DEAR EDITOR:

There has been much written in the news recently about water rates charged by the city of Girard to users in Liberty Township; more recently, there has been much written regarding leverage that the city of Niles wants to exert on water users in Howland, Vienna and Weathersfield townships that are supplied by Niles. This was a major topic of discussion in the recent economic summit hosted by Trumbull County commissioners.

My wife, former Liberty Trustee Jodi Stoyak, and I have petitioned commissioners to ask county Engineer Randy Smith to commence a study to determine the feasibility of the county sanitary engineer taking over, individually or collectively, the water service to Liberty users currently supplied by Girard; the water service to Howland and Vienna users currently supplied by Niles; and the water service provided to Weathersfield users currently supplied by Niles and Girard. That study would look at existing infrastructure, Trumbull capacity, resources necessary to make the change and the associated costs. There is no mandate for a decision. The request is for the study only to determine the facts.

Yet, after being assured that the resolution to authorize the study would be on the Feb. 26, commissioners’ agenda, no such resolution appeared. The Commissioners’ explanation was that they did not yet have enough information to go forward with the study and that meetings with the engineer, county attorney and other interested parties would be necessary before such a study could be commenced.

It is my hope, for county water users and potential future regionalization of Valley water and sewer districts, that these meetings be held in the next few days and that the resolution to commence such a study is placed on the agenda this week. Let’s move forward to determine the facts.

STEVE STOYAK

Girard