Struthers council ok’s donated land for fire station

By Graig Graziosi | January 10, 2019 at 12:05a.m.

STRUTHERS

The city took another step at Wednesday night’s city council meeting toward realizing construction of a new fire station.

The lawmakers voted to authorize a property transfer agreement with Daniel Becker of Becker Funeral Homes for a donated piece of property at 238 Elm Street. The property, currently home to an abandoned church, is intended to one day be the site of the new station.

Council also voted to continue contracting with MS Consultants for city engineering services. Councilman Michael Patrick, D-at large, expressed some hesitance to support the measure due to the company’s proximity to a state investigation into improper use of funds in Youngstown.

That investigation resulted in the indictments of former Youngstown mayor Charles Sammarone, ex-city Finance Director Dave Bozanich and downtown property developer Dominic Marchionda.

Struthers received subpoenas in November from the Ohio Attorney General’s office to provide all contracts with MS Consultants since 2000, along with copies of all checks to the company, noting what each was for, and all city contracts, invoices and responses to requests for proposals, checks, emails and records between the city and MS Consultants and/or Ray Bryia from January 2007 to present.

City Engineer Gary Diorio, who is a project manager with MS Consultants, defended the company, saying the state investigation is into Bryia, not the company itself. The company is cooperating in the investigation, he said.

Councilman Dallas Bigley, D-at large, argued that it would be unwise for Struthers to terminate its contract with MS Consultants when it is in the middle of several projects with the company.

Ultimately, Patrick agreed and voted in favor of the measure, but said he hopes council doesn’t “end up with egg on our faces.”

Also Wednesday, Mayor Terry Stocker released a report reviewing the projects the city completed in 2018 and those it hopes to undertake this year.

Upcoming projects include removal of Struthers Dam in the Mahoning River, resurfacing of state Route 616 from city limits to Campbell city limits, and the paving of nine additional streets in the city.