BOARDMAN — Township trustees unanimously approved resolutions Wednesday to have the Mahoning County Auditor’s office certify three renewal levies to appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.

Two of the levies — one, a 0.7-mill measure established in 1976 and the other for 2.5 mills and established in 1995 — are for the general fund and would be used for current expenses, township Administrator Jason Loree noted at Wednesday’s special trustees meeting that was conducted via conference call.

Based on previous collections, the 2.5-mill levy has brought in $1.5 million to $1.8 million to the township annually, while the 0.7-mill measure has generated between $230,000 and $250,000 yearly, he explained.

The third is a 3.85-mill police levy, established in 2011, that has brought in for the department between $3.2 million and $3.5 million annually, Loree said.

The certification will entail the auditor’s office making calculations to determine how much the three levies will bring in now, then they will be certified to the Mahoning County Board of Elections before being placed on the ballot. None of them will mean new taxes for residents, Loree stressed.

The township also has implemented strict policies and has been highly proactive in responding to the coronavirus pandemic, partly by subjecting police and firefighters to body-temperature checks and screenings, he said, adding that three officers recently tested positive for COVID-19. One has recovered and is back on the job while the other two are in quarantine, he said.

In addition, a special disinfectant is being used to sanitize police cruisers and firetrucks, as well as floor mats in the vehicles as means to mitigate the virus’s spread so safety force members can continue to serve the township without greater risk to themselves, Loree said.

“You can’t have your police and firefighters go down. That’s something we must be vigilant on,” he said.

Also during the session, trustees heard from Joseph D. Lane, president and chief executive officer of The Lane Cos., who discussed ideas related to improving the ability to dispatch emergency vehicles and initial response times to emergencies.

In his report, Lane noted that a key step is to recognize that 911 calls do not lend themselves to a “one size fits all” approach. He also pointed out that the average response time to emergencies in Boardman improved somewhat in 2019, compared to 2018.

Lane also asked trustees to consider buying Major Emergency Response Vehicle units, which could be set up at Boardman Spartans football games and other events.

A MERV resembles a large firetruck and has the capacity to handle mass casualties, as well as to provide on-site triages, medical evacuations and medical support for long-term emergencies.

Trustee Thomas Costello said he will evaluate those and other options regarding township safety.