Freedom Township Trustees
Dec. 21, 2023
7 p.m.
Attendance
Jeff Derthick Chair
Charlene Walker Trustee
Tom Mesaros Trustee
Mary Schaefer Assistant Fiscal Officer
Tony VanSteenberg Road Supervisor
Matt Ord Zoning
Documenter’s Notes
Chair Jeff Derthick called the meeting to order at 7 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Minutes were approved from the trustee meeting held Nov. 16, 2023. Neither of the scheduled speakers for Public Comment attended the meeting. Derthick advised the board that baseball season is approaching and requests to use the field on State Route 700 would be accumulating in the coming months.
Zoning
Inspector Matt Ord reported an accessory building permit in November. For December, Ord reported a permit for an addition on Hankee Road and an ag exemption for a high tunnel on State Route 303. There was a brief discussion about a potential EV station.
Roads
Supervisor Tony VanSteenberg reported that all summer and fall decorations had been removed from the cemetery, and he reported one conventional burial. The picnic tables had been sanded and sealed. The trustees approved an expenditure to repair the shift selector on the Kodiak which VanSteenberg is repairing for auction. The board was presented quotes to purchase a mini-excavator. Striping was done on Asbury Road on Dec. 22.
Board Reports
Fire: The fire chief was ill and did not attend the meeting. Trustee Tom Mesaros reported that the fire department had responded to 22 calls the previous month. The department had also applied for a pair of grants.
EMS: Call volume is up. Over the last year, the EMS chief has brought in over $131,000 in grants.
Zoning Commission: The two expiring members were reappointed. Alternate Laura Esposito was appointed to the board of zoning appeals. Esposito replaced Dave Bultinck, whose term expired at the end of 2023.
Fiscal Officer
Fiscal Officer Jennifer Derthick was unable to attend the meeting after recently suffering two heart attacks. Derthick reported hiring two assistants to serve in her stead at the rate of $20 per hour. Acting Fiscal Officer Mary Schaefer presented purchase orders in the amount of $9,567 and expenditures in the amount of $23,274; the trustees approved the transactions. Schaefer also presented three invoices from Harner Plumbing for the rental house; these were approved for payment. Temporary appropriations were made for 2024. The trustees agreed to accept the NOPEC Community Event Sponsorship grant in the amount of $1,000.
Unfinished Business
There were no updates on the park project, but Trustee Charlene Walker has a meeting scheduled in January. Chair Jeff Derthick reported a pre-construction meeting the previous day and set a projected start date of Monday, Jan. 8 for improvements to the schoolhouse, funded by a CBDG grant. The trustees voted to accept the resignation of Tony VanSteenberg effective Dec. 31, 2023. They then voted to rehire VanSteenberg on Jan. 1, 2024 with life insurance benefits but without health, vision or dental insurance.
New/Miscellaneous Business
The health department requested information regarding catchment basins. The trustees briefly discussed the newly passed legislation on adult-use marijuana. The issue will be revisited in January. Spectrum was awarded the contract to improve infrastructure throughout Portage County. A Spectrum representative has tentatively scheduled a county-wide meeting for 1 p.m. Jan. 18. Jeff Derthick recommended the group submit its priorities for chipping and sealing in 2024.
The meeting adjourned at 7:43 p.m.
