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Eleven people turned out on Tuesday evening to watch the Suffield Township Board of Trustees conduct business.  Trustee Jeff Eldreth motioned to award road materials contracts to H. Luli Construction Company for applied liquid asphalts, to Shelly Materials for limestone, to Central Allied for gravel, to Tallmadge Asphalt and Central Allied for asphalt and Arms Trucking for slag.  The motion carried unanimously .  He also reported that the Road Department was almost done with this year's crack sealing.  Eldreth said that the county is going to pave Mishler Road, Portage Line Road and part of Pontius Road this summer.  He said that the State of Ohio was moving forward with repaving of all of State Route 43 through Suffield and Brimfield, at a cost of $2,055,000.  This also will be done over the next several months.

Tom Calcei said that the fire truck that was wrecked last week when responding to a call would be out of service for about 30-45 days according to Fire Chief Bob Rasnick.  Calcei said that in the meantime, the insurance company has provided Suffield with a rental fire truck.  Calcei motioned to pay $1,200 for a street light at the intersection of Martin Road and Garner Drive.  The issue passed unanimously.  The street light will cost the township an additional $10.54 per month in electrical costs.

Trustee chairman Dave Vartenuk said that First Energy would be having a helicopter flying throughout the township to check power lines.  This will be happening at various times over the next six weeks.  He also mentioned that the Portage County Health Department is going to be placing mosquito traps in various locations in the county, including some in Suffield Township.  These canisters, which are about the size of a trashcan, are designed to catch mosquitoes in hopes learning if the Zika virus or West Nile virus is present in Portage County.  Each trap will have warning signs posted.

Some discussion was had on the property at 1560 Carriage House Drive.  This property is supposedly going to be up for "Sheriff's Sale" in the next several months.  Tom Calcei suggested that the township somehow warn potential buyers of the extensive work necessary to bring the house up to current building code standards.  It was suggested that persons interested in purchasing the property should contact Adam Bey, the zoning inspector, for pertinent information.

The trustees also changed the date of their next meeting.  The regularly scheduled meeting for Tuesday June 13th has been changed to Thursday June 8th at 8:00 PM.  The Zoning Commission will meet on Wednesday June 14th at 7:00 PM.  According to Zoning Inspector Adam Bey, there will be a Board of Zoning Appeals meeting concerning an accessory building, but no date has been set.

It was good to see everyone's good friend Ed Vincent back at the trustee meeting.

A larger than normal crowd of 17 people watched the Suffield Township Board of Trustees conduct mostly routine business.  In the crowd was Corky Powers Smeyak and Jim Albertoni, both of whom have been away for several months.  New to the trustee's meeting were Mr. and Mrs. Gary Sims, who took the sights and sounds as well.  Former trustees Ron Mishler and Dave Polen were also in the audience (Jim Albertoni is also a former trustee).

The first order of business was to hear Fiscal Officer Lori Calcei report that the Bureau of Workers Compensation would be raising the township's fees from about $9,700 for the 2017 fiscal year to $15,858 for the year 2018.  Lori Calcei reported that the speed limit would be lowered to 35 MPH on Saxe Road from Mogadore Road to Martin Road.  This comes after a request from Brimfield Township was approved by the County Engineer's Office. Trustee Tom Calcei motioned to re-hire Kyle Knapp as a part-time firefighter.  This was on the request of Fire Chief Robert Rasnick. 

Trustee Jeff Eldreth said that Road Department had widened Trares Road in the area known as Snake Hill in preparation for chip & sealing there.  He also said that the Road Department was beginning its first roadside mowing of the year.  Trustee Chairman Dave Vartenuk said that the Zoning Commission would meet on Wednesday May 10th at 7:00 PM.  He also said that the property at 1560 Carriage House Drive is to be auctioned at "Sheriff's Sale", which is yet to be scheduled.  This is a new wrinkle in this ongoing drama.  Two weeks ago the trustees believed that they were ready for public hearings to condemn the house and proceed with demolition, but the day after the last trustee's meeting, the county prosecutor who handles township legal matters, Chris Meduri, told Suffield to put on hold any further actions until at least after this new "Sheriff's Sale".  A Congress Lake Road resident and his neighbor discussed with the trustees a problem with run-off water.  They were ultimately referred to the Portage County Soil and Water District for possible resolution.

The trustees acknowledged the fast approaching Memorial Day Parade to be held on Monday May 29th at 2:00 PM in beautiful downtown Suffield.  Trustee Tom Calcei, who also presides over the Suffield League, said that they are looking for more persons to be in the parade.  It was also mentioned that the Suffield Historical Society has as their speaker the current Fire Chief Bob Rasnick, who will provide a lot of facts, photos and information about the Fire Department, which celebrates its 75th Anniversary this year.  That meeting is in the Community Room of the Fire House on Monday May 15th at 7:00 PM.

The Suffield Township Board of Trustees next meet on Tuesday May 23rd at 8:00 PM.  The Zoning Commission will meet on Wednesday May 10th at 7:00 PM.  There are no Board of Zoning Appeals hearings set.

Huge Crowd Witnesses Parade

Wayland Ritzman of the Suffield Township Historical Society

Suffield Little Monsters

(See more photos of Parade in the General Photos folder, pages 18-22)

The Annual Memorial Day Parade kicked off at 2:00 PM.    Local legend Terry Ginn, along with Steve Jones and Stan Piatt, did the announcing this year.  This year's Grand Marshal was 46-year Suffield resident Jim Trout, president of the Acme Fresh Market Stores.  Trout was a long-time president of the Suffield Jaycees, which later became the Suffield League.  Once again the parade was sponsored by the Suffield League.  

This year's Grand Marshal Jim Trout has been a Suffield Resident for 46 years and is a 1975 graduate of Field High School.  He and his wife Debbie have two children, Jennifer and Jeffery, who both attended Suffield Elementary and also graduated from Field High School.  Jim believes that Suffield is the best community anywhere to raise a family.   Jim is currently the President of Acme Fresh Market stores and has 44 years’ service which started with him packing groceries at age 16 at the Ellet store.   Jim is a past President of the Suffield Jaycees, coached Suffield Baseball for 12 years and is a member of St. Joseph Parish.  Jim loves golf and spending time with his four grandchildren Madalyn, Landon, Ella, and Cooper.   He and his wife Debbie also support our community with three college scholarships yearly for Field High School graduating seniors funded through the Acme Scholarship Fund.  Oddly enough, his next door neighbor Jack Evans was last years Grand Marshal.

On Monday, prior to the parade, the Suffield Lions Club and Boy Scout Troop #267 teamed up to present the 21st Annual Pancake Breakfast at the historical Town Hall.  The Suffield Township Historical Society sold hot dogs and pop from about 1:00 PM until after the parade.

Important to everyone is the critical supply of blood.  On Tuesday May 30th, the Suffield Township Fire Department is hosting the American Red Cross's Blood Drive at the Fire House Community Room from 1:00 PM until 6:00 PM.

And something new this year is an event on Friday June 2nd.  The Suffield Lions Club is presenting the family movie "The Jungle Book" in an outdoor showing at 8:30 PM at the Lions Park, which is located next to the Suffield Elementary School.  This was planned for last fall, but weather caused a cancelation.  This year, if rain spoils the evening, the movie will still be shown, but at the Town Hall.  You are encouraged to bring a chair, blanket and your whole family to enjoy the evening.  Refreshments will be provided.  Any questions, please call Dan Kuntzman at 699-6856.

Chief Robert Rasnick, who has been a member of the Suffield Township Fire Department for about half of its existence, will be the speaker at the Suffield Township Historical Society's meeting on Monday May 15th at 7:00 PM.   The meeting, which will be in the Community Room of the Fire House, is the last in the "Speaker's Series" of talks until next September.  A short business meeting will take place before the Fire Chief's presentation.  As always, light refreshments will be available.

Bob Rasnick has been the Fire Chief since May 1, 1984 and a member of the department since June 26,1979.  His presentation will feature facts on the department's history as well as photos and stories, some of which have never surfaced before.  During the seventy-five year history of the Fire Department, there have been six fire chiefs, approximately 250 firefighters and three different fire houses.