CANFIELD — City council was again an arena of discussion about the Boardman Fire Department joining the Cardinal Joint Fire District.

City Councilman Bruce Neff said that he heard from a resident who was in favor of Boardman joining the district, however, he added, “I also take issue with John Morvay saying we (city council) killed it.”

Council President Christine Oliver said she received several text messages and one resident told her that if it happens, the person would not vote to pass another fire levy.

Resident Steve Planey addressed council during public comment and asked “the city to stay the course,” he said.

He told council the merger of Boardman and the CJFD was all about money and power.

“Boardman wants more money and the good old boys at the CJFD want more power,” Planey said.

Morvay, former fire district board member, was late arriving to the meeting but did sign up to speak.

“I sat on that board,” he said.

“The reason Boardman looked at CJFD was because we had the model that works. It would cost Boardman $10 million to fix the ambulance problem by themselves. It would only cost them $7 million if they joined the fire district.

“On paper, it is a winner. But I can tell you right now, in my opinion, it is not going to happen. It is water over the dam.”

Councilman Mark Graham said he thinks Canfield residents should be the ones deciding on the issue.

David D’Apolito reported to council that he sent a letter to the Mahoning County Auditor asking what would happen if the city were to pull out of the fire district and go on their own. He said he hopes to have that information soon for council to review.

In other business:

•   D’Apolito reported that Lindy Paving is returning 85% of the cost of the road work the company did on East Main Street. He is now working with engineers to get bids to repave the entire street.

He said trying to patch the road would not solve the problem.

•   Neff said he was not in favor of the Canfield School District tearing down the old middle school. He said the YMCA is looking for a location that is out in the county and the old middle school may work.

“All we need to do is find another location for the new school,” Neff said.

•   Council members Oliver, Graham, Neff and Chuck Tieche passed an ordinance to modify the contract with MS Consultants Inc. and the basic engineering agreement to allow for services to seek bids for a generator to serve the Colonial Plaza sanitary sewer lift station.

The lift station has no backup generator.

•   Council unanimously approved an ordinance to authorize the purchase of a Western Star dump truck, dump body, snow plow and salt spreader from TSI Truck and Equipment Sales of North Jackson at a cost not to exceed $197,443.

•   Council approved the declaration of a 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe as surplus and approved the sale to the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Department for use as a K9-Unit vehicle, for $25,000.

•   In a 3-1 vote, council authorized the city manager to apply for F1 and F2 permits from the Ohio Dept. of Commerce / Division of Liquor Control for Family Fun Night on Sept. 19 and the Fall Fest on Oct. 5.