Current Boardman Local School Board members Fred Davis and Mark Fulks will not seek re-election in November, so there will be two new members on that board come next January.
      The three candidates seeking those two seats addressed a Boardman Civic Association forum on Monday night held at the Lariccia Family Community Center in Boardman Park.
      One candidate said he wanted to continue his civic duty. Another candidate urged the 95 people in attendance to vote for all of the tax levies that will be on the ballot. And a third candidate said he always wanted to serve the community.
      Jeff Barone, 805 Park Harbour Dr., is a past president of the Boardman Band and Orchestra Parents, as well as the Boardman Tennis and Swim Club, and played a lead role in a police levy campaign four years ago.
      Barone, Donald Riccitelli and Frank Zetts are the candidates seeking the two seats on the Board of Education.
      Barone is a 1983 graduate of Boardman High School and his two children also graduated from the school.
      After working as a financial advisor with the B.J. Alan Co. for a decade, Barone is now a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley.
      Barone decried the loss of funding suffered by public schools in Ohio through a system that channels public dollars to private charter schools.
      “I will work to try and resolve this issue,” Barone said, noting he is on the ballot “to continue his civic duty.”
      Riccitelli, 416 Green Garden Dr., a car salesman, told the forum he comes from a strong background in fund-raising. He said he has two children in Boardman elementary schools, his wife is a special education teacher with Boardman Local Schools, and he is a paid, assistant varsity girls basketball coach for the Lady Spartans.
      Addressing the forum after no less than information on six tax issues was presented, Riccitelli told the forum “Rather than vote for me, I would encourage you, your friends and neighbors to vote for all these levies.”
      Zetts, 617 Forestridge Dr., said he moved to Boardman in 1989 and has found the township ‘a great place to live.’
      “I always wanted to serve the community...we need to prepare students for life,” Zetts said.
      All three candidates were asked for their views on consolidating the school district.
      Zetts and Riccitelli were quick to note they favored consolidation, while Barone observed he favored placing all fifth and sixth grade students in one school, and all seventh and eighth grade students in another school.
      The school board candidates were also asked for their position on open enrollment, currently not a policy in the Boardman Local Schools. All three candidates said they opposed open enrollment.
      Of note, candidate Barone provided the public with a telephone number, 330-720-1234, in the event anyone would wish to speak with him about his candidacy.
      Boardman Trustee
      Three candidates, including the incumbent, will be on the November ballot running for one seat on the three-member Township Board of Trustees. Only two persons showed-up at the Civic Association forum, incumbent Larry Moliterno, 427 Gardenview Dr., and challenger Jim Villani, 4866 Brookwwod Dr.
      Moliterno is seeking his third term on the board and said he loves Boardman Township.
      He said he first ran to help restore confidence in local government, noting “We now have a full team, we have come together and work to make sure the quality of life is maintained.”
      Moliterno noted he and fellow Trustees Thomas Costello and Brad Calhoun, and Fiscal Officer William Leicht have restored manpower at the police department, despite a loss of some $3 million in state subsidies.
      He said important future considerations