Welcome to Suffield Township

The Suffield Township Board of Trustees met on Tuesday September 14th before a crowd of about ten residents.  The Fiscal Officer reported that the township had received $51,637 from the County.  This came from the Local Government Fund.  It represents the township's share of money dispersed to the various components within Portage County.  It is approximately the same amount as the township received last year and will for the next several years.  Discussion of the controversial recycling program was postponed due to the absence of trustee Tom Calcei.  It was made public that the current director of the Portage County  Solid Waste District, William Steiner, is leaving his post and, at least temporarily, being replaced by Dawn Collins.

Chief Bob Rasnick asked that two men be hired by the trustees.  They are Jeremy Richards and Peyton Ridenour.  They were added to the roster and will be required to serve the usual one year probationary period.  Welcome to Jeremy and Peyton.  The Chief also asked and received approval to pay the three new full-time paramedics retroactively to September 1st.  Without overtime, their base pay will be $43,396. 

Congress Lake Road resident Cheryl Bowers complained of speeders on her street and the need for a "Hidden Drive" sign on Congress Lake Road near Meadowlark Drive.  John Yeargin asked about paving and was told by trustee Jeff Eldreth that Ridge Road and Highline Drive will not be repaved this year.  Eldfreth said that the chip & seal program has been completed for this year.  He also asked the fiscal officer for a purchase order in the amount of $7,240 to pay for road striping.  JD Striping of Ravenna will do the job again this year.

Trick or Treat will be held in Suffield Township on Sunday October 31st from 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM.  The trustees plan to work with Portage County Engineer's Office employee Mike Collins to use Issue II funds to do work on Schaffer Road.  A complaint of weeds growing in the water along Martin Road near "Nine Foot Hill" was brought up.  Long time Suffield resident and trustee's meeting participant Pauline Persons and Cheryl Bowers came to the meeting.  Welcome back Pauline and Cheryl.

The trustees meet again on Tuesday September 28th at 7:00 AM.  The Zoning Commission meets on Wednesday October 13th at 7:00 PM.  Both meetings are in the Suffield Community Room and open to the public.

Michael Morrison, Kasey Beaver and T.J. Fox were sworn in as Suffield's first full-time Paramedic/Firefighters on August 31st.

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Trustee Tom Calcei, Fiscal Officer Lori Calcei, Michael Morrison, Kasey Beaver, T.J. Fox, Trustee Jeff Eldreth and Trustee Jarod Phillip at swearing-in ceremony on August 31.

The Suffield Township Board of Trustees met on Tuesday evening August 10th before a small gathering of six people.  For the most part the meeting was very routine in nature with a number of topics discussed.  Fire Chief Bob Rasnick said that his department responded to 76 calls for service in July.  This included five water rescues.  He also asked that the trustees hire Connor Hostetler and Ethan Murphy.  While trustee Tom Calcei was absent, Jared Phillip and Jeff Eldreth approved he hiring and imposed the usual one year probationary period for both new firefighters.  Rasnick also said that at the August 24th meeting he will submit three names to the trustees to be considered for the one new full-time paramedic position. 

The trustees postponed updating the Employee Handbook until Mr. Calcei returns.  Several small changes need to be made to bring the book up to current times.  Jared Phillip said that the address for the salt barn property is 1216 State Route 43.  The trustees will accept a grant of $500 from the Celebrate Portage Committee.  This money will be spent on the upcoming event to be held at Suffield Elementary School on August 30th at 6:30 PM.  This is an event that is meant to welcome the children back to school.  More to come on this later.

Jeff Eldreth announced that the Henry Luli Company will soon begin this year's Chip & Seal program.  The township plans to pave about 7.1 miles of roadway.  The streets to be paved are: Saxe Road from State Route 43 to the dead end, Martin Road from State Route 224 to Saxe Road, Griggy Road from Waterloo Road to Swartz Road, Swartz Road from State Route 43 to Congress Lake Road and Trares Road from State Route 43 to Congress Lake Road.  Cost will be in the $130,000 range.  Eldreth said he hopes to have this done before the schools open.

The trustees also authorized the fiscal officer to apply for grant funds offered through the American Rescue Plan, which are funds that would come from the federal government.  It was agreed that there will be a lot of strings attached and rules to be adhered to by the township in order to get and use this money, which was estimated to be about $634,000

The trustees next meet on Tuesday August 24th at 7:00 AM.  The Zoning Commission meets on Wednesday August 11th at 7:00 PM.  There is a Board of Zoning Appeal hearing in the works, but no date has been set.  The Portage County Fair begins on Tuesday August 24th and runs through August 29th.

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. 

On Tuesday June 8, 2021 the Suffield Township Board of Trustees met at 8:00 PM.  A lot is issues were discussed.  Portage County Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski, newly elected last November to Sheriff after David Doak's retirement, spoke for nearly a half hour on an array of topics.  These included his commitment to allowing citizens to possess guns, hiring more department employees, promoting the Citizen's Police Academy and, of course, a history of his career highlights.  The crowd of ten people seemed impressed by his talk.

Sheriff Zuchowski said he hopes to have a more transparent administration and hopes his department can have more involvement with the community.  He said that the Sheriff's Office handles about 60% of the county's police services.  With his background as a state trooper, he hopes to entice a stronger bond between the two agencies.  He did remind the crowd that state troopers are basically traffic officers.  He suggested that citizens are welcome to tour the county jail and learn more about policing in general by signing up for the Citizens Police Academy.  This academy will start another 12-week session in the fall, but no specific dates have yet been determined.  The academy is free to those who sign up.  Anyone interested should call the Sheriff's Office at 330-296-5100, ext 1.

The trustees also refinanced the bonds on the Fire Station.  This new financing is in the form of a twelve year loan at an incredible rate of 1.72%.  Over the life of the loan, serviced by Hilltop Securities, the township will save $419,507. Tom Calcei gave the Fire Department report for May.  He said that the Fire Department responded to 71 call for service and participated in five continuing education classes.  The trustees are also looking into a noise complaint at 1527 Galaxy Drive.  This noise is allegedly caused by a generator that is running continuously.  The trustees authorized the Road Department to buy a new power washer at a price of $5,300.  The Fairlane Water Company is holding neighborhood meeting to discuss the future of that area's water system.  No date or time or location was given for this meeting.

The township sponsored "Cruise In" is set for this coming weekend.  A lot of work has gone into this event.  Come out and enjoy the cars, see your neighbors and have some food.  The event is Sunday June 13th from 12:00 noon until 6:00 PM at the Municipal Complex next to the historic Town Hall.

The trustees meet again on Tuesday June 22nd at 7:00 AM.  The Zoning Commission is off in July, but meets again on Wednesday August 11th at 7:00 PM.  The Board of Zoning Appeals meets on Tuesday June 15th at 8:00 PM.  All meetings are at the Suffield Community Room at 1256 Waterloo Road and the public is very welcome.

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 it to Jeff Childers, 229 Waterloo Road, Suffield, Ohio 44260. 

After a year's absence the Suffield League's Suffield Township Memorial Day Parade returned on Monday May 31st.  With about fifty participants, and picture perfect weather conditions, the parade was hailed a major success for all those who made it happen. This was not easy task.  It really wasn't decided until only recently that the parade would even be held, but COVID restrictions and the disease itself have eased in Ohio.  Therefore, let the parade begin.  There was also a change in times.  Instead of stepping off at 1:00 PM as in the past, this year's parade started at 10:00 AM.  Local business man and a former Mogadore and Cuyahoga Falls police officer Julius Heil was this year's Grand Marshal.  Thanks to Julius for being the Grand Marshal and for all his untold acts of kindness to Suffield and other communities.  His assistance in helping police departments acquire suitable canines is legendary.  Below is the township's newest Road Department vehicle.