WARREN — During public comments at Wednesday’s city council meeting, City Engineer Paul Makosky responded to an inquiry about improvements to Parkman Road, noting the city received a $2.3 million grant funded through the Ohio Public Works Commission for repairs.

Makosky explained that recent asphalt patches on Parkman Road were temporary fixes, with a project bid expected to go out sometime this spring “and start construction sometime after the month of July,” after funds are made available to the city.

During caucus discussions, council members addressed ongoing issues with damaged utility poles across the city.

Safety Service Director Eddie Colbert discussed the challenges in getting timely repairs, noting that while Ohio Edison falls under Public Utilities Commission of Ohio regulation, telecommunications providers often operate without similar oversight.

The city has implemented a formal tracking system for utility complaints, documenting each report with time stamps and service request details to improve accountability.

Law Director Enzo Cantalamesa suggested examining utility companies’ lease agreements through public records requests as potential leverage.

The PUCO plans to further discuss these infrastructure concerns at its April 22 meeting, where Ohio Edison representatives are scheduled to attend. Residents experiencing utility issues are encouraged to use the city’s official reporting channels.

In other business, Councilman Todd Johnson, I-1st Ward, voiced strong support for the Issue 2 ballot measure during his Engineering Committee report, urging council and administration to rally public backing for the initiative.

“This renewal of Ohio’s infrastructure bonding program has been delivered,” Johnson said, also mentioning the measure would maintain funding while increasing annual borrowing limits from 200 million to $250 million.

His endorsement was immediately supported by Franklin and other council members with Councilman Michael O’Brien, D-at Large, proposing a coordinated campaign with county officials to promote the measure.

“This may be the most important yet overlooked issue on the ballot,” O’Brien said.

Residents can learn more about how Issue 2 impacts local projects at an informal council meeting scheduled for 4 p.m. April 16.

The city’s Arbor Commission will plant 12 trees at Burbank Park on April 25, focusing on species with non-invasive roots to avoid sidewalk damage.

Council members Honeya Price and Andrew Herman suggested a meeting to discuss potential partnerships with schools and police to address rising gun violence among teens.

Council also:

• Authorized, as an emergency measure, purchasing a $50,000 property near Youngstown Road SE for relocating and upgrading a Water Pollution Control pump station.

• Approved waiving building permit fees for all city-owned construction projects to avoid interdepartmental payments.

• Approved, as an emergency measure, contracts for coordinating adult softball and kickball programs in city parks for 2025.

• Authorized a $64,000 contract with the Ohio Auditor’s Office for the city’s 2024 financial audit.

• Approved $152,156.95 in payments to nine vendors, including $76,103.81 for road salt and $25,481 for water department repairs.

• Appropriated $418,700 across city funds including $380,000 for community development loans and $18,700 for Packard Music Hall improvements.