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Early on a beautiful spring-like morning the Suffield Township Board of Trustees met to discuss business and pay the bills.  Also on hand was Becky Lehman and several others from the Portage County Health Department, pitching the upcoming countywide health levy and reminding the township that low interest loans for failing septic systems are available again this year.  Bob Rasnick, the Fire Chief, gave his report and all is well at the Fire Department.  He said that they had an unusually high volume of calls (75) in January.  They also had six training sessions and that he has applied for FEMA grants for a new pumper truck and firefighter turnout gear. 

Road Superintendent Scott McBroom also reported on road happenings.  Full-time road department employee Tim Fox has left the department, necessitating the search for a replacement. McBroom also said they had problems with water on the roadway in several locations, due largely to heavy rains and the warm temperature that quickly melted away the last snow falls.  This flooding occurred on Manning, Palm, Congress Lake  and Trares Roads.  

Adam Bey, Zoning Inspector, reported that the Zoning Commission was well on its way to rewriting the Suffield Township Land Use Manual.  As part of this procedure, input from the community is both requested and appreciated.  Beginning on March 1st, the township is looking for residents to complete a survey that will help the Zoning Commission to understand how the residents would like to see the community unfold in the next twenty year cycle.  An online survey will be up and running on Thursday March 1st.  A link to that site will posted on this website and well as several of the local newspapers.  For those who would prefer doing the survey the old-fashioned-way, copies of the survey will be available at the Fire Department or by contacting Adam Bey.  The duration of the surveying will be through the end of March.  The survey is quick and easy, only twenty multiple choice questions. 

Some discussion was had on the water level of Wingfoot Lake and how to get the railroad, the Wingfoot Lake State Park administration and the Portage County Health Department all on the same page, so that the water level of the lake is maintained in order to prevent flooding in the southwestern portion of the township.  Trustee Jared Phillip noted that this has been a yearly problem and seems to go away as summer arrives and people tend to forget the spring flooding.  He said that he helped to clear out a drainage ditch along Mishler Road, just south of Spring Valley Drive, but other work is necessary, and determining the level of the lake, and keeping it at an acceptable level is equally important to solving the yearly water problem.

The next trustee meeting will be on Tuesday March 13th at 8:00 PM in the Suffield Community Center, 1256 Waterloo Road.  The Zoning Commission meets at 7:00 PM on Wednesday March 14th.  There are no Board of Zoning Appeals hearings scheduled.     

Early in the morning on Tuesday January 23rd the Suffield Board of Trustees met before an unusually large crowd of fourteen concerned citizens.  Among the crowd were six firefighters.  The meeting started off with Road Superintendent Scott McBroom reporting on what his department had been doing for the past month.  Predictably, he told of their efforts to keep the roads clear of snow and ice. He also reported that they have used a "little more than half their quota of salt" for this year.

Fire Chief Robert Rasnick reported that they had responded to 62 calls for service in December and had ended 2017 with a total of 746 calls, up from 743 call in 2016. He also reported that the department's 2012 ambulance was now back and in service after some body work to remove rust and be repainted.  Rasnick said that the warranty work was done by Horton Manufacturing and that they did the repair and painting at no cost to the township.  The cost of renting an ambulance to use while this work was done will be paid out of fees collected from insurance companies for hospital runs, thus no real out-of-pocket expenses to the township.  He also asked the trustees to accept the resignations of two of his valued firefighters, Randy Porter and Chris Dinkins.   

The Chief asked the trustees for $7,000 to purchase five new ballistic vests for EMS responders to wear when they respond to calls where violence is likely.  Rasnick turned to EMS Coordinator Tim Hinkle to explain the need for vests and further explanations to the trustees.  After some discussion Tom Calcei motioned that the trustees expend $7,000 to buy the vests from Southeastern Emergency Equipment.  Jared Phillip seconded the motion and all three trustees voted to spend the money.

A short discussion was again had on the Carriage House Lane situation.  This is moving ahead as planned.  Zoning Inspector Adam Bey said that he hoped a "walk through" of the house at 1560 Carriage House Lane could be done sometime next week, but admitted it was hard to coordinate schedules of the four departments involved, plus the new property owner.  In zoning matters, the trustees appointed Adam Bey as the primary representative for Suffield Township to the Portage County Regional Planning Commission and Dave Vartenuk as the alternate representative. 

Some discussion was had on the use of our now closed cemeteries.  While no grave sites are available, the trustees are going to have to determine a policy on allowing the burial of cremation urns in plots where a casket is already interred.  They agreed that a new policy on cemetery use is needed and plan to work on that in the very near future.

Also on the table for discussion was the proposed new signage for the Suffield Community Center.  Trustee Jared Phillip has been working with sign maker Graphic Detail, Inc of Brimfield to design signs and graphics for the building and the driveway entrances from both Waterloo Road and State Route 43.  Of particular interest to the assembled crowd was a circular sign that some feel is destined to become the "seal" for Suffield.  To the left is this "seal", which incorporates the idea of community, giving attention to the Field Schools, the local farming industry and Suffield's blimp heritage. As stated, this is just a proposal that will be further discussed in the near future.

The trustees next meet on Tuesday February 13th at 8:00 PM in the Suffield Community Center.  The Zoning Commission continues its work on the new Land Use Plan on Wednesday February 14th at 7:00 PM.  There are no Board of Zoning Appeals hearing scheduled.

On Tuesday February 13th the Suffield Board of Trustees met before a crowd of ten residents.  Mostly routine matters were discussed or acted upon.  They accepted a one dollar check from the Suffield Township Historical Society for use of the township's original Fire Station, which now houses the Historical Museum.  Trustee Chairman Tom Calcei also read a letter from Historical Society president Judy Calcei in which she thanked the trustees for their continued support and spoke of improvements that the history group has made to the building in the past year.

Trustee Jeff Eldreth asked that Edwin Hanna III be hired as the new year-round part time employee for the Road Department.  Plans are still in the works to hire a part timer for summer work.  No one has been chosen for that position.  Trustee Jared Phillip was absent, but Tom Calcei and Jeff Eldreth voted to hire Hanna.  Tom Calcei said that the fight for more Local Government Funds from the State of Ohio is still ongoing.  He and Fiscal Officer Lori Calcei will be meeting with the Portage County Budget Commission to outline Suffield's financial situation.  This will play a part in the Commission's decision on how to divvy up the tax money to the local county subdivisions.

The new owner of the derelict property at 1560 Carriage House Drive is moving forward with his quest to rescue that house from the wrecking ball.  The owner has an engineer working on new drawings and, according to Zoning Inspector Adam Bey, will be applying for a county building permit in the very near future.  Bernie Trares, a neighbor to the house, said that the new owner has started some improvement, such as mowing the property.

Jeff Eldreth said that a representative of the Portage County Health Department asked to speak at the next trustee meeting.  The trustees also voted to reduce load limits on township roads by 35%, which is a yearly procedure.  Eldreth said that he had attended a meeting with other township officials and the County Engineer Mickey Marozzi.  He felt the meeting went well and more meetings are planned.  Some discussion was had on the status of the township cemeteries.  While no firm decision was adopted at this meeting, the trustees appear to be headed to making a formal resolution that would bar any further burials in any the the three township-owned cemeteries.  In the crowd was former trustee Ron Mishler, who recalled that in about 1997 during his 14-year tenure as trustee, the trustees had closed the cemeteries to further burials, but Mishler could not recall if a formal resolution was made at the time.  Trustee Tom Calcei said that he would confer with the county prosecutor on this matter before any further action was taken.  

The next trustee meeting will be on Tuesday February 27th at 7:00 AM.  The Zoning Commission will meet on Wednesday February 14th at 7:00 PM.  No Board of Zoning Appeals meetings are scheduled.

The New Year came blowing into Suffield like a lion a couple weeks ago. Some of the coldness in the air abated, but some of the chilling effects of the past week persisted as the Suffield Township Board of Trustees met on January 9th before a crowd of about twelve.  Mark Russell of the Ellerhorst & Russell Insurance came to the meeting to provide trustees with information on this year's casualty insurance.  The trustees voted to reduce the speed limit on Rhodes Avenue from 55 MPH to 25 MPH.  This vote followed permission from the county and was enacted after a suggestion from Suffield Elementary principal Shawn Bookman.  The speed limit change affects Rhodes Avenue from Waterloo Road to State Route 224.

Since the move of township meetings at the beginning of December 2017 from the old Administration Building to the present location, a question has arisen on what exactly to call the new location.  For several years, this meeting room was known as the Fire House Community Room.  It appears that the new name of the meeting hall will be the "Suffield Community Room".  With this in mind, the trustees have embarked on a project to put up new signs on both State Route 43 and Waterloo Road to direct persons to this location.  Of course, this same location is also the new home to the offices of the Fiscal Officer and the Zoning Inspector, thus another bridge to be crossed.  Thus, how should the signs on the building be worded so that people would know that the community room and the administrative offices are within the same building.  While no final decision was accorded this date, the trustees plan to have sign-maker Craig Lemasters come to a trustee meeting next month to discuss what types of signs are available.  They will then decide on the exact verbiage to be used.

The Trustees next meet on Tuesday January 23rd at 7:00 AM.  The Zoning Commission meets on Wednesday January 10th at 7:00 PM for its Re-Organizational Meeting and its regular meeting.  No Board of Zoning Appeals hearings are scheduled.