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.
