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Nominees named for Warren panel
By ED RUNYAN
WARREN
The 15 city residents nominated to serve on the Strategic Planning Citizens Advisory Council include a former Kent State University administrator, a former Harding High School principal and a former city planner.
But perhaps just as importantly, the list that will be submitted to Warren City Council for approval contains 15 ordinary Warren residents who would all pass the following test: If they saw some trash on the ground, they would pick it up and get rid of it, said John Robertson of Atlantic Street.
The 15 people selected to carry out the recommendations of the Warren strategic plan completed last year are the type of people who accept the responsibility to make the trash in Warren go away, Robertson said.
City Council’s Strategic Planning Committee met Thursday to receive names of the 15 citizens — two from each of the five sections of the city and five “at-large” members. The selections came from a five- person citizens’ committee.
Robertson, who worked in administration at Kent State University for 25 years, was nominated to be chairman.
Andy Barkley, a former council member who has agreed to serve as one of three advisers to the advisory council, said he was especially pleased that so many citizens — 35 — volunteered to serve on the committee.
“I can tell you, you’ve got a great group of hard-working members,” Barkley said.
Robertson said the study, which was carried out by the Poggemeyer Group of Bowling Green with input from many community members, contains suggestions on how to improve the city in the coming decade, but it needs citizens to make the suggestions a reality.
The study, which cost $180,000, contains data on residential and commercial trends and includes recommendations on how to “right-size” its housing stock as a result of its shrinking population.
Recommended members of the advisory council are:
Louis Lepro of Perkins Drive and Roy Yancey of Comstock Street: Central City.
Dante Capers of Crescent Drive and Janet Hazlette of Kenilworth Avenue: Northeast.
Alex Bobersky of Tod Avenue and Larry Larson of Niblock Avenue: Northwest.
Mary Cummins of Nevada Avenue and Judi Toles of Highland Avenue: Southwest.
Elizabeth Bolint of Kenmore Street and William Mullane of Belvedere Avenue: Southeast.
Pam Fritsch of Garfield Drive, Rodderick Lewis of Stewart Drive, John Robertson of Atlantic Street, Richard Vilsack of East Market Street and Troy Woods of Merriweather Street: at large.
A student at Harding High School will also serve as an at-large member.