The-Press-News.com - Osnaburg Trustees donate funds to Robertsville VFD

By DONNA ROBINSION

The Press-News

OSNABURG TWP. -- During a regular meeting on Monday night, the board of trustees approved a donation of $5,000 to the Robertsville Volunteer Fire Department.

Dave Archer, a representative of the department, attended the meeting to ask the trustees for the yearly donation of $7,500, to help the all-volunteer department. Archer and the trustees noted Osnaburg Township residents, who live near Robertsville, are often served by the Robertsville Fire Department, which is closer to them.

However, Osnaburg Fire Chief Dan Adams commented with the economy the way it is, the township may need that money for its own residents and department. Trustee Steve Fetterman, pointed out other fire departments, which provide mutual aid, are not given funding, and Osnaburg's department does not receive funding from other areas that it helps. Fetterman asked how many runs Robertsville Fire Department made in Osnaburg Township, and Archer answered, in the last quarter, Robertsville made 13 runs in the township. It was also added that Robertsville residents pay half of their taxes to Osnaburg Township and the other half to Paris Township.

Trustee Dick Pero made a motion to donate $7,500 to the Robertsville Fire Department. However, when a vote was taken, Pero was the only one of the three trustees to vote yes. Trustee Donna Middaugh then made a motion to donate a lower amount of $5,000 to Robertsville, which was approved with Fetterman casting the lone dissenting vote.

The trustees also heard that Robertsville uses "soft billing" for service calls, which basically bills the residents for what their insurance will cover.

In another matter, the trustees discussed a zoning amendment on the use of Wind Energy Conversion Systems. WECS was described as a machine consisting of one wind turbine or windmill, one tower and associated control or conversion electronics. The machine is intended to reduce on-site consumption of utility power. The turbine or windmill may be on a horizontal or vertical axis, rotor or propeller.

The amendment, which passed, set guidelines for the use of WECS as an accessory to a principal use within rural residential and light industrial districts. Guidelines included the following: placing WECS towers at a density of no greater than one per five acres; no WECS in front yards and a maximum height of 100 feet measured from the natural grade surrounding the support pad. To learn more of the regulations, contact the township office.

During the fire report chief Adams advised of the following: Truck 248 is being repaired by C&B Body Shop, and the price quoted for the repair would not be more then $250; Karleigh Bath will become a member of the fire department in July when she turns 18; firefighter Jeff Beltz is resigning from the department due to an injury. Activities by department for the last month were: four basic life calls, seven advanced life calls, two fire calls, one medic assist with Canton Township and one mutual aid with Louisville.

Road superintendent Aaron Saurer reported he is trying to complete all the bank mowing and is finishing the ditch cleaning on Circlevale. He said a sign on Orchardview is still showing Argyle, and this should be corrected in a couple weeks. He also reported only one bid, which was from Lycle Construction of Wooster, was received for resurfacing Parks Avenue. The bid was for $169.000. Paris Township and Osnaburg Township received matching money from a government grant for the project. The trustees accepted the bid.

Trustee Donna Middaugh presented the zoning report, in which she said the zoning inspector had received three permits for building construction, which totaled $405. The property at 3491 Indian Run, which has a motor home on it, has a hearing set for July 13 to discuss its condition. Middaugh said a building is being constructed on Lisbon Street without permits .

In other business, the trustees:

* APPROVED a zoning amendment concerning the operation times of township businesses;

* APPROVED a hike in insurance premiums for township employees from $1,200 monthly to $13,050; the insurance covers health, dental, vision and prescriptions.

The next regular meeting will be Monday, July 13, 7:30 p.m.