City spends more money for potential V&M Star project

YOUNGSTOWN — The city’s board of control approved a $253,324 contract today with a Youngstown company to clear trees, roots, bushes and grub on 85 acres of land V&M Star Steel would need for its potential $970 million expansion project.

Marucci and Gaffney Excavating of Youngstown submitted the lowest proposal among three companies vying for the job. The project’s estimated cost was $350,000.

The work will begin as early as next week and take up to 30 days to finish, said Charles Shasho, the city’s deputy director of public works.

Also today, the board of control approved a contract to have the Ohio Department of Transportation oversee about $8 million to $9 million worth of work to those 85 acres as well as about 25 additional acres as part of the potential V&M project.

The state would use money obtained through the federal stimulus package to pay for the work.

That work would include: expanding railroad lines, site excavation, site grading, and the construction of storm sewers. The state DOT will open proposals for that work Oct. 9 with the work done at the end of January 2010, Shasho said.

V&M Star is expected to decide by the end of this year whether it will move forward with plans for an expansion that would cost about $970 million and employ about 400 new workers.

For the complete story, read Tuesday’s Vindicator or Vindy.com