BOARDMAN — Flood mitigation is going strong in Boardman Township, which will receive $500,000 from the state’s capital appropriations budget.

During a special trustees meeting Monday, township Administrator Jason Loree called the project Forest Lawn Stormwater Park.

That funding, he said, will “activate” the first phase of a flood plain at Market Street Elementary — meaning it would be demolished. A walking path would go around the area.

Phase 2 would expand into Forest Lawn Cemetery across from the vacant school, with dam maintenance. The project would be “quite substantial,” Loree said.

Also updating trustees was Road Superintendent Marilyn Kenner, sharing an update regarding three homes located in a flood zone.

The appraisal and acquisition process for a Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Project will be completed by Transystems, for $23,790. The local match is $2,974, coming from ABC Stormwater District funds.

The three homes are on Melbourne Avenue, Brookfield Avenue and Oakley Avenue. They join four homes on South and North Cadillac drives and Wildwood Drive, which will all be demolished so in heavy rain events, the storm water can flow to those areas where the houses currently are.

When the homes are taken town, the land will be owned by Boardman Township and cannot be built on, Kenner said.

Demolition for the first four homes will go out to bid May 17 and is anticipated to begin this summer, Kenner said.

Once the process is complete, FEMA will inspect the areas every three years, she said.

SAFETY

As the weather improves, police Chief Todd Werth confirmed that officers are out in neighborhoods monitoring traffic.

One specific initiative the department is going to look at is pedestrians crossing busy roads.

“It’s hard because it’s not one” area, he said. “It’s tough to put a finger on that one spot” that is most dangerous, he said.

Kenner added that oftentimes, motorists are not cognizant of pedestrians, people on motorcycles or pedal bikes.

The zoning department is working with the Ohio Department of Transportation about bicycle and pedestrian amendities along state routes in the township, said zoning Director Krista Beniston.

Fire Chief Mark Pitzer noted that the department has had “several large brush fires” over the last few weeks.

Ohio has a burn ban between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. through May.