Mathews-Sheridan construction slows business for Boardman preschool

By Jordyn grzelewski

jgrzelewski@vindy.com

boardman

The ongoing installation of a roundabout at Mathews and Sheridan roads is not only affecting traffic in Poland and Boardman, but also impacting at least one business in the area.

“We know it has been detrimental to our business,” said Kathy Valentini, co-owner of Little Learners Academy, a preschool at 1951 Mathews Road inside Heritage Presbyterian Church.

According to Valentini and Christi Landers, the other owner of Little Learners, their enrollment numbers are significantly lower for summer programs as well as for this coming school year. They believe this is because people can no longer see their sign on Mathews Road, because the road is closed to through traffic. The sign outside the school is their primary advertising method and the method they think is the most effective because Mathews Road is a main thoroughfare in the township.

“We usually have a sign out there with our [phone] number, and we haven’t gotten one call all summer,” Valentini said.

Valentini said it is unusual that they have not received a single call, as they usually get several calls each week during the summer. She also said the school’s summer camp had about five fewer attendees than usual this year.

Landers said the construction project has “tremendously” affected enrollment for next school year.

“We never have spots in our pre-K class. We always have a waiting list,” Landers said. This year, they have spots available.

Landers and Valentini said the low enrollment numbers will significantly impact their business, as they have 10 fewer students enrolled in preschool and four fewer students enrolled in pre-Kindergarten for this coming school year. They estimated that they will lose about $2,000 per month from September through May because of low enrollment.

Valentini said she had heard of businesses in other areas receiving advertising funds from their local government in similar situations, but township Administrator Jason Loree said that is not something the township can do.

“We’ve actually never done that before. I don’t believe we have the ability to do that. What we do offer businesses and churches and schools is on our website. It’s called ‘Find It In Boardman,’” Loree said.

Loree said local business owners can put their information on the website along with a link, and the information will be added to the township website in a searchable database of local businesses and schools.

Heritage Presbyterian Church, which houses the preschool, also has experienced a decline in attendance for summer programs, according to Pastor Kristin Stroble. She said the church hosts a weekly “play day” and that “those numbers have been quite low.”

Valentini, Stroble and Landers also said they are frustrated with the way motorists are dealing with the construction, as they have seen people moving cones out of the way and driving around them.

“That’s one of the biggest frustrations,” Pastor Stroble said. “We kept one side of the driveway open initially, but then someone almost hit a construction worker.”

Pastor Stroble said the traffic situation is the fault of motorists, not the construction crew.

“The construction crew has been very helpful trying to keep people safe,” she said.

“I’ll talk to [Police Chief Jack Nichols] to see if we can set up some more enforcement during the evening and morning hours when traffic in that area tends to be higher, for selective enforcement to make sure people are following the signage and speed limit,” Loree said.

However, Rob Dunham of the Mahoning County Engineer’s Office said there is not a huge issue with traffic near the construction site.

“Sometimes you have drivers who will move a barricade. On this location we haven’t really experienced that because the road literally isn’t there,” Dunham said. “This summer is just a very busy and inconvenient time for travelers. ... But at the end of the day, this will be a much easier road system.

“So far we haven’t experienced anything outside the normal traffic issue, and I’d say it’s even a little better than usual.”

The construction of the roundabout is slated to be complete by the end of the summer.