On the record: Liberty

WHAT: Board of Education meeting Monday

PRESENT: Christopher Brookbank, Shawn Chrystal, Diana DeVito, David Malone and Kara Morgan

The board:

• Accepted the retirement resignation of Susan Boye as music teacher effective June 2 after 30 years with the district;

• Approved allocating $12,000 for new PK-6 grades playground effective July 1;

• Were informed the new Quick Med inside the schools that opened this spring will offer a dental van for students and staff;

• Accepted the resignations of Andrew Wilde as math teacher, Anthony Ross as a career based instruction (CBI) coordinator, Kristin Hofus as school psychologist, and Jenna McCarty as French teacher. All left the positions for new employment;

• Approved an agreement with the Youngstown-Mahoning County United Way to provide pre-kindergarten readiness summer program (Success by Six);

• Approved two-year administrative contracts for Natalie Wright, assistant to the superintendent, at $47,667, and Jacob Spain, assistant to the treasurer, at $43,522. Both contracts are from July 1 to June 30, 2025;

• Approved one-year supplemental contracts for Patty Copenhaver, food service manager, at $10,000; Willliam Dawson, maintenance coordinator, at $18,000; and Deborah Minniti, transportation coordinator, at $15,000 for the 2023-24 school year.

On the record: Liberty

WHAT: Township trustees meeting May 19

PRESENT: Devon Stanley, Greg Cizmar and Arnie Clebone

Trustees:

• Approved a community reinvestment area agreement with Steel and Liberty LLC for a partial tax abatement for improvements to be made at 1610 Motor Inn Drive for construction of a new hotel. The agreement is between county commissioners and Steel and Liberty LLC. The agreement is for a 75 percent 10-year abatement;

• Approved a bid of JC3 Builders at $135,000 for work at the police department. Stanley said $60,000 will be from drug fund money;

• Accepted the retirement of police officer James Newton on July 5;

• Approved the abatements of eight properties on Virgina Trail, Redfern, Catherine, Colonial, Pinecrest and East Liberty streets because of high grass and garbage creating a nuisance. Those property owners who do not rectify the nuisance will have the township do the work and the costs will be placed on the property owner's taxes.

On the record: Liberty

WHAT: Township trustees meeting Monday

PRESENT: Devon Stanley, Arnie Clebone and Greg Cizmar

Trustees:

• Swore in Pastor Wade Hartzell of Shiloh Full Gospel Church as a police chaplain. Hartzell joins Pastor Michael Constantino and Pastor Patrick Mitchell who provide a multitude of support for the department and residents;

• Tabled for further review making improvements to the inside of the police department, such as restrooms and offices. Administrator Martha Weirick said trustees want to review the project further before proceeding. They plan to discuss the issue at 8:30 a.m. May 19;

• Heard from Weirick who has written to state and local officials asking for a meeting to present, firsthand, the devastation and lasting damage left by those who harvest residential timber. Logging is considered agricultural and therefore bypasses the local authority's ability to regulate, even in residential areas, the waste left behind once the land is timber harvested. The township requests that the legislature amend the law for logging in residential areas;

• Heard from fire Chief Doug Theobald that Girard, Hubbard and Liberty are the joint recipients of a federal grant for a safety trailer that will be used to promote fire safety with school children. The $90,000 grant has a 10 percent match that will be shared by all three communities at $3,300 each;

• Heard from police Chief Toby Meloro that without the current trustee board's support, he could not have hired eight additional police officers over the last five years;

• Heard from Road Superintendent Wayne Hickman that once the drain work is complete on Naylor Lloyd Road, paving of the road should begin soon. Residents should notice the county's pipe project on Tibbetts Wick from Katie's Corner to McKinley Heights. Drivers may want to avoid that area when work begins;

• Approved submitting an application to Trumbull County's American Rescue Plan Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Grant for upgrading Center Park;

• Announced the Bike Belmont event will be May 21 and urged anyone to join;

• Heard from Clebone, who wants to hold a public hearing in the next few weeks asking for input by residents on crosswalks, enhancements to the entrance of Churchill Park, sidewalks and lighting along Belmont Avenue.