Among the 59 townships in the Mahoning Valley, Howland distinguishes itself as one of the very few to witness measurable population growth in recent years. Its total head count as of July 2025 stood at 19,150, according to new data from the Ohio Gazetteer, a small increase from 2020 Census levels.

The township also stands out as one of few in Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties in which conflict, controversy and drama in local government operations and in the delivery of public services rarely raise their ugly heads.

Those admirable traits clearly can be traced at least partially to the quality of leadership governing the 17.68-square-mile suburban community. In this fall’s election to choose two members of the community’s governing board of trustees to serve through 2029, two incumbents who have served a combined 28 years in their township leadership posts are seeking reelection.

Given their solid record of fiscally responsible leadership, committed attention to the concerns of residents and productive results, we see no gripping reason why voters should not renew their tenures. The Tribune Chronicle Editorial Board therefore endorses Dr. James LaPolla and attorney Matthew Vansuch for reelection as Howland trustees.

In addition to his 12 years as a trustee, LaPolla has been at the forefront of community service in the township for decades, having served as longtime president of the Howland Rotary Club and as a park board commissioner. He’s also gotten to know the residents and their needs publicly as a trustee and privately as a longtime podiatrist in the community.

As LaPolla aptly put it himself, “My hands are on the pulse of Howland Township.”

LaPolla rightly takes pride in the strong administrative team he and fellow trustees have amassed, particularly those that have won rave reviews from residents in police, fire and emergency medical services. He also has been a major force behind the Council of Governments, a countywide organization that works to improve purchasing power and share services across the jurisdictional boundaries. As public funding constraints without additional taxation do not look to lessen anytime soon, exploration of such economies of scale for local governments should remain a priority in the coming four years.

Vansuch, who has 16 years of trustee service under his belt, also has accumulated a long and praiseworthy record of public service for Howland schools and in many other community, church and legal circles in the community and the state.

He also was a primary behind-the-scenes player in the successful efforts to lure the $800 million Kimberly Clark paper manufacturing plant to Warren (on the fringe of Howland) that most likely will contribute to increased residential growth in the township.

Among his most proud accomplishments has been creation, enforcement and revisions to the township’s comprehensive plan that he helped to draft 17 years ago. He envisions more refinement to that plan with a focus on more mixed-use zoning areas and creation of a dedicated town center for the community.

One also cannot minimize Vansuch’s keen knowledge of public law that will continue to minimize any risks of the township finding itself caught up in any unnecessary and costly legal entanglements.

Against lesser competition, the two candidates seeking to unseat LaPolla and Vansuch would deserve serious consideration by the electorate. Both challengers — attorney Theo Kafantaris and Realtor Dawn Nicholas — demonstrated to this newspaper’s Editorial Board their strong desire for public service and their sincere intent to help improve the quality of life in Howland.

Kafantaris, a Warren native, said he believes his years of detachment from the Valley as a resident of California enable him to bring fresh but differing perspectives on community improvement in the township.

He also believes that Howland can be more “business friendly” to retain its growing cadre of commercial enterprises and to attract new ones. As an example, he would advocate relaxing rules on the types and sizes of signs businesses are permitted to use to advertise.

The attorney also supports continued but managed business development along state Route 46 north of the Eastwood Mall Complex and believes areas along North River Road are ripe for additional residential development.

Nicholas, a Niles native who now operates a real estate agency in the Howland Plaza, would support ongoing redevelopment projects in the Bolindale area but said she believes the North River Road area would not be particularly attractive because it is perceived by many to be part of Warren, which generally has lower property values.

She noted that her top priority, if elected, would be to work to establish a much stronger collaborative relationship between trustees and the Howland Board of Education because the quality of schools directly reflects on the quality of life overall in the community.

Indeed both Nicholas and Kafantaris both cited their fondness for what they recognize as a high-quality school district in Howland in their decision to move there. With that in mind, we might suggest that both seriously consider a run for the district’s board of education in the next cycle in 2027.

But for the 2025 Howland trustees’ race, township residents would best be served by the incumbents who have proven themselves to be competent and responsible leaders. Even Kafantaris and Nicholas had praise for the leadership of LaPolla and Vansuch.

From our perspective, then, Howland Township has grown to resemble a well-oiled machine under the incumbents’ watch. As a result, we see no compelling reason to change that high-quality governance oil over the next four years.

Reelect LaPolla and Vansuch.