Staff photo / J.T. Whitehouse John Scotford from the nonprofit Town One, Range One attended the Tuesday Poland Village Council meeting to ask permission for projects to clean up the village. Council members approved all three beautification projects.

POLAND — Village council gave several green lights Tuesday for projects taking place around the village.

A “go-ahead” was given for cleanup efforts and for a location to place the bronze William McKinley statue when it arrives.

John Scotford from the non-profit group Town One, Range One had several requests for permission for projects around town. The first project Scotford proposed was cleaning around the Yellow Creek patio and stairway. He said the stairs had been repaired and the patio scrubbed. What remained was a lot of “scrub” trees and weeds along the creek.

“I received a proposal from a Poland Seminary High School graduate to clean that area up,” he said. “The project would go through Town One, Range One.”

Council President Michael Thompson said there are plants growing near the edge of the creek that are there on purpose to protect the creek.

A second project Scotford mentioned was for the bridge.

“The bridge railing is deteriorating,” he said. “We need to wire brush them and repaint them. We got a quote from a painter on the project.”

The final request was for the removal of a half-dead ash tree in the devil strip in front of the Poland Library.

Scotford said all three projects would get done through Town One, Range One. He said it would be no cost to the village, but if council wants to donate to the projects, it would be appreciated.

Council gave approval to go ahead with the projects to beautify the village.

MCKINLEY STATUE

The second speaker was Anthony Lattanzio, who has spearheaded the project to erect a bronze statue to a young William McKinley. He gave a quick update and requested a location be approved by council.

“The statue is currently in Colorado at a foundry where it is being cast in bronze,” Lattanzio said. “The delivery date has been set for the last week in October. What I am seeking is permission to have the base established prior to it arriving.”

He said the base needs to be dug out and poured, and will include bronze plaques and lighting.

“Edison Lighting is donating the lighting for the statue,” he said.

Council approved the requested site on the west side of the Village Hall walk closer to South Main Street after taking a short recess so council members could physically look at the proposed location.

SIGNAL WRAP BOXES

In other business Tuesday, council also gave the go-ahead to cover the remaining Ohio Department of Transportation electric signal control boxes at several intersections in town — three with historical art and the remaining two with nature art. The boxes are now a large metal box housing the controls for traffic signals. The intent of the “signal wrap program” is to make the boxes more appealing.

Box 1 was approved previously and will be located at the corner of College and South Main streets, in front of House of Benny’s Restaurant and will highlight the 25th U.S. President, William McKinley, and his boyhood home. The box is the closest one to the site of McKinley’s home and the location where he enlisted to serve in the Civil War.

Box 2 is located at the corner of Riverside Drive and South Main Street. The plan is to highlight Poland’s early water-powered mills throughout Poland’s history. Photos of the original mill could not be located, but photos of the second mill (1801-1920) were found.

Box 3 is located at Water Street and U.S. 224. The proposed art for that box would include scenes from early Poland and would include the Sunoco/McQuaid’s gas station that existed where Peterson Park stands today.

Box 4 is at U.S. 224 and Riverside Drive and could feature the Little Red Schoolhouse. Box 5 is in front of Huntington Bank on South Main Street and Box 6 is at the intersection of Youngstown-Pittsburgh and North Lima roads. Those will feature nature scenes.

OTHER BUSINESS

In other business Tuesday, council:

•Approved hiring Carter Daniel to a full-time position with maintenance in the street department at a rate of $16 per hour, and Alex Frangos to a part-time position in the street department at a rate of $13 per hour for 20 hours per week.

•Approved a $500 payment to American Legal Publishing for placing ordinances on the village website.

•Approved paying an invoice for $3,000 to Iworq for work involved with the zoning program.

•Approved making repairs to pedestrian walk push buttons at a cost not to exceed $3,400.