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McDONALD -- Village officials have decided to close the park's basketball courts indefinitely after a series of problems in recent weeks, including littering and drug paraphernalia being found at the courts.
Mayor Glen Puckett said at the Aug. 9 council meeting the courts, which are surrounded by fencing, are now locked.
''This is being done until we can find a solution to the problems that have been occurring there,'' he said.
Councilman Richard Harvey, parks and buildings chairman, said individuals who have been using the basketball courts recently have been using profanity, leaving trash, and also using and leaving drug paraphernalia.
''This a public park used by many people. The behavior at the basketball courts is unacceptable,'' Harvey said.
Council gave first reading to an ordinance allowing Puckett and Village Administrator Thomas Domitrovich to set park hours and rules of behavior for use of the park areas, such as the basketball and tennis courts, ball fields and pavilion.
Harvey said the tennis courts will remain open as normal and the splash pad will be open through Friday. The final summer park program for children ended Friday.
Harvey said council is also reviewing legislation prohibiting smoking at the park such as the splash pad, pavilion and at park events, such as the weekly summer ''Music at the Park'' concert series.
In other action, council:
l Hired Jeffrey Walp as a full-time patrolman, Frank Sudol as probationary firefighter and Nicholas Waldo as a junior firefighter;
l Accepted the resignation of police officer Dan Superak effective July 31 after 10 years with the village;
l Heard from Acting police Chief Bill Woodley the recent ''Thunder in the Park'' car show raised $3,800, which the police give back to the community as donations and scholarships;
l Recognized Girl Scout Troop 8017 for receiving the Presidential Volunteer Gold Service Award for various community service projects, including cleaning the park, delivering items to shut-in residents, helping the Animal Welfare League and helping at a benefit for an eighth-grade student who had battled cancer;
l Thanked recent volunteers with the Youngstown Chapter of the Ohio Contractors Association who donated time and materials to install waterlines for better drainage at the ballfields used by local high school teams. Cost of material and labor was estimated at more than $30,000;
l Gave first reading to creating two-way stops at the intersections of Madison and Ohio avenues and Madison and Pennsylvania avenues;
l Reported work will begin on a new roof for the village garage;
l Heard from Domitrovich that 2.3 miles of roads have been paved this summer, mostly streets south of Marshall Road.