Dick's House of Sport has proposed building a large retail store and sports center on the former Kmart property off Route 224.

BOARDMAN — With a new year comes new leadership in Boardman. While many of the same faces can be seen on the dais, the gavel is in new hands.

Trustees voted Monday evening for Steve Yacovone to assume the role of chairman, while former chair Larry Moliterno will serve as vice chair. The meeting was newly elected Trustee Matt Gambrel’s first.

The evening began with a special hearing on a zoning change, which trustees approved after the required two readings. The changes, proposed by Planning and Zoning Director TJ Keiran in November, mostly involve replacing the township’s required parking space standards with recommended standards and are based on variances that the Zoning Board of Appeals has previously granted to businesses seeking to open in the township.

Keiran said the changes will save businesses time and money they would otherwise spend on seeking variances and give the township more latitude to approve common- sense parking proposals administratively. Only those that exceed 100% of the recommendation would have to seek variances.

The change will be in place for Dick’s Sporting Goods when the company likely brings a Dick’s House of Sport to the former Kmart property. Trustees approved a motion Monday for a Community Reinvestment Area for that part of the Tiffany Boulevard area.

Dick’s is seeking a 10-year, 60% tax abatement, partially to offset the costs of installing updated stormwater infrastructure, conducting a blight study and building the large new facility.

The House of Sport concept is a multi-level building that, along with Dick’s regular merchandise, also provides features such as climbing walls, golf simulators and indoor and outdoor areas for testing equipment, among other features.

Trustees noted the potential investment will mean new property tax revenue on land that has not generated any since Kmart was demolished in 2017.

In the event that a measure to abolish property taxes in Ohio should make the ballot and be approved in November, a potential change to income tax as a revenue source also would benefit from the roughly 120 jobs Dick’s says the store would provide.

ZONING BOARD MEMBERS

Another zoning matter was tabled Monday after trustees initially approved it. Keiran proposed renewing the five-year terms of members of the Zoning Commission (Frank Centofanti), Zoning Board of Appeals (30-year veteran and chair John Schultz) and Architectural Review Board (chair Mike Fagan).

But Moliterno asked the board to return to the agenda item and suggested that the township should first discuss the renewals with those members and approve the motion at the next meeting, assuming they all agree.

Keiran said it is possible the nominees would prefer shorter terms, such as three years, and that Moliterno is right to suggest discussing it with them first.

RENEWAL LEVIES, PERSONNEL MATTERS

The board also approved motions to place renewal levies on the ballot in May. These include the 0.7-mill general fund levy, the 3-mill current expenses levy and the 3.85-mill police levy.

“These are essential levies without which the township could not operate, so it is very important that we pass these, and it’s important to note that they are renewals, not new money requests,” Yacovone said.

Personnel issues also were discussed. Township Administrator Jason Loree said the township has posted his job and resumes already have been received.

Loree announced in October that he has been suffering from a genetic condition, polycystic kidney disease. The disease causes cysts to form in the kidneys, which lead to swelling and eventual organ failure. Loree was on leave in early 2025 after undergoing heart surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. He was treated for an aortic root aneurysm, which was directly related to his kidney disease.

In December, he said his condition has become serious enough that he will have to resign.

Trustees also appointed Gambrel to serve as the township’s representative to the Mahoning County Emergency Management Agency’s 911 Planning Committee.