BY JOHN A. DARNELL JR.
      associate editor
      Health issues are forcing longtime Boardman Township Administrator Jason Loree to step down from his position after nearly two decades.
      Loree, 44, is currently battling autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (PKD), a genetic disorder that causes cysts to form on the kidneys. The condition leads to kidney function decline over time, and it is particularly concerning as it increases the risk of aneurysms. The disease took the life of his mother in 2021.
      Loree has undergone open-heart surgery due to complications from PKD, further complicating his health situation. He is currently on an active transplant list and is preparing for dialysis and a possible transplant to address the severe impact of the disease on his health.
      If testing results from a potential donor reveal a match, Loree could receive a new kidney within weeks.
      In 1996, Loree was named as Boardman Township Administrator. He stepped into the position after Michael Villano resigned after less than a month in office, as township government was in turmoil, led by Trustees Kathy Miller and Robyn Gallitto.
      During their tenure in office, they forced Administrator Curt Seditz from office and their policies led to the resignation of Police Chief Jeff Patterson (who was also a lawyer) as well as at least ten police officers.
      Miller and Gallitto were toned-down somewhat when Trustee Larry Moliterno developed a five-year plan. When his fellow Trustees Miller and Gallitto fell off the track of the five-year plan, Moliterno reigned them in under the provisions of the plan.
      Among the issues facing Boardman at the time was surface water issues during peak rainfall periods. Miller, Gallitto and Moliterno, as so many other Trustees before them, attempted to address the problems and Loree organized a group of Kent State students to study the matter. Eventually a plan was developed, but never implemented. Among the provisions of the plan developed by the college students was the creation of a waterfall system at Rt. 224 and Market St. that would supposedly channel water flows away from residential and commercial areas during peak rainfalls. That plan was never implemented.
      Seditz served Boardman Township for a decade. His tenure in office was marked by continual efforts to address drainage issues, as well as concerns with the condition of Boardman Township’s former #1 Fire Station at Boardman-Poland Rd. at Southern Blvd. In addition he led the effort to restore manpower at the Boardman Police Department.
      In was under the tenure of Seditz that Jason Loree began his service to Boardman Township as a government intern from Kent State.
      “Curt Seditz and his assistant Christina Griffin were especially helpful is teaching me about the role of township administrator,” Loree recalls.
      Working with longtime Road Superintendent Marilyn Kenner, the ABC Stormwater District was formed and a plan was developed to obtain a $48 million grant to improve drainage flows.
      When Market St. Elementary School closed, Loree led the effort to develop a stormwater park on the site that now serves to alleviate drainage issues that impacted thousands of homes in Boardman Township for decades.
      It was Administrator Loree who discovered when the school was built in the early 1950s, ground levels were elevated on the site, thus restricting the flow of water that was backing-up into homes in the area of the school during peak rainfall periods.
      Loree was also instrumental in the development of natural gas and electric aggregation programs that for the past 15 years have saved residents and business thousands of dollars on utility bills.
      During his tenure, working closely with Fiscal Officer William Leicht and in collaboration with the Boardman Local School System, a plan was developed to build a new main fire station at Market St. and Stadium Dr. and through a council of governments 9-1-1 dispatching services were consolidated to better serve residents and businesses in Boardman as well as Austintown.
      Loree served on a statewide 9-1-1 Steering Committee that led to improved emergency response in communities throughout Ohio.
      Working with longtime Boardman Park Supt. Dan Slagle Jr., Loree helped to develop the Marge Hartman Dog Park where today hundreds of dog owners take their pooches to play and interact with some of their favorite furry friends.
      Loree told The Boardman News “The duties of a township administrator are never done. There’s always something that has to be considered and I hope I have left Boardman Township in better shape than when I first became administrator.
      “Navigating different personalities and developing appropriations for each department are daily aspects of serving the township.”
      As he leaves his role with Boardman Township, Loree says he is proud that the Boardman Police Department has become one of only 24 law enforcement agencies to gain accreditation with the state of Ohio through the Ohio Collaborative Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (OCLEAP).
      “Our police department is highly respected and with this new accreditation we have increased efforts to foster professionalism,” Loree said.
      He notes the Boardman Fire Department is under-funded and the township’s zoning/planning department under T.J. Kieran is being reshaped to better serve the community.
      “Our road department is facing issues with the rising costs of equipment,” the longtime administrator said.
      Loree said that he expects the Southern Park Mall property will “remain a favorite location.
      “As a high-traffic area, the property could be redeveloped, although the business model could change.”
      After two decades of service, Loree noted “the old-fashioned way, personal visits with residents and businesses is the best way.
      “When we work together to find a solution, we can work through differences, and find ways to make improvements.”