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WARREN TOWNSHIP -- A historic wooden water pump wheel from a feed mill near the Leavittsburg Dam will be cleaned up and displayed in the future at the Leavittsburg Heritage Museum.
Warren Township resident Terry Ambrose with the Leavittsburg Heritage Association said the museum recently acquired the former water wheel. She said it will be another historical item that can be enjoyed by the public.
The road department recently brought the wheel and other parts to the museum.
"They described it as brittle but were very gentle with it when they brought it to the museum. It is a piece of local history that everyone will be able to see and enjoy," she said.
Road supervisor David King said the items were from the old feed mill that dates back to the 1800s, which was near the Mahoning River.
"It was located near the original wooden dam. It is an old feed mill wheel, and there is also a long pipe that went with it. There are four pieces we have. We were super careful when we moved it since it is very brittle since it has been there so long," King said.
He said crews working at the dam placed the items on the shore, and the road crews went to get it with trailers.
Ambrose said she and other heritage association members will look into the history of the mill so there can be a marker with information about the water wheel.
"We will look at having a display of the mills that were by the river and dam at the museum," Ambrose said.
Trustee Tyler Wilson said the Trumbull County MetroParks board gave the wheel to the township.
"That was very generous of the metroparks so we can display it here at the museum," Wilson said.
In other business at the recent trustee meeting, trustees heard from resident Vicky Romack of Woodview Circle. She expressed concerns over staffing at the fire department and noted she called for an ambulance and had to take her father to the hospital in her car.
"There was no one at the fire station when I called around noon on a Wednesday. This is a concern to me when we don't have coverage at the fire station at times," Romack said.
Fire Chief Joseph Natali said there was a crew at the fire station that day, but they were out on another call.
Natoli said that in June the department had 69% coverage at the station and received mutual aid and assistance 32 times in the month and gave mutual aid to other departments 11 times.
"We do receive assistance from off duty response on calls," Natali said.
He said officials are trying to get more volunteer staff for more coverage at the station but it has been difficult.
Resident Darryl Parker thanked trustees for recently honoring the Jimmie and Geraldine Browner family, which included eight children, with a township road being named for them now called "Sixth Street Browner Way."
He said what the township has started is recognition of local residents for their accomplishments.
"We can continue honoring more people from Warren Township for their accomplishments and having a significant impact on the community,'' Parker said.
He said in the future he hopes others are also recognized,
"The Browner family was the first. We can begin recognizing others for their impact on our community," he said.
The Browner family had members who excelled in athletics with some becoming professional football players.
Also, Wilson said the zoning department has inspected and documented numerous properties in the township that have uncontrolled vegetation with grass and weeds exceeding 8 inches in height.
More than 30 properties were in violation with high grass and weeds.
Trustees approved proceeding with the abatement and removal of the high grass and weeds.
The zoning department has given warnings to the property owners to address the high grass and weeds within seven days or the township will do the work and place a lien in the tax duplicate for the property owners who do not comply for the work that was done.
In other business, trustees:
• Swore in new full-time police officer Ryan Kronauer, who had served as a part-time patrolman since 2022.
• Will have the county perform hot mix paving on Federal Street for $23,817 and Franwae Drive for $20,363 and chip sealing work on Anderson Anthony Road at $11,607.
• Heard from Roscoe Shepherd concerned with a neighbor on Althea Drive who had installed a brick wall that was over the property line on his lot. Wilson said the zoning department will address the matter and check on the permit for the wall.
• Heard from Natali that the department received a gear dryer and firefighting gloves and hoods from a Bureau of Workers' Compensation grant.
• Are negotiating a new contract with the local Ohio Police Benevolent Association.
• Promoted Kelsey Higgins to fire department duty crew at $16 per hour effective Aug. 1, not to exceed 1,976 hours.