Austintown Budgets $7.6 million in Temporary Appropriations
By JUSTIN WIER
AUSTINTOWN
Township officials expect to spend $7.6 million during the first three months of 2017, according to the township’s temporary appropriations budget.
Municipalities rely on a temporary budgets until the end of March, when they are required to have a permanent budget in place for the new year.
Township Administrator Michael Dockry said these are the same numbers they used in last year’s temporary appropriations bill.
The police department appropriations total $1.8 million, with $1.1 million going toward personnel and the remaining $700,000 toward operating expenses. The fire department received $1.2 million, and the infrastructure fund received $1 million.
Also this week, officials increased this year’s appropriations to the police department and communications. Police received an additional $185,000 and communications received an additional $100,000.
Dockry said these expenses are related to the township’s agreement to pay for six dispatchers who previously worked for Mahoning County.
The agreement was a first step in transitioning dispatching from the county administration building in downtown Youngstown to individual municipalities. Boardman Township is paying for the other six dispatchers that worked at the county administration building.
“We’re paying them as if they were our employees,” Dockry said. “They’re still working down at the county, but we’re paying them.”
The police and communications departments ran over budget because the township didn’t anticipate adding new dispatchers when they finalized the 2016 budget in March.
The township also issued a permit for a new Sheetz store at Canfield-Niles Road and Clarkins Drive that they expect to open in early 2017. The location is now occupied by a former Burger King building and car wash.
Darren Crivelli, the township’s zoning inspector, said he was impressed by the plans, which include a brick building.
“I think the community is going to like it,” Crivelli said. “It’ll be a nice redevelopment.”