rollin' on the river 


An e-publication of the Mahoning River Corridor Initiative 

 March 2010 Vol. 2 Issue 2 

rollin' ? 
What’s

Environmental / Recreation Enhancement Meeting 

Wednesday, March 10, 2010, 1:30 p.m. 

@ Eastgate Regional COG 

MRCI Meeting 

At the January 29, 2010 MRCI meeting the status of various 
activities and projects were reviewed and objectives identified 

for 2010. 

In 2009 Corridor Initiative partners secured over $39,000,000 
in funding for ten projects in the river corridor. 

Among the objectives identified for 2010 were: 

Transportation and Infrastructure 

. 
Work with the Western Reserve Port Authority and 
Regional Chamber to secure an intermodal facility for the 
Mahoning Valley. 
. 
Identify and support infrastructure projects in the corridor 
areas of the respective communities. 


Environmental/Recreational Enhancement 

. 
Advance implementation of the Woodland Ave., Covelli 
Center and Girard lowlands projects and the Mahoning 
River Water Trail. 
. 
Implement a strategy to more actively engage private 
property owners to address properties impacted by 
environmental issues. 


Marketing and Outreach 

. 
Organize a seminar for property owners to more inform 
them of opportunities and assistance available for economic 
development. 
. 
Expand private sector participation in the MRCI. 
. 
Complete design and implementation of Corridor Initiative 
web site. 


Grants and Finance 

. 
Identify federal and state programs consistent with Corridor 
Initiative goals and assist corridor communities in 
collaborating to secure funding. 
. 
Identify funding sources to sustain Corridor Initiative 
activities. 


 

2010 MRCI Committees 

As a result of a review of committees the following adjustments 
have been made: (A 2010 Committee list is attached.) 

Rose Ann DeLeon, Executive Director of the Western Reserve 
Port Authority, has been put on the Steering Committee and 
Finance and Grants Subcommittee. 

Rachel McCartney has been made Chairman of the 
Environmental / Recreational Enhancement Subcommittee and 
will also be a member of the Finance and Grants 
Subcommittee. (Bill DeCicco will continue to serve on the 
E/RE subcommittee). Mike Hill, Jim Pirko and Jack Dill have 
been added to the Marketing and Outreach Subcommittee 

Zachary Svette (Trumbull Metro Parks), Justin Rodgers (Mill 
Creek Metroparks) and John Wollard (MC Engineers) have 
been added to the Environmental / Recreational Enhancement 
Subcommittee. Ken Sympson (Eastgate) has been added to the 
Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee. 

 Thanks to all for agreeing to serve. Their expertise and input 
will be invaluable. 

 

 

 

 

 

Mahoning River Corridor Mayors’ Association 

On February 11, 2010 the Corridor Mayors’ Association met 
to discuss activities for 2010. Special guests included State 
Representative Sandra Harwood, State Senator Joe Schiavoni, 
Port Authority Director Rose Ann DeLeon and Phil Kidd from 
the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative. 

The Corridor Mayors’ Association agreed to: 

. 
Investigate the costs/benefits of forming a 501 c (6) 
. 
Work with the state delegation and MVOC to advance the 
regional land bank legislation in the Ohio Senate. The 
MRCI Manager will be participating with the MVOC in a 
lobbying day in Columbus on March 8, 2010. 
. 
Identify and present changes to existing joint economic 
development zones laws to the Commission on Local 
Government Reform and Collaboration that could more 
easily facilitate the forming of JEDZ. On February 26, 
2010, Mayor Holmes, the MRCI Manager and Tony Paglia, 
from the Regional Chamber, testified before the 
Commission on the matter and the need for programs to 
incentivize regional collaboration. 
. 
Participate in the formulation of the Sustainable 
Communities Planning Grant program guidelines so that the 
program adequately addresses the needs of the river corridor 
communities. Hopefully, program will provide an 
opportunity to collaborate in accessing funding to advance 
corridor objectives. 
. 
Continue to collaborate to promote passage of the 
Community Regeneration, Sustainability and Innovation 
Act currently in Congress. 


 

Web site 

Design of the MRCI web site is progressing. An intern from 
the College of Fine and Performing Arts has been hired to 
assist in the design and construction of the site. So far, twenty 
other buildings and sites have been submitted by the corridor 
communities to be marketed in addition to those identified in 
the feasibility report. 

roll on 


River-wide Picnic Planned 

The Mahoning River Consortium is planning a river-wide 
picnic to be held on June 12, 2010. The idea would be to 
invite the public to visit the river at various locations to 
increase awareness of its potential and corridor activities. 

Details to come. 

Mahoning River Corridor Initiative 

YSU Center for Urban and Regional Studies 

One University Plaza, Youngstown, Ohio 44555 

Ph. 330-941-1850 Fax 330-941-1527 

Contact: Dan Mamula, MRCI Manager 
dcmamula@ysu.edu