Mahoning commissioners urge Youngstown, Girard to resolve land dispute

YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning County commissioners have appealed for a quick resolution of the dispute between Girard and Youngstown concerning annexation of Girard land to Youngstown for the proposed $970 million V&M Star Steel expansion project.

“I want to urge [Girard)] Mayor [James] Melfi to do the right thing. The property there will be used for nothing else in the future. He should work with the city of Youngstown to let that property be annexed,” said Anthony T. Traficanti, chairman of the county commissioners.

“Both counties will benefit from that project,” he added, referring to Mahoning and Trumbull counties. Girard is in Trumbull County. Youngstown is in Mahoning County.

“We’re urging the city of Girard and the mayor to work diligently with Mayor [Jay] Williams [of Youngstown] to accomplish this. To me, it sounds like a no-braine,r and it should have gone forward by now,” Traficanti said during today’s commissioners’ meeting.

“I expect by Aug. 28 that these issues will be resolved and V&M will continue to think of the current location in the city of Youngstown as their home for that proposed expansion,” said Traficanti’s colleague, Commissioner John A. McNally IV.

For the complete story, see Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com