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WARREN -- The city is looking at spending more than $1.55 million on street repairs using money from the 0.5 percent income tax for police, fire and roads.
The tax first was approved in 2016 and renewed last fall.
The original legislation required the city to use $500,000 annually to repair and upgrade city roads that do not receive state or federal matching funds.
City Auditor Vince Flask said the extra $1 million placed in the local road repair budget also is coming from the tax.
"It took the city a while to fill the ranks in the police and fire departments, so we collected funds that were not used," Flask said.
City council recently approved legislation allowing the administration to seek bids to be used from the repair of 42 streets in the 2021 local resurfacing program. Council also approved $1,225,000 in Ohio Public Works Commission and Community Development Block Grant dollars for 15 other road projects.
The city is budgeting $1.55 million for those 42 street repairs this year. Over the last two years, the city spent $1.2 million on local road repairs using the tax money from the annual $500,000 appropriation.
Bids for the projects are expected to be sent and accepted before month's end. Road construction is expected to take place this summer.
"To be quite honest, our roads need a lot more than the $1.55 million being asked for in repairs," said Councilman Mark Forte, D-4th Ward, who sponsored the legislation.
Paul Makosky, director of the city's engineering department, annually checks the city streets to determine which ones need the most work.
"He does his own surveys of roads by driving them, listening to the concerns of residents and council members and then rates which ones needs work on them now, and which ones with repairs that can be done later," Forte said.
Councilman Ronald White, D-7th Ward, would like the city to find some funds to do sidewalk repairs as well.
"I don't believe (Makosky) mentioned doing sidewalks," Forte said. "But we're hoping to put money together to do some sidewalk repairs also."
Those 15 other road resurfacing projects being done this year will be paid for, in part, with $661,500 from the Ohio Public Works Commission. The city will provide $281,700 using general fund revenues and an additional $281,750 using Community Development Block grant funds.
Councilman Greg Greathouse, D-3rd Ward, described Makosky as doing a good job of dividing the funds among the seven wards.
"The roads identified to be repaired in my ward are the worst," he said. "These are roads that Mr. Makosky identified on his own. I easily could have given him another five to be done if we had another $1.5 million to use."
rsmith@tribtoday.com
2021 Local Resurfacing Program
Street From To
Niblock Avenue NW Parkman Road Clearview Street
Clearview Street NW Clemmens Avenue Maxwell Avenue
Maxwell Avenue NW Parkman Road Dead end north
Clemmens Avenue NW Parkman Road Dead end north
Beechcrest Street NW Monticello Avenue Estabrook Avenue
Westwood Street NW Drexel Avenue NW Dead end west
Vernon Avenue NW North Street Roosevelt Street
Mahoning Court NW Mahoning Avenue Dead end east
Ivanhoe Street NE North Park Avenue Dead end east
Douglas Street NE North Park Avenue Dead end east
Jesse Avenue NE Maryland Street Ivanhoe Street
Paige Avenue Ext. NE Griswold Street Dead end north
Olive Avenue NE Atlantic Street NE Bank Street
Bank Street NE Vine Avenue Paige Avenue
Martha Street NE Larchmont Avenue Brighton Avenue
Edgewood Street NE Laird Avenue Bonnie Brae
Bonnie Brae Avenue NE Atlantic Street NE Hollywood Street
Fairmount Avenue NE Sunset Drive Westview Boulevard
Adelaide Avenue NE Woodland Street Montclair Street
Kenmore Avenue NE Montclair Street East Market Street
Woodland Street NE Perkinswood Butler Street
Charles Avenue NE McKinley Street High Street
Logan Avenue SE Niles Road East Market Street
Grandview Street SE Laird Avenue Kenilworth Avenue
Homewood Avenue SE Youngstown Road Niles Road
Belle Street SE Adelaide Avenue Willard Avenue
Chevelle Drive SE Sunnybrook Drive Sunnybrook Drive
Sunnybrook Drive SE Weinwood Drive North Road
Heltzel's Court SE Country Club Drive Dead end west
Country Club Drive SE East Market Street Dead end south
Cranwood SW Woodview Hemlock
Hemlock Avenue SW Kenwood Willow Drive
Jefferson Street SW Delaware Avenue Nevada Avenue
Jefferson Street SW Nevada Avenue Austin Avenue
Pearl Street SW Parkman Road Austin Avenue
Iowa Avenue NW West Market Street McMyler Street
Vermont Avenue NW West Market Street McMyler Street
Linda Drive NW Autumn Drive Southern Boulevard
Autumn Drive NW Linda Drive Linda Drive
Stephens Street NW Mills Avenue Northwest Boulevard
Mills Avenue NW Northwest Boulevard Stephens Street
2021 OPWC / CDBG Road program
Tanya Avenue NW Elm Hill Drive Lynwood Drive
Elm Hill Drive NW Olian Avenue Lynwood Drive
Bon Air Street NW Elm Hill Drive Lynwood Drive
Summit Street NW Mahoning Avenue Atlantic Street
Melwood Drive NE Niles Road Wildwood Drive
Wildwood Drive NE Melwood Drive Melwood Drive
Benton Street SE Niles Road Draper Street
Draper Street SE Niles Road Duke Avenue
Duke Avenue SE Draper Street Benton Street
Monroe Street NW Mahoning Avenue North Park Avenue
Hazelwood Avenue SE East Market Street Youngstown Road
Union Street SW Highland Avenue Quinby Park
Nevada Avenue SW West Market Street Jackson Street
Linda Drive NW Parkman Road Southern Boulevard
North Leavitt Road NW Parkman Road City limits
Source: Warren Building Department