Mantua Twp. – At their last meeting, Matthew Benner was sworn in as trustee to fulfill the seat left vacant by the passing of long-time Trustee Victor Grimm. Mr. Benner is no stranger to public service, having served for 30 years as Fire Chief, a position he retired from in 2008. Having interest in the Township and the historic significance of this 25-square-mile community, he’s looking forward to serving residents in this new capacity.
On behalf of Brian Tayerle of the Road Department, trustees discussed the purchase of a hot water pressure washer to clean salt from the township’s equipment. Trustees weighed the cost of an electric model with an estimated cost of $4,500 versus a gas-powered model at roughly $6,300. According to Trustee John Festa, the benefits outweigh the cost, since the tool will help make the township’s equipment last longer.
Next, Trustee Jason Carlton informed trustees that a martial arts school has expressed interest in renting space in the Center School building for several months. He noted that classes would be held several evenings per week, similar to the agreement the township made with Candance Academy. After some discussion, it was determined that the Fiscal Officer would pull receipts to determine the rate charged to the former tenant.
This prompted a brief discussion necessitating a review of the township’s fee schedules for building rental. Trustee Carton voiced his opinion that the fee should be based on the size of the gathering, not the type of function. He provided an example that for one type of function, a resident would pay $50 to rent the facility, but is required to provide a $200 security deposit and key fee. Trustee Matt Benner will familiarize himself with the fee schedules prior to a more in-depth discussion at a later date.
In other township business, Trustee Carlton noted that a large portion of a tree removed from West Lawn Cemetery has been set aside. He proposed that since trustees are in need of a table, that the wood be taken to Redgate Sawmill in Shalersville. He proposed that two-inch slabs be milled and kiln-dried at a cost of no more than $300; those slabs would be used to build a table for township use. In similar news, it was determined that the Cemetery Committee and Garden Club should make recommendations of native tree species to replace seven trees that have recently been removed.
Later, Lynne Harvey requested clarification on the terms of members of the Zoning Commission. She noted that Phil Derthick’s term expires in 2020, Roger Hurd’s term expires in 2021, Nick Elhert’s term expires in 2022, and her own term expires in 2023. She noted that the fifth seat remains unfilled. She also shared that Dave Pollard and MaryEllen Derthick were appointed as alternates, but was unclear as to whether each appointment was for a term of one or two years.
In other news, Trustee Carlton noted that installation of the elevator at the Center School has been completed. He noted that both he and members of the road crew tested it. Unfortunately, the next day, an alarm sounded, drawing attention to a communications issue. The township is working to rectify the issue. In similar news, Trustee John Festa noted that recommendations for repairs of the boilers at the Center School will be forthcoming. This prompted discussion during the Public Comment portion of the meeting from both supporters of the building’s restoration and from those who oppose it.
Lastly, Trustees have set this year’s Spring Clean Up Day on Saturday, May 2nd
