East and west neighborhood associations of North Boardman join forces

By Bruce Walton

bwalton@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

Township residents came together at Saint Mark’s Church, Mill Creek Drive, for the purpose of strengthening their voices to improve their neighborhoods.

North Boardman Block Watch represents residents west of Market Street between Midlothian Boulevard and Shields Road. The North Boardman Neighborhood Association represents residents east of Market between Maple Drive and Indianola Road.

The session was Wednesday evening.

Howard Taylor, president of the NBBW, said his group first initiated the idea of the collaboration in January.

Carl Foote, president of the NBNA, agreed with Taylor to combine their organizations as a way of giving the groups a larger size and, hopefully, a larger voice.

“I think that we just felt that sheer numbers with the two groups getting together would have more clout with the township [officials],” Taylor said.

The meeting will be the first of monthly meetings for four to five months as a trial period to test how the associations gel. The two presidents will act as co-chairmen of the new joint neighborhood association.

In addition to the members, township officials attended the meeting to show support for the neighborhood groups and answer any questions or complaints the neighbors had about the township.

“I actually think it’s great,” said Jason Loree, township administrator. “The more participation, I think, the better.”

The officials also plan to attend their future meetings to connect with the residents.

If the community support and membership presence continues as it did Wednesday, Taylor and Foote said there wouldn’t be a reason to separate.