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Liberty trustees approve 2016 appropriations
By Sarah Lehr
LIBERTY
The township’s board of trustees Monday afternoon approved $6,199,800 in appropriations for 2016.
Those appropriations include $420,000 to the general fund, $2,104,000 to the police-district fund and $1,847,000 to the fire-district fund.
In 2015, the township spent $6,200,687 total. Of those expenditures, $664,292 came from the general fund, $2,165,439 came from the police fund and $2,063,924 came from the fire fund.
As of February, the township has a $103,592 deficit in the general fund and total positive balance of $618,835 aggregated from all funds.
“The general fund looks bleak,” fiscal officer Steve Shelton said. The deficit is “not going to get fixed overnight. It’s going to take some time.”
A projection presented by Shelton estimates the general fund will enter 2017 with a positive balance of $4,000, given the $420,000 appropriated for 2016 expenditures and expected general-fund revenue of $424,000.
“Again, that’s a guesstimate,” Shelton said of the projection.
In other business, trustees approved a contract with Powell Landscaping for grass-cutting over the next two years. The Hubbard-based business offered the lowest bid at $4,755 a year, officials said.
Chris Wilson, of C.W. Landscaping and Construction, spoke during the public-comments section of the meeting and questioned why officials did not award the bid to a business in Liberty Township. C.W.’s bid was $10 more than Powell Landscaping’s, Wilson said.
Trustees also approved a low bid of $48,536 from Warren Fire Equipment for a hose, hose dryer and fire appliances. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will cover 95 percent ($46,109.20) of that cost, according to the township. The township will foot the remaining 5 percent ($2,426.80) from its fire- district fund.
Additionally, the board voted to appoint Darlene St. George, a Howland Township administrator, as Liberty’s representative to the Trumbull County Land Bank for fiscal year 2016.