Highlights of Sept. 20 meeting of Marlboro Township trustees:
DEPARTMENT REPORTS:
FIRE – Chief Matt Anstine from the Marlboro Township Volunteer Fire Co., Inc. reported:
• In August 2021, there were 68 responses logged. These included 20 fire responses with zero loss, and 48 EMS calls with six motor vehicle crashes. As of Sept. 20, department was at five runs more for the month than the same month last year. For the year, they are at 335 runs (24 runs more than last year, or an 8% increase). They are currently at 2.2 runs per day for August and 1.37 runs per day for 2021. They are at 374 man-hours on incidents for the month and 1,499 man-hours for 2021.
• Anstine reminded residents to get furnaces, wood burning heaters/fireplaces, and chimneys serviced before winter. He said residents also should check smoke and CO detectors and replace any batteries needed.
• Kudos to Chief Devies and the officers that stepped up the help with some serious EMS calls over the previous weekend. He thanked them for their service and said it was a pleasure to work with them.
• Trustee Ken Eddleman said he received calls about cars (at the fire department). Anstine stated the cars will be used for a National Auto Extrication Certification Class this week. Davy Avenue will be closed Thursday and Friday during daytime hours for the class. Trustees had no problem with the closure. The class is to help the department be more prepared. The cars, obtained from Marlboro Towing and Canton Towing at no cost, will be gone the first full week of October.
POLICE – Chief Ron Devies reported:
• Said department has an excellent working relationship with the Fire Department.
• They have been following up on many incidents involving thefts of political signs. Officer Ruggeri has been working with chief to develop some “persons of interest” on this case with possible charges forthcoming.
• Three officers are enrolled in EMR class –Ruggeri, Faudree and Merriweather. Officers Chase and Samaniego, and Sgt. Vance also will be expected to complete it.
• The Durango is in use but doesn’t have lights/sirens yet due to being on backorder.
• Last week, Officer Samaniego closed out four investigations with charges filed with the law director’s office. Charges filed included home damage, person on Tyro Street making false alarms, and an impaired driver on Nimishillen Church Street.
• Chief reported that he is fully recovered from COVID, but was very busy during the time he was quarantined. He noted that he stayed isolated in his car the times he was called out.
• The Road Department driver/laborer open position was posted on the Police Facebook page, which resulted in six applications being filed on Facebook. He gave trustees a list of applicants but did not print them out since the instructions said to mail them.
• Eddleman thanked Devies for the statement about the political signs on Facebook, as well as the time he got called out when he was sick. He has been contacted by concerned people who had political signs stolen out of their yards. Questions included whether homeowners could shoot a shotgun to scare thieves off? Devies did not encourage this, and said if shooting on your property, make sure there is a safe backstop. Others asked about wiring a sign with electricity and burying nails upright around the sign? Devies said both would bear civil liability to anyone injured on the property, even if they were in the act of committing a crime.
• Devies said he received recall notices on the 2018 (Car 22) and 2016 Ford Explorers (Car 23 & Car 26). They’re scheduled for service.
• Eddleman asked Devies and Anstine to start considering a date for trick-or-treat, noting that Oct. 31 is a Sunday this year.
ROAD – Road Foreman Rick Bergert reported:
• All the chip-and-seal projects are done (3.4 miles).
• He asked to put stone by the completed steps in the back of the building, and trustees agreed since the ground is settled.
• The estimate for the new tractor is March 7, 2022. This might be a problem since the mower already is built, and the 2022 tractor frame might need to be adapted to fit the 2021 mower. If this is the case, the township would be responsible for the cost. However, the John Deere company said they don’t think the frames will be changing in 2022.
• Received many phone calls about dead trees along the road. Bergert said he would like to get prices to have them taken down. Marlboro Tree Source will provide an estimate. A trustee will ride around with him to determine which need taken down.
• Distributed an estimate from Stroup Land Improvement to install under drains on Preston Avenue. Prices also are coming from Sheckler Excavating Inc. and Allison Construction to do the grinding/grading of the road.
• Trustee Wayne Schillig said he received a complaint about a divot where the culvert was put under Immel Avenue and Nimishillen Church Street. Bergert said the top layer of blacktop came off, so he will try taking extra blacktop and doing some hand work, but it’s getting late in the year, as weather is getting cooler.
• Eddleman asked him to reset the timers on the outside lights and to have Chuck Frank empty the trash out back.
ZONING – Zoning Inspector Ed Stanley had nothing to report.
TRUSTEE REPORTS:
Schillig:
• Received information from ODOT about the Township Stimulus Program. The deadline to apply is Nov. 19.
• Received a letter from Michael Malice at Simplex-IT LLC offering IT services. It was determined that there is no need at this time.
• He addressed department heads stating that James Harnack and Erika Perrin spoke at the September 4 meeting offering Allstate Benefits, a voluntary benefits program. Schillig added that there must be a minimum of three people enrolled and it was determined there was not enough interest.
• Redesign Roofing, Inc. on behalf of Gerald Wagler texted him saying they would begin Wednesday, September 22 at 7:00am to put the new roof on. Rain date will be Friday, September 24. Trustees recommended parking away from the building during that time.
Battershell – Trustee John Battershell was not present and did not leave a report.
Eddleman:
• Received a letter from the Stark County Veterans Service Commission asking the township to put up a Christmas Giving Tree by Oct. 5 in an area open to the public. The commission will put tags on it for people to take and purchase gifts for veterans and their families for Christmas. The Road Department will get the tree out of storage.
• Said he is received several calls about the Marlington High School cross country runners kicking political signs and not moving over for drivers. He asked residents to report these incidents to trustees, and he will contact the school if needed.
• After Eddleman’s motion, trustees approved an appropriation for the total cost of the roof replacement of $19,775 plus any additional costs.
OTHER ACTION – Trustees unanimously voted to pay bills for $43,257.82.
UPCOMING – Trustees next will meet at 7 p.m. Oct. 4 at Marlboro Township Hall.
