Weathersfield, McDonald agree on dispatching system

By Mary Smith

Trustees also will seek bids for construction of a storage building for road materials.

MINERAL RIDGE — Weathersfield Township trustees have signed a communications agreement with McDonald village that requires the village to pay for 30 percent of maintenance and repair costs to the fire-emergency-dispatching system it shares with the township.

The agreement is to be forwarded to the mayor for the village’s approval.

McDonald has been using Weathersfield’s fire frequency since a change to Niles’ dispatching 911 police and fire calls about three years ago, Fire Chief Randy Pugh said.

The Weathersfield frequency is to continue to be used as a main dispatch frequency from the Niles Communication Center for dispatching emergency calls, because it has a larger coverage area. Once dispatched, the McDonald units will use their frequency to communicate with Niles.

The township will pay 70 percent and wants McDonald to pay for 30 percent of maintenance costs for repairs to the system and ongoing maintenance.

The township now pays $155 a month to Staley Communications of Youngstown to check the system under a maintenance agreement.

Trustees will also seek bids for construction of a salt and road materials storage building.

The building would be located at the township offices location at 1451 Prospect St. and would house salt, sand and aggregate used for winter road treatment. There is now a small area where salt is stored inside, but everything else is sitting outside, Trustee James Stoddard said.

Some equipment could also be stored in the building.