Brookfield trustees want residents of the West Hill neighborhood to understand just how important an income survey is to the township.

That's why Monday night, trustees decided to host a public informational session to discuss the surveys.

The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. May 14 at the township administration building, and trustees are urging people who weren't home for the initial survey to attend.

The first survey took place May 1 and was administered by Trumbull County Planning Commission employees and community volunteers.

Since figures from the 2000 Census reportedly classified the West Hill neighborhood as a low- to moderate-income area, residents may qualify for grants to assist in the construction of sanitary sewers.

Due to high contaminant counts in the some of the county's surface waters and ditches, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has mandated that county commissioners build sanitary sewers in 15 areas in the county to bring them into compliance with Ohio law.

West Hill is among the trouble spots, according to the EPA.

Of 178 homes in the West Hill area that were supposed to have been surveyed, only 46 were, said Julie Green, a planner with the planning commission.

Ms. Green said that some people simply didn't wish to participate, but many others weren't home.

The planning commission, along with the sanitary engineer's office and the county health department, are working together to try to secure grants to aid in the construction of sanitary sewers for the West Hill area, said Trustee Gary Lees.

To date, county commissioners have earmarked $300,000 from their yearly Community Development Block Grant Formula Allocation toward sewer construction costs, and the sanitary engineer's office has received $400,000 in state grants to fund the project through the Ohio Public Works Commission.

Lees said residents need to complete the income survey in order for the area to qualify for $600,000 in funding under the Community Development Block Grant Water and Sewer Program.

The grant, said Lees, will be used to help fund the construction of the main sanitary sewer line, laterals and tap-in fees for lower-income residents.

Otherwise, residents will have to pay the entire cost of the sewer construction themselves, Lees said.

"People need to come to this meeting," he said Monday. "It's a necessity for them to fill out the survey because ... it will help them out. We're trying to save these residents the most money possible."

Lees added that the survey is confidential, so residents should not worry about the information being used for any other purposes.

Some West Hill residents admitted they were leery of the income survey and none would go on record and be quoted for this story.

However, one Gaylord Avenue resident said that she's looking forward to the construction of the sewers because people are unloading refuse where it shouldn't be dumped.

"People leave trash in the open ditches," she said, "so (sewers) are needed up here."

Ms. Green said residents should attend the meeting because it will be a good chance for residents to get their concerns voiced and their questions answered.

"The reason for the public meeting is to give them the information that they need," she said. "I think we'll have a good turnout once they understand what it's all about."

She added that July 11 is the deadline for applications for the water and sewer block grants, because they are highly competitive, and "once the money is gone, it's gone."