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WARREN -- Warren City Council approved two ordinances with unanimous support that address city operations and infrastructure.
The first ordinance, passed as an emergency measure, reallocates more than $1.3 million from the unappropriated balance of the Coronavirus Fiscal Recovery Fund. The funds include $49,885 for contracted services, $29,568 for supplies and $1.26 million for capital expenditures. The police department will receive $165,000 from anticipated general fund revenue for capital improvements, while the Water Replacement Fund will allocate $3.6 million for infrastructure upgrades.
Additionally, $3,500 was transferred within the General Fund from wages to contracted services in the Income Tax Department to cover immediate needs.
In a separate emergency ordinance, council approved payment of three outstanding contracts following certification by the city's fiscal officer confirming sufficient funds.
The approved payments include $33,750 to Baker, Bednar, Snyder & Associates for engineering design work at Burbank Park; $11,153 to R & J Trucking for limestone used by the Water Department; and $4,756 to Sir Wrench Performance & Auto Repair for police cruiser repairs.
Council members and the administration heard from Councilman Todd Johnson, who took a moment to acknowledge the recent passing of a beloved community leader, the Rev. Kent Barnes Sr. Johnson shared, "He passed away on September 23rd, a longtime resident of this city and minister who has done a phenomenal job and good work in the community."
Barnes was the pastor of One Nation Kingdom Ministries, which met on Niles Road.
Johnson talked about Barnes' dedication to the community, noting, "He did a lot of great work over the past few years. He also hosted an annual back-to-school community day at Perkins Park, and even last month in August, despite being very ill, he was still leading his church, providing school supplies and other activities for children."
Johnson called for the city to remember Barnes' family, including his son, who also is a pastor in Canfield, along with his extended family and church community, before observing a moment of silence in his memory.
Franklin also shared his sentiments, saying, "We will surely miss him. I think he was a great example of passion for his community and his God in action."
The meeting then shifted to other city matters, with discussions on recent state funding announcements. Franklin noted that Gov. Mike DeWine had announced nearly $50 million in grant funding for brownfield remediation and building demolition across Ohio. As part of this, $33.1 million will go toward demolishing 341 dilapidated buildings, including the long-standing eyesore, the Reese Building, in Warren. The mayor emphasized how removing blighted structures like the Reese Building will open up new opportunities for economic development in the city.
The mayor also expressed gratitude to the Trumbull County Land Bank for securing a $4 million share of the statewide funds. He stated that since 2010, the land bank has secured over $25 million for demolition efforts in Warren, making it nearly impossible for the city to have funded such efforts independently.
Following these announcements, Johnson and others acknowledged additional city approvals, including $42,000 for the Burbank Trail project and a $50,000 allocation for the Parkman Road Plaza development.
The meeting concluded with Franklin and Trumbull County NAACP President Annette McCoy giving recognition to young local activists and members of the Trumbull County NAACP, including Virgil Ball, second vice president NAACP; Zippora Ball, NAACP youth president; Josiah Johnson, treasurer of the Youth and College committee; Emari Edmonds, state president for Youth and College NAACP; Nehemiah Hughes, vice president Youth and College; and Miles Johnson, Youth Choir Leader.
Franklin shared his pride in the students being honored, stating, "As I said before, this is actually the best part of my job. I'm so proud of these young people and let's always remember, whenever you see young success, there's usually some parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles who are supporting them."
"To me, you all are ambassadors for your generation, and we really need you to get involved in all of our activities. We can't do this without you," Franklin said.
McCoy also spoke highly of the students, adding, "I just want to thank the parents for all their support, time, and efforts because, as my youth already know, we do a lot."
McCoy praised the students for their commitment and highlighted their recent participation in a state meeting in Cleveland, where they made presentations representing all 88 counties in Ohio. "We should be very proud of the youth that we have here in Warren," she said, offering her continued support and encouragement for their future endeavors.
McCoy, Zippora and Edmonds last year became the first three women from Trumbull County to have been elected to the NAACP state board.