WARREN, Ohio - In a meeting that was closed to the public and media, city officials and Valley businesses including the Trumbull County sanitary engineer, Cafaro Corporation and AFL-CIO met to discuss how $250 million in American Rescue Plan funds will be spent.

Their goal is to leverage federal dollars to grow and add businesses throughout the area.

"Business and government has to work together, and the business leaders here are in tune to what is needed to grow the economy," said Guy Coviello, president and CEO of the Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber. "Their ideas and their guidance is very well accepted and appreciated, and they're a big part of the community."

Coviello told 21 News they'll focus on putting funds towards utility infrastructure, broadband, talent retention and workforce development.

"Seeing how we can just get together and collaborate and create some different strategies means that we could do some great things like job creation and infrastructure improvement," explained Doug Franklin, the mayor of Warren. "That benefits the whole Valley and our local communities."

Youngstown Mayor Tito Brown told 21 News the area needs to be more competitive in where they put their federal dollars, which he says will make the Mahoning Valley more of an economic attraction.

"It was taking our dollars and leveraging our dollars and how we can be competitive with other states and other parts of the state," Brown explained. "To really say, the Mahoning and Trumbull region is being competitive and we're really one team."

Now that Ohio townships are officially eligible to receive American Rescue Plan funding, Boardman Township Administrator Jason Loree sat in on the meeting and brought ideas to the table.

"We're really focused on storm water infrastructure improvements," Loree said. "Hence working with the ABC Storm Water Utility District and all my attention is focused on the community right now."

Coviello added there will be upcoming public discussions for anyone who would want to give their input on how these funds would be used.