No raises in Weathersfield

By Mary Smith

An old firetruck will be donated to the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center.

MINERAL RIDGE — Weathersfield Township trustees have decided to forgo giving the annual cost-of-living raises to township office and administrative personnel for 2009, citing uncertainty about the local, state and national economy in the coming months.

Trustees usually give annual increases to office employees, the township administrator, the police chief and captain, the fire chief and assistant chief at their December meeting, but voted 3-0 to maintain wages at their current level.

Trustee Chairman Fred Bobovnyk said there will be no merit raises or cost-of-living increases, noting that the state of Ohio is having “problems” coming up with a biennial budget for 2009 and is talking about cuts.

He also noted that local businesses or commercial and industrial plants are no longer paying the personal tangible property tax they used to pay but are now paying a “CAT” or Commercial Activity Tax. He said if business isn’t going well, taxes paid to the township will go down. “A lot of our income comes from that,” he noted.

He added trustees would review the status of finances in June and if “everything is strong enough,” would consider raises in July.

He added he was afraid of the ripple effects if General Motors or Chrysler go bankrupt.

Trustees will continue at the 2008 salary of $12,346 a year.

Expenses will be paid for trustees, the fiscal office or administrator and other designated employees to attend conferences or other work-related events. Mileage will also be paid for work-related travel out of the county at the Internal Revenue Service rate of 51. 5 cents per mile. Bobovnyk said he has not yet been informed of any change in that rate, but it will be adjusted if the IRS has adjusted it.

Trustees approved the reappointment of Catherine Zapka to the Zoning Board of Appeals, and named Chuck Pierce to fill a position to be left vacant on the Zoning Commission by the retirement of Mary Sohayda. Both are five-year terms.

Trustees moved to rehire Rusty Garland as a part-time maintenance employee with no increase. Garland recently celebrated 25 years on the job.

Trustees declared a residence at 2873 S. Main Street, Niles, a nuisance after an extensive fire a month ago. The house will be added to a list of those to be demolished.

An old Gruman firetruck, which was taken out of service by the fire department, will be donated for $1 to the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center. Township firefighters attend classes for training at the school, which does not currently have a firetruck.

Trustees also moved to donate $1,000 to Niles Community Services, which provides aid to senior citizens and the needy in the township.

Trustees will hold their reorganizational meeting at 6:45 p.m. Jan. 13 before the regular meeting at 7 p.m. at the township administration building.

Meetings will continue to be at 7 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month at the township administration building.