Canfield officials: We’re in good shape

By Elise Franco

Canfield representatives said some projects and programs have been scaled back to stay fiscally solvent.

CANFIELD — While many other communities are struggling to make ends meet, Canfield city and township representatives say they are in good shape.

Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber members met Friday at Avion on the Water on Western Reserve Road for “Good Morning, Canfield,” hearing updates from schools Superintendent Dante Zambrini, Mayor William Kay and Trustee William Reese.

Much of the breakfast’s focus was on how the township, city and school district are doing financially in the wake of a major economic downturn.

Reese said he was glad to announce the township would have enough money for the coming year thanks to carry-over funds.

“When I first became a trustee, the fiscal officer began putting money aside for a rainy day,” he said. “That rainy day is here, and financially we’re in great shape.”

Reese said the township will have to cut back on spending slightly, but services won’t be reduced. He said a new township park on Herbert Road should even be open sometime this year.

“We’re going forward with this new park,” he said. “It will open, and we’re ready for some dry weather so we can get the soccer teams on the athletic fields.”

Construction on the six soccer fields began last summer, and Reese said the 91‚Ñ2 acres of playing fields will accommodate about 750 players.

He said the next phase, a children’s play area, will get under way as soon as the township can negotiate prices on equipment.

Zambrini said he gives credit to students, parents and staff for the school district’s continued success.

He said the district has been given a state report card rating of excellent nine years running.

“We provide a caring environment,” Zambrini said. “Our role is to teach, guide and not be punitive.”

He said staff recognizes that not all students will be at 100 percent all of the time.

“Our students work very hard,” Zambrini said. “I’m not sure it’s a realistic goal to make them reach 100 percent.”

Because different students are good at different things, he said it’s better to help individuals better themselves in all areas, especially where they excel.

“There are many things kids bring to the plate,” Zambrini said. “They are the future, and they’re doing well.”

Going through the district’s annual finances, he said that Canfield spends less in most areas than the state average.

“We, as a township and a city, run a lean machine,” he said. “Canfield schools are fiscally solvent.”

One area where Zambrini said he is concerned is state-mandated all-day kindergarten.

“We are solvent now, but we have these unfunded mandates like all-day kindergarten,” he said. “That is another $3 million.”

Zambrini said extending the school day for kindergartners adds only lunch, recess and nap time and suggests implementing a day care for parents who have no one to care for their child after school.

Canfield is not without issue, however.

Kay said plans to build a new library in the city have been pushed back because the likelihood of passing a levy to get the money needed is slim.

He said the city has had to make some cuts, and at this time the library had to be one of them.

“We’re anticipating less money this year,” Kay said. “I hate to stand up here and be doom and gloom, but that’s a fact of life.”

It wasn’t all bad news, though, and he said several projects in the city, including a storm-water project, are moving forward.

“It’s going to be a great thing for people in the city,” he said. “It’s going to alleviate a lot of their suffering.”

Kay said the city also is looking at which streets are in need of paving and how much federal stimulus money it will be receiving in coming months.

efranco@vindy.com