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Boardman trustees to begin work on 5-year plan
BOARDMAN
Township trustees will meet at Boardman Park this afternoon to hear reports from department leaders and begin developing a five-year township plan.
Trustees already have received updates from two departments. In August, Police Chief Jack Nichols and fiscal officer William Leicht outlined a three-year hiring time line. Nichols is expected to provide more details of the department’s needs today.
Zoning inspector Anna Mamone presented her department’s report and five-year forecast to trustees Wednesday. Mamone showed trustees and the public numerous photos of vacant or dilapidated properties. Some buildings had gaping holes, others abandoned vehicles in the yard, and one had a fallen tree lodged in the roof.
“These properties are not going away by themselves,” she said.
Mamone implored trustees to include demolition of blighted properties in the comprehensive plan, conservatively estimating 16 to 20 structures could be leveled in five years.
Trustee Larry Moliterno took it one step forward.
“I would like to identify the Inglis [Greenhouse} and Terrace Motel properties in the plan and set them as priorities,” Moliterno said.
The Southern Boulevard greenhouse and Market Street motel are longtime township eyesores, he said.
Although the cost to demolish those structures likely would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, township Administrator Jason Loree said the average cost to tear down a house is about $5,000 or less.
Mamone said she also wants to revise the zoning ordinance and land-use tables within the next five years.
In her report, Mamone said the department’s future needs are:
Replacing two 1999 Ford Crown Victorias that have more than 110,000 miles on each. The vehicles are used during daily zoning inspections.
Adding or finding more space to keep records.
Hiring a full-time clerk to help field the more than 5,000 annual phone calls that come into the department.
Replacing a part-time field inspector with a full-time inspector.
Mamone said the hirings are longer-term goals than the others.
The zoning department is made up of the zoning inspector, assistant zoning inspector and two part-time field inspectors.
Seventeen local residents volunteer for the department by being part of either the board of appeals, zoning commission or site-plan review committee.