Jason gave the road report in Brian's absence, reporting on the flooding at Townline and Winchell roads. Someone from the county engineer's office is going to look at some maps and aerial photos/maps to see what can be done. Jason said they were thinking about putting an overflow pipe into the ditch line. That might be less costly than re-engineering what goes through the 42" pipe.
Vic commented that 700-800 acres are being drained in that area.
Veterans' Memorial: Frank Horack reported that the committee has decided to go ahead with the placement of the flagpoles. "We don't have enough donations for all the poles, but with a few more dollars in the kitty we can take care of it." [Note: This is in quotes because it is exactly what I had in my notes. If it is not syllable for syllable what Frank said, it is the substance of it.]
New Business and Trustee Reports
Jason: Chip and seal is complete. When the county put the bid book out, they forgot to put the tack coat on. [The tack coat goes between the leveling course and the chip and seal.] That was between $2,000 and $2,500. I asked to hold off on the striping so that we can cover some of the cost of the tack coat. Winchell and Chamberlin are flat and straight and do not need it as much, but I would like to see Pioneer Trail striped because of the curves and hills. [Jason's idea was to do no striping on the first two roads and to provide both side and centerline striping on Pioneer Trail.]
Vic: Just stripe the centerline of all three roads.
Vic made a motion to that effect, seconded by John Festa. Passed.
Kelly, at OTARMA, wants to meet with all three trustees and the fiscal officer about risk insurance. There was discussion about times and dates that would work for all. [Blogger: I do not have a date for this meeting.]
John Festa: I have a question for Marie about the financials. I am confused about how the revenue status [in regard to] what fund a given receipt goes into. In my interpretation, rentals go into the general fund.
Vic: I attended the meeting for Round 29 [roads]. We are above the line, and it looks as if we will be awarded the John Edward and Aurora Meadows paving.
[Blogger: Two things here. First, during the election season that brought John Festa into office, he stated in the League of Women Voters candidates' night meeting that he would pave Aurora Meadows immediately. Doing that immediately was both legally and technically impossible, but never mind, it was election season. Since then, he has been silent on the subject of the Aurora Meadows roads.
Second, Jason did not want to participate in the grant process this time around because, as I understand it, we hadn't made it in the last round or two. Vic pushed to do it and made time in the middle of a packed day to go to the meeting to see how things worked out.]
Township Hall update: I believe it was Vic who thanked Cal Brant for attending.
Cal: The repairs where we had the major issues are complete. I want to ask for some volunteer help. Some siding boards need to come off where the beam meets on the foundation. I will be here this Saturday. If we have someone good at glazing, we could get the window done, and once we put it in, it will be permanent.
When they power washed not all of the paint came off--there was 1/4" to 3/16" paint left in spots. The font is in good shape, but in back things are ragged looking. We need perhaps a grinder (circulating/oscillating) to smooth it out or the paint will look very bad. Since we have the lift, we can get that prepped for them [Coon].
Jason: How much repair work do we have left for time?
Cal: Two weeks. I have gotten past the hard stuff. But the major boards that are split need to be replaced. I am priming all surfaces before installing it.
Vic has made up some mending plates that have been a help.
John Festa inquired about when Cal would be working on the building [Saturday], offered to show up to help, and did so--from about 10 to 2.
Jason then shifted to sign grant updates. The grant came to $6794. Jason has handled the paperwork on our end; now it goes to ODOT to sign to make it official.
$6666.86 was set aside for that.
Marie: I can not write a P. O. for more than we have in the budget.
[Blogger: I have no record of what was done about that.]
Mantua Center School Committees:
Vic: I will talk with Todd Peetz next week.
Newsletter and Recording Meetings: John Festa will talk to Crestwood Schools Superintendent Dave Toth at the [next] Chamber meeting.
Website: Vic: I just need some decent weather [to take good photos].
Continuing: Todd Peetz helped clean up at the school on Volunteer Day, and Sue Skrovan, Carole Pollard, and Evelyn, from Todd Peetz's office worked also.
Then there was some discussion about advertising for part time snow plowing help. Jason read the ad, and a due date was discussed--something either October 13, 14, or 15. [Blogger: I believe that the earliest of the dates was chosen.] The ad should show up on the township website and also, I believe, in the Record Courier.
John Festa asked about background checks.
Vic: We do that.
Public Comment: The only person of those who had signed up who actually spoke was Cal Brant, who said he wanted to recognize Rhetta Hall, who helped him clean up the inside of the hall and is pretty diligent about keeping things neat.
Cal also inquired about possibly installing an outside electrical outlet while the building is being worked on.
The meeting was adjourned around 9 p.m.
[Blogger: One of the interesting things about meetings is how they reveal who knows how the township works and who has to ask, even after enough time has passed to be expected to know.]
About This Blog
The purpose of this blog is to give an accurate account of what is said during Public Comment at Mantua Township Trustees meetings.
Trustees' decisions are in the official minutes, available on request from the Mantua Township Fiscal Officer, Jodi Thompson, at 330-274-8443. The Township charges 10 cents per page. FAX, 330-274-8447. E-mail, fiscalofficer@mantuatownshipohio.gov. The minutes are also posted on the website after they have been approved. That means that there is usually a two-week lag between a given meeting and the minutes being available to read on the website.
Since meetings are the first and third Thursdays of the month, there is a three-week wait during months with five Thursdays.
Other items of interest or the writer's opinions will be included from time to time, clearly identified.
This is not a forum or chat room, but a source of information, so it is closed to outside input.
During the time I have been doing the blog, the posts have expanded to become very detailed accounts of the meetings. Doing that is time consuming, to say the least, and I am going to try to return to the public comment focus, with background and perspective (and the occasional pointed editorial comment). Such additions are usually enclosed in brackets. However, since some extended accounts of the meetings reveal significant things--and character--better than I could by commenting, there will probably still be a fair amount of semi-transcript. (Sigh.)
My thanks to the readers who have found the blog, and to the ones who from time to time tell me that they value it. You have encouraged me when the tedious work of keyboarding has made me wonder why I am doing this. Then you have reminded me, and I am grateful.
Trustees' decisions are in the official minutes, available on request from the Mantua Township Fiscal Officer, Jodi Thompson, at 330-274-8443. The Township charges 10 cents per page. FAX, 330-274-8447. E-mail, fiscalofficer@mantuatownshipohio.gov. The minutes are also posted on the website after they have been approved. That means that there is usually a two-week lag between a given meeting and the minutes being available to read on the website.
Since meetings are the first and third Thursdays of the month, there is a three-week wait during months with five Thursdays.
Other items of interest or the writer's opinions will be included from time to time, clearly identified.
This is not a forum or chat room, but a source of information, so it is closed to outside input.
During the time I have been doing the blog, the posts have expanded to become very detailed accounts of the meetings. Doing that is time consuming, to say the least, and I am going to try to return to the public comment focus, with background and perspective (and the occasional pointed editorial comment). Such additions are usually enclosed in brackets. However, since some extended accounts of the meetings reveal significant things--and character--better than I could by commenting, there will probably still be a fair amount of semi-transcript. (Sigh.)
My thanks to the readers who have found the blog, and to the ones who from time to time tell me that they value it. You have encouraged me when the tedious work of keyboarding has made me wonder why I am doing this. Then you have reminded me, and I am grateful.
Principles
Two ideas guide and support me:
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
______Attributed to Edmund Burke
GOOD PREVAILS.
Those ideas are also the reason I have been doing the blog since late February 2011.
I have discovered that a transcript is almost impossible to do and that verbatim accounts are usually not absolutely necessary. When in doubt, I check against a recording.
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
______Attributed to Edmund Burke
GOOD PREVAILS.
Those ideas are also the reason I have been doing the blog since late February 2011.
I have discovered that a transcript is almost impossible to do and that verbatim accounts are usually not absolutely necessary. When in doubt, I check against a recording.
