July 2007
NEWTON TOWNSHIP MINUTES 07-12-2007
Newton Township Trustees met in regular session on Thursday, July 12, 2007 at 7:00 pm in the township meeting room at the Newton Fire Department. Those in attendance were; Rhea Pitcock and Tammy Hern, township residents, Allen Deaver, Craig Knox of the fire department, Nate Atkins township employee, Derek J. Dozer, Charles R. Elson, and James R. Smith township trustees and Bernadine E. Swingle, fiscal officer.
Meeting was called to order at 7:05 pm by Dozer, chairperson.
Agenda was approved as presented.
Minutes were approved as presented.
First order of business; Public Participation; residents were attending to secure further information on the final decision of the township taking over the maintenance of their road. Township trustees have met with the County Commissioners and the County Engineer prior to this meeting as to their status with the entire situation. The county officials are supposedly going to contact the residents as to the surveying and staking out the location of the fence which is now in the area to be renovated. Following that the county will map out, re – build the current road with the installation of a Cul – De – Sac which will measure 50’ radius and finish the surface with chip and seal mixture. With that completed, the township will continue with any further maintenance needed. This information has been forwarded to one Brian Newton at the Muskingum County Engineers’ Office.
Craig Knox reporting for the EMS department; states an application has been received by a resident but the app. was incomplete and was returned to the applicant stating such and that it has been disqualified.
Allen Deaver reporting for the fire department; he is requesting an additional $4000.00 to install shelves in all compartments of the truck. Dozer and Elson agreed to same, Smith abstained.
*Status on the current grant;
Fitness equipment has been purchased and installed.
Appliances are in and have been installed.
Physicals remain to be completed.
*August 5th from 4 – 8 pm the fire department is hosting a cook out.
*The State Auditor has been in and checked the Bingo books and all is well with that.
*A large training event noted as “Life Fire” with the National Guard and EMT will be taking place in the fall at the old Columbia Cement property; approximately 1100 guardsmen will be housed at the old high school building.
*Rick Laskey, from Texas will be here for fire training.
*Work release persons from the Muskingum County jail have been coming once a week to do cleaning, painting and some general maintenance.
*Gene Hanning is no longer with EMA as he has resigned this position.
*An estimate has been acquired to re – seal the fire department parking lot. This includes tar and re - stripping. The price will hold true until fall of 2007. Trustees asked N. Atkins to check the condition of the existing pavement to determine the need of re – sealing this season.
Trustees questioned the existence of the deteriorating fire tower located at the township garage area. Fire department personnel agreed it can be torn down (by the township) and use whatever wood in it that is salvageable.
Fiscal Officer once again asked that firefighters be reminded that receipts are required for any purchases they make for the department. Also, receipts are once again being requested for the gasoline purchases at the Duke station.
Nate Atkins, township employee was given the floor for next order of business.
*Trustees asked him how he felt the county chip / seal project went.
*It was noted a guard rail has been requested and is needed on the hill going into the Georgia Pines sub division. Nate is to check on the cost of material to do this job.
*There seems to be a need for a new culvert to be installed on Dona Drive. This will be checked further as to the problem existing there.
*The Smith / Broadvue Circle situation has been checked by the trustees. It has been determined the berm along the blacktop area is approximately 11 ½” high. The township employees will pack dirt / stone in / under / along the main road with her yard. As for the need of a culvert to divert water into her garage, this continues to be her responsibility.
* One resident on Mill Street in White Cottage is having some drainage problems. This will be checked further as to what needs to be done to correct the problem.
*Colonial Sales has black topped the road and lot along Darlington Road causing a drainage problem with water backing up onto Maysville School Drive. The township check with McConnels as to whether they might allow a ditch be opened up and empty into their field at that location.
Trustees Reports:
Smith reporting; East Darlington and Leffler road need to be chip / sealed. Question as to whether they were not on the list or were just overlooked. It seems they may not have been listed. Mahon and Yost roads will be done when the water department is finished in these areas.
The question is still on the table as to whether chip / seal or asphalt is the best method for repairs on roads like Stine, Foxfire and Thompson Run roads. This will be discussed further at the nest meeting.
Taylor and Sons is still working on the job in the Jenkins addition (Sunset Drive). It is still in need of some topsoil.
County Commissioners have notified the township of a tree needing to be removed at the corner of Cannon Street and Axline Avenue in E.Fultonham. Trustees will check it out before the next meeting to make that decision.
Elson had nothing to report.
Dozer reporting; a ditch enclosure permit was presented and accepted for all future resident ditches to be enclosed in whatever manner.
Someone notified Dozer of his intent to open a business as “Indoor Slick Track Racing” on Maysville Pike.
“Tina’s” Restaurant opened in Avondale on Tuesday, July 10, 2007.
Paul Slack has contacted the trustees about the possibility of constructing a small building for storage use for Community Days in the area of the township garage. It was discussed in great detail, Nate Atkins was directed as to the best location and the Fiscal Officer was to notify Mr. Slack of same. This notice was to include the information that the township will not be liable for any damage that might occur to the building or the contents of same. This was sent to Mr. Slack on July 14, 2007.
Fiscal Officer reporting; Mrs. Travis Lyon has assured the township that Travis had done all the mowing that he has been paid hourly wages for up to this date. She also stated he (Travis) will probably be returning to work before the end of summer.
A Fultonham resident again inquired about the fence around the cemetery bordering her property. She is under the impression that she was to furnish the wire and the township would install the fence. It was suggested someone outside of the current employees be hired to do this.
It was noted a call has been received from an Opera Road resident re; some lilac bushes along his property that had been mowed down by the township. However upon inspecting same, the bushes in question were most likely on township property.
Notice has been received from the Muskingum County Commissioners that Rodayle Drive in Avondale has been officially listed as township property as of 01-01-2007. It will be added to the mileage report at the beginning of 2008.
Notice has been received from Maysville Regional Water District with a report as to the sanitary condition of the water supplied to the district.
VocWorks’ / Careworks has informed the township that at this time a past employee has refused to go into a rehabilitation program as he feels he is not physically able to comply at this time. He has also stated that part of this decision was due to the fact that his doctor is currently out of the country serving in IRAQ.
All bills were deemed to be valid expenditures and were to be paid as presented.
Next regular meeting will be held on Thursday, August 9, 2007 at 7:30 pm at the fire department in the township meeting room.
Meeting adjourned at 9:35 pm.
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