In August, representatives from Leetonia, Lisbon, Columbiana and East Palestine met at Leetonia Community Public Library to discuss centralized dispatch and the benefits to each community.

Currently the county has five Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) that are located in Lisbon, Columbiana, East Liverpool, East Palestine and Salem.

Proposed changes to the current system would be expensive, so attending officials discussed a centralized PSAP for communities that would provide the service in a more cost effective manner.

In attendance were mayors from Leetonia, Lisbon, Columbiana and Salem as well as the village manager from East Palestine.

From left, Lisbon mayor Peter Wilson Leetonia mayor Kevin Siembida, executive assistant Hailey Taylor and treasurer Nick Mistovich; and Columbiana mayor Rick Noel attended a monthly meeting of the Columbiana County mayors at Leetonia Community Public Library. (Photo by Stephanie Ujhelyi)

Cyndi Baronnzi Dickey, mayor of Salem, agreed that the difficulties associated with the current dispatch situation really became apparent during the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, as fire departments often struggled to communicate with each other let alone police forces.

As part of combating that issue in the future, Antonio Diaz-Guy said East Palestine now has set access to a large room as a sort of command center if needed.

Leetonia mayor Kevin Siembida urged reps from each community to forward their stats regarding their individual dispatch operations to Nick Mistovich, his village fiscal officer, so they can work on plans.

The topics of transportation, road paving, employment as well as attempts to abolish property taxes and the effects on municipal coffers in their respective communities, if successful, also were discussed.

Siembida reminded that on all subjects — especially the property tax — that officials need to be proactive in order to best serve their constituents.

Antonio Diaz-Guy, village manager, and Barb Herriot, councilwoman and economic development committee chair, attend a monthly meeting of Columbiana County mayors on behalf of East Palestine Thursday afternoon at Leetonia Community Public Library to discuss issues facing cities and villages countywide. Reps from Leetonia, Lisbon, Salem and Columbiana also were in attendance. (Photo by Stephanie Ujhelyi)

Next month, mayors plan to meet at an East Liverpool location.