As the new year is progressing, Freedom Township has had an uneventful winter. Our township was well prepared for the weather; we have experienced NO shortage of road material. There have not been any major issues come up in the township. Our rental halls have been used on a regular basis and they have been a beneficial asset to the township. We are in hopes that the baseball fields will be used and the Community Park and Townhall Park will be utilized often this summer.
As many residents of Freedom are aware, the township has claimed the Drakesburg Public Square for over 100 years. During these years on maps and in historic documentation the Drakesburg Public Square has been considered part of the Freedom Township Public Property. Over many years the part of this “Square” (which is really not a square, but an L-shaped property), located on the northwest of S.R. 303/Nichols/S.R.88 corner cross road, has been utilized by the State of Ohio for road access. The northeast corner of the property is located butting up to the Kuntz property, and the southeast corner is located butting up to and including part of the Time Out property. At this time the trustees are considering the best situation of the property ownership and what would be the most beneficial for the township. Some of the options the trustees are considering is leasing two corners, selling two corners or retaining the property as is. The property known as Drakesburg Public Square is not large enough to be utilized for community use. The trustees are considering selling the sections that are abutting the Time Out and the Kuntz properties and retaining the “first right of purchase” if either property owner sells at a later time. The other option is to give leases for the property. No decision has been made at this time, but the trustees feel that the issue of the Drakesburg Public Square has been left in “limbo” for too many years.
Other events in the township have been the Moving Ohio Forward program to demolished abandoned properties. There have been two demolitions and the properties now make an improvement to the township.
After the long, harsh winter the Road Department will be extremely busy this spring to repair and maintain the roads to our township standards.
The township officials would like to extend a special invitation to the residents to take pride in our community and if possible your presence at the township meeting(s) would be very welcome. Every third Thursday we have meetings at 7:30 pm at the townhall and the first Thursday at 10 am. Your input, opinion and participation is more than welcome.
Submitted by Karen Martin, Fiscal Officer
