By ANTHONY SUSZCZYNSKI

Correspondent

BOARDMAN — Boardman Township has sworn in three new firefighters and promoted two.

Brandon O’Hara, Matthew Machingo and Jonathan Hutchinson took the oath as new Boardman firefighters at a salary of $30,800, while Capt. Rob John was promoted to assistant chief, and fire prevention Lt. William Ferrando was promoted to captain.

John’s annual salary now will be $73,126, while Ferrando will make $66,873 annually in his new post.

The actions came during Wednesday’s township trustees meeting.

“Hiring new people is always a good thing for us. We’re maintaining our staffing and, you know, we’re talking about tradition in the fire service. You know a lot of it has been passed down from generation to generation. It’s a very prideful and very proud profession. It’s pretty neat to be able to hire some of those kids knowing their father has passed that legacy down onto them so we’re thrilled to have them,” said Boardman fire Chief Mark Pitzer.

In other business, trustees approved the sale of 77 Prestwick Drive for $2,500 to Douglas E. and Karl Douglas William Retter and the sale of 4525 Southern Boulevard for $1,000 to Beth A. Shaw. The two properties are part of the township’s land bank.

“These two lots are being purchased by the adjacent property owners and they will typically use them to expand their property, giving them additional side yard space,” Boardman Township Administrator Jason Loree said.

Trustees also approved nuisance resolutions for 1911 Peachtree Court because of debris and wood left in the right-of-way at the end of Woodward Avenue, and 4920 Brookwood Road because it is an “unsecured property in a state of disrepair.”