Warren residents push to use virus relief funds for business, assistance

WARREN -- Housing, job creation, economic development, and, of course, flooding were issues discussed during the 6th Ward American Rescue Plan community meeting on Thursday at Trumbull Community Action Program,1230 Palmyra Road SW.

"Some of the $28 million should be used for police and the fire departments," Gary Stevens of Tod Avenue said. "We need more police to combat violence and drugs."

Ernestine Carmichael said some of the money should be used to build a community center with a recreation room, computer center and other programs. Chauncey Harris said kids need to have someplace to go, so some money should be used to create a Boys and Girls Club.

Councilwoman Cheryl Saffold, D-6th Ward, held a ward meeting an hour before Warren Mayor Doug Franklin's meeting that focused on the use of the ARP funds.

Saffold provided copies of the citywide survey that will be used to help focus the priorities officials will use to distribute the funds. The city already has received about $14 million of the federal funds and will receive the remaining money next year.

Franklin has held a series of community town hall meetings providing residents opportunities to state how they would like to see one-time federal funds to be used. Meetings have been held at Packard Music Hall, North Mar Church and now at TCAP.

The next meeting will be Thursday at Grace United Methodist Church, 1725 Drexel Ave. NW, which is in the 1st Ward. City officials are hoping to have at least five meetings, with one in each of the city's quadrants, as well as downtown.

Mary Jo Moore said some of the money can be used to market the city and make it more attractive for businesses so they will move into the city instead of other communities, such as Lordstown.

Franklin said the city is landlocked, while Lordstown has green zones that sometimes are attractive to businesses wanting to build.

Erica Royster said some of the money should be used to make sure residents take advantage of already existing programs, instead of creating new ones that will duplicate the same services.

"Help make internet connections available and help make the connections useful for seniors," she said.

She said she would like to see home-improvement programs that will help property owners upgrade their homes, including doing roof repairs.

"Money should be used to help small businesses," Royster said. "Sometimes money is given to larger nonprofits that are not from the community and do not understand its needs. They do not stay very long."

Honeya Price said she wants some of the money used to promote housing alternatives for the homeless, either using some existing abandoned housing or creating programs that will establish affordable housing.

Cynthia Hill said other communities have used their creativity to have tiny homes built as a way to address affordable housing needs.

Nicole Phinisee said she would like to see a program re-established that allowed senior citizens to help young people, while the young people assisted the seniors in other ways.

Rachel Greathouse questioned the city's water and sanitary sewer plans over the next six years.

She urged Franklin to work with the school district and get ideas from students because they will be the next generation of leaders.

Greathouse said she would like the city to consider more splash pads and skate parks around different areas of the community, so young people will have something to do.