Trending
AUSTINTOWN -- Township trustees are hoping that later this year, work to upgrade and improve a retention pond off Wilcox Road will be underway.
A primary portion of the work will entail efforts to allow the water to flow in the correct direction and away from residents who live on the west side of the body of water, Trustee chairman Robert J. Santos said after Monday's regular trustees meeting.
In short, the project's goal is to restore the pond to its original design, Darren Crivelli, township zoning inspector, said.
At their meeting Thursday in the Mahoning County Courthouse, county commissioners approved $500,000 in American Rescue Plan dollars to the trustees for work on the retention pond, which sits behind a large Mahoning Avenue plaza that houses a Walmart store.
So far, the misdirection of the water flow has caused no damage or flooding to nearby homes and businesses, but "we want to be proactive before it gets to that point," Santos said.
He added that the project could begin by late summer.
The county had an agreement with New Century Development Corp. that was signed in July 1993 for the retention pond. In addition, the county is responsible for the pond's upkeep and maintenance, he continued.
Also at Monday's session, township Administrator Mark D'Apolito read aloud to the few dozen in attendance eight bids that were received for key road projects that ranged from about $800,000 to more than $1 million.
Parts or all of about 29 township roads will receive paving and repairs, with possible additional roadwork, depending on available funding, he noted, adding that a lot of the work will be possible courtesy of voters having approved an additional 0.25% sales tax in November 2021.
That five-year sales tax has generated about $9 million annually, with roughly $4 million each allocated for county and township roads.
Thomas Fok & Associates Inc. of Youngstown will review the eight bids before one is awarded, D'Apolito continued.
In other business, Santos was appointed to represent the Austintown, Boardman and Canfield Water and Stormwater District committee.
news@vindy.com