POLAND — It was a changing of the guard at Wednesday’s Poland Township trustees meeting as longtime township administrator James Scharville presided for the last time.

Scharville officially retired and handed over the reins to Mark Covell.

Scharville had a chance to look back over his career and how he began in 1969 as a science teacher at the Hillman School in Youngstown while serving part-time as a Mill Creek Park police officer. A few years later, he received an appointment that would change his life.

“It was in 1972 that I was appointed to a five-man committee that was tasked with determining if Poland Township needed its own police department,” Scharville said. “At that time, I became a part-time police officer with Poland Village.”

He said the committee determined the township did need its own force and a levy was placed on the ballot. It passed and in 1974, Scharville said he left Poland Village to become an unpaid reserve officer for the new township department.

“I remember at the time, the township bought old Highway Patrol cars to save money,” he said.

He stayed with the department and was employed as operations supervisor for the Head Start program in Mahoning County. It was a position he held until he retired from it in 1999.

While serving with Head Start, Scharville took on other roles with the township. From 1982 to 1986, he served as the elected fiscal officer for Poland and from 1991 to 1999, he served as trustee.

After leaving Head Start, Scharville took on a job as bailiff at Struthers Municipal Court.

“Then, in 2005, the (township) trustees offered me the township administrator position,” Scharville said. “I agreed to do it on a part-time basis and was hired.”

The next 17 years saw Scharville handle the day-to-day operations of a growing township. He looked back to 1969 and said the township has come a long, long way.

“We went from a township where meetings were held in a Quonset hut and meetings were called in time for some township officials to make the bowling league,” he said. “Today we have a modern, state-of-the art facility and equipment to allow anyone to view our meetings.”

At the end of Wednesday’s meeting, Trustee Eric Ungaro presented Scharville with a custom award that listed his many years and contributions to the township.

“I appreciate your friendship and loyalty,” Ungaro told Scharville.

Trustee Joanne Wollet told him, “When you look up the meaning of administrator, that is what you are. You provided great customer service to our residents.”

Trustee Ed Kempers and the rest of the administrative staff put in kind words, and then the floor was given to Scharville.

“Everyone who knows me knows I can talk about the township all night,” he said. “It’s been a long time and I feel like I am leaving my family. I will miss all of you.”

Scharville continued with a tear in his eye, “I will leave you with these 12 words. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Township Park Board Chairman Ken Filicky told Scharville he was being named the park’s newest volunteer and issued him an official park cap. Scharville said, “I may have found my next chapter.”