The Suffield Township Board of Trustees met on Tuesday July 9th for two separate meetings. First came the annual Budget meeting. They approved a tentative budget of $2,200,059 for the year 2020. This meeting was followed by the regular meeting at which they approved placing a one mill, five year levy, on the November 4, 2019 ballot for Road Department expenses. Trustee Jeff Eldreth said that this money is crucial to making the chip and seal program happen. The one mill levy is expected to bring in $132,000 per year.
Also on the agenda of topics was some discussion on the Portage County Solid Waste Management's desire to increase recycling rates by seventy-five cents per month beginning in January 2020, and then another seventy-five cents per month in January 2021. Consensus by the board was that Bill Steiner, director of the solid waste system, should come to a meeting for a more detailed explanation on their cost increase. Chief Robert Rasnick said that in June his firefighters and EMS units responded to 71 callouts. He also announced the resignation of Mike Morrison, who is leaving for a full time firefighter's position. In his place, Keith Jarvis was hired. Jarvis will be required to serve the usual one year probationary period. Rasnick also announced that long-time firefighter Captain Connie Mihalik is retiring on July 31st after twenty-five years of faithful service. A retirement gathering is set for her last day with the department. That will be Wednesday July 31st from 3-6 PM at the Fire House.
A water problem exists near the Don Fobes residence on Misher Road. A culvert and catch basin are needed, but the roadway is one of those that are maintained by the Portage County Engineer. They have refused to correct the situation. Trustee Jared Phillip is looking into the matter. Due to the large amount of rain in the past month or so, Jeff Eldreth said that the chip and seal program for this season may be delayed a little. In the past the Road Department tried to get this program completed before school started, so as to not interfere with school bus operations.
The trustees voted to buy three parcels of land at 1222 State Road 43. If that address rings a bell to you, you have an extraordinary memory. That address was once the location of the township's Road Department, and later the location of the old recycle bins. In about 1990 the property was sold by the township and the present-day owner Kenneth Barton was happy to resell it to the township for $51,000. The three parcels total 6.7 acres. Jeff Eldreth said that the land is needed to store stone, slag and other road materials, since the proposed salt barn is to be built where those materials are currently stored.
Kathryn Sheets told the trustees that in June her rain gauge measured 11.36 inches on rain on her Congress Lake Road property. In the crowd of seven residents was Field School Board President Laura May.
The trustees next meet on Tuesday July 23rd at 7:00 AM. The Zoning Commission meets on Wednesday July 10th at 7:00 PM. The Board of Zoning Appeals is set to meet on Tuesday July 16th at 7:00 PM. All meetings are in the Suffield Community Room.