At the February 16 meeting, the Springfield Township trustees received the monthly police activity report for January from Lieutenant John Leach of the Lucas County sheriff’s office.
The lieutenant also presented results of additional patrols conducted over the Christmas season in the retail corridor of Airport Highway from Holland-Sylvania to Holloway roads.
“I believe it was very successful,” he said. “We made a lot more arrests.”
“It was definitely worthwhile to do that,” Trustee Bob Bethel noted.
Looking toward the future, Lt. Leach said the department will be increasing traffic patrols over St. Patrick’s Day. The holiday blitz is paid for using a traffic grant, he explained.
And more recently, sheriff’s deputies had a busy morning on February 16 responding to issues from the storm which dumped more than 12 inches of snow on northwest Ohio.
“You would think with the level three [emergency] that people would have stayed home,” Mr. Bethel said.
Lt. Leach believes a number of people were either returning home after working third shift or heading to work for the first shift.
Administrator Mike Hampton also spoke briefly on a proposed contract with the sheriff’s department. “There was some language inserted that we had removed,” he explained, noting they are waiting for the sheriff to sign and return the document.
Other Business
In other business, the trustees:
•Discussed a proposed ODOT safety project at Airport Highway, McCord Road and Spring Valley Drive. The proposal is to eliminate the left turn lane onto Spring Valley Drive from northbound McCord. Retailers in the plaza where Subway is located are concerned about its impact on their businesses, Mr. Hampton said.
To access the plaza would require northbound McCord traffic to use the roundabout to southbound McCord or drive further west on Airport Highway and turn right onto Spring Valley.
ODOT is considering the change in response to crashes at the McCord intersection, Mr. Hampton explained, adding that the intersection is listed on their top 25 crashes.
•Commended the public services department for efforts clearing snow after an unusually heavy snow storm buried the township in a blanket of white and winds caused drifts measured in feet.
Excluding the February 15-16 storm, Andy Hohlbein, public services director, said they have used 11,225 gallons of brine and 380 tons of rock salt so far this winter.
•Contracted with Progressive Sweep to conduct two cleanings of township roads in 2021 at a cost of $8,000 per sweep.
•Heard from Mr. Hohlbein that the township will receive a stormwater utility reimbursement of $39,375.
•Announced that there were three burials this past month. “It was slow,” said Mr. Hohlbein, cemetery sexton.
“That’s not a bad thing,” Trustee Andy Glenn said, noting the past year has been busy with COVID-19.
•Awarded the Ohio Public Works Commission road projects this year to Gerken Paving for $717,851. The company will be working in Lincoln Green subdivision north of Lincoln Green and Salisbury roads.
•Heard from Mr. Hampton that the township had a risk management walk-through for its 2021 property and casualty insurance renewal. “There were no recommendations to do anything different at this time,” he said, adding, “That was good news.”
•Learned that work is progressing on the kitchen remodel in the township hall. Mr. Hohlbein said the kitchen was outdated. “We gutted it and are redoing it.”
•Certified township road miles for 2020 at 74.084. The township added 0.2 miles– 0.08, Old Centennial Road, and 0.12, Honey Crisp Court.
•Paid bills for February 3 to 17 of $122,212, including $69,854 to Northwest Ohio Advanced Energy Improvement District for energy improvements to township facilities; $28,134 to Sutphen Corporation for repair of a fire truck, and $12,185 to Compass Minerals America Inc. for rock salt.
They also paid electronic payments from January 29 to February 11 of $387,532 which includes the bi-weekly payroll of $269,923 and elected officials pay of $9,506.
•Met in executive session for one hour to consider the employment of a public employee and compensation, but took no action.
The next trustees meeting will be at 5 p.m., Monday, March 1 in the township hall, 7617 Angola Road. The meeting is open to the public, and social distancing protocols will be followed. Residents also may view the meeting via a livestream on the township website, spring fieldtownship. net.
