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Township trustees see opportunity for land bank
By PAM JADUE
The Austintown Board of Trustees continued working to resolve issues relating to the current economy at its Monday meeting, with actions by Lien Forward Ohio and discussions on Austintown’s revenue reductions.
Recent actions by the Lien Forward Ohio group were brought to the attention of the public by Township Administrator Michael Dockry. He reported that Gov. Strickland recently signed a bill that would allow Mahoning County to form a land bank.
The county is planning to work with Lien Forward to acquire land that has become tax-delinquent or vacant. The organization’s goal is to work with the communities to return the land to productive use. The newly-signed legislation has given counties with populations of 60,000 or more the ability to create a land bank.
“Lien Forward is asking us to create a resolution in support of this action,” Dockry explained,
This resolution requires no financial commitment from the township. Trustee David Ditzler reminded residents that the township had previously worked with Lien Forward in an effort to improve vacant properties in the township.
“This might be a good starting point,” Ditzler remarked.
He motioned to adopt the resolution that was unanimously approved by the board.
Fiscal officer Michael Kurish responded to recent articles regarding the township’s ability to balance the budget for this year.
“As a township. we are required to submit a budget,” said Kurish. “I just want to say that our 2010 budget is balanced, however, if you look at the revenue, we have received money from the state in the form of the Tangible Personal Property Tax that will be eliminated over the next few years. We will have to learn to live without that revenue.”
He explained that with less money to be spent, the township will need to create new revenue or cut services. He stressed that there is still time for legislative action.
The state’s phasing out of the Tangible Personal Property Tax will result in a loss of $775,000 over a five-year period. Kurish has been warning residents of this potential loss at previous meetings of the board.
He urged Austintown residents to contact state Sen. Joe Schiavoni and state representative Ron Gerberry in support of legislation that would continue reimbursements to local governments for the lost revenue from The Tangible Personal Property Tax.
In other business, police chief Robert Gavalier reported that the Austintown Police Department has welcomed its new police dog. The canine is still in the training process. Zoning inspector Darren Crivelli said the township issued a permit for a single-family dwelling.
Park supervisor Joyce Gottron thanked all of the volunteers who helped clean up the park and worked on the spring landscaping projects. Improvements were recently made to the playground area and additional improvements are being made to the basketball courts this month.