Boardman Park to seek levy

The replacement levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $18.30 per year.

BOARDMAN — Township voters will be asked in November to approve more money for Boardman Park operations for the first time in 29 years.

The five-year, 0.6-mill replacement levy would generate $633,379 per year.

The levy initially passed in 1980 but is being collected at $253,205 per year. That’s because the amount of money it brings in hasn’t changed since — even though property valuations have increased. The replacement would allow collections at current property valuations.

“We’ve been operating with the same two levies for 29 years,” said Dan Slagle Jr., park executive director.

The other levy, also passed in 1980, is 0.3 mills.

Together, the park levies make up about 66 percent of the park’s total income, Slagle said. The park also receives revenue from park activity and reservation fees, donations and local-government funds.

Though both levies have been renewed since they first passed, the park hasn’t sought a replacement or a new levy since 1980.

Park board members passed a resolution last month to seek the replacement.

Larry Moliterno, township trustees chairman, said that this week that trustees unanimously passed the resolution to put the levy to voters. Though the park operates independently of township government, under law, trustees’ action was required to get the replacement levy on the ballot.

The replacement levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $18.30 per year, an increase of $10.50 per year from what’s currently being collected.

The current levy expires at the end of 2010.

“Every year we’ve had to make adjustments to our operating costs to stay within the budget,” Slagle said.

That meant hiring fewer seasonal employees and not replacing other employees. The park district, which marked its 60th anniversary in 2007, employs 11 full-time and two part-time people year-round.

This year, a federal program through the Mahoning Columbiana Training Association allowed the park to bring in six summer workers at no cost to the park. Those employees did general ground maintenance and other tasks such as painting.

But park facilities and equipment need to be expanded, upgraded or replaced to continue to meet increased usage, Slagle said in a letter to township trustees.

Without those employees, much of that work probably wouldn’t have gotten done this summer, the executive director said.

“Since 1992, we’ve completed 16 major projects at the park that total about $4.5 million,” Slagle said.

Those include the recently completed first phase of the Lariccia Family Community Center, Kids’ Town, Maag Outdoor Arts Theatre, the hike-and-bike trail, St. James Meeting House exterior renovation and two sand volleyball courts.

The projects were funded with grants and private donations.

denise_dick@vindy.com