Boardman trustees hire three officers, put police levy on ballot

Staff report

Boardman

Township trustees have hired three police officers and approved a resolution to put a 3.85-mill policy levy on the November ballot.

The hirings of Bernard (Chad) Doran III, Bradley McFadden and Bryan Butto were approved this week at the trustees’ meeting. One takes the place of recently retired officer Charles Mound.

Salaries for the other two officers are funded federally by the Community Oriented Policing Services grant. The one-time $524,246 grant will provide salary money for the officers for three years and mandates that the township pay for a fourth year, said Jason Loree, township administrator.

Starting salary for new patrolmen is $16 per hour, instead of the previous $22 per hour under the old contract, Loree said. The current contract is effective until December 2011.

The new hires bring the police force up to 49 officers, including Chief Jack Nichols.

Township residents will see a 3.85-mill police levy on the November ballot, which would generate about $3.5 million annually for the police department. The levy would cost owners of a home valued at $100,000 32 cents a day, or $116.80 annually.