[Blogger Foreword: My original intention, as always, was to summarize the main points of this meeting. Another step on a well-known highway. This post will end up being longer and taking longer than I would like, and it is going to go straight through with the usual stopping points when your blogger can't stand the computer any more or has to stop and take care of the rest of life.]
The meeting was at the Mantua Township Civic Center, the school having been rented. Todd Peetz led off:
The last all-committee community meeting was in August. The Building Utilization, Assessment, and Grants & Funding committees have been meeting. This is a good time to get back together. The CDBG awarded $75,000 against a request of $130,000. Costs and end users still have to be determined.
Todd then turned things over to Roger Hurd, chair of the Building Utilization Committee. Roger, in turn, introduced the ministers with whom he had recently been talking: Chad Delaney, Mantua Center Christian Church; Jeff Jackson, Hilltop Christian Church; Rev. Irvin Green and his wife, Betty Green. Rev. Green is pastor at the Hiram Christian Church, and Mrs. Green is chaplain at Hiram College.
Chad Delaney began: I want to thank you on behalf of the church for the ways the school has been made public. We have a beautiful historic building [the Mantua Center Christian Church], but it does not have enough space. . . . . Also, thanks for housing the free clothing giveaway. That has allowed us to do more. The ministers have been talking with the superintendent and the principals of the school district. Families and children have great needs in the community. Some families are broken, and Portage County has a meth problem. We keep finding that there is a need for a central location to provide for those needs and others. We looked in our own community for buildings where people could go for fellowship but also receive services--a place that is like a community center in a way.
There is a lot of love and support for the school within the community. We did not know a lot of those conversations were taking place. We want to support the idea of using the school more, and to offer actual help in the renovation. We hope to be able to join with you.
Jeff Jackson: We began at the school grounds [on Bowen Road, several years ago] with a community day. We had helicopters and other things. It was an exciting day; we need a community day every day. Speaking with a representative from Hiram Colllege about ideas, arts and performance came up, and also a business incubator for people who might to want to start a small business in their homes. Perhaps the Hiram College Entrepreneurship Program could work in conjunction with the business incubator.
We hope to be able to meet needs in ways we never expected. I think we are ready to go forward in some way. Volunteer resources are available; we can bring people out for cleanup and fix up days to get ready for people to begin using the building more. We are a host site for the National Benevolent Association XPLOR program which places people in an area from August or September through June. Such a person could put part of their allocated 30 hours into working on a community center and being a stable presence to help the school.
We keep coming back to this: There is a lot of common ground about what is needed and what is lacking. What is needed is one location for people to go to. We also want to hear feedback. We know that there are other things that need to be thought of. What are the difficulties? What can be addressed? We can overcome things for the sake of what this community desires.
When I was 20, I thought that my dreams did not exist here. I was wrong and am happy to be back.
Roger Hurd introduced Reverend Green, whose comments were brief: We work in tandem with four congregations--two here and one in Hiram and then the college. The army we have is bigger than is represented by two pastors.
Roger: At our meeting, Chad and Jeff gave us information gleaned from the school system. Forty percent of t he students have no access to the internet or a library. Some need to feel they belong to something. There is a lack of tutoring services and drug information and a safe place for after school and a need for a counseling center.
It was determined that the Center school is the only place that can provide all of those things and more.
[This is a stopping point. ]
Resuming:
Dan Tillett: The Building Assessment Committee (BAC) is kind of evolving as needs change. When we were first brought together the idea was to learn what is worst in he bhilding and set up priorities to be fixed first.
The building needed to upgraded to handle business and other uses. We needed goals and guidelines for the upgrade. We needed input from architects: DSA [formerly Dave Sommers Architects] and Doug Fuller. They began looking at what major systems need to be changed and repaired. Eric Hummel and I met with the Portage County Building Department head and learned that they would let us get an occupancy permit for the use of the building as is.
John Zeit [a registered architect] did the work for the occupancy permit pro bono.
Some of what the committee began looking at began to change. The building can be used as is, but that doesn't change what needs to be worked on to alleviate the essential roughness of the building. Money has been raised to cover the gap up to $130,000 for the elevator. As the grant was approved and we looked at other things; for one, the approval process required by the Ohio Historic Preservation Office (OHPO). That meant some preliminary drawings and other information. Doug Fuller's office was somewhat redirected to submit some information to get the approval. That was granted about a month to a month and a half ago, and the way for the grant was opened.
At our last meeting [BAC, 2-15-16] we found out that there are some deadlines and began checking and found out that there are deadlines and we decided as a group that we needed to do what would make this process go.
In the ensuing week, a lot of information has come to light. To get this project done in time, we need to move without delay.
Other information on costs: costs have changed and we need to get some plans in place to meet schedules and deadlines and funding. Some of the things to do for the elevator are pat of the entire building process. It needs a new electrical service that was not included in the original CDBG application. We have some challenges ahead of us and we need to do more work.
Carole Pollard: [I am not going to get the recording that was made of this meeting, but will summarize my remarks as I remember having made them.] I reminded everyone that the perfect is the enemy of the good, and that when we started this project, we envisioned a general cleanup and necessary refurbishing. The project seems to keep creeping towards something a lot more expensive and time consuming, and I asked the committee to keep from letting the project creep into something too expensive and too time consuming to do. We cannot afford to lose this opportunity.
Todd Peetz: The concern is how we complete this.
Dan Tillett: Originally the scope of our work was not going to include this. [First we were] just a volunteer, but [we] are a member of the community. When we started, I thought we will give our input and hand it off. Right now there are challenges but we want to see it come out successfully.
Eric Hummel: We have 10 months before we have to spend the money. Let's be a little bit calm about the time frame. We were going in one direction and then in another; now we are solidified. We need to talk with Doug Fuller about what we can do.
We have not had time to get the electrical analysis. Then we have to talk with elevator people about the best elevator to use. Structural requirements and space must be considered and then we work to meet the deadlines.
Don't panic--this is a doable project. I think the gears are meshing and we know what we have to do. We won't know enough yet to go to the trustees for more design money.
Also--we can phase in some other things. We don't need landscaping or to build an exterior entrance in its entirety. We might also be able to do some in kind project management within our group. Our day jobs take up a lot of time, and we will have to set some aside to do this.
Electrical--we were in the process of doing that. Maybe Doug can answer that.
Doug Fuller: We have had Epic Engineering in their to study the existing service but not what it would take to modify it. The study gives us a bench mark rather than what to do.
Eric: We have not yet gotten things together in regard to our charge.`
Terrie Nielsen clarified that an electrical upgrade for the elevator is necessary. [Truth to tell, this is still an item of debate.]
Doug: We need enough information to make the next step.
Eric: That goes for every other aspect of the project. We have to wade through the details. We have to take it to the township trustees.
Todd: Do you know how soon this will get going? We have a timetable that has to be met and we need specs to do the project.
Dan: This is a good committee, with the best for the community in mind. We will need 2-3 weeks.
Doug: The BAC has a responsibility to help this process through. We are looking at this as our civic responsibility. to help it along. The elevator will improve accessibility--going up and down the stairs is strenuous.
Dave Pollard asked about the amps required for the elevator.
Dan: We need 400 amps for the elevator and 400 for the whole building [so] that [it] does not need to be upgraded several times.
Dave asked what the elevator itself only would need.
Eric: I am talking to three companies and we will get an elevator.
Dave: Once you break ground, how long will it take to actually get the elevator into the building?
[Apparently there is not definite answer to such a question. Dan quipped: "It's a poor contractor who can't promise you something." That got a chuckle.]
Jason: When the grant was awarded there was a lot in play, but once that grant was accepted, we had to move forward. These are professionals who are doing hundreds of dollars an hour of volunteering.
[Note: These remarks are much condensed, but what is here is verbatim.]
Todd: You have some of the best contractors in the county. If another community were doing this, they would not have these contractors here.
Resuming:
Terrie Nielsen, co-chair of the Grants and Funding Committee, and Dave Pollard, Volunteers Committee, came next. If you have been reading the blog all along, the information about the amount of the CDBG and our own contributions to it are familiar to you. Regardless, Terrie began there, appropriately.
Terrie Nielsen: The commissioners granted $75,000 towards the requested $130,000. The Mantua Restoration Society, Inc., contributed $25,000; the Mantua Historical Society added $1,000; and the trustees committed $10,000.
So, what the G&F Committee has done is to apply to the State of Ohio Capital Fund through Senator Eklund's office. This fund can be used to fund local projects, and it is for large amounts.
[When Vic Grimm, Sue Skrovan, Linda Ehlert and your faithful blogger met with Senator Eklund in Garrettsville last August, he encouraged us to ask for pie in the sky. As you will see, Terrie has done that.]
We requested an additional $35,000 for the elevator, and the bell tower on the school needs repair. We asked for $45,000 for that and another $40,000 for the roof. When I [TN] met with the Building Assessment Committee [co-chairs] we talked about rough numbers for electrical, plumbing, and HVAC upgrades, so $45,000 was included in the capital fund proposal for upgrades to the electrical system. Because the school has its own water and septic system, and there is a lack of emergency shelter in this part of the county, our request included $30,000 for a generator.
The total we asked for was $400,000, and that included new historically appropriate windows because what is there is ugly.
Plumbing was included because there are not bathrooms on every floor; that request was $60,000, and $54,000 for HVAC.
The decisions for allocations from the capital fund are made in spring/summer. The only issue is that the money does not become available until 2017. [And, of course, we don't have it yet, but are very hopeful.]
I [TN] have talked with the executive director of the Portage Foundation, which gives very small ($2,000) grants. The executive director encouraged applying for that amount because the people on the board have connections, and this grant request (to be applied to landscaping for the elevator entrance) will let everyone know what else we are looking at. Some of those members and board members may be interested in the electrical upgrade and generator.
The applications overlap, because you don't know whether you will get a grant.
We are applying for another CDBG because there are entities that successively apply for and get such grants.
The trustees recently joined the National Trust Forum organization,which lets members apply for grants to cover permits, fees, and drawings.
[Terrie thanked the committee and acknowledged her co-chair, Linda Ehlert.]
Terrie Vechery: Terrie Nielsen has a good committee, but she does the work of writing. She is awesome about getting it out.
Next was Dave Pollard, for the Volunteers Committee.
Dave: We are not talking about rocket science--we are willing to accept anyone with any skills at all to do work in the building. We can't do everything [as volunteers], but the more we can do, the more the money can be saved for the professionals. For example, if you can run a floor sander, we can rent it and have you run it.
Dave also asked people to sign one of the two versions of letters of support for the school project, to be transmitted to Senator Eklund's office.
Todd Peetz thanked all of the committees and encouraged everyone to keep up the outstanding work and keep the momentum going.
Carole Pollard: I addressed the lack of communication among members of the different committees, so that everyone is aware of everyone else's work--and of the opportunities or necessities facing them.
I also spoke with some intensity about where we started--selling ice cream cones at the open house for the school five years ago. I said this:
I have not put five years of my life into this to watch it fail. And people have worked hard, especially at the corn maze, making food and standing in the cold and wind to raise money.
Todd asked for a show of hands for people who had volunteered. Some hands--maybe 1/4 of those there--were raised.
Then I asked for those who had made food or helped at the corn maze or other events to raise their hands. Almost everyone in the room raised a hand at that point.
[I hope that Jason and John Festa were paying attention to that.]
Amy Janca asked about other plans for fund raisers.
Yes: The Mantua Restoration Society, Inc., annual meeting on April 23 informs everyone who attends what has been going on, encourages people to join, and asks for contributions.
A dance is being planned on Memorial Day weekend, and Korean War and Vietnam veterans will be recognized.
We will be doing the flea marked again in July, and we will be at Derthick's Corn Maze again with a food tent.
[I believe we will do a dance in November, and there is some preliminary discussion about having coffee and donuts at the Civic Center after people have voted. Both of those are still in discussion.]
Amy suggested bingo, since not many places are doing that now, and a bingo night is fun.
Matt Parsons added that the K of C does fund raisers throughout the year: reverse raffles, night at the races, for example. It is possible to make $4,000 to $5,000 in a night.
Todd Peetz: Fund raising takes a lot of work. That was when he asked for the show of volunteer/fund raiser hands. [You blogger got ahead of herself on that--but it is described pretty much as it happened.]
Jeff Jackson asked if there is a total expectation of what occupants would provide? [Blogger--I have no notes for a response to that. I either didn't write down what was said, or the thinking hasn't gotten that far yet.]
Carole Pollard thanked the donor of the $10,000 matching grant challenge, which made MaRSI's $25,000 contribution to the CDBG possible.
Dave Pollard added that we are (the working core) a small group. Someone with an idea about a fund raiser would be the lead on it, since that person probably also has an idea of how to pull off such an event. We would help and support that activity.
Todd Peetz: I want to set a meeting date that will work for the Building Assessment Comnittee. [This will be another all-committee, community meeting.]
Eric Hummel and Dan Tillett said that within two weeks, they will let Todd know what the next date will be.
[There was definitely a feeling that things are focused and moving now. The next post will be its own post, with perspective on several things--the rest of the story, if you will. And the 2-18 trustees meeting has to be covered. For once, it may be possible to do that concisely.]
Friday, February 26, 2016
Monday, February 22, 2016
Reminder: 2/23 Meeting at Civic Center
In case you are not on the blog contact list and haven't been reading any papers, listen up and take notes, please!
As I keyboard this, tomorrow, Tuesday, is the day for the next all-committee meeting to report on progress in renovating and using the Mantua Center School building, which we are now trying to retrain ourselves to call the Mantua Township Administrative Building.
Time: 6:30.
Date: February 23--Tuesday
Place: Mantua Township Civic Center, just south off SR 82 on Mantua Center Road
We are very close to beginning the elevator project. Well, "very close" for "gummint work" and very close for most folks may not be the same, but we are moving.
I am aware of some of what is going to be presented, and there is a new idea afoot that is really exciting. You should come and hear it for yourself, not get it from the blog.
Another reason to be there is that we are going to give people a chance to sign letters of support for using the building. Those will then be transmitted to Senator John Eklund, because we are seeking Capital Funds from the state to help in the work on the building.
This may also be a chance to speak or ask questions about this whole process. Todd Peetz will be conducting the meeting, and he is usually very accommodating in that regard.
See you then and there, I hope!
As I keyboard this, tomorrow, Tuesday, is the day for the next all-committee meeting to report on progress in renovating and using the Mantua Center School building, which we are now trying to retrain ourselves to call the Mantua Township Administrative Building.
Time: 6:30.
Date: February 23--Tuesday
Place: Mantua Township Civic Center, just south off SR 82 on Mantua Center Road
We are very close to beginning the elevator project. Well, "very close" for "gummint work" and very close for most folks may not be the same, but we are moving.
I am aware of some of what is going to be presented, and there is a new idea afoot that is really exciting. You should come and hear it for yourself, not get it from the blog.
Another reason to be there is that we are going to give people a chance to sign letters of support for using the building. Those will then be transmitted to Senator John Eklund, because we are seeking Capital Funds from the state to help in the work on the building.
This may also be a chance to speak or ask questions about this whole process. Todd Peetz will be conducting the meeting, and he is usually very accommodating in that regard.
See you then and there, I hope!
Sunday, February 14, 2016
Trustees 2-4-16: Public Comment
Public Comment began with LeeAnn Barkett and her husband, who live on Samuel Drive. Their reason for coming occupies 6-1/2 pages of notes, and I am not going to do a transcript.
Here is the substance of it: The Barketts purchased the vacant lot next to their house when it went up for sheriff's sale in March. Mrs. Barkett began by saying that she had come to the meeting because she had been calling Vic a lot and did not want to put him on the hook all by himself.
She said, I have done everything I should and bought the property. On June [January ?] 17 the lot transferred into our name. We have spent 6 months this summer clearing this property. On June 23 there was a $9,000 assessment on the property. The property is valued at $10,000. I paid $7,000 for it. If I had known about the assessment I would not have bought it.
[Note: In 2013 the house was torn down. Blogger: The way the discussion went, the house seems to have been part of the Clean Ohio program to remove dilapidated or vacant buildings.]
Mrs. Barkett, continuing: I don't understand why it took so long [for the assessment to show up.]
Jason: I have been in back and forth e-mails with the Land Bank and the prosecutor. I can not promise you answers. When the house was torn down, the land bank paid that. The $9,000 was paid for by the land bank, and they have to be repaid. Whoever buys the property has a lien on it so the money can be recouped. A few months after, the the townships [?] have to assess that $9,000. Marie Stehli at the time (2014) took the paperwork down.
Mrs. Barkett: The township filed the assessment but did not do it until 2015.
Jason: There is no time frame when we have to do that. We could still have it out there. [Blogger: But why would anyone not do this promptly and be done with it?]
Jason, continuing: When you bought the property there was a 4-5 month gap and the land bank has to deal with that. [Blogger: I am not sure what that gap refers to--a work backlog or something else.]
Mr. Barkett: Why was it done now?
Mrs. Barkett: From a financial standpoint, you are talking October/November 2013 to April 2015. Why was there such a large gap? Why was that money not accounted for before that? Why did the township file the assessment?
Jason: We had to. There was a 4-5-6 month gap between when we took it to the auditor's office and the time you purchased it. When a property goes up for sheriff's sale, we don't get notified of that.
There was more discussion about the details of the mess.
Then Mrs. Barkett said that she had called County Auditor Janet Esposito who said that it wasn't the Barketts' bill.
To Jason: What are you going to do to help us? This is not my bill. Is the township willing to do anything for us? I would not have bought it if I had known this. You would not believe the garbage we have pulled out of that property. We were trying to keep the neighborhood neat and we got a bill for $9,000.
When Jason said, "I want to help you," Mrs. Barkett replied, "Do you know how many times I have heard that in the last week?
Mr. Barkett commented that it was odd or awkward that nothing happened with this until it went into our hands and there was money. It was not filed until it went into our name.
It also came out that Mrs. Barkett is a real estate agent, so she knows the ropes on these things. She also said that she knew Janet Esposito in a variety of situations, and heard language from her on this problem that she had never heard from Janet before.
More details: The owner of the house and property has been dead for 12-13 years.
When Jason said that there was over a$100,000 lien on the property, Mrs. Barkett gave the exact figure: $148,700. Jason pointed out that the lien was forgiven.
Vic thanked the Barketts for coming.
I was next in public comment, but you already have that: I read the letter about the MaRSI and Historical Society contribution to the CDBG and gave the trustees and fiscal officer a small packet documenting the history of that.
Dave Pollard, S.R. 82: To the Barketts: Keep in touch with Janet. If anyone can help you, she will.
To the trustees: Because the Grants and Funding Committee is looking into so many grants and the deadlines come at the first of the month, [why not put Grants and Funding] at the first meeting of the month so you will have more time to review new things. That way you will not feel crowded or pushed. I think this time table [of certain groups reporting at the first meeting and others at the second] was broken down this way when the veteran's memorial committee was reporting. They are not reporting anymore and this would give Terrie Nielsen time to report and can make the difference between meeting or missing a deadline.
[Blogger: This arose from the situation last month, in which Terrie Nielsen informed the trustees of a first-of-the-month deadline for applying for a grant that also required joining an organization. The trustees deferred the decision until tonight's meeting, which means that we have to wait three months or more for the next round of grants through that entity.]
Jason: I basically just have her e-mail me. What we don't want to happen is to be surprised by people coming without enough information. She was able to do it.
Dave: To Terrie Nielsen: What we saw with the CDBG was we were up against the deadline. You did a wonderful job of handling that.
Vic: Send an e-mail to have Brad Combs come to the next meeting? [Blogger: I think that's the correct name. This may have to do with the EPA and the water. It may.]
Jason made a motion to pay the bills, and your faithful blogger came home. As I understand it, after the bills wee paid, the trustees went into executive session to discusses compensation for the township employees. When they re-convened the regular meeting, they decided and moved on raises for the road crew and the custodians of the Civic Center and Township Hall. I will give that information in the next blog.
Here is the substance of it: The Barketts purchased the vacant lot next to their house when it went up for sheriff's sale in March. Mrs. Barkett began by saying that she had come to the meeting because she had been calling Vic a lot and did not want to put him on the hook all by himself.
She said, I have done everything I should and bought the property. On June [January ?] 17 the lot transferred into our name. We have spent 6 months this summer clearing this property. On June 23 there was a $9,000 assessment on the property. The property is valued at $10,000. I paid $7,000 for it. If I had known about the assessment I would not have bought it.
[Note: In 2013 the house was torn down. Blogger: The way the discussion went, the house seems to have been part of the Clean Ohio program to remove dilapidated or vacant buildings.]
Mrs. Barkett, continuing: I don't understand why it took so long [for the assessment to show up.]
Jason: I have been in back and forth e-mails with the Land Bank and the prosecutor. I can not promise you answers. When the house was torn down, the land bank paid that. The $9,000 was paid for by the land bank, and they have to be repaid. Whoever buys the property has a lien on it so the money can be recouped. A few months after, the the townships [?] have to assess that $9,000. Marie Stehli at the time (2014) took the paperwork down.
Mrs. Barkett: The township filed the assessment but did not do it until 2015.
Jason: There is no time frame when we have to do that. We could still have it out there. [Blogger: But why would anyone not do this promptly and be done with it?]
Jason, continuing: When you bought the property there was a 4-5 month gap and the land bank has to deal with that. [Blogger: I am not sure what that gap refers to--a work backlog or something else.]
Mr. Barkett: Why was it done now?
Mrs. Barkett: From a financial standpoint, you are talking October/November 2013 to April 2015. Why was there such a large gap? Why was that money not accounted for before that? Why did the township file the assessment?
Jason: We had to. There was a 4-5-6 month gap between when we took it to the auditor's office and the time you purchased it. When a property goes up for sheriff's sale, we don't get notified of that.
There was more discussion about the details of the mess.
Then Mrs. Barkett said that she had called County Auditor Janet Esposito who said that it wasn't the Barketts' bill.
To Jason: What are you going to do to help us? This is not my bill. Is the township willing to do anything for us? I would not have bought it if I had known this. You would not believe the garbage we have pulled out of that property. We were trying to keep the neighborhood neat and we got a bill for $9,000.
When Jason said, "I want to help you," Mrs. Barkett replied, "Do you know how many times I have heard that in the last week?
Mr. Barkett commented that it was odd or awkward that nothing happened with this until it went into our hands and there was money. It was not filed until it went into our name.
It also came out that Mrs. Barkett is a real estate agent, so she knows the ropes on these things. She also said that she knew Janet Esposito in a variety of situations, and heard language from her on this problem that she had never heard from Janet before.
More details: The owner of the house and property has been dead for 12-13 years.
When Jason said that there was over a$100,000 lien on the property, Mrs. Barkett gave the exact figure: $148,700. Jason pointed out that the lien was forgiven.
Vic thanked the Barketts for coming.
I was next in public comment, but you already have that: I read the letter about the MaRSI and Historical Society contribution to the CDBG and gave the trustees and fiscal officer a small packet documenting the history of that.
Dave Pollard, S.R. 82: To the Barketts: Keep in touch with Janet. If anyone can help you, she will.
To the trustees: Because the Grants and Funding Committee is looking into so many grants and the deadlines come at the first of the month, [why not put Grants and Funding] at the first meeting of the month so you will have more time to review new things. That way you will not feel crowded or pushed. I think this time table [of certain groups reporting at the first meeting and others at the second] was broken down this way when the veteran's memorial committee was reporting. They are not reporting anymore and this would give Terrie Nielsen time to report and can make the difference between meeting or missing a deadline.
[Blogger: This arose from the situation last month, in which Terrie Nielsen informed the trustees of a first-of-the-month deadline for applying for a grant that also required joining an organization. The trustees deferred the decision until tonight's meeting, which means that we have to wait three months or more for the next round of grants through that entity.]
Jason: I basically just have her e-mail me. What we don't want to happen is to be surprised by people coming without enough information. She was able to do it.
Dave: To Terrie Nielsen: What we saw with the CDBG was we were up against the deadline. You did a wonderful job of handling that.
Vic: Send an e-mail to have Brad Combs come to the next meeting? [Blogger: I think that's the correct name. This may have to do with the EPA and the water. It may.]
Jason made a motion to pay the bills, and your faithful blogger came home. As I understand it, after the bills wee paid, the trustees went into executive session to discusses compensation for the township employees. When they re-convened the regular meeting, they decided and moved on raises for the road crew and the custodians of the Civic Center and Township Hall. I will give that information in the next blog.
Friday, February 12, 2016
Next School Use Committees Meeting announced; trustee reports
In trustee reports, Jason led off with this announcement:
All of the school use committees will meet on February 23 at 6:30p.m. in the Civic Center. This meeting is open to all for the committees to give updates and for all to hear where the architectural review committee is with the master plan currently.
Todd Peetz will be leading it--it is not a township run meeting.
[Blogger: This is an important meeting, in which the Building Assessment, Grants and Funding, Building Utilization, and Volunteers committees will be reporting. We are closing in on being able to move forward with the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and greater use of the school building once the elevator is installed.
To all of the people who contributed to the $10,000 Challenge Grant for the Mantua Restoration Society, Inc., or who responded to the restoration society's fund raising letter, or ate food at the MaRSI tent at Derthick's Corn Maze, you have played a huge role in making this happen. Come and hear how things are going. With luck, the weather won't be so brutal by then.]
Jason reported on lighting at the school property. Someone who works for First Energy doing site analysis would be the person who would put in work orders to carry out his recommendations. Jason described him as someone "who has worked for us." Your blogger is not sure whether "us" is the township or someone in Jason's family. Regardless, his first recommendation was to use an existing pole which [I believe] is at the northeast corner of the school property. The issue would be to avoid having the light shine directly into the eyes of oncoming drivers.
There were various possibilities in addition to that, which Jason presented.
Jason: My initial recommendation would be to put a floodlight in to try to flood the area towards the front of the school and get some light at the parking lot.
Turnaround time would be 2-4 weeks. It would be a small job.
There was some discussion about the lights themselves.
Vic: The grants committee is looking at this. Is there a time frame?
Jason: One year. If the location is not quite right, the crew will come out and change it. LEDs basically just shine down, so many more are needed.
Vic: When you talk to him, tell him to put in a work order for this light right out here [at the township hall].
[Blogger Note: An exterior master plan would cover parking lot paving and design, landscaping, and lighting design. All of it should be done according to an overall plan and design. That is an opinion voiced in a conversation with a member of one of the four school use committees. It should not be done haphazardly. The person I spoke with was quite emphatic about that.]
John Festa reported that Fire Chief Joe Stoneberger has resigned as chief as of February 1,
and Matt Roosa is now the full time chief. Joe will be the temporary assistant chief during the transition. He is leaving the department in good shape.
Trustee Festa also reported that one of his goals in attending the Winter Conference of the Ohio Township Association was to research indigent burials. Many of the people he talked to at the conference said they were using a policy recommended by OTA. Trustee Festa thought that the trustees should look at that and the draft he passed out at the last meeting and use that until they got a better one or modified what they have.
Vic: I looked at it. It is pretty lengthy. I don't know if we need all of that.
John Festa: But at least if we adopt it, we will have something.
Vic: I have been on the phone a lot today with the EPA about the water system. The next test will be the water test. The casing must be one foot above the ground line and it is considered underground because it is in the basement. I want to think ahead and have Kyle [?] do the 8-hour water test, which will cost $450. After the next couple of stages, we can do some sampling and testing.
Vic made a motion to go ahead with the next process with the water at the Civic Center. Have Kyle Herr do that and then extend the casing.
It will cost about $1,000 for the casing to be extended. Vic described what will have to be done.
[There may be more involved. It looks as if it will cost about $1200.]
Vic, continuing: At the last meeting we talked about setting aside $2,000. Then we will have to start the sampling. John Festa seconded the motion. Passed.
Vic: The car at the school: Do we want to scrap it?
JF: Do we need a title?
Vic: I got a title today. They will come and pick it up. Scrap is down to $115 a ton. I have made three trips to the title bureau plus phone calls. There was more to do, also.
I make a motion to scrap the abandoned vehicle at the Mantua Center Administration building.
John Festa seconded. Passed.
Jodie Thompson raised the issue of bathrooms at the school. The only ones that function [your blogger is not sure about the one in the former principal's office] are on the bottom floor. Also, there is no place to change a child. We may need a changing statioin.
Vic asked about what Jodie had in mind and said he would check on it.
The only other item of substance is the e-mail address for the fiscal officer:
fiscalofficeratmantuatownshipohio.gov
Public Comment came next and will be a separate blog post.
All of the school use committees will meet on February 23 at 6:30p.m. in the Civic Center. This meeting is open to all for the committees to give updates and for all to hear where the architectural review committee is with the master plan currently.
Todd Peetz will be leading it--it is not a township run meeting.
[Blogger: This is an important meeting, in which the Building Assessment, Grants and Funding, Building Utilization, and Volunteers committees will be reporting. We are closing in on being able to move forward with the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and greater use of the school building once the elevator is installed.
To all of the people who contributed to the $10,000 Challenge Grant for the Mantua Restoration Society, Inc., or who responded to the restoration society's fund raising letter, or ate food at the MaRSI tent at Derthick's Corn Maze, you have played a huge role in making this happen. Come and hear how things are going. With luck, the weather won't be so brutal by then.]
Jason reported on lighting at the school property. Someone who works for First Energy doing site analysis would be the person who would put in work orders to carry out his recommendations. Jason described him as someone "who has worked for us." Your blogger is not sure whether "us" is the township or someone in Jason's family. Regardless, his first recommendation was to use an existing pole which [I believe] is at the northeast corner of the school property. The issue would be to avoid having the light shine directly into the eyes of oncoming drivers.
There were various possibilities in addition to that, which Jason presented.
Jason: My initial recommendation would be to put a floodlight in to try to flood the area towards the front of the school and get some light at the parking lot.
Turnaround time would be 2-4 weeks. It would be a small job.
There was some discussion about the lights themselves.
Vic: The grants committee is looking at this. Is there a time frame?
Jason: One year. If the location is not quite right, the crew will come out and change it. LEDs basically just shine down, so many more are needed.
Vic: When you talk to him, tell him to put in a work order for this light right out here [at the township hall].
[Blogger Note: An exterior master plan would cover parking lot paving and design, landscaping, and lighting design. All of it should be done according to an overall plan and design. That is an opinion voiced in a conversation with a member of one of the four school use committees. It should not be done haphazardly. The person I spoke with was quite emphatic about that.]
John Festa reported that Fire Chief Joe Stoneberger has resigned as chief as of February 1,
and Matt Roosa is now the full time chief. Joe will be the temporary assistant chief during the transition. He is leaving the department in good shape.
Trustee Festa also reported that one of his goals in attending the Winter Conference of the Ohio Township Association was to research indigent burials. Many of the people he talked to at the conference said they were using a policy recommended by OTA. Trustee Festa thought that the trustees should look at that and the draft he passed out at the last meeting and use that until they got a better one or modified what they have.
Vic: I looked at it. It is pretty lengthy. I don't know if we need all of that.
John Festa: But at least if we adopt it, we will have something.
Vic: I have been on the phone a lot today with the EPA about the water system. The next test will be the water test. The casing must be one foot above the ground line and it is considered underground because it is in the basement. I want to think ahead and have Kyle [?] do the 8-hour water test, which will cost $450. After the next couple of stages, we can do some sampling and testing.
Vic made a motion to go ahead with the next process with the water at the Civic Center. Have Kyle Herr do that and then extend the casing.
It will cost about $1,000 for the casing to be extended. Vic described what will have to be done.
[There may be more involved. It looks as if it will cost about $1200.]
Vic, continuing: At the last meeting we talked about setting aside $2,000. Then we will have to start the sampling. John Festa seconded the motion. Passed.
Vic: The car at the school: Do we want to scrap it?
JF: Do we need a title?
Vic: I got a title today. They will come and pick it up. Scrap is down to $115 a ton. I have made three trips to the title bureau plus phone calls. There was more to do, also.
I make a motion to scrap the abandoned vehicle at the Mantua Center Administration building.
John Festa seconded. Passed.
Jodie Thompson raised the issue of bathrooms at the school. The only ones that function [your blogger is not sure about the one in the former principal's office] are on the bottom floor. Also, there is no place to change a child. We may need a changing statioin.
Vic asked about what Jodie had in mind and said he would check on it.
The only other item of substance is the e-mail address for the fiscal officer:
fiscalofficeratmantuatownshipohio.gov
Public Comment came next and will be a separate blog post.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Trustees 2-4-16: Grants & Funding
Terrie Nielsen, co-chair of the Grants and Funding Committee, carried the last meeting's discussion of the National Trust Preservation Foundation a bit further.
Terrie: The National Trust Preservation Foundation: We talked about it at the last meeting. I forwarded a couple of things to the trustees for the National Trust Preservation website. In order to be eligible for any of the grants, an entity must be an organizational member. The fee is $250.
A number of grants are offered through the National Trust Preservation. The school being on the National Register of Historic Places makes it a good fit. It is the only organization that will help provide funding for master plans, architectural drawings, and fees, as well as building permit fees.
The next funding deadline is June 1. I am asking that the trustees join as an organizational member so the door will be open to look at a number of grants.
Vic: I went online and looked up some of the information. There are different levels of membership. I think we should move forward with it--pay the $250 and join. We will need prints for other things along the way.
John Festa agreed and asked about matching for grants.
Terrie: They vary. The CDBG and State Capital Grant are the only two that don't require any matching, which is very unusual. Before the Grants Committee applies for anything, it will be presented to the trustees so you see what the financial commitment would be for the township.
Jason asked if it is an annual fee.
Terrie: Yes. We would look at it as a one-year window and we would apply for as many as possible during that time.
There was some other discussion.
Jason: I make a motion that Mantua Township become a member of the National Trust Foundation to allow us to apply for grants in the future. Vic seconded. Passed.
Terrie: Thank you. I have one other question, if I may. I wanted to follow up to see if the trustees had gotten any letters of support for Senator Eklund [regarding the Capital Grant].
Jason commented that the letter Terrie had given them had a January 10 date on it. [That apparently stopped him, and it appears that he did not contact Terrie about it.]
Terrie: I would still get them, please, because the more support we can show in our community, the better the chance.
This post ends here; the next topic was trustee reports.
Terrie: The National Trust Preservation Foundation: We talked about it at the last meeting. I forwarded a couple of things to the trustees for the National Trust Preservation website. In order to be eligible for any of the grants, an entity must be an organizational member. The fee is $250.
A number of grants are offered through the National Trust Preservation. The school being on the National Register of Historic Places makes it a good fit. It is the only organization that will help provide funding for master plans, architectural drawings, and fees, as well as building permit fees.
The next funding deadline is June 1. I am asking that the trustees join as an organizational member so the door will be open to look at a number of grants.
Vic: I went online and looked up some of the information. There are different levels of membership. I think we should move forward with it--pay the $250 and join. We will need prints for other things along the way.
John Festa agreed and asked about matching for grants.
Terrie: They vary. The CDBG and State Capital Grant are the only two that don't require any matching, which is very unusual. Before the Grants Committee applies for anything, it will be presented to the trustees so you see what the financial commitment would be for the township.
Jason asked if it is an annual fee.
Terrie: Yes. We would look at it as a one-year window and we would apply for as many as possible during that time.
There was some other discussion.
Jason: I make a motion that Mantua Township become a member of the National Trust Foundation to allow us to apply for grants in the future. Vic seconded. Passed.
Terrie: Thank you. I have one other question, if I may. I wanted to follow up to see if the trustees had gotten any letters of support for Senator Eklund [regarding the Capital Grant].
Jason commented that the letter Terrie had given them had a January 10 date on it. [That apparently stopped him, and it appears that he did not contact Terrie about it.]
Terrie: I would still get them, please, because the more support we can show in our community, the better the chance.
This post ends here; the next topic was trustee reports.
Trustees 2-4-16 Portage County Recycling
Bill Steiner, director of Portage County Recycling, attended the meeting to inform the trustees about changes in service, an open house at the facility, tire collection, and spring cleanup day.
Bill: Single stream recycling has finally come to Portage County. Beginning February 15, carts will be getting delivered throughout the county, and everything will go into one container. There will also be an information packet.
The Portage County Recycling website has been made new and contains much more information.
portagerecycles.com
[Blogger: I think there is an -s on recycles, there.]
The first weekend in May is tire collection time.
Vic: We haven't set a date, but it usually the first or second May weekend. [That would be May 7 or 14.]
Bill commented that 5 entities are doing this on May 7, and then there was some discussion with Vic about spring cleanup.
Finally, on February 17 the new trucks can be seen at the Portage County Recycling Center open house. Some of the innovations will double the fuel mileage and reduce brake service to every 5 years. Several million dollars' worth of equipment can be seen at once.
Jason asked about things that the township cannot accept on trash day, like paint, solvents, etc.
Bill said that collecting those items meant paying dearly for the service in the county.
Cemetery: Jim Aldrich was not present, and there was no income for January for the cemetery.
No road report this time, either.
Blogger: This is a good place to end this post. The next discussion is on a completely different topic.
Bill: Single stream recycling has finally come to Portage County. Beginning February 15, carts will be getting delivered throughout the county, and everything will go into one container. There will also be an information packet.
The Portage County Recycling website has been made new and contains much more information.
portagerecycles.com
[Blogger: I think there is an -s on recycles, there.]
The first weekend in May is tire collection time.
Vic: We haven't set a date, but it usually the first or second May weekend. [That would be May 7 or 14.]
Bill commented that 5 entities are doing this on May 7, and then there was some discussion with Vic about spring cleanup.
Finally, on February 17 the new trucks can be seen at the Portage County Recycling Center open house. Some of the innovations will double the fuel mileage and reduce brake service to every 5 years. Several million dollars' worth of equipment can be seen at once.
Jason asked about things that the township cannot accept on trash day, like paint, solvents, etc.
Bill said that collecting those items meant paying dearly for the service in the county.
Cemetery: Jim Aldrich was not present, and there was no income for January for the cemetery.
No road report this time, either.
Blogger: This is a good place to end this post. The next discussion is on a completely different topic.
Words Are Inadequate--Trustees 2-4-16
Jason welcomed Jodie Thompson, who is filling in Marie Stehli's term as fiscal officer before starting her own term.
The usual opening activities followed. Then various reports were made. First was zoning.
Zoning Inspector John Dickey reported income from permits at $90.00.
Temporary approval has been given to Kelly Supply on S.R. 44 for a permit of occupancy, with various requirements, especially paving the lot, to be met by July 4, 2016.
The Carlton suit pre-trial is scheduled for May 26.
Next came the discussion that prompted the heading for this post.
John Dickey reported on various violations for a Winchell Road property, among them vehicles parked very close to the road. This had been discussed at the last meeting. The owners have not replied to phone calls regarding the situation.
John Dickey gave [had given?] a request to the trustees for them to contact Chris Meduri to begin the legal proceedings.
One of the issues with this property, according to the zoning inspector, was an improper front yard fence. Discussion revealed that the fence runs along the property line and that at the point at which it went along that line past the front wall of the house, the zoning inspector was calling it no longer a side yard, but now a front yard fence.
Various people tried to correct that notion.
Larry Leitzow: Does the fence turn?
Dave Pollard: Fence/house/road: Is there a fence between the house and the road?
[There is not. Dave used gestures to show the locations of the three features in question.]
Jason, looking at some papers: I need a definition of a front yard [fence].
John Festa: I'm sure we can get to the bottom of this.
[Blogger: This was an astonishing discussion, with too many pieces of too little quality for me to take notes on all of it, and people were talking over each other. So Jason's and John Festa's comments are from my memory, not from notes. I believe that Jason said a few more things than above, but that statement was memorable. I commented that Larry had it right, but that got lost in the general flurry.
[In zoning matters for years, court was the last resort, not the first, because the zoning inspector worked with people over time and was willing to accept small motion as motion.]
Blogger: In my opinion, this little jewel needs to stand alone, pretty much.
Lynn Harvey, chair of the zoning commission, gave the trustees updated material about the CDCD and discussed it with them at the front table.
The usual opening activities followed. Then various reports were made. First was zoning.
Zoning Inspector John Dickey reported income from permits at $90.00.
Temporary approval has been given to Kelly Supply on S.R. 44 for a permit of occupancy, with various requirements, especially paving the lot, to be met by July 4, 2016.
The Carlton suit pre-trial is scheduled for May 26.
Next came the discussion that prompted the heading for this post.
John Dickey reported on various violations for a Winchell Road property, among them vehicles parked very close to the road. This had been discussed at the last meeting. The owners have not replied to phone calls regarding the situation.
John Dickey gave [had given?] a request to the trustees for them to contact Chris Meduri to begin the legal proceedings.
One of the issues with this property, according to the zoning inspector, was an improper front yard fence. Discussion revealed that the fence runs along the property line and that at the point at which it went along that line past the front wall of the house, the zoning inspector was calling it no longer a side yard, but now a front yard fence.
Various people tried to correct that notion.
Larry Leitzow: Does the fence turn?
Dave Pollard: Fence/house/road: Is there a fence between the house and the road?
[There is not. Dave used gestures to show the locations of the three features in question.]
Jason, looking at some papers: I need a definition of a front yard [fence].
John Festa: I'm sure we can get to the bottom of this.
[Blogger: This was an astonishing discussion, with too many pieces of too little quality for me to take notes on all of it, and people were talking over each other. So Jason's and John Festa's comments are from my memory, not from notes. I believe that Jason said a few more things than above, but that statement was memorable. I commented that Larry had it right, but that got lost in the general flurry.
[In zoning matters for years, court was the last resort, not the first, because the zoning inspector worked with people over time and was willing to accept small motion as motion.]
Blogger: In my opinion, this little jewel needs to stand alone, pretty much.
Lynn Harvey, chair of the zoning commission, gave the trustees updated material about the CDCD and discussed it with them at the front table.
Friday, February 5, 2016
$26K towards CDBG for Elevator
Foreword: What follows is the text of the letter that your faithful blogger read to the trustees on February 4, 2016, on behalf of The Mantua Restoration Society, Inc., and The Mantua Historical Society.
To: The Mantua Township Trustees
Jason Carlton, Chair
John Festa
Victor Grimm
Mantua Township Fiscal Officer
Jodie Thompson
Subject: Financial Contribution to the Community Development Block Grant to Install an Elevator at the Mantua Center School Building
The Mantua Restoration Society, Inc., and the Mantua Historical Society are pleased to notify the Mantua Township Trustees that we will contribute a total of $26,000 towards the estimated $130,000 cost of installing an elevator in the former Mantua Center School building.
The Mantua Restoration Society, Inc., fund raising activities have enabled us to contribute $25,000.
The Mantua Historical Society will contribute $1,000.
We will certify the funds with Regional Planning at the appropriate time and are happy to be part of this milestone project in the life of the building and the township.
Yours truly,
Carole A. Pollard, President Linda Ehlert, President
The Mantua Restoration Society, Inc. The Mantua Historical Society
I gave each trustee and Jodie Thompson, the township fiscal officer, a packet of four things: the above letter; the October 2015 letter in which I announced that the $10,000 Challenge Grant had been fully funded and that MaRSI could contribute $20,000 towards the project; the June 2, 2015, letter from the trustees to the Portage County Commissioners notifying them that the township accepted the CDBG; and the June 1, 2015, letter in which the restoration society pledged the $10,000 then in the challenge grant, matching it against $10,000 that was available from the trustees at that time.
Jason thanked me and then very graciously expanded his thanks to everyone who had worked to get the grant and to earn or donate the money to make our contribution possible. He specifically asked me to be sure to pass along his appreciation and acknowledgement to everyone.
May I add my own thanks and gratitude to Jason's. We--YOU--keep doing it, and it's remarkable.
To: The Mantua Township Trustees
Jason Carlton, Chair
John Festa
Victor Grimm
Mantua Township Fiscal Officer
Jodie Thompson
Subject: Financial Contribution to the Community Development Block Grant to Install an Elevator at the Mantua Center School Building
The Mantua Restoration Society, Inc., and the Mantua Historical Society are pleased to notify the Mantua Township Trustees that we will contribute a total of $26,000 towards the estimated $130,000 cost of installing an elevator in the former Mantua Center School building.
The Mantua Restoration Society, Inc., fund raising activities have enabled us to contribute $25,000.
The Mantua Historical Society will contribute $1,000.
We will certify the funds with Regional Planning at the appropriate time and are happy to be part of this milestone project in the life of the building and the township.
Yours truly,
Carole A. Pollard, President Linda Ehlert, President
The Mantua Restoration Society, Inc. The Mantua Historical Society
I gave each trustee and Jodie Thompson, the township fiscal officer, a packet of four things: the above letter; the October 2015 letter in which I announced that the $10,000 Challenge Grant had been fully funded and that MaRSI could contribute $20,000 towards the project; the June 2, 2015, letter from the trustees to the Portage County Commissioners notifying them that the township accepted the CDBG; and the June 1, 2015, letter in which the restoration society pledged the $10,000 then in the challenge grant, matching it against $10,000 that was available from the trustees at that time.
Jason thanked me and then very graciously expanded his thanks to everyone who had worked to get the grant and to earn or donate the money to make our contribution possible. He specifically asked me to be sure to pass along his appreciation and acknowledgement to everyone.
May I add my own thanks and gratitude to Jason's. We--YOU--keep doing it, and it's remarkable.
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Trustees 1-21-16: Public Comment
Public Comment began at 8:40. Your faithful blogger only said this: "Nothing comment tonight--I want to go eat cake." [At Marie Stehli's retirement party at the Civic Center.]
Mark Hall, no comment.
Dan Wyznski, Road Crew: Thanks and good luck, Marie. It has been a pleasure the last four years.
Terrie Nielsen: I want to thank Marie Stehli for her service. I have enjoyed working with her on a number of different occasions.
Cal Brant: Marie has been an asset to the community.
I would like to know where the trustees stand on the fiscal officer's room. Are we ready to go forward?
Jason: Vic has been doing a lot of work over there and it is in Vic's court.
Vic: Cal has a proposal about the cost to finish it--about $4600.
John Festa: I think we should discuss it at our next meeting. [He's had four years plus the beginning of this one--and it needs to be discussed?]
Jason: It is high on the plate [Blogger: I think that's the phrasing]--give Jodie Thompson extra space to work.
Dave Pollard: I wanted to echo the compliments to Marie on her sterling service to the township. She probably is the best fiscal officer we have had so far. I wish her luck in the future, and enjoy the grandchildren.
Mary Ellen Hamlin: There is not a whole lot of lighting over there. [Mary Ellen went into detail about how dark and difficult the parking areas are at night at the school building.]
Vic: That is why we moved money tonight. They [the American Legion] moved the soup supper to there [the annex] and got their biggest turnout.
[Blogger note: The American Legion soup suppers are the first Friday of the month. The menu is soup, hot dogs, and I think desserts of some kind. Cost is $7.00 per person, unless you bring soup. Soup gets you in free. Fifty-five people attended in January. Mark your calendars! The next one is this Friday, February 5.]
Amy Janca: Ohio Edison has a program by which you don't even have to buy the pole--you rent it.
[Blogger Note: The Grants and Funding Committee has parking lot lighting and paving in its sights for a grant, but at the moment nothing seems applicable for this. Eventually, there will be.]
Larry Leitzow: Thanked Marie for her 24 years of service. She has done a good job.
Continuing: This is evaluation night. We are lucky to have Jim Aldrich, Brian Tayerle, and Dan Wyznski, and I hope you give them substantial raises. They are responsible for a lot of money and equipment. Good operators get $25.00 an hour, and these guys are there every day rain or shine. If you go through the cemetery, what Jim Aldrich has done is amazing. These guys, all of them, deserve a big raise.
John Festa: Well noted.
Larry: I think everyone in the township knows we have some good employees.
Jason: Everyone is welcome to stay and have cake. He then made a motion to adjourn, duly seconded and passed.
Mark Hall, no comment.
Dan Wyznski, Road Crew: Thanks and good luck, Marie. It has been a pleasure the last four years.
Terrie Nielsen: I want to thank Marie Stehli for her service. I have enjoyed working with her on a number of different occasions.
Cal Brant: Marie has been an asset to the community.
I would like to know where the trustees stand on the fiscal officer's room. Are we ready to go forward?
Jason: Vic has been doing a lot of work over there and it is in Vic's court.
Vic: Cal has a proposal about the cost to finish it--about $4600.
John Festa: I think we should discuss it at our next meeting. [He's had four years plus the beginning of this one--and it needs to be discussed?]
Jason: It is high on the plate [Blogger: I think that's the phrasing]--give Jodie Thompson extra space to work.
Dave Pollard: I wanted to echo the compliments to Marie on her sterling service to the township. She probably is the best fiscal officer we have had so far. I wish her luck in the future, and enjoy the grandchildren.
Mary Ellen Hamlin: There is not a whole lot of lighting over there. [Mary Ellen went into detail about how dark and difficult the parking areas are at night at the school building.]
Vic: That is why we moved money tonight. They [the American Legion] moved the soup supper to there [the annex] and got their biggest turnout.
[Blogger note: The American Legion soup suppers are the first Friday of the month. The menu is soup, hot dogs, and I think desserts of some kind. Cost is $7.00 per person, unless you bring soup. Soup gets you in free. Fifty-five people attended in January. Mark your calendars! The next one is this Friday, February 5.]
Amy Janca: Ohio Edison has a program by which you don't even have to buy the pole--you rent it.
[Blogger Note: The Grants and Funding Committee has parking lot lighting and paving in its sights for a grant, but at the moment nothing seems applicable for this. Eventually, there will be.]
Larry Leitzow: Thanked Marie for her 24 years of service. She has done a good job.
Continuing: This is evaluation night. We are lucky to have Jim Aldrich, Brian Tayerle, and Dan Wyznski, and I hope you give them substantial raises. They are responsible for a lot of money and equipment. Good operators get $25.00 an hour, and these guys are there every day rain or shine. If you go through the cemetery, what Jim Aldrich has done is amazing. These guys, all of them, deserve a big raise.
John Festa: Well noted.
Larry: I think everyone in the township knows we have some good employees.
Jason: Everyone is welcome to stay and have cake. He then made a motion to adjourn, duly seconded and passed.
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