Atwater
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) will be installing a roundabout at the intersection of state Route 224, state Route 225 and Alliance Road, the dividing line between Atwater and Deerfield townships.
“There have been a lot of different accidents there over the years,” township Trustee Thora Green said.
ODOT applied for and received safety funds of more than $4.5 million that will pay for installing the traffic circle. The roundabout is expected to be completed by fiscal year 2028.
“This is very important to our township because it’s been a very big safety concern, and finally something is going to be done to help alleviate that,” Green said. “The state feels the roundabout is the best way.”
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On Dec. 28, Atwater township trustees celebrated and thanked trustee John Kovacich, fiscal officer Linda Allen and fire chief Tom Nellis for their combined 52 years of service to the township. They all left their posts at the end of the year.
“Their knowledge and dedication are certainly going to be missed by the township,” Green said.
Dale Wylie, who replaced Kovacich, and Emily Lashley, Allen’s replacement, both started Jan. 1, while assistant fire chief Jason Brock has been appointed as the interim fire chief.
There will be an open house for Nellis’ retirement from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 8 at the Atwater Fire Department at 6570 Waterloo Rd. The public is invited to celebrate his 30 years of service with the department.
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The installation of the two-rail wooden fence around the perimeter of the Atwater Cemetery has been completed.
Suffield
Suffield held its fourth annual “Tour of Christmas Lights” over the holidays. There were 14 participants. The top five winners will receive a gift card. First place was awarded to the Kishton family at 1324 Saxe Rd. Second place was awarded to the Dennison family at 2409 Congress Lake Rd. The third-place winner was the Bennet family at 1435 Galaxy Cir. Fourth place was given to the Cooks family at 1239 Finley Rd. The fifth-place winner was the Richardson family at 1554 Suffield Oaks Ln. The Facebook page “Suffield Tour of Lights” is where people can find all of the 14 addresses.
“The top three winners were very close in terms of voting,” township Chair Jeff Eldreth said. “However, we like to think of this as more than a contest. It gives people a chance to drive through areas and on roads they may have never seen before.”
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The Suffield League’s annual “Christmas with Santa” was held Dec. 10 at the Town Hall. Santa Claus arrived on a fire truck, and the children had their pictures taken with him and then got to choose a toy. The Field High School choir performed for about 45 minutes beforehand.
“We had a really good turnout. It was good,” Eldreth said. “The Suffield League does a great job with it.”
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The township hired Ryan Evans as a new full-time firefighter. He started Jan. 1.
Mogadore
Mogadore held its eighth annual “Christmas in the Village” Dec. 9 on North Cleveland Avenue in the vicinity of Mogadore High School, the My Community Life Church, the police department/fire department, the municipal building and the Mogadore Branch Library.
There was a train ride as well as pictures with Santa Claus for the kids. The high school choir sang Christmas carols, and there was a tree lighting ceremony at the end. Newell Rubbermaid gave away thousands of plastic containers. My Community Life Church and Mogadore United Methodist Church provided coffee and snacks, and Mock Pools & Ponds provided hot dogs.
“It was a huge success,” Mayor Mike Rick said. “We had at least 2,000 people come through.”
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The village accepted a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for $150,000 to help complete the remainder of the walking path at Lions Community Park. The village will provide about $50,000 to the project.
“We’re putting in a half-mile loop walking trail at the back of the park,” Rick said. “We hope to have it completed by next summer.”
Randolph
Gail Pavliga, Randolph’s state representative, is working with the township to acquire a grant that would pay for new bathrooms at the township playground. The bathrooms would be handicap accessible.
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The ambulance that the township ordered three years ago has finally arrived.
