Boardman Township is staring at a self-inflicted budget hole after trustees missed a key filing window for a major levy, a clerical slip that officials say will cost roughly $2 million in revenue and trigger immediate belt-tightening across departments. The mistake surfaced at a recent trustees meeting and has township leaders scrambling to patch the budget and lock in new internal safeguards.
In an interview with WKBN, Trustee Matt Gambrel said the board failed to certify a 2.5-mill current-expenses levy for renewal on time, a move the station reported will translate to about $2,000,000 in lost collections. Gambrel told WKBN the missed issue can no longer be treated as a simple renewal and would have to go before voters as a new levy if trustees decide to try again.
What Remains On The May Ballot
Despite the blown deadline on the 2.5-mill issue, trustees have voted to send several other renewal measures to voters this spring. Those include a 3-mill current-expenses levy, a 0.7-mill general-fund levy and a 3.85-mill police levy, according to The Vindicator. On a separate track, school officials are asking voters to approve a 5.9-mill renewal for Boardman Local Schools on May 5, per WFMJ, meaning both the township and the district will be seeking taxpayer support in the same election.
Why The Timing Matters
Ohio law gives local governments a tight window to certify tax questions to county boards of elections, and missing that date typically means a levy cannot be placed on the next ballot as a renewal. The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce calendar cites ORC 5705.21 and related rules that require levy resolutions to be certified well in advance of an election, and county boards routinely enforce those timing requirements. Local reporting over the years has pointed to a practical 75 to 90 day deadline in Mahoning County when levy questions are involved.
Township Response And Near-Term Cuts
Trustees told reporters they have instructed township departments to trim budgets and limit discretionary spending while administrators sort through options. Officials also say they plan to build in new procedural fail-safes so a missed certification date does not happen again. According to WKBN, the board is banking on those changes to prevent future filing slipups and to buy some time as they plan for the revenue gap.
Staff Turnover Complicated The Picture
Recent staffing changes did not help the timing. The township’s fiscal office changed hands after the retirement of William D. Leicht, and Township Administrator Jason Loree has been on medical leave and plans to step down, The Vindicator reports. Officials say those gaps made it tougher to track upcoming certification dates and pushed them to call for better internal tracking and backup systems.
What Residents Should Watch Next
If trustees bring the missed levy back, it would appear on the ballot as a new levy rather than a renewal, which can affect both the wording voters see and how the issue is perceived. Residents can watch for updated filings with the Mahoning County Auditor’s Office and the Board of Elections. The county auditor’s website lists upcoming levies and is where townships confirm millage and timing, and the Mahoning County Auditor maintains a public page that outlines proposed levies and related deadlines.
For now, township leaders say they will move forward with the May issues that were certified on time and use future trustee meetings to brief residents on the $2 million shortfall and the options on the table to cover it.
