LIBERTY — Two challengers will try to knock off a pair of incumbents as township residents will elect two trustees on Nov. 7.

Incumbents Stanley Nudell and Jason T. Rubin will face challenges from Gregory A. Cizmar and Arnie Clebone.

Clebone, 69, is self-employed as president of Mid-American Resources Company, a venture capital enterprise that helps Mahoning Valley business and governments.

Clebone, who has both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Ohio State University, wants the township to develop a comprehensive strategy to fix and maintain 60 miles of roads. As an example, Clebone said, Belmont Avenue is a main corridor that should be a top priority and instead it is in poor condition, which leads to developers looking elsewhere when it comes to commercial projects.

“The roads are a symptom of the townships ability not being able to maintain itself,” Clebone said. “Actions must be taken to foster quality business and residential construction that will create new wealth.”

Cizmar, 52, who is self-employed at his own fabricating company, twice before sought a trustee seat, losing in 2013 and 2015. He said the roads are in just as bad condition as they were the first time he ran for office. Ciz–y new expenses added,” he said.

Both incumbents have business backgrounds.

Nudell, 73, has worked almost four decades with Edward J. Lewis, Inc. as a licensed real estate salesman. He also does fee appraising and consultations.

Rubin, 47, started his own business in 1998, CR Electric Inc., which has its headquarters in the township.

In their two terms as trustee, Nudell and Rubin both said they are proud of how trustees have managed to keep the township within budget.

Rubin said he and his colleagues have been keeping track of invoices. “You have to watch your invoices to make ends meet,” Rubin said.

Nuddell said job attrition has helped the bottom line.

“It has been difficult since we have went from 62 employees in 2009 down to 43 today,” Nudell said, while Rubin said the township’s debt which approached $1 million has been reduced to almost nothing.

Nudell said whether it is budgetary issues, negotiating with the township’s four unions, seeking to merge fire department services with the city of Girard or deciding to close the township 911 center, he doesn’t back down when it comes to taking difficult political stances.

“Whoever has this job must have the guts to stand up to do what is right,” Nudell said.

Clebone said merging fire departments is something that should be studied and considered, but firefighters should first be approached about it if the topic is broached again. A merger might also lead to a loss of local control, Clebone said, and another layer of government bureaucracy.

Cizmar said merging fire stations is not feasible because there isn’t money to build one centralized fire station and costs moving forward might be greater than they are now.

“Let’s do a study that’s going to help generate money,” Cizmar said. “The fire station isn’t generating money.”

Rubin said he would like to approach the fire department merger issue again with Girard, but also talks about maybe improving the cost of obtaining water.