BY JOHN A. DARNELL JR.
      associate editor
      Boardman Township’s Board of Trustees indicated last week at their annual reorganizational meeting they favor creation of a so-called Community Reinvestment Area (CRA), dubbed the Tiffany Boulevard Community, at the site of the former K-Mart, 1209 Boardman-Poland Rd.
      K-Mart closed in 2016 after some 48 years in business at the site, and a year later demolition of the building that housed the business began.
      According to records of the Mahoning County Auditor’s Office, the former K-Mart property includes 9.09 acres of land with an appraised value of some $1.588 million.
      A document provided to Boardman Township, apparently from a firm identified as Butterfli Holdings, whose registered agent is listed as Frank Licata, of Pepper Pike, Oh., falsely claims “To support the use of certain financial incentives in that area, the Township conducted a formal blight study titled The McKay’s Corner Blight Study.”
      However, no Boardman Township entity ever conducted such a blight study.
      The study summary provided to Boardman Township says there are “two, prominent commercial properties, the former K-Mart and the former Handel’s Ice Cream Shop, stand out as symbols of prolonged disinvestment.
      “Prolonged vacancy and limited reinvestment have contributed to widespread decline and visible site level concerns such as unmanaged growth and illegal dumping.
      “Field staff conducted on site inspections and documented observable violations of the Township’s Building Code.”
      Various administrators in Boardman Township deny any such inspections have ever been made by local government.
      The so-called blight study says the site of the former K-Mart “exhibits moderate deterioration, including overgrown vegetation, scattered debris and surface erosion. Areas of remaining pavement are cracked and worn, and the lack of routine maintenance contributes to a visibly umkept condition.”
      The issue with overgrown vegetation, (i.e. weeds) has been addressed in the past on several occasions by township government when the owners of the property were cited with maintenance violations.
      The study says the former Handel’s Ice Cream site at 7365 South Ave. “exhibits overgrown vegetation, scattered debris and surface erosion” and “the lack of regular maintenance has resulted in an overall neglected appearance.”
      In support of such a claim, a photo of one crushed tin can is pictured by a drainage cover.
      The site of the former K-Mart, according to the Mahoning County Auditor’s Office, is currently owned by Butterfli Holdings 030 LLC and Schiavone LLC. It had been previously titled to the ASI Family Partnership LLC, listing Anthony Schiavone, of 735 Brookfield Ave., Boardman, as registered agent.
      The former Handel’s site is also held by Butterfli Holdings 030 LLC and Schiavone LLC, according to the county auditor’s office.
      According to the Boardman Township Planning/Zoning Department, there are indications a Taco Bell could be developed on that site.
      Property tax monies generated from both sites go to the Poland Local School District, not the Boardman Local School District.
      The study that was given to Boardman Township, however not done by the township as it claims, says a “blighted area and slum mean an area in which at least 70 per cent of the parcel are blighted and...arrest the sound growth of the state or political subdivision...constitute an economic or social liability, or are a menace to public health, safety, morals or welfare in their present condition and use.”
      Such language is apparently necessary in order to obtain a CRA for a 9.09-acre vacant K-Mart lot under provisions of the Ohio Revised Code. If a CRA is obtained, the development will pay a mere fraction of its high-end assessed value for up to a decade.
      Boardman Township Administrator Jason Loree notes “Developers will come into the community and say we need this tax break or we’re not able to bring in redevelopment which puts the leaders behind the eight ball. If you don’t agree, they’ll blast you for saying you’re against redevelopment. If you do agree, you have to give them tax abatement, and some people are critical of giving tax of payments. Because the state allows these types of incentives, it puts community against community and it’s not right.”
      At last week’s reorganizational meeting, Steve Yacovone was elected Chair of the Boardman Township Board of Trustees and Larry Moliterno was elected vice president. Matt Gambrel was appointed as a member of the Mahoning County Emergency Management Agency Planning Committee.