BY JOHN A. DARNELL JR.
      associate editor
      Longtime Boardman Township Road Department superintendent Marilyn Kenner, 65, of Lockwood Blvd., will retire from the post in late January, 2025.
      Kenner has served in the position since Feb., 2016, overseeing an annual budget of some $3 million and a workforce of 20 employees
      She began her career with Boardman Township in 2013, including serving as Acting Director of Planning/Zoning.
      Prior to that she spent 32 years with the Mahoning County Engineer’s Office where she served for 23 years as Chief Deputy Mahoning County Engineer.
      Hallmarks of Kenner’s tenure as head of the Boardman Township Road Department include taking politics out of the annual road resurfacing program and her work in obtaining grant monies for many projects within the township.
      Under Kenner, a plan was developed to hire a private firm that annually studies the conditions of township roadways and make recommendations on what roads are in the worst shape. Township Trustees then use the results of those annual studies to determine what roads need resurfaced.
      Kenner is responsible for obtaining more than $787,00 in grant monies used to supplement the township’s annual resurfacing program.
      Overall during her service to Boardman, Kenner’s grant recommendations have brought almost $6 million to the township, including some $3.3 million for hazard mitigation grants that have been used to alleviate surface water issues in the South Cadillac Dr. - Wildwood Dr. area, and working in conjunction with a private consulting firm, some $2.1 million for the creation of a storm water mitigation project near the Forest Lawn Cemetery.
      In addition, working with Township Administrator. Jason Loree, and CT Consultants, Kenner played a key role as Boardman Township earned a $45 million grant to develop a storm water park (now under development) at the site of the former Market St. Elementary School.
      Other grant monies Boardman Township obtained under Kenner’s direction include funds for road sign upgrades and funds for designation of safe routes to schools.
      Kenner is a 1982 graduate of Youngstown State University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.
      Kenner succeeded Larry Wilson as Boardman Township Road Superintendent.