Jerome Township officials kicked off the new year with a largely new Board of Trustees.
During Tuesday’s organizational meeting, returning Trustee Megan Sloat welcomed new members Barry Adler and Wezlynn Davis.
The board voted unanimously to reappoint Sloat as chair for the year 2022. Davis will serve as vicechair.
Adler will serve as the baseball field lottery chair, overseeing the event during which rental dates for the baseball facilities are determined.
Davis will act as the cemetery sexton. Fiscal Officer Robert Caldwell said it is primarily an advisory role, as meeting with families at the cemetery to view lots and filling out associated paperwork is generally delegated to township employees.
The trustees also agreed to leave their regular meeting dates as the first and third Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. in the Township Hall, 9777 Industrial Parkway.
They noted that they will review fee schedules for the cemetery, zoning and rentals on Jan. 18.
Director of Departments Douglas Stewart said he and Administrative Assistant Debbie Bollinger are currently reviewing cemetery fees. He said they were last updated in 2016 and are outdated at this point.
Stewart noted that only township residents can purchase a lot in the cemetery.
He added that Zoning Inspector Eric Snowden will present a new zoning fee schedule at the upcoming meeting, as he could not be present during Tuesday’s meeting.
On the other hand, Stewart said he feels the rental fee schedule for the Township Hall is “pretty good.” The fees differ based on day of the week and are less expensive for township residents.
Though rental fees appear they will remain the same, the trustees decided to review all three fee schedules at the same time next meeting.
Following an executive session, the board also approved pay raises for township employees.
Full-time township employees, aside from those at the Jerome Township Division of Fire, who are on a separate contract, will receive a 4% increase in pay beginning the first pay period of the year.
Employees who are required to use their cell phones for work will also receive a $7 stipend per pay period.
The board also unanimously approved a motion to reappoint Jeanette Harrington to the Board of Zoning Appeals as an alternate, to a term ending on Dec. 31, 2023.
During the regular meeting following the organizational one, Stewart also updated the trustees regarding salt deliveries.
He said the township last year approved an order of 600 tons of salt to be delivered this year. The first delivery of 300 tons occurred this week and the second half will be delivered next week.
Stewart noted that the newly constructed salt barn, which has a capacity of 750 tons, can easily hold the full delivery this year plus a leftover 120 tons from last year.
He also noted that bids for the new fire station, commonly known as Station 211, will open to bidders Thursday. The township will open the bids received on Jan. 27.
The project was initially advertised in December, but all bids received exceeded the estimate by more than 10%.
Ohio Revised Code forbids the township from accepting a bid that is either 10% higher or lower than the estimate, meaning the project had to be rebid.