BOARDMAN — Township Administrator Jason R. Loree is thrilled that the township has received a grant that will go toward alleviating flooding problems for many residents and businesses.

“It’s been a real problem for our community, and we want to build resilient infrastructure that will help mitigate these large stormwater flooding events,” Loree said.

About six weeks ago, Boardman received a $47 million federal Flood Mitigation grant to transform the area’s stormwater system to alleviate decades of chronic flooding, especially in sections of the township near U.S. Route 224 — specifically, the Boardman Plaza area, he noted.

Part of the work will entail building retention ponds around the plaza to catch and store runoff from heavy rain events, Loree has said.

Also impacted will be the stormwater management system near Cranberry Run, along with portions of Glenwood Avenue north of the plaza.

That was the primary topic Loree addressed during a Good Evening Boardman gathering Wednesday at Steel Valley Brew Works in the Southern Park Mall. The purpose of the event was to update attendees on a variety of aspects of township life.

Hosting the gathering was the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber. Jacob Zillinger, the chamber’s marketing and graphics specialist, was master of ceremonies.

An estimated $3 million of the grant, which the Federal Emergency Management Agency released last month, will go toward environmental and Phase 1 study work, Loree said. In addition, an estimated $35.8 million of the grant, from FEMA’s Flood Mitigation Assistance program, will fund the overall project.

For decades, large swaths of the township’s residents and businesses have dealt with chronic flooding after heavy rains. Shortly after the Boardman Plaza was finished in 1953, for example, four inches of water covered the parking lot in its first year, Loree said.

The transformation process likely will take several years, he added.

Loree also provided an update on the $3.6 million Forest Lawn Stormwater Park on the site of the former Market Street Elementary School. A key move has been establishing a partnership between township officials and the school district, he noted.

Overseeing the project is the ABC (Austintown, Boardman and Canfield) Stormwater District.

Among other things, the acreage will contain a hike-and-bike trail, 140 newly planted trees and habitats for a variety of flora and fauna.

Also at the event, Boardman Local Schools Superintendent Christopher Neifer updated attendees on the state of the district, noting that a heavier emphasis will be placed on four key pillars: curriculum, transportation, enrollment and facilities.

Specifically, the Boardman school system, like many other districts, has a bus driver shortage. Another challenge is that the district has been seeing a 2% to 3% decrease in annual enrollment, Neifer said.

Efforts also will be made to fill certain curriculum gaps, including providing additional pathways to help students who are struggling. In addition, the district intends to implement a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics curriculum “at every grade level” beginning next year, the superintendent said.

Neifer, who has served 29 years in the education field, most of it in the Warren City Schools, noted that the district received a four-star overall rating on the 2023-24 state report card. Stadium Drive and West Boulevard elementary schools received five-star ratings.

Other efforts to better the school district include providing opportunities for older students to serve as mentors to their younger counterparts, he said, adding that a focus also will be to update the district’s strategic plan in January or February.

“We’re expanding our reach, making sure we’re serving the underserved areas,” said Beth Scheller, chief executive officer for the YMCA of Youngstown, the Davis Family YMCA in Boardman and Camp Fitch.

Efforts are continuing to further highlight the facilities’ focus on promoting healthful lifestyles for children, strong families and transformed communities, all of which “are at the core of everything we do,” Scheller said.

To that end, more than 8,000 scholarships have been distributed to children, families and individuals who otherwise would be unable to afford memberships, she added.

Also, the YMCA of Youngstown is celebrating its 140th anniversary. After having been founded in 1884, the YMCA hired its first education director in 1906, then Camp Fitch debuted in 1914 to expand services, Scheller said. In 2003, the Boardman facility opened, she added.

Key components of the YMCA’s vision are to continue building stronger partnerships, as well as to be “a force of good for this community,” she said, adding that the three branches serve more than 20,000 members and program participants.

Also at the gathering, representatives from several area businesses gave 3- to 5-minute updates on their plans and offerings. Entities included QUICKmed Urgent Care, Optima Research, Akron Children’s Hospital, SweatHouz Cold Plunge and Infrared Sauna Studio, Boak & Sons Inc., First National Bank and the Southern Ohio Chamber Alliance, which has a partnership with the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber.