Welcome to Suffield Township

The Suffield Township Board of Trustees met in an open meeting on Tuesday October 12th before a gathering of seven concerned residents.  Fiscal Officer Lori Calcei told the trustees that they must come up with a plan to spend $282,360 of CARES grant funds.  The caveat is that this money's use must have some relationship to the COVID 19 pandemic.  It could go toward EMS expenditures, which would include supplies and EMS wages.  It could be "sub-granted" to various local agencies that are in financial need and some other less understandable expenditures.  If the township is unable to spend the entire amount, the remainder would be returned to he County Commissions, who would acquire 20% of it for their own spending uses.  The remaining 80% would be divided between the county governments and agencies.  It was unknown if this second round of spending would be limited to COVID 19 expenses, or could be used as general fund money.  This will be discussed at greater length at the next meeting.  Most expenditures have to be made by November 20, 2020.

Tom Calcei reported that the Fire Department handled 62 calls for service in September.  He also said that Mogadore VFW has donated a trailer to haul the Fire Department's UTV and have bought a new rescue stokes basket, which will be used with the UTV.  Many thanks to the VFW for their continued support of Suffield Township.  Calcei also reported that the complaint of junk vehicles at 1476 Trares Road has been resolved.  The residents there moved and took the vehicles with them. 

Jared Phillip said that he had a talk with someone from Spectrum and learned that there may have been some movement in getting cable service to the people in Carriage House Estates. 

The meeting changed tone as the issue of mining by Suffield Aggregate along U.S. Route 224 came up.  The trustees have received a request to be allowed to mine that area for another ten years.  The Federal Court approved agreement with the township and the mining company specified that mining be stopped on October 5, 2020, and that for two years, until October 2022, after the mining has ceased, sale of the material be allowed, and further that the site be completely reclaimed by October 2022.  While no decision on the fate of this request was voted on tonight, Jared Phillip spoke on the issue and appears to be in favor of extending the mining operation.  On the other hand, Tom Calcei was very opposed to this.  A couple of people representing the mining company were going to attend the meeting and present their request, but due to the meeting's change of date, they were unavailable tonight.  This is an issue that just keeps coming back and back. 

Tom Calcei mentioned that Trick or Treat is still on for Sunday October 25th, 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM.

The trustees next meet on Tuesday October 27th at 7:00 AM.  The Zoning Commission meets on Wednesday October 14th at 7:00 PM.  There are no Board of Zoning Appeals hearings set.

Thank you Suffield Fellowship Church!!

 Suffield Township Historical Society

New Suffield Township Historical Society Newsletter has been posted.  Click on "Society Newsletters" at bottom of this page to read.  See sidebar to view dates museum will be open.

The Suffield Township Board of Trustees met before a small gathering of six interested citizens on Tuesday September 8th.  The evening meeting featured social distancing, some discussions of issues and some small talk. 

As expected, the trustees approved a measure referred to them by the Tax Incentive Review Council that recommends the continuation of tax breaks to G.P. Tree Service, Hamrick Manufacturing and Bednar Properties, better know as Hunter's Manufacturing,  Their approval will be forwarded to the Portage Development Board and ultimately to the Portage County Commissioners.  It turns out that Hamrick Manufacturing merited further discussion as they are in need of more space and would like to build a large building behind their current facilities, but they need of some assistance from the Ohio Department of Transportation.  They would like to build a driveway on Route 224 about 1400 feet east of Martin Road that would service this proposed new structure.  The problem is that Route 224 is a controlled access highway and ODOT is very reluctant to allow a private drive to enter or exit to the controlled access road.  Trustee Jeff Eldreth said that the has written a letter to ODOT expressing support for allowing this proposed driveway.

Some progress has been made in the clean-up of the old Monarch/Trellborg property.  Eldreth congratulated the Suffield 4-H kids who participated in the events at the Portage County Fair.  He said that the Suffield contingent fared very well.  Chief Robert Rasnick reported that the Fire Department responded to 71 calls for service in August, and are ahead of last year's record pace for calls.  Sadly, Rasnick said that the annual Fire Department Open House, which is usually about the second week of October, as been canceled for this year, thanks to the Covid 19 virus.  On the Zoning front, Adam Bey said that he had issued three accessory building permits in an otherwise routine month.  Trustee Jared Phillip said that he and Road Superintendent Pete Einloth are working to draft some rules and a form to regulate driveway culverts and ditching along the township's public right-of-ways.

The trustees meet again on Tuesday September 22nd at 7:00 AM.  The Zoning Commission meets on Wednesday September 9th at 7:00 PM.  Both meetings are at the Suffield Community Room, 1256 Waterloo Road.  A Board of Zoning Appeals hearing is in the works, but no date has been set.  The trustees evening meetings return to 7:00 PM with their November 10th meeting.

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 August 11th.  For the first time in a long time, residents were allowed to be personally attend, provided they adhered to the socially distancing guidelines as set forward by the State of Ohio.  This wasn't too much of a problem as only five people attended.

The trustees voted 2-0 (trustee Tom Calcei was absent) to expend $21,000 to Liberty Concrete and $36,000 to General Concrete Construction Company in order to get the new salt barn construction underway.  Chairman Jeff Eldreth reminded everyone that the census for this year was been extended to September 30th, so if you haven't already completed your census form, you still have plenty of time.  The more people that claim Suffield Township as their home, the more money that the township stands to collect, for things like the Local Government Funds apportionment, etc.

It was reported that the Fire Department responded to 65 calls for service in July.  Eldreth said that the "chip & seal" program by the Road Department has been completed for this year, and that the Road Department has mowed along the township roads three times so far, and hope to mow one more time this year.  The trustees voted to pay JD Striping $9,660 for road striping.    From the audience Bryon Wine complimented the Road Department for doing an especially good job of mowing this year.  Nothing seems to be happening with Zoning, except that Adam Bey issued a permit for a new house to be built on Martin Road.  Permits were also issued for one accessory building and one very large deck.  A complaint of junk vehicles at 1476 Trares Road was received and trustee Jared Philip said he'd look into it.

The trustees next meet on Tuesday August 25th at 7:00 AM.  The Zoning Commission meets on Wednesday August 12th at 7:00 PM.  There are no Board of Zoning Appeals hearing in the works at his time.  Said meetings will be open to the public and are held at the Suffield Community Room at 1256 Waterloo Road.

The Suffield Township Board of Trustees met on Tuesday June 23rd for one of those in-and-out eight minute meetings.  Basically three issues were discussed.  The township will apply, through the Portage County Auditor's Office, for emergency funds available thanks to the Ohio Cares Act.  This money will help to offset the additional money that the Fire Department expended for Covid-19 pandemic expenses.  The Trustees also chose to not oppose the change in liquor licensing status for the old Burnzee Drive-thru at 1395 State Route 43, which has been sold and a new owner wishes to open another drive-thru there.  And finally, the trustees set the annual Budget Hearing for Tuesday July 14th at 7:30 PM (just prior to the regular trustee meeting that date).  Additionally, Trustee Chairman Jeff Eldreth is still hopeful that the Trustee meeting for July 14th can be held with members of the community in physical attendance.  We'll report on this when more facts are known.

The Trustees next meet on Tuesday July 14th at 8:00 PM.  As mentioned they will meet at 7:30 PM that date to hold the Budget Hearing.  The Zoning Commission is scheduled to meet on Wednesday July 8th at 7:00 PM for their regular monthly meeting.  The Board of Zoning Appeals swings into action with a hearing on Tuesday July 7th at 7:00 PM.