Welcome to Suffield Township

The Suffield Township Board of Trustees met on Tuesday November 8th to conduct various articles of routine business.  The meeting opened with swearing in Emma Harrison as the newest full-time firefighter/paramedic.  Harrison began her journey at the Fire Department at age 15 as an Explorer and will now serve the community on a full-time basis.  Congratulations to Emma !!  Other Fire Department news from Chief Bob Rasnick was that the Fire Department responded to 89 calls for service in October.  The staff also conducted five continuing education classes during the month.  The new pickup truck bought for Fire Department use has been delivered.

Trustee Tom Calcei said that the annual Christmas With Santa, sponsored by the Suffield League, will be held on Sunday December11th at the historic Town Hall.  Doors open at 5:30 PM and Santa plans to arrive about 6:00 PM. Bring the kids and mingle with your neighbors.  The now-annual Chili Cook Off, also sponsored by the Suffield League and  the Lion's Club, is set for Saturday February 4, 2023.  More on this later.  Call Tom Calcei (330-256-8042) or Terry Ginn (330-472-6483) for information on entering your chili.

Jeff Eldreth, trustee chairman, said that there is a household hazardous waste recycle effort to be held on Saturday November 19th from 8:00 AM until noon at the Portage County Recycle Center, 3588 Mogadore Road, Brimfield.  Visit the Portage County Recycles website (www.portagerecycles.com) and review what is allowed to be dropped off and what isn't.  This is open to Portage County residents only and a valid photo ID or utility bill with a current Portage County address is required.  There are also some charges for various items, such as televisions, printers and CRT monitors.

The trustees also allocated $2,000 in funds to purchase more Christmas lights.  Resident John Yeargin thanked the Fire Department for taking him to the hospital during a medical emergency.  Welcome back Pauline Persons and best wishes for a speedy recovery to Bryon Wine after his shoulder surgery.

The trustees next meet on Tuesday November 22nd at 7:00 AM.  The Zoning Commission meets on December 14th at 7:00 PM.  No Board of Zoning Appeals hearings are currently scheduled.

The Suffield Township Board of Trustees met on September 13th to conduct a wide variety of business.  The Board accepted the levy rates as adopted by the Portage County Budget Commission and forwarded their acceptance to the County Auditor.  Matt Kelly stopped by to pitch his reasons on why he should be elected County Auditor.  Trustee Chairman Jefff Eldreth reported that Suffield has $13,500 in monies from NOPEC in an escrow account.  There was no mention on how this money would be spent.

Fire Chief Bob Rasnick reported that two firefighters resigned from the Fire Department.  They were Andrew Armstrong and Mike Carson.  Their resignations were accepted by the trustees. Carson will continue on as a part time employee.   The trustees also agreed to spend from the American Rescue Plan Act funds $111,500 to buy a new Ford F550 truck from Valley Ford.  This truck will be used by the Fire Department.  They also agreed to use the same funding account to buy a new Ford F450 chassis from Valley Ford for $68,475.  The chassis will be used on a new ambulance.  Rasnick also reported that the firefighters did their usual five continuing education classes and responded to 72 calls for service. 

Jeff Eldreth asked and received a purchase order for $142,276 for oil and chipping and sealing.  Henry Luli did this work for the township. He also asked another $3,000 from the ARPA funds for Christmas decorations.  The trustees voted to donate $25,000 to the Suffield Community Athletic Association to be used for improvements to the dug-outs at the baseball/softball field at Suffield Elementary School.

Trick or Treat will be held on Sunday October 30th from 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM.  The Suffield League in cooperation with Wingfoot Lake State Park will have an event entitled Fall Fest at Wingfoot Lake Park on Friday October 28th from 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM.  The Fire Department ill hold its annual Open House on Sunday October 16th from 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM. 

The trustees next meet on Tuesday September 27th at 7:00 AM.  The Zoning Commission will meet on Wednesday September 14th at 7:00 PM and then on Wednesday October 12th at 7:00 PM.  The Board of Zoning Appeals will hold two hearings, but no date has been set. 

Advertise yourself, your business or where you work by sending us your business card.  We will put it in the section above on the title bar that is entitled "Business Cards".  There is no cost to you, and the card will remain there until you ask that it be taken down, or when you ask us to replace an old card with a new, more up-to-date card.  You can e-mail the card to us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or snail mail to Jeff Childers, 229 Waterloo Road, Suffield, Ohio 44260. 

On Tuesday August 9th the Suffield Township Board of Trustees met.  They agreed to spend $55,000 on a new 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 pickup to be used by the Fire Department.  The funds for this purchase will come from money received through the American Rescue Plan Act.  The township was granted by the federal government just over $600,000 for 2022 and this money must be used by the end of this calendar year.  So far in 2022, the Road Department has purchased two dumps trucks and the now the Fire Department is getting this new Silverado.  The plans include replacing another (maybe two) fire vehicles.

Chief Bob Rasnick said the Fie Department responded to 93 calls for service in July 2022.  He mentioned that for all of 1992, they responded to 92 calls.  Quite an increase in calls for service.  The firefighters also attended the usual five continuing education classes.  Josh Stamper resigned from the Fire Department prior to his completion of probation.  Trustee Tom Calcei said that the countywide commission that divvies up the Local Government Funds has agreed with Kent and Ravenna on the formula to be used beginning in 2023.  Now the Portage County Commissioners must agree to the division.  There is about $4,500,000 to be divided between the various subdivisions.

There was a long discussion on an upcoming Board of Zoning Appeals hearing that concerns the properties at 2287 and 2321 Trares Road.  No date was set for the hearing.  The applicant there is asking to be allowed to operate and fabricating business in a RR District (rural residential district).  Trustee Chairman Jeff Eldreth said the Chip & Seal program is nearly complete.  Still to be done is striping the roads, which will be done by J.D. Striping at a cost of just over $10,000.

The trustees next meet on Tuesday August 23rd at 7:00 AM.  There is no Zoning Commission meeting in August.  There will be a Board of Zoning Appeals hearing, but the actual date has not been set.  Don't forget the Portage County Fair in Randolph Township, which begins on August 23rd and runs through August 28th.  And don't forget that Field High School football begins on Friday August 19th, when the Mogadore Wildcats visit the Falcons.

The Suffield Road Department is starting the annual chip and seal road work tomorrow (July 28th) and Friday (July 29th).  The following roads are slated  for chip and seal:

Manning Road from SR 43 to Heimbaugh Road

Martin Road from Bolender Road to US 224

Etter Road from the railroad tracks to SR 43

Trares Road from Congress Lake Road to Palm Road

Congress Lake Road from Randolph Road to Waterloo Road

The Suffield Township Board of Trustees met on Thursday June 23rd before a crowd of just two people.  Fire Chief Robert Rasnick requested that the trustees hire Hayden Dupratt as a new firefighter.  The trustees agreed and Dupratt was hired and will serve a one year probationary period.  The Fire Department building also suffered some extensive damage to the building's computer and communication systems due to a lightning strike.  The trustees did not make a decision on whether to use insurance funds for repairs or to pay the damages with township funds.  More discussion is needed on this matter.  There was a lengthy discussion of sick time accrual for firefighters, and the upcoming levies for the November General Election ballot were discussed.  A final decision on placement of the levies is set for the next trustee meeting on July 12th.  

The trustees next meet on Tuesday July 12th at 7:00 AM.  The Zoning Commission meets on Wednesday July 13th at 7:00 PM.  Both meetings are at the Suffield Community Room at 1256 Waterloo Road.  The public is very welcome to attend.