Staff photo/Dan Pompili Brad Calhoun, right, takes the oath of office as Boardman Township fiscal officer from Mahoning County Probate Judge Robert Rusu, left, at Thursday’s Board of Trustees meeting. Calhoun served as trustee for the township for 15 years before his fellow trustees appointed him to the new position. . on Feb. 24, to replace retired fiscal officer William Leicht. Calhoun – and his replacement as trustee – will have to run for those offices in November.

BOARDMAN — A familiar face has a new place at the table in township government.

Long-time trustee Brad Calhoun is officially Boardman’s new fiscal officer after being sworn in at Thursday evening’s regular Board of Trustees meeting by Mahoning County Probate Judge Robert Rusu.

Calhoun takes the place of William Leicht who resigned from the post at the end of January after nearly 40 years on the job. Calhoun will have to run for re-election to the job in November.

Trustees Larry Moliterno and Tom Costello agreed to appoint Calhoun to the job at their Feb. 24 meeting.

“There was nobody else who expressed interest in the job that has the same experience as someone who has worked with our budget for the past 15 years,” Moliterno said.

“I look forward to the new role, I think it’ll bring a new perspective in both positions. We’ll have a new voice in the fiscal office and a fresh voice in the township,” Calhoun said. “We’ve been together, the four of us, for 15 years and it’s served us well.”

Calhoun said he’s proud of the township’s track record.

“Fiscally, we’ve only gone for new money one time in 15 years and I don’t know if other townships our size can say that,” he said. “But I look forward to continuing to work with the team here, and I think the team is what has made us successful.”

Calhoun said he is focused on running a tight ship.

“My priorities are making sure we stay within the revenue we have coming in, and we should not spend more than that,” he said. “I have to make sure we tighten our belts, just like the rest of the world has to.”

He said he will be keeping a close eye on what happens in Columbus and Washington D.C., especially as President Donald Trump continues efforts to cut funding for a wide variety of programs at the state and federal levels.

In October, Boardman became the first township in the state to receive a Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant. The agency approved $35 million for the project that will seek to minimize or eliminate flooding throughout the Cranberry Run Watershed near Glenwood Avenue and Boardman Plaza, and awarded the township $3 million to use for the planning and design phase of the project. Another $12 will come from a local match and Township Administrator Jason Loree told trustees on Thursday that efforts to secure state funding to cover some of the local match appear to be on track, thanks to efforts by State Rep. Tex Fischer.

Loree said he’s optimistic that because the grant is not related to climate change issues, it will not be subject to Trump’s budget cuts. Calhoun said he hopes Loree is right.

“For us to lose that would be devastating to the entire township,” he said. “We’re doing everything we can do, and working with our representatives to make sure this stays on track. We already have some of the money working for us…and hopefully when we’re ready for shovels and turning dirt, they won’t take the money away.”

Calhoun said he also hopes the U.S. Department of Justice will continue support for the police department through a roughly $650,000 COPS grant that helps keep the department well-staffed and equipped. Police Chief Todd Werth said he does not believe that grant is on the chopping block either.

At the end of the regular meeting, Moliterno and Costello adjourned to executive session to discuss the appointment of Calhoun’s replacement as trustee. That person also will have to run for the office in November.

Costello said they have one applicant in hand and two others who have expressed interest. He said they hope to announce the appointment at the next regular meeting March 24.