nov. 6 ballot that will fund the Girard multi-generational center. Cost to the average homeowner is about 80 cents per week. I know we’re all tired of everyone asking for more tax money. The Trumbull County commissioners have some funds for the center from the past senior levy for Trumbull County. They continue to drag their feet on the release of these funds, except for certain locations, such as Scope in Warren. I wonder why.

Let me give you some background on the center. It is the old Tod Woods grade school on Trumbull Avenue. It was opened in October 2001 with funding from the Department of Education. The money was allocated through the efforts of Congressman Jim Traficant. The center now has a membership of nearly 900. There are activities for 350 children. The kitchen hosts daily senior meals and home delivery for shut-ins.

There is an excellent exercise room, computer cafe, senior coffee bar and open gym. Stop by and the staff will gladly give you a tour of the facilities.

I am asking the citizens of Girard to vote yes for this levy. It is a five-year renewable levy, meaning it goes back on the ballot. We do not need to lose another vital asset to the city of Girard and neighboring communities.

WILLIAM E. HESTON

Girard