Mahoning Township supervisors are responding to residents concerned with loud music at Mahoning Valley Speedway.

Supervisors on Wednesday unanimously agreed to schedule a special meeting at the racetrack at a date to be determined.

Township solicitor Tom Nanovic said that he and Supervisor Deb McGowan met recently at the racetrack with owner Calogero Carlino.

At that time, Nanovic said that Carlino indicated that he would still have car and truck shows, but was not going to have sound shows.

Nanovic said it would be beneficial for the board to hold an actual meeting at the racetrack so residents could hear for themselves.

“Let them hear what we heard,” Nanovic said. “If you’re going to do this, I think you should do it sooner then later because it’s going to warm up.”

Board Chairman Robert Slaw said that if he’s able to hear the music where he lives, then Lehigh Valley Hospital and its patients will hear it when the facility opens.

Nanovic said it was McGowan’s idea to meet with a DJ at the racetrack, and noted how the sound dissipated as they moved further away.

“(At first), the sound was pretty darn loud,” he said. “When you moved away, you could have a normal conversation.”

Slaw said he believes a special meeting at the racetrack is a good idea.

“I think inviting all the neighbors to the meeting (shows) we’re doing something,” he said.

In November, the township’s zoning hearing board upheld two of the three zoning violations against Carlino before a standing room crowd at the Mahoning Valley Ambulance Building.

Zoning Board Chairman Charles Pollock recused himself from the hearing, citing his previous work with the speedway. The remaining board members present were Thomas Zimmerman and Sandra Palinchak.

The board ruled that using a portion of the building for an apartment (not a permitted use in the C-1 zoning district), and the Car Meet & Voceteo & Chipeo held at the track are not permitted under the variances obtained for the property.

The third violation, construction of a racetrack for radio-controlled cars or trucks without applying/receiving permit, was not upheld.

Attorney Matthew Schnell, solicitor for the zoning hearing board, conducted the hearing. Zoning Officer Carl Faust testified to the violations he issued to the track. After hearing from the remaining witnesses for both the township and for the speedway, various members of the public addressed the hearing.

Faust spoke on the issue involving the car shows and music, and said he heard complaints at the May supervisors meeting.

Several township residents who live near the racetrack testified to the extremely loud music that was played at the track events, sometimes going on all day long into the evening.

At the other end of the spectrum, several people testified on behalf of Carlino and the racetrack, defending the track and the events being held there.

The biggest issue is the car shows with the music.

Carlino testified, “It’s a good income for us, with the food and the service we provide at the track. It’s great money for us.”

He indicated that for the past two years, they have only had about 20 races per year, which does not bring in much money.

Carlino added, “With the property taxes and amusement taxes we have to pay, I don’t think we would survive. “We’re trying every avenue to try to bring in an income. Maybe the music was not a good idea, but we need to generate more income, or it will all stop for everybody.”

He is requesting a use variance for the track.