Welcome to Suffield Township

Trustees Change Meeting Date.................The Meeting Set For Tuesday April 13th Has Been Changed To Thursday April 15th at 7:00 AM.

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A new playground which will feature equipment that is accessible for children with all disabilities will be coming to Randolph this summer.  The playground will be located at the "Old School Park which is located on State Route 44, about a quarter mile north of Waterloo Road.  Below is a fact sheet provided by the the Fields Playground organization:

• Fields Playground Group seeks to provide an inclusive playground in Portage County, Ohio, for children of all ages and abilities. 
• The playground will be nationally recognized on six principles (and counting) of inclusive design. 
• Our website highlights featured equipment to help with adaptive play for children of all ages and abilities: https://www.fieldsplaygroundgroup.org/featured-equipment/ 
• Playground equipment (majority) and design by Game Time
• This inclusive playground will be built at Old School Park in Randolph, Ohio (the old Middle School land) – 1776 St. Rt. 44, Atwater, Ohio 44201. 
• We have raised money both from corporate and private donors. Even more funding is needed to improve all aspects of design from the poured rubber surface installation, fencing, and to the equipment features we have selected. 
• General fund donations are easily made through PayPal, check or cash.
• Sponsors are able to help with purchasing equipment, building materials, benches, etc. A full list of sponsor suggestions can be found on our website here: https://www.fieldsplaygroundgroup.org/support-the-playground/sponsorship-opportunities/ 
• In-kind and services donations are also greatly appreciated
• All major sponsors and donors will be featured on the playground’s sign, website and social media accounts
• Social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram
• Tentative projected groundbreaking 2021
• Current big ticket items/services needed: elopement fencing, playground sign construction, and poured rubber surface materials/installation. Full list on our website.
• Playground named: “Mila’s Hope and Rowyn’s Dreams Playground” – With our name, we honor FPG President, Susan Monegan’s granddaughter Mila and FPG Secretary Amy Decker’s daughter Rowyn. Mila’s Hope, is that all who come to play, will find new friends along the way. Rowyn Dreams, of brothers and sisters at play, side by side if just for a day.
• Thank you for your consideration and feel free to visit our social media and website for more details. If you have any further questions please contact Amanda Phipps, Field’s Playground Group’s Social Media Director.

On a warm and pleasant almost-Spring evening the Suffield Township Board of Trustees met before a crowd of eight interested parties.  Trustee Tom Calcei presented a report in Fire Chief Robert Rasnick's absence.  The chief's brother John is in the hospital and needs your prayers.  In February the firemen conducted five continuing education classes.  They also responded to 54 calls for service, which included nine mutual aid events.  The trustees voted to renew a contract with the Nimishillen Township Fire Department for dispatching services.  These services will cost Suffield Township $2337 per month.

Tom Calcei said that the Suffield League will again sponsor an Easter Egg Hunt this year.  The event which is scheduled for Sunday March 28th from noon until 2:00 PM and will be a drive-thru event at the Suffield Fire Department.  For those who attended the drive-thru Christmas With Santa, they will see great similarities.  The Suffield League will also sponsor the annual Memorial Day Parade, pending final approval from the Portage County Health Department.  This too will be very different than the parades will all have attended in the past. First of all, this year's parade will kick off at 10:00 AM.  This time of day will likely reduce the number of participants, such as fire departments that have committed to other parades.  Calcei is suggesting the usual memorial service that has preceded the parade will take place after the parade.  Many details need to be considered and worked out, so more on this later.  

Trustee Jared Phillip gave the zoning report, and ended up yielding to zoning inspector Adam Bey for the details.  Bey said the problematic property at 2412 Sunnybrook Road has been demolished.  He said there are two new Board of Zoning Appeals hearings in the works.  The resident at 1450 Saxe Road is seeking a variance on an accessory building, and the resident at 1353 Brookwood Drive is also wanting a variance to open a winery on his property.  Already in the pipe is a Board of Zoning Appeals hearing on the property at 1188 State Route 43, where the owner and/or tenant if hoping for a variance to open a trash hauling business.

Trustee Chairman Jeff Eldreth asked that the Fiscal Officer advertise for bids for oil and slag for this year's road projects.  After written, these advertisements will be posted on this website.  The sealed bids will be opened at the trustee's meeting on Tuesday April 13th.

The trustees meet again on Tuesday March 23rd at 7:00 AM.  The Zoning Commission will meet on Wednesday March 10th at 7:00 PM.  The Board of Zoning Appeals have one hearing set so far for Tuesday March 16th at 7:00 PM.  All these meetings are at the Suffield Community Room at 1256 Waterloo Road. 

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. 

The Suffield Township Board of Trustees met on Tuesday February 9th before a gathering of eight people.  Fire Chief Robert Rasnick gave a brief report of January's activity.  A total of 62 calls were handled, of which 52 were EMS runs.  Zoning Inspector Adam Bey gave a report in which he said the derelict property at 2412 Sunnybrook Road had jumped to near the top of the list of properties that the Portage County Land Bank planned to demolish this year.  The Land Bank acquired a demolition permit from Bey and it now seems likely that the structures on the land will be removed sometime in March.  Bey also gave a report on zoning activity in 2020.  Fifty-five permits were issued, including eight for new homes.  The total value of improvements to the township was $4,860,814, which is about ten percent more than in 2019.

Some discussion was had on record retention.  The trustees seem to want to consolidate all the old records in one location than then have some at the old administration building and some on the second floor of the original Fire Station.  Jeff Eldreth spoke of building out a room in the Road Department garage where the salt used to be stored.  Tom Calcei mentioned that some of the older records could be destroyed after a careful review by the Record Review Commission and the Suffield Township Historical Society.  No final decision was made on this matter.  The trustees spoke of the new "Temporary Vendor's Permit" resolution that had its first public meeting two weeks ago.  Some changes were suggested and these changes will be considered by the Zoning Commission on Wednesday February 10th at the regular monthly Zoning Commission meeting,  John Yeargin complimented the Fire Chief and his department for the kind and professional manner in which the EMS crew operated on January 31st when Yeargin's wife Judy needed transportation to the hospital.

The big news was that the trustees voted to go forward with purchasing a new Road Department dump truck to replace the township's 2000 International dump truck.  A dealership in Wapakoneta has been selected and has in stock just the truck that the trustees are looking for.   The cost is about $145,000 which the fiscal officer said the township could afford.

The next trustee meeting will be on Tuesday February 23rd at 7:00 AM.  They will meet again that same day at 7:00 PM to continue their public hearing on the "Temporary Vendor's Permit" issue.  The Zoning Commission will meet on Wednesday February 10th at 7:00 PM.  All meetings are open to the public and are at the Suffield Community Room at 1256 Waterloo Road.

The Suffield Township Board of Trustees met before nine people on Tuesday January 12th.  The evening meeting featured the fire chief's monthly and yearly reports.   Chief Rasnick said that December' calls for service totaled 86, which was higher than usual.  The calls for service in the year 2020 set a record for calls, with the Fire Department responding to 862 calls.  EMS response calls weighed in at 71% of the total.  Rasnick said that the Fire Department has purchased a UVC light, which will help to eliminate germs and viruses from their ambulances.  New phones were discussed and the trustees decided to switch from AT&T to Spectrum.  The subject of getting internet service to the Road Department also merited some talk, and ultimately, it was decided that a "hard wire" connection would be made from the Historical Society Museum to the Road Department office.  Chief Rasnick also asked the trustees for permission to look into getting a new chassis for a 27-year-old truck.  The stainless steel body is still very serviceable and does not need to be replaced, but the cab and the under chassis does.  Lori Calcei, fiscal officer, said the township has money set aside for this sort of matter.  To re-chassis the fire truck will be in the $250,000 range.

Jeff Eldreth motioned for the trustees to accept and set aside the money ($1,500) that NOPEC is willing to grant us for 2021.  This money is to be used for community events.  Some discussion was had on signs that are in the township right-of-way, specifically those nailed to utility poles.  

The trustees next meet on Tuesday January 26th at 7:00 AM for a regular meeting.  Later that same day the trustees will hold the postponed Zoning Resolution Change hearing at 7:00 PM.  The only change to be considered pertains to "temporary permits" for things such as food trucks, etc.  The Zoning Commission will meet on Wednesday January 13th at 7:00 PM.  They hold their own re-organizational meeting, immediately followed by their regular monthly meeting.  No Board of Zoning Appeals hearings have been set.  As usual, all meetings are open to the public and are subject to social distancing.  All meetings listed are in the Suffield Community Room at 1256 Waterloo Road.