Regular scheduled Richfield Township Board of Trustees meeting was called to order at 8:00 p.m.

Roll Call: Trustees - Robert Hooper, Shano Cica-Mraz and Robert Luther
Clerk / Treasurer - Mark Uhrich

Others present: Laurie Gilmore - Office Administrator; Laurie Pinney – Zoning Inspector, Chief Arbogast
Road Foreman – Jerry Schall

Mr. Hooper made a motion to approve as amended the September 10th special meeting, September 10th Public Hearing and August 27th Regular meeting minutes, seconded by Ms. Cica-Mraz, motion carried unanimously.

Mr. Hooper made a motion to approve warrant report 6316 to 6348, seconded by Ms. Cica-Mraz, motion carried unanimously.

Ms. Mraz made a motion to hire Mr. Don Titko at $35.00 an hour, not to exceed 20 hours, plus incidentals to assist the Clerk with OTAS related issues, seconded by Mr. Hooper, motion carried unanimously.

Ms. Mraz made a motion to pay the Police uniform stipend in September, seconded by Mr. Hooper, Mr. Luther – No, Ms. Mraz – Yes, Mr. Hooper – Yes, motion carried by majority.

Summit Count Engineer, Mr. Gene Esser, spoke: He reviewed maintenance activity and the status of current and future projects. Salt pricing this year will be $30.45 a ton. Wheatley Road will be “moved” out away from the landslide hazard area. Traffic data studies on Boston Mills, Columbia, Medina Line, Dewey Roads are complete and we are in the process of analyzing this data. This process, including time at ODOT, could take one year. Columbia and Black roads will go under a cement stabilization and a double chip and seal. Columbia Road will be widened up to 20 feet. Tentative schedule for 2002: Revere Road resurfacing and Medina Line from Route 303 to Bath Road. Summit County may purchase the Boston Mills Road Armory for the counties northern most outpost. We utilize a scan system for weather related road conditions, we intend to put this information on our web page so that your service department may use this information.

Chief Arbogast: The drug forfeiture money that the Village of Richfield owes Richfield Township might be used as a credit towards our first contract payment.

Ms. Mraz made a motion to hire Chief Arbogast for $17.00 an hour not to exceed ten hours a week for two weeks staring October 1, for Grant documentation and finalization, seconded by Mr. Hooper: Ms. Mraz – Yes, Mr. Luther – No, Mr. Hooper – Yes, motion carried by majority.

Mr. Schall – Service: We are finished with chip and seal on Oviatt and Whitehorn roads. Mr. Luther made a motion to hire and accept Genie’s bid for installation of four overhead doors and framing of all five bays with a man door in the fifth bay, seconded by Ms. Mraz, motion carried unanimously.

Mr. Luther made a motion for Mr. Schall and Phil Hrusch to attend for a half-day a construction expo, seconded by Ms. Mraz, motion carried unanimously.

The engine in the Chipper is not functioning. I have contacted the dealer and we have a free loaner to finish up this year. Also, I requested a brand new Chipper since this one has only 40 engine hours and Richfield Township will not be using the chipper until next year.

Ms. Pinney- Zoning: Ms. Mraz made a motion to approve payment of $450.00 for six zoning officials to attend a zoning workshop, motion seconded by Mr. Hooper, motion carried unanimously.

Would like to add a fee for right-of-way inspections preformed by Richfield Township as this fee is not supported by the current Zoning Code. Ms. Mraz would like to research this issue before making a resolution to adopt this fee. However, the fee should be removed from the fee schedule. Ms. Mraz made a motion to remove the fee from the current zoning fee schedule, seconded by Mr. Hooper, motion carried unanimously.

Other issues were discussed per Ms. Pinney’s memo, see following page. A resident requested a family burial plot on their property. Ms. Mraz would like to review this request with a Land Use attorney to ensure the Richfield Township is not “stuck” with future responsibility of maintenace.

Ms. Mraz made a motion to donate up to $250.00 in supplies for Jonathan Ciolkevich’s Eagle Scout project for Richfield Woods, that will be coordinated by Mr. Schall and Ms. Pinney, seconded by Mr. Hooper, motion carried unanimously.

Ms. Gilmore – Office Administrator: One more session left in Jan’s web-site training. Richfield Township web has had over 12,000 hits over the last three months. Fellowship Hall painting is completed. Frank Gates company recommend that Richfield Township settle the Officer Higham worker’s compensation case.

Mr. Hooper made a motion to settle the case for up to $5,000.00, seconded by Ms. Mraz, motion carried unanimously.

Ms. Mraz: All Police officers were sworn in today and serve with a dual commission until October 1, 2001.

So that the Richfield Township officers and families are adequately covered for health insurance in the month October, Ms. Mraz made a motion for Richfield Township to pay the October medical insurance premiums for the Richfield Township officers, seconded by Mr. Hooper, Ms. Mraz – Yes, Mr. Hooper – Yes, Mr. Luther – No; motion carried by majority.

Ms. Mraz reported on the Allegra Concrete Committee: OSHA requires audible signals and would not allow a light system, a third party should be used to document these noises or use a monitoring device, there appears to be little chance for remedy of the noises. We need to pursue a sound wall. In discussion with Allega, they will not be able to start-up operations in 2002 unless a sound wall is installed.

Resolution 23-2001 is tabled.

Public Forum:

Rich Fleming, 2708 Columbia, We should stop paying taxes in October, November and December, on the tax levy. What is going to happen to the money that is collected? Why can’t the Village pay for the officers October medical insurance premiums? Why would Richfield Township pay for a monitoring device at Allega, if we have no recourse through zoning codes?

Ms. Mraz responded – We need to establish a base line measurement for noises that can be compared to a measurement after a sound wall is installed. The Village has a 30 day waiting period before any employee is covered for medical insurance, therefore, we need to make sure these officers are taken care of for the month of October.

Mr. Charlie Easton, The Chief stated we would probably have to pay back $180,000.00 in grant money, is this the case?

Ms. Mraz – No, based on Mr. Pete Borges, U.S. Department of Justice, we will not have to pay any grant money back. The Chief has to gather some information and complete and submit some forms. (See following summary page – COPS GRANTS)

Mr. Schmidt, Wheatley Road, are our officers using over-time to learn the Village streets. Response – No.

Noel Schriver, doubted that Allega would comply with Richfield Township requests. Ms. Mraz stated that the Courts have injunctive authority over Allega.

Mr. Hooper made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 10:20 p.m., seconded by Ms. Mraz, motion carried unanimously.

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Chairman Clerk