Austintown budget even keel with 2014, but less cash for paving

AUSTINTOWN

The township’s recently approved budget, about $17.9 million, is similar to a year ago.

The biggest difference is that a year ago the township received the second of two $1 million payments for Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course. That influx of funds helped pay off a communications-system debt and paved more roads.

Township Administrator Mike Dockry said Austintown spent roughly $1 million on paving roads last year, and this year it’s closer to about $770,000.

Paving also is affected by higher rock-salt prices. In the gasoline-tax fund, the township already has spent $278,576 out of an appropriated $342,000 for road salt this year.

“That only has to cover November and December and” in those three months there “should be a lot less [used] than the three months of January, February and March,” Dockry explained.

Read more of the budget expenses in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.