Commissioners grant Poland Twp. $136k for storm water response system

Mahoning County Commissioners granted Poland Township $136,444 in ARP funding Wednesday evening for equipment to combat flooding and storm drainage issues in the community.

The funds cover most of the township's $211,302 bill for a state-of-the-art stormwater management camera system and a specially designed van to house the camera.

"We've had extreme flooding problems in the region in the last five years," Commissioner Anthony Traficanti told 21 News. "This new camera will allow the township to immediately address flooding issues. When it floods and rains so fast, they have to react. This camera will allow the township to go in there and identify the problem."

"We applied for some money and the commissioners were gracious enough to get us a camera to help with our storm sewers but then you need someone to transport it," explained Eric Ungaro, Poland Township Trustee. "We were able to secure some funds for the van as well that carries the camera to the locations to service our citizens."

Flooding is a major concern that has caused damage in Poland and neighboring areas like Austintown, Boardman, and Canfield in recent years.

The commissioners agree the investment addresses the community's pressing issue of an aging stormwater management system and frequent neighborhood flooding.

"I would easily say that stormwater issues are the biggest problem in our township," Township Administrator Mark Covell said.

"Flooding is such an issue wherever you go in the township," Ungaro agreed. "When there is a flood, the catch basin could be clogged or cracked. Instead of guessing and digging up all over, we take the camera in there and look for roots or a crack and that helps our manpower to be able to address the problem."

Crews can now respond to flooded areas or properties with slow storm drainage and diagnose the issue from above ground, by operating the camera through the pipes with a remote controller.

Video from the camera is fed back to the van in real-time, allowing operators to identify any potential break or blockage in the storm drainage system. Crews can also pinpoint where they must dig to access the storm drain by detecting signals sent by the camera at the location of the blockage.

"We could go in there and actually get recorded video, analyze it, and decide how to fix the problem," Covell added.

The township previously had to rely on assistance from similar equipment in Struthers for flooding emergencies. Now, they can fix problems on their own, and can offer assistance to surrounding communities if needed, township trustee Eric Ungaro tells 21 News.

"It's going to be a win-win to a lot of communities because not a lot of communities have this," Ungaro said. "We will be more than happy to accommodate surrounding areas, but first and foremost, it's for our citizens."