SEE ALSO: Youngstown, Lierty officials look to improve Belmont Avenue

By Samantha Phillips

sphillips@vindy.com

LIBERTY

Liberty Township will receive a $2,700 monthly reimbursement from Optotraffic to cover the police department’s overtime costs that stem from the township operating its speed-camera program.

Trustees approved an amendment to its agreement with Optotraffic, a Maryland-based speed-camera company, during Tuesday night’s trustees meeting.

Trustees Arnie Clebone and Greg Cizmar voted for the measure; Trustee Jodi Stoyak voted no, saying she is opposed to using the speed cameras.

In other business, trustees approved a contract with CT Consultants for an amount not to exceed $3,000 for assistance from Eastgate Regional Council of Government for the proposed corridor study of Belmont Avenue and “assistance on other matters that may arise for which CT has expertise.”

Again, Clebone and Cizmar voted for the measure and Stoyak voted against it.

The township and the City of Youngstown are applying together for the study to identify ways to improve traffic safety and traversability of the section of Belmont between Giant Eagle in the township and Federal Street, downtown Youngstown.

Stoyak asked why CT Consultants was chosen without a bidding process and said she’s concerned about how money is being spent while the township is under fiscal caution. Clebone said he believes it’s a good investment, and one of the consultants is a Liberty resident.

The trustees went into executive session to discuss its water contract with Girard, which expires next year.

The Trumbull County Sanitary Engineer proposed buying the portion of Girard’s water infrastructure that provides water to some Liberty residents to save costs for those residents.

County commissioners sent a letter to Girard Mayor James Melfi in mid-January stating they won’t proceed with a feasibility study for the plan unless Girard supports it.