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Poland community leaders talk about recent iniatives at "Good Morning Poland" event
POLAND
Community leaders presented themselves Friday as forward-thinking and action-oriented at “Good Morning Poland,” an event hosted by the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber.
Representatives from the regional chamber, event sponsor Armstrong Cable, the township and school district addressed a crowd mostly composed of other community and business leaders.
“This is what we’re doing for people,” said township Trustee Eric Ungaro, detailing the initiatives he, trustees Joanne Wollet and Bob Lidle, and other township officials have accomplished recently, such as making trustee meetings and township services more accessible to the public.
“Our interactions on the Internet have really increased over the last year,” he said, highlighting the upgraded township website.
Ungaro described township officials’ approach to issues as “proactive,” pointing to police-department initiatives such as adding a student-resource officer, getting a canine officer, starting a senior-watch program, getting a prescription-drug drop-off box and training officers to use Narcan, a heroin overdose antidote.
“Guess what? It’s half-filled,” he said of the new drop-off box, addressing those who think drug abuse isn’t an issue in Poland. “It’s everywhere. Don’t just put your head in the sand.”
Ungaro also drew attention to the $500,000 sidewalk project the township undertook using grant funds, and announced that the township and village now will add and replace roads signs using a $40,000 state grant.
Township trustees also recently approved a three-year, $1 million road paving project.
Schools Superintendent David Janofa also spoke, presenting school-district officials’ recent decision to build new school facilities as a step into the future.
“We’ve had some challenges at Poland Schools, and I’m happy to be part of moving forward,” he said.
Janofa mostly spoke in broad terms about the future of the school district and the building consolidation plan that will go into effect this fall, and did not explicitly mention the bond issue the school board voted Monday to put on the ballot in November.