HOWLAND — Officials approved joining a coalition supporting a long-standing program responsible for funding infrastructure projects during a regular trustees meeting Wednesday.

Trustees approved joining the Strong Ohio Communities coalition, which supports State Issue 2 — the renewal of the State Capital Improvement Program on the May 6 statewide ballot.

Township administrator James Pantalone explained to residents that the program — “overwhelmingly” approved by voters since its inception in 1987 — has provided communities with more than $7 billion for improvements such as road work and a stormwater watershed.

Pantalone said the program is renewed every 10 years and doesn’t raise residents’ taxes.

“It is very important for garnering additional dollars for our infrastructure improvements. We’ve been participating in it for a number of times,” Pantalone said. “Sometimes we’ve been funded, other times we’ve been not [funded].”

David McCann, director of the township’s public works department, said the program is useful because the township has been able to leverage funds from SCIP alongside funds from the road fund to help secure grants for projects.

“(It) certainly helps us gain these loans or the grant money that we get from [the state] because had we not had the money to put up, we wouldn’t get this money either,” McCann said.

In other business, trustees:

• Rescinded Pantalone and Fiscal Officer Thomas Krispinsky’s appointment to the Trumbull County Planning Commission’s 2025 Tax Incentive Review Council and approved appointing Planning Director Kim Mascarella to replace Pantalone.

• Approved hiring Barbara Hanson as a full-time administrative assistant for the township’s public works department at a rate of $18 per hour. Hanson will serve a one-year probationary period.

• Approved purchasing a John Deere utility tractor for $69,195, priced through the state’s co-op purchase program.

• Accepted part-time firefighter and medic Jared Bradley’s resignation, effective Feb. 19.

• Accepted $9,019 from the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of State Fire Marshal 2025 Equipment grant. The funds will go toward 22 fire helmets, according to fire Chief Ray Pace.

• Approved listing a 2013 Braun E350 ambulance and 2012 Ford Escape on GovDeals.

• Approved hiring Ryan Rolf as a part-time instructor for the Howland Township Training Center at a probationary rate of $20 per hour and lead rate of $25 per hour on an as-needed basis.