Boardman School Board OKs Land Transfer Agreement

BOARDMAN, Ohio – The Boardman Board of Education on Monday unanimously approved a final land transfer agreement with the ABC Water and Stormwater District.

The agreement allows for the formal transfer of the remaining 1.722-acre front parcel of land along Market Street to be the spot for the pavilion.

“This is an important way to honor and continue Market Street School’s legacy,” said John Landers, school board president. “Providing the land to build an educational space for students to learn hands-on at the Forest Lawn Stormwater Park is important to us as a school district.”  

As part of the agreement, the School District will receive 30 years’ credit from its ABC fees, amounting to nearly $17,000 per year, or about a half-million dollars over the course of the agreement, a news release states.

“The school district’s savings exceeds the appraised value of the frontage and comes with an added bonus that Boardman Schools will have first opportunities to schedule the facility for use by our teachers and students at the start and midpoint of each school year,” Landers said.  

ABC received a $750,000 capital grant for the construction of the outdoor education pavilion. That agreement allows for the full use of the grant for the building.

This will tie into the rear 14-acre Forest Lawn Stormwater Park, which will soon be constructed on the site of the former Market Street School. The park has been fully funded through federal and state grants, with construction expected in 2024, the release states. 

When finished, the park will hold back more than a million gallons of stormwater, according to the release.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.