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On the record

Girard

WHAT: City council meeting Monday

PRESENT: Reynald Paolone, Thomas Grumley, Jeff Kay, Keith Schubert, Lily Martuccio, John Moliterno, Sam Zirafi and Mayor Mark Zuppo

ABSENT: Mark Standohar

Council:

• Heard from Schubert the recreation committee met to discuss plans for getting a disc golf course for Liberty Park, resurfacing the tennis courts and basketball courts at the park, and a plan for pickleball courts and other improvements at Tod, Liberty and Stambaugh parks.

• Approved two additional part-time positions in the recreation department. The pay will be increased from $12.50 to $15 per hour. Zuppo said this will help let people into the city gym for volleyball and basketball, which will start up again now that the gym remodeling project is completed. Also the workers will tend to maintenance of the park fields.

• Set the pay of the part-time city engineer at $40 per hour and the part-time assistant engineer at $30 per hour for no more than 29 hours per week.

• Requested legislation be prepared to increase the pay of the buildings and grounds superintendent from $29,000 to $35,000.

• Heard from Zuppo, who has been in contact with the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments on funding sources to help the city with street paving costs.

• Gave first reading to a contract with Browning Ferris Industries for garbage and refuse collection with each household to receive a 96-gallon trash container.

• Heard from Safety / Service Director Sal Ponzio the Tibbetts Wick Road pump station will get three new pumps.

• Will discuss how the city’s American Rescue Plan funds have been used in 2023 at the Feb. 12 meeting.

• Bob Coupland

On the record

Trumbull County

WHAT: Trumbull Career and Technical Center organizational / regular meeting Thursday

The board:

• Named Ronda Bonekovic of Brookfield as president and Brooke Vondrasek of Bristol as vice president.

• Swore in new members Julie Altawil of Howland, Kara Morgan of Liberty and Laisa Thompson of Joseph Badger.

• Named Al Haberstroh of Southington as legislative liaison to the Ohio School Boards Association and Sue Ellen Harris Davis of Girard as student achievement liaison to OSBA.

• Named Tami Morrison of Maplewood as chair for finance, Tom Hart of McDonald to high school programs, Danielle Scherer of Lakeview to adult programs, Tim Gibson of LaBrae to facilities and Cheryl Basista of Weathersfield to policy.

• Heard from Harris Davis that Girard bus driver Mark Mikulich was honored by the school board for pulling a bus over to the side of the road when a wheel came off when transporting TCTC students to Girard High School, Mikulich felt the bus lean to one side before the left rear tire came off and pulled over. He was recognized with a certificate for his heroism.

• Hired Hunter Torreance as substitute instructor for general auto service technology at $17 per hour.

• Accepted the resignation of Courtney Sommers, math teacher, at the end of the school year.

• Approved Air Force ROTC students to go to Wright Patterson and the Underground Railroad Museum in Dayton and Cincinnati on March 14 and 15.

• Set meetings for 7 p.m. the second Thursday of the month except June 27.

• Bob Coupland

On the record

Milton

WHAT: Township trustees meeting Jan. 9

PRESENT: Dave Tomaino, Wendy DiBernardi and Edward Villone

Trustees:

l Approved pursuing RC Construction’s quote of $4,850 to repair open gaps where the wall meets the roof in the fire department building. Fire Chief Kenneth Oles explained it will prevent birds from entering and nesting.

l Approved replacing the fire department’s floor scrubber at a cost of $1,999. Oles explained that the current scrubber shocks its user after 30 seconds of use.

l Heard from Oles that the Portage County Water Rescue Team invited the department to join its organization. Oles said there are monthly meetings, training and no fee for joining.

l Approved Sarah Garcia’s application to join the fire department.

l Tentatively accepted Justin Binkiewicz’s application to join the fire department pending completion of the application.

l Tentatively hired Carson Carrell as a firefighter.

l Accepted William Ilgenfritz’s resignation from the fire department.

l Approved Police Chief Charles Van Dyke’s request to hire the following people as part-time cadets at a rate of $15 per hour during training: Nicholas Jones, following OPOTA certification, state personality test, CVSA, and drug screening; Destiny Burkhammer, following CVSA and drug screening; Tony Villar Salcado, following OPOTA certification, state personality test, CVSA, and drug screening; and Robert Delagrange, following CVSA and drug screening.

l Approved hiring Danielle Zlenka as part-time administrative secretary at a rate of $15 per hour.

— Brandon Cantwell

On the record

Girard

WHAT: City council meeting Monday

PRESENT: Reynold Paolone, John Moliterno, Sam Zirafi, Lily Martuccio, Mark Standohar, Jeff Kay, Keith Schubert, Thomas Grumley and Mayor Mark Zuppo

Council:

• Reported the blinking traffic signal at Churchill and Shannon roads has been replaced with a stop-and-go traffic signal. Some residents asked if it could be blinking again during school hours. Other residents said having the traffic signal makes it easier to get out of Shannon Road and onto Churchill Road.

• Reported Howard Zickefoose is retiring from the water treatment plant.

• Will prepare legislation to enter into an agreement with Republic Services for a new garbage collection contract. The city has 3,945 customers.

• Heard from Zuppo that he and Law Director Brian Kren will meet with Niles officials over water matters.

• Heard from Grumley of reviewing streets not able to be paved in 2023 to possibly be paved in 2024.

• Scheduled a caucus to review finance totals for 2023 at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 22.

• Bob Coupland

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