Blogger Foreword: This section of the post (or maybe the whole thing) will be the transcript of my notes of Todd Peetz's comments to the trustees regarding the way the committees should work as they work on what it will take to get us into the school building. From the beginning, Todd's view--and that of the residents who see the school as a valuable asset that we need to use--is that the purpose of the committees is to move ahead to begin using the building. That was clarified by Eric Hummel in the first Building Assessment Committee meeting. The sentiment has not been universally honored, as time and various subsequent meetings and blog posts will reveal.
The meeting began with money being transferred from some funds into others, as every government entity does at this time of year. There was also a little discussion about replacing the copier, with the decision about how to do that deferred until the January 8, 2015 meeting.
Todd Peetz, Director of Portage County Regional Planning, began his remarks at about 7:50.
Todd: A quick update. We did the plan in early spring--adopted a plan to use current technical assistance hours. [Note: Each township gets an allowance of a certain number of hours of advising and help from Regional Planning. The number varies a little, I believe, with the population of each township. We get 40 or 46 hours. I have heard both numbers and have 46 in my notes.]
On October 2, 2014, we had the first kickoff meeting. On November 11, the Building Assessment Committee met, with a second meeting on December 2. Before that, the Building Utilization Committee met. The December 2 meeting was joint with the assessment committee. [Blogger: Several members of the Funding Committee attended as well on December 2.]
On Monday (December 22) the contractors are meeting to figure out costs.
Fund Raising/Sponsorship Committee: They need to begin working on what grants can be sought. [Blogger: That sentence is more mine than Todd's. I think the intention is accurate.]
The DMRC and other such entities are also looking for grants. We need to gegin looking for sources of funds so they can write grants.
In the meantime, we [should] begin to talk about hours spent. I am not asking for a decision tonight. I want you to have a chance to think about it.
I need to understand my role a bit better. I thought my role was to facilitate the meetings and to let the volunteer committees to work among themselves. But it turned out more as if I was managing those meetings rather than facilitating. I put that on the list.
Also, the roles of the committees need to be clarified. You can see if this is different than what you imagined.
When do we have meetings? The trustees need to be notified when committees are meeting. There should be at least a week of lead time so it can be posted in some way so members of the public know it is available.
Where should these happen? It should be where the public can attend. The Building Assessment Committee was granted more leeway.
An agenda should be done and minutes taken. Information should be shared among all members and all should get the same document. If I am managing it, I will coordinate . If it is the chair and co-chair, they should manage and coordinate.
Mantua Township began with 53 hours. I remember Jason asking me to tell him when you got to within 10 hours. My person tole me we are now over 10.
I do not want to nickel and dime the township. Next year you get another 46 hours.
[Then Todd went through the number of hours--26.] If I am a facilitator, I only see myself getting into three more meetings with everything coming together. That is about 12 hours.
If you want me to be more hands-on, I estimate eight meetings, and that would include the three community meetings. I tried to be on the liberal side and tell you I need more rather than saying less. I may not need 46 hours. [Blogger: 46 and 26 are what's in my notes. I always have trouble keeping up with note taking when numbers are involved, so no one should quote me on these.]
[If the trustees want Todd to manage the meetings, a different method of funding will come into play.]
Todd: [The managing] would be about 20 hours and would cost $1800.
I am not asking you to make a decision right now. This is the first time I have explained this to you. I do not want to just drop it into your lap. The committees should be consistent in how they are working.
Jason: I appreciate how you are working on this. I think your role was cloudy. I appreciate you telling the difference between facilitating and managing. I think we can review this and at the first meeting next year come up with a decision. Maybe there is a happy medium--maybe facilitate with checkpoints.
Marie asked Todd a question about another matter, since he was there, and then he wished everyone happy holidays and left.
Club and Committee Reports were pretty brief, for the most part.
The Garden Club met for its annual Christmas dinner meeting and will not meet again until March.
LCA--Nothing to report.
Chamber of Commerce--no regular meeting, but a Christmas dinner/social event at Miller's of Mantua.
Mantua Restoration Society, Inc. Jason explained that Mark Hall, President of the restoration society, had called about bringing a cake to celebrate that the school building is now paid off. A decorated cake had been brought, with the writing on it announcing that the school is paid in full.
Vic: Mark, I appreciate that you take back to the society all the help our organization has given us both on the school and this building. All the donations of time and money to get this building painted this year.
Then, to Larry Leitzow--Larry, you and Gloria for your contribution and call Brant, all the time you have contributed free of charge.
The meeting was then recessed so we could eat cake.
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.
