Progress receives attention at event

Trustees touted the police department's accreditation and a cleanup event.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- Township trustees reviewed change and accomplishments over the past several months during a Regional Chamber Good Morning Boardman event.
Elaine Mancini, trustee since 1992, outlined the work of the police department, touting a roughly four-minute response time and pointing out that it recently became the only department in the Mahoning Valley to achieve national accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.
The breakfast, sponsored by Armstrong, the cable television, Internet and telephone service provider, was Friday at Lockwood House.
"This was done through the inspiration and dedication of [Chief] Jeffrey Patterson and our fine police officers," Mancini said.
She said that the accreditation is something to be proud of and should be celebrated, but that her fellow trustees have remained silent on the subject, downplayed its significance, and questioned why the township sought it.
Robyn Gallitto, trustee chairwoman, didn't address Mancini's statements at the breakfast, but she has said that her questions about accreditation dealt only with whether it was the best use of money; she didn't mean it's not important.
Trustee Kathy Miller was out of town and didn't attend the breakfast.
Changes take place
Gallitto ran down a list of changes that have occurred this year.
"There are changes that are taking place, and changes are difficult," she said. "Boardman has grown and we have to adapt along with it."
Interviews begin next week for candidates for the township administrator position, Gallitto said.
The township organized its first community cleanup day in April followed by a drop-and-go event, where residents drop off their unwanted but usable items to be picked up by a charity.
Gallitto said that in talking to one of the charity workers she learned that 40 to 50 vehicles' dropping off items is considered a successful event. "We had 106 cars pull through," she said.
Township employees
The event involved participation from township employees, too.
"Our road department employees were there, and they all did that on their own time," Gallitto said.
Other changes include posting openings on township boards and commissions in newspapers and on the township Web site.
"That has opened up our boards and commissions to a wide array of people who want to get involved," she added.