The Suffield Township Board of Trustees met on Tuesday July 13th.  The meeting was dominated by a long discussion on some re-alignment staffing issues at the Fire Department, but other issues were also discussed. 

The Fiscal Officer said that the Portage County Land Bank has taken possession of the old church on Waterloo Road.  Complaints were received about the new trash hauling business, Zehnder Disposal, LLC.  The complaints from a neighbor were concerning an influx of mice and/or rats at the company's garage.  Seventy-fifth State Representative Gail Pavliga stopped by the meeting for an informal chat. 

The trustees agreed to spend $4,150 to have the interior of the historic Town Hall painted by Barto Decorating.  They also approved an amendment to the recycling contract between the township and the Portage County Solid Waste District to increase the monthly fee for each resident to $5.50. 

Fire Chief Bob Rasnick made a passionate appeal for the trustees to allow him to begin the arduous process of increasing the number of full time firemen from one (the chief) to seven.  Initially the Fire Department would go to a configuration of having three full time paramedics.  Currently they have no full time paramedics.  The three paramedics would work one 24 hour shift, then have 48 hours off and then repeat this process.  The men or women filling these three positions would be hired at the Chief's discretion after interviews with the command staff officers.  The new full time paramedics could come from within the existing cadre of personnel or hired from outside of the department.  The goal is to have six full time paramedics on the department, with two paramedics woring on each 24-hour shift.  The plan does not increase the actual number of employees, just their assignments.  The trustees and Rasnick agreed that a very large percentage of the Fire Department's calls for service involve paramedic issues.  The trustees asked Rasnick to come back in the middle of August with a more detailed plan.

The trustees meet next on Thursday July 22nd at 7:00 AM.  The Zoning Commission is skipping their regular meeting in July and meeting on Wednesday August 11th at 7:00 PM.  A Board of Zoning Appeals hearing is scheduled for Thursday July 20th at 8:00 PM.