WARREN, Ohio - Trumbull County Commissioners announced a meeting to unveil plans to spend $38 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds, only to cancel that meeting not long after.

Commissioners emailed a news release on Wednesday announcing a public meeting being held on Thursday to unveil a preliminary plan for use of the funds.

About an hour later, the commissioner's office emailed the same news release to 21 News, but with the word "CANCELLED" scrawled in ink across the document.

Two Trumbull County Commissioners spoke with 21 News about the cancellation.

Frank Fuda said that there was a miscommunication on the meeting time. Fuda said someone that had to be at the meeting could not make it on the date that was scheduled.

Nikki Frenchko sent in the following statement:

"Nobody spoke to me about this meeting at all. I have been asking for a public meeting, a ranking tool, & a citizen advisory panel for months. Those things were on the agenda today- but died for a lack of a second."
 
The $38 million is the county’s share of federal funds earmarked for economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa has proposed spending more than half of the money on infrastructure improvements, including 20 shovel-ready sanitary sewer and water projects, as well as expanding internet access in sparsely covered areas of the county.

In addition, Cantalamessa would like small businesses and non-profits to share $4 million to assist their recovery efforts.

Fuda said the meeting will likely be rescheduled for sometime next week or the week after.