East Palestine abolishing fire, EMS position created after derailment
Fire department administrative/EMS coordinator no longer needed
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EAST PALESTINE -- A position created for fire and EMS as a result of the 2023 train derailment is now no longer needed.
Village Council gave first reading to legislation abolishing the fire department administrative/EMS coordinator position during the July 27 meeting.
Village Manager Antonio Diaz-Guy said the job created in the wake of the train derailment was intended to be temporary.
"Now, three years later, the administrative needs of the department have been reduced and the derailment rarely interrupts our day-to-day operations. While this position was necessary then, and has been extremely valuable since, it is time for us to return to normal operations in the Village of East Palestine and make sure our resources are efficiently used to serve the department and all of its employees and beneficiaries," he said.
Diaz-Guy also said the village and Unity Township have agreed to announce a public hearing for the Joint Economic Development District and have finalized the petitions which would form the district.
"The next step is to create the formal JEDD District Map, which would finalize the contract, and then put legislation in front of both entities to approve," he said after the meeting.
Diaz-Guy also said the village is finalizing the selection of the engineer for the Economic Development Administration project in the coming weeks.
Specifically, the engineer is for the utility project that consists of a new water tower and extension of water lines and sanitary sewer lines to the planned industrial park northeast of downtown.
The industrial park project was awarded $2.41 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce for the design portion.
In other matters, Diaz-Guy said the village has been notified that it has been recommended for ARC GOA funding.
ARC GOA stands for Appalachian Regional Commission and the Governor's Office of Appalachia.
The goal of the funding is to help communities pay for infrastructure, business growth and workforce training.