LIBERTY — Residents who frequently use the sidewalks near Belmont Avenue may see some changes in the coming months.

Trustees approved accepting a memorandum of understanding for a Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) grant totaling $107,360, to be solely used for the Belmont Avenue sidewalks project. The project targets the sidewalk running from state Route 304 to Giant Eagle.

The township will be responsible for 20% of the local match, up to a maximum of $26,840, and all costs exceeding the maximum funding amount.

Road Supervisor Wayne Hickman explained to trustees that the memorandum was needed before the Trumbull County Engineer’s Office could bid the project out, adding that they also still need to provide access to businesses along the road.

“The contractor has to guarantee access to the business at all times,” Hickman said. “So if you have a long stretch, like Shaker’s Bar and Grill, they might do half or they can do the whole thing.”

EXCISE TAX

Trustees authorized Law Director Cherry Poteet to file a lawsuit against the LLC that owns the Baymont by Windham on Belmont Avenue.

According to the resolution, a previous resolution leveled a 3% excise tax on all transactions involving lodging by a hotel or motel within the township, and required all such facilities to obtain tax forms from the township’s fiscal officer, pay the tax due to the fiscal officer by the end of each month for the preceding month and pay a 10% penalty for any payments not received by the due date.

The resolution stated that the hotel’s owners, 4044 Belmont LLC, failed to file tax returns or remit taxes for the township for June 2024, August 2024, November 2024 and December 2024, as well as January and February 2025.

In other action, trustees:

• Accepted police officer Christian Thoma’s resignation, effective June 6.

• Approved not objecting to the required second notice of a liquor permit for Columbiana Foods Inc. DBA Giant Eagle on Belmont Avenue.

• Approved adopting a new police policy for video records, as recommended by police Chief Toby Meloro and Poteet. The policy will implement House Bill 315, which permits police departments to charge people requesting video records the cost of redacting and producing the record.