Canfield seeks outside funding sources for two projects to be done next year

By ROBERT CONNELLY

rconnelly@vindy.com

CANFIELD

It will take a few months for the city to know if its local share on two street projects to be done next year will be picked up by another agency.

City council this week approved the submission of a project to the Ohio Public Works Commission and a second one to the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments.

The city submitted an application to OPWC for the third phase of the North Broad Street upgrade project valued between $1.3 million and $1.4 million. The city’s local share is $500,000. The OPWC application was for the city’s portion.

Before council approved sending that OPWC application, Councilman Chuck Tieche said, “My concern overall is, with the income tax” election defeat, “are we spending dollars that we really don’t have?”

City Manager Joe Warino said if the OPWC denies the city’s application, the project will be revisited. He said the city should know in November or December if the OPWC is funding the local share.

Council also applied to Eastgate for the city’s share of $65,000 on a $325,000 project for streetlights on North Broad Street, from Dartmouth Drive to the Ohio Turnpike. The Ohio Department of Transportation is paying for the bulk of the project.

Warino said the city should know in October or November if Eastgate will assist with the city’s share.

Council also approved a $33,060 stormwater-control project on Chapel Lane, which has been affected by heavy rains in recent years. Utility Contracting Inc. on Meridian Road was approved as the contractor. The city is paying for the job from its stormwater capital projects fund. That project will add more catch basins to alleviate drainage issues on that street.

Council’s meeting dates for September are 5:30 p.m. Sept. 9 and Sept. 23, the second and fourth Wednesdays in that month. Council moved its meeting dates so as not to conflict with the Canfield Fair, which begins Sept. 2.

Mayor Bernie Kosar Sr. provided the details from Mayor’s Court in July. There were 257 stops by police, and in 224 of those stops, motorists were given written or verbal warnings. The court took in net revenue of $10,487.

Kosar said the police department, of which he used to be an auxiliary officer, is “more interested in educating than fining.”