Windham Twp. – Windham Township Trustees met for their regularly scheduled August meeting recently with all board members and fiscal officer present. The board approved the minutes from the regular July meeting and the emergency meeting as they were presented.
First item on the agenda was guest recognition. Lynnea St. John of the Bicentennial committee thanked the trustees for the use of the township Green for the Bicentennial Celebration held the last weekend in July. Residents in attendance also thanked the trustees and the Bicentennial Committee for a wonderful celebration. Speaking of thanks, the trustees would like to thank Pete Kepich of Kepich Ford for the use of their mustang convertible for the Bicentennial Parade.
Zoning inspector Rich Gano said there were several residents in attendance who would like to address a nuisance property located on Gotham Road. The residents wanted to know what the township was doing about the eyesore and what they (the residents) could do to speed the process along. Residents claim the empty mobile home is housing pets and lots of garbage and they want to see the land cleaned up. They also complained that eyesore is lowering their property values and is making it hard for those on the street who are trying to sell their homes. Chairman Dann Timmons said they were working with the prosecutor on the issue and had to follow the proper legal procedures; which unfortunately will not be a quick process. He told them to keep calling the authorities on the noise and pet issues. Some asked Timmons if they should contact the prosecutor’s office he said couldn’t hurt to apply a little pressure there as well. Another resident also complained about the junk aka farm equipment in the front lawn at Timmons’s Farm.
Dann explained that the so called junk was farm equipment that they use and right now the barns were full of hay and the fields had crops in them so the equipment was being stored in the yard until they are done using it for the season and until space opens up in one of the barns. Timmons noted that the situation was exempt from zoning because it is considered agricultural. The concerns that the resident had would be passed along to Adam Timmons who runs the farm. Residents also complained about the farm smells as well, again it was stated that there was nothing the trustees could do since agriculture is exempt from zoning. Gayle Pootz will be presenting zoning amendments to the board soon. Prior to making any zoning changes to the code the trustees will hold a public meeting on the issue.
Discussions were held about removing the old light poles from the township Green. Dann said he would draft a letter to the village addressing the issue.
Residents questioned the installation of the new doors on the town hall. They claim the doors were installed backwards and none of the new doors have panic hardware on them which many thought were a requirement for public buildings. The trustees will look into getting the problem solved. Following the board’s approval to pay the bills and wages the meeting was adjourned.
The trustees meet on the first Thursday of each month at 7pm at the township hall.
