Boardman approves budget, police get largest share

March 9, 2015 at 7:34p.m.

BOARDMAN

Township trustees unanimously voted Monday to approve final 2015 appropriations that total $23,965,987.

About $18.3 million of that figure is what the township expects to spend this year, and transfers between funds account for the rest.

The $18.3 million budget is an increase from last year’s budget of just under $18 million, but township officials say that, for the most part, 2015 will be similar to 2014.

“It’s really business as usual in Boardman this year,” assistant fiscal officer George Platton has said.

“We have cut the budget dramatically over the last several years,” said Trustee Larry Moliterno, who noted that the budget was more than $20 million several years ago.

The lion’s share of appropriations — about 47 percent — goes to the police department.

Most of that $7.8 million figure will go to personnel costs. $1,350,000 is allocated for ranking officers’ salaries, and $2,850,000 is allocated for patrol officers’ salaries. An additional $550,000 is appropriated for salaries of department staff members, such as dispatchers.

Besides personnel costs, the police department also will get $273,000 for capital expenditures, such as new cars and radios.