Boardman trustees focus on 5-year plan
BOARDMAN
Trustees heard proposals for a five-year township plan at their meeting Monday.
Township Administrator Jason Loree suggested using part of the township’s capital expenses for demolition of vacant and dilapidated houses and businesses.
“We have our blight,” Loree said. “The housing stock has impacted Boardman Township, just like everywhere else and we’ve been hard-pressed to keep up.”
Loree said unlike Youngstown, Struthers and Campbell, Boardman has been unable to secure federal Neighborhood Stabilization funds, which are in part doled out based on census data, such as income level.
Even in bad financial times, the township has had about $100,000 designated for capital improvements, he said.
Loree proposed taking out a low-interest state loan to finance storm-water projects in the township, which would leave between $40,000 to $50,000 remaining in the capital improvement fund annually to be used for demolition.
The storm-water projects include the Boardman Lake Detention Basin and the Aylesboro Avenue storm sewer and culvert replacement.
Loree said it’s estimated that there are 900 foreclosed homes in Austintown and 800 in Boardman.
He added that it typically costs between $3,000 and $5,000 to demolish a vacant house.
Fiscal Officer William Leicht urged the board to be cautious with the proposal.
“We need to slow down a little bit and get our arms around where we are today and where we’re going to be five years from now and come up with a plan,” Leicht said.
Leicht said he had a draft of a five-year budget projection for the board that can be used to create the five-year township plan.
Trustee Larry Moliterno said the board wants to put everything together as soon as possible.
“We want the Boardman Plan reviewed and approved so that by Jan. 1 [2012], it’s our bible as we move forward,” Moliterno said.
The trustees are planning to have a retreat in the next few months to prepare the five-year Boardman Plan.
In other business, trustees:
Promoted Darrell Wagner, a 12-year veteran of the police department, to the rank of sergeant. Wagner scored first on the civil-service test, and Police Chief Jack Nichols described Wagner as a “quiet, compassionate person who always, always does the right thing.”
Reminded residents of meeting adjustments. The board will meet at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 28 and at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 12. Both meetings will be at the township government building, 8299 Market St.
Set trick-or-treat hours as 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31.