BOARDMAN – If one of the township’s New Year’s resolutions was to enhance its emergency medical services and ability to provide mutual aid to neighboring communities, such a wish will be realized as soon as the calendar switches to January.

“This will help exponentially. Lane’s is busy because of its service to multiple communities,” fire Chief Mark Pitzer said after Monday’s regular trustees meeting.

He was referring to the Boardman Fire Department’s launch of its own ambulance service, beginning Jan. 1.

The move also will ease the strain on private companies while reducing response times to emergencies and delivering more consistent service to the community, Pitzer explained. The township also will be able to provide improved mutual aid to surrounding areas such as Springfield Township, Canfield and Poland, though “Boardman is the busiest by far,” he said.

In addition, Boardman residents who use the ambulance will be “soft-billed,” meaning that insurance companies are billed for patient transports and remaining copayments or deductibles will be forgiven for such residents, the chief noted.

Also during the session, Pitzer noted that the department is looking forward to adding a new Sutphen aerial ladder truck, estimated at $1.9 million, to its fleet. That figure is a significant discount because Austintown Township also is buying an identical truck, so Sutphen can build both at a lower cost, township Administrator Jason R. Loree said last week.

The vehicle will likely take up to three years to build then deliver. The existing ladder truck is 12 years old, but will continue to be in reserve for several years after the new one is added, Pitzer noted.

Also at Monday’s meeting, Mahoning County Prosecutor Gina DeGenova told trustees that her office will be able to waive the annual $75,000 fee charged to the township for legal services.

During a recent meeting, the Mahoning County commissioners reviewed a home rule statute, then approved her office’s request to absorb the fees and charge the township $1 annually, she explained.

After looking at her office’s budget and seeing a decrease in expenditures, DeGenova determined the office would be able to absorb such costs, she said, adding that the township will continue to receive the same services.

Trustees expressed gratitude that the savings can be used on behalf of residents’ needs.