Welcome to Suffield Township

The Suffield Township Board of Trustees met on Tuesday August 13th at 7:30 PM to conduct a public hearing on some Zoning Resolution changes.  After some discussion, the trustees voted 3-0 to accept the changes.  The changes become township law in thirty days unless there is an appeal to the County Prosecutor's Office.  (click here for Zoning Resolution text changes)

Then the trustees met again, this time for their regular business meeting.  Many issues were discussed.  Tom Calcei mentioned that Fire Department Captain Connie Milahik had retired at the end of July after twenty-five years of faithful service.  He also mentioned that she received a check for $10,000 from the trustees in appreciation of her service.  Just two meetings ago the trustees had voted to award fire department employees $10,000, if they had twenty-five or more years of part-time service.   Captain Mihalik is the first Suffield Township employee to receive this benefit.  Part-time fire department workers are not eligible for pensions from either the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund or from the Public Employees Retirement System.  Calcei also gave the monthly fire department report.  The firefighters responded to 84 calls for service in July.

The new Dollar General store on State Route 43 is nearing completion.  They expect to be open approximately September 3rd, but may open before that.  The Dollar General people have informed the trustees that they want to apply for a license to sell beer.  The trustees voted to not oppose their request.  Fiscal Officer Lori Calcei submitted the county-approved 2020 budget and the trustees voted to accept it as written.  The Portage County Board of Elections asked trustee chairman Jeff Eldreth to remind Suffield residents that they are in need of poll workers.  The County will pay poll workers $20 to attend a training session and $120 to man the polls on election day.  Need more info, call 330-297-3512.   Eldreth also mentioned that the 2020 Census is rapidly approaching.  Census workers will be around the township and each will be armed to an official U.S. Census handbag and an official badge. 

Zoning Inspector Adam Bey reported that he had issued some permits for pools and for one new house on Pheasant Lane. He also said that there will be a Board of Zoning Appeals hearing on Tuesday August 27th at 7:00 PM, concerning an accessory building on North Polen Road.  Bey also said that there is some interest in a couple township properties, of which both have become eyesores.  He hopes to have more information to pass along at future meetings.

Jeff Eldreth said that Henry Luli Construction Company is preparing to start the chip and seal program next week and hopes to have about half of the work done before the school year begins.  Eldreth asked for a purchase order in the amount if $18,000 to buy slag.  The trustees agreed to spend the money.

Some familiar faces returned to the crowd tonight.  Of the eleven people present, it was good to see Dennis Copley, Dave Vartenuk and Howard Coomer again.

The trustees next meet Tuesday August 27th at 7:00 AM.  The Board of Zoning Appeals has a hearing on Tuesday August 27th at 7:00 PM.  Both meetings are in the Suffield Communty Room at 1256 Waterloo Road.

The Big Red Foundation has posted banners along Waterloo Road from State Route 43 to the Suffield Elementary School.  They are meant to promote pride in the Field community.  Banners are also posted near the Field High School.

The Suffield Township Board of Trustees met on Tuesday July 23rd at 7:00 AM.  Caitlin Albright of NOPEC came to the meeting to present Fire Chief Bob Rasnick with an award acknowledging his many years of service to the community.  Albright said that NOPEC to honoring various governmental employees and that this year the emphasis was on police and fire departments.  Trustee Chairman Jeff Eldreth had submitted Rasnick's name for consideration.  Eldreth said "“Bob has spent 40 years working for the Suffield Township residents. Thirty-five of those years has been spent as our fire chief. Bob is the most dedicated public servant you could ask for. He goes above and beyond his responsibilities as the fire chief. Suffield has been very lucky to have Bob in this position for so many years. There is not a person that should be recognized more than Bob in our township!”

Trustee Jared Phillip said that the township has donated the old sign from in front to the historic Town Hall to the Suffield United Church of Christ.  This is the sign that was replaced by the new electronic sign.  Zoning Inspector Adam Bey said that Portage County had given him a box of old township maps.  After review by Zoning Commission Chairman John Yeargin and Bey, it was determined that the maps serve no useful purpose to the township at his time, so Bey asked that he be allowed to donate them to the Suffield Township Historical Society.  The Trustees agreed.  Bey also said that the Zoning Commission had a public hearing on the Zoning Resolutions amendments and was now officially informing the Trustees.  The Trustees set a public hearing on these changes for Tuesday August 13 at 7:30 PM.  

Jeff Eldreth said that the Road Department was likely to finish this year's crack sealing either today or tomorrow.  They have some more repairs planned for Manning Road.  He also said that Bill Steiner of the Portage County Solid Waste Management has agreed to some and speak at the Trustee's meeting on Tuesday September 10th at 8:00 PM.

The trustees next meet on Tuesday August 13th at 8:00 PM.  Prior to the regular trustee's meeting, there will be a hearing at 7:30 PM to consider Zoning Resolution changes.  The Zoning Commission is off for the month of August.  The Board of Zoning Appeals has a couple hearing coming up, but neither one has been scheduled. 

The Suffield Township Board of Trustees met on Tuesday July 9th for two separate meetings.  First came the annual Budget meeting.  They approved a tentative budget of $2,200,059 for the year 2020.  This meeting was followed by the regular meeting at which they approved placing a one mill, five year levy, on the November 4, 2019 ballot for Road Department expenses.  Trustee Jeff Eldreth said that this money is crucial to making the chip and seal program happen.  The one mill levy is expected to bring in $132,000 per year.

Also on the agenda of topics was some discussion on the Portage County Solid Waste Management's desire to increase recycling rates by seventy-five cents per month beginning in January 2020, and then another seventy-five cents per month in January 2021.  Consensus by the board was that Bill Steiner, director of the solid waste system, should come to a meeting for a more detailed explanation on their cost increase.  Chief Robert Rasnick said that in June his firefighters and EMS units responded to 71 callouts.  He also announced the resignation of Mike Morrison, who is leaving for a full time firefighter's position.  In his place, Keith Jarvis was hired.  Jarvis will be required to serve the usual one year probationary period.  Rasnick also announced that long-time firefighter Captain Connie Mihalik is retiring on July 31st after twenty-five years of faithful service.  A retirement gathering is set for her last day with the department.  That will be Wednesday July 31st from 3-6 PM at the Fire House.

A water problem exists near the Don Fobes residence on Misher Road.  A culvert and catch basin are needed, but the roadway is one of those that are maintained by the Portage County Engineer.  They have refused to correct the situation.  Trustee Jared Phillip is looking into the matter.  Due to the large amount of rain in the past month or so, Jeff Eldreth said that the chip and seal program for this season may be delayed a little.  In the past the Road Department tried to get this program completed before school started, so as to not interfere with school bus operations.

The trustees voted to buy three parcels of land at 1222 State Road 43.  If that address rings a bell to you, you have an extraordinary memory.  That address was once the location of the township's Road Department, and later the location of the old recycle bins.  In about 1990 the property was sold by the township and the present-day owner Kenneth Barton was happy to resell it to the township for $51,000.  The three parcels total 6.7 acres.  Jeff Eldreth said that the land is needed to store stone, slag and other road materials, since the proposed salt barn is to be built where those materials are currently stored.

Kathryn Sheets told the trustees that in June her rain gauge measured 11.36 inches on rain on her Congress Lake Road property.   In the crowd of seven residents was Field School Board President Laura May.

The trustees next meet on Tuesday July 23rd at 7:00 AM.  The Zoning Commission meets on Wednesday July 10th at 7:00 PM.  The Board of Zoning Appeals is set to meet on Tuesday July 16th at 7:00 PM.  All meetings are in the Suffield Community Room.

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 evening June 11th at the Suffield Community Room.  Eighteen residents attended, including more than a handful who live in the Eaver Street/Miller Avenue neighborhood.  These residents came to express a complaint that the new fence along the western side of the H.M. Miller Excavating Company is not sufficient in hiding the construction company's storage from the neighboring houses.  Colleen Taylor took the lead for the residents.  She gave a brief history of the area, saying that in the late 1960's or early 1970's there was an agreement between the residents along Eaver Street and Miller Avenue that allowed H.M. Miller to purchase a lot that was deemed "unbuildable" and then use it for storage of pipe.  The company erected a fence and planted trees to hide their operation from the neighbors, but over the years the trees died and the chain link fence failed to mask the area.  Just recently, the H.M. Miller Company experienced some thefts and tore out the remaining trees and fencing, and then replaced these with a six foot wooden fence.  This effort by the company has failed to meet its objectives, according to Mrs. Taylor.  H.M. Miller has always been considered one of the premier businesses in Suffield.  Trustee Jared Phillip said he would go the the company and hope that they would make some changes that would satisfy the residents.  When asked by Trustee Jeff Eldreth what would make the residents happy, Mrs. Taylor said that a higher fence and more large trees would be a great place to start.  She had also mentioned that the original agreement provided that the company would not start operations until 8:00 AM, but that they now start much earlier.  There seemed to be a consensus among the trustees and those present that any changes in landscaping or work hours would have to be on completely voluntary basis by the company.  Zoning Commission Chairman John Yeargin said that the Suffield Zoning Resolutions have little impact on the company's use of the property or hours of operation.  

In other business Fire Chief Robert Rasnick was congratulated by Trustee Jeff Eldreth for his forty years of township service, the last 35 as Fire Chief.  Chief Rasnick gave his monthly report in which he reported the department responding to 62 calls for service.  Oddly enough, none were mutual aid call outs.  The men and women of the department also had six continuing education courses and did one tanker shuttle drill with the Greentown Fire Department.   Rasnick reported that the Mogadore VFW has paid for five ballistic helmets to be used with the five ballistic vests purchased two years ago.  The bill for the helmets was $1,771.25, all paid for by the VFW.  The Trustees also voted to hire Tanner Baker as a new firefighter.  He will serve the usual one year probation.

In the absence of Road Foreman Pete Einloth, Trustee Jeff Eldreth asked the trustees to approve a purchase order for $10,000 to Seal Master for crack sealing.  He also asked for a purchase order for $2,500 to Municipal Sign for signs and barricades.  Both issues were passed by the board.  Two local township levies are up for renewal.  They are a one mill, five-year levy for the Road Department, and a 1.25 mill, five-year levy for Fire Department operations.  The trustees passed both measures to allow the Fiscal Officer to send these matters to the County Auditor.  Most likely at the next trustee meeting, the trustees will vote on putting the levies on the November ballot.  Again, these are renewal levies, not new tax dollars.

Trustee Jeff Eldreth, whose wife Shannon is responsible for changes to the electronic sign in front of the historic Town Hall, said that the public is welcome to call Shannon with requests to have information placed on the sign.  She can be reached at 330-807-0384.

The next trustee meeting is on Tuesday June 25th at 7:00 AM.  The Zoning Commission meets on Wednesday June 12th at 7:00 PM.  A public hearing on resolution changes and updates accumulated over the past two years will precede the regular business meeting.  No Board of Zoning Appeals hearings have been set.  Both meetings are in the Suffield Community Room at 1256 Waterloo Road.

In perhaps one of the quickest Suffield Board of Trustees meetings in modern times, the trustees spent 34 minutes transacting several matters of routine business.  Chief Bob Rasnick was on hand to ask the trustees to hire Christopher Hendershot.  They did so.  The Chief also asked for $6,500 to buy a new pump from Four Guys Fire Trucks to replace the pump on the tanker truck.  He said that during the yearly testing of equipment, the current pump had failed inspection.  The trustees voted to expend the money.  Road Department foreman Pete Einloth said that his department was doing ditch work and had begun mowing along the roadways.  They have already mowed the three township-owned cemeteries several times this season.  

Trustee Jared Phillip said that the elevation markers are in place at several locations around Wingfoot Lake and the surrounding ponds.  He said that water levels in the main pool of water are about six inches below the lake level as agreed to in a 1928 court case.  The ponds along Mishler road are two to seven inches higher than normal.  Three interested citizens attended the meeting.

The next trustee meeting will be Tuesday June 11 at 8:00 PM.  The Zoning Commission meets on Wednesday June 12th at 7:00 PM.  There are no Board of Zoning Appeals hearings scheduled.