AUSTINTOWN — The Austintown Police Department has a new lieutenant after Shawn Hevener was sworn in Monday during the trustee meeting.

While Hevener is new to the position, he is not new to the department. He will be replacing Jordan Yacovone, who is retiring at year’s end, as head of the detective division. Yacovone has been with the department for 27 years, according to Chief Robert Gavalier.

Also at the meeting, the trustees authorized township Administrator Michael Dockry to join six other communities in Trumbull and Mahoning counties in applying for funding through Ohio’s Appalachian Community Grant Program to revitalize properties in the main commercial districts.

He said in Austintown this would be Mahoning Avenue. If the township is awarded the funds, it would distribute them to businesses on Mahoning Avenue to improve their exteriors.

Trustee Steve Kent was not in attendance, but Trustees Monica Deavers and Robert Santos were.

In other action, the board:

• Approved the demolition of a single-family home located at 1515 Maplecrest Drive, which has been vacant for four years;

• Approved a purchase agreement with Corey Skully, who owns Carl’s Towing & Recovery, 6704 Mahoning Ave., of two parcels. The business plans to expand and is located next to the parcels;

• Approved the temporary budget for 2023;

• Approved the purchase of $20 gift cards for all 150 township employees for the holidays.

escott@tribtoday.com