10 townships to vote on electric proposal

If approved, commissioners would negotiate for lower electric rates.

YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning County commissioners have placed an electric-aggregation proposal on the Nov. 3 election ballot for 10 of the county’s townships.

Residents of Beaver, Berlin, Coitsville, Ellsworth, Goshen, Green, Jackson, Milton, Smith and Springfield townships will be voting on whether to authorize the commissioners to negotiate on their behalf for lower electric rates. The county has 14 townships.

“The commissioners are going to strive to negotiate the best rates and the best discounts,” for residents and businesses, said Commissioner John A. McNally IV. Consumers can save $50 to $100 a year based on the experience of Ohio communities that already have electric aggregation, he said.

“We think there’s money out there to save. We believe in the 10 townships we could save about $1.3 million” immediately, he added.

If the aggregation proposal doesn’t get a majority favorable vote within a particular township, that township will not participate in the program, McNally said. “Each township will be voting on that issue separately,” he said.

Thursday was the deadline to get tax issues and measures on the fall ballot.

Similar issues have been placed on the Nov. 3 ballot by township trustees in Austintown, Canfield and Poland. Youngstown and Boardman already have electric-aggregation programs.

In other action Thursday, the commissioners:

UAwarded $436,921 in contracts for construction of a courtroom and office addition at the county’s juvenile-justice center, with the $326,000 general contract going to Murphy Contracting of Youngstown.

UHired the Akron consulting engineering firm KCI Associates for $57,441 to manage the rehabilitation of the bridge that carries Glenwood Avenue over the Newport Drive entrance to Mill Creek Park.

UUsed state and county funds to make $26,880 worth of right-of-way purchases from seven landowners for the widening of Western Reserve Road between Tippecanoe Road and U.S. Route 46, with the project slated for construction in 2011.

UAwarded a $16,320 contract to Professional Electronics of Campbell for two surveillance cameras and monitors to be installed at the Canfield Fairgrounds.

UVoted to advertise for bids for repaving of Vermont Avenue in Sebring and the intersection of Reed Avenue and 13th Street and repair of Robinson Road, all in Campbell, with the work to be paid for by federal Community Development Block Grant funds.

milliken@vindy.com