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Panel appointed to raise funds for Mahoning pound expansion
YOUNGSTOWN
Mahoning County commissioners appointed an all-volunteer fundraising committee for the expansion of the county dog pound.
The 13-member committee appointed Thursday includes the county commissioners, dog Warden Matt Ditchey, philanthropist Mary Lariccia, leaders of various local animal- welfare organizations and others.
Lariccia handed Ditchey a check for $100,000, which constituted her donation toward the pound expansion.
A week earlier, the commissioners had established the Mahoning County Animal Care Building Fund, into which they committed $400,000 from the county dog and kennel fund.
The fund is derived from dog-license fees and fines for dog-law violations.
No specific goal has been established for the pound-expansion fund, Ditchey said. “There is no set number [of dollars] etched in stone yet because we still have to get architectural plans,” Ditchey said. The 40-year-old pound is at 589 Industrial Road on the city’s West Side.
John A. McNally IV, chairman of the county commissioners, said he expects the commissioners to advertise for an architect for the expansion within the next two weeks.
The fact that the fund’s name does not include the word “dog” and refers to “animal care” leaves open the possibility the expanded facility might house both dogs and cats, Ditchey said.
Grants will be sought for the expansion from government entities, charitable foundations, animal-welfare organizations, pet-food companies and local and national businesses, Ditchey said.
“That fund is now protected,” the dog warden added. “It can’t be used for anything other than this expansion project, so when members of the public donate this money, they know it’s going specifically for this project and this project only.”
In other action, the commissioners:
Enacted new fees, effective April 2, ranging from $25 to $300 for any earth disturbance, development permits or requests for variances from flood damage reduction regulations in flood plains to cover costs incurred by the county planning commission in connection with these activities.
Awarded a $723,459 construction contract to the Susany Construction Co. of North Lima for Phase Two of the South Struthers Interceptor Sewer, which will serve the Poland Center Drive area and connect to the completed Phase One at Struthers Road.
Heard Randy Partika, county bridge engineer, announce that the A.P. O’Horo Co. of Liberty was the lowest bidder at slightly more than $4 million for the widening of Western Reserve Road from state Route 46 to U.S. Route 62.