Date of Meeting: 8/23/2022
Format: In-person
Meeting Summary:
PUBLIC COMMENT
A representative of the Twin Lakes Association expressed gratitude on behalf of Twin Lakes residents for the nice job paving Sylvan Drive and asked that a damaged section of Greenwood Ave. near the Myrna/Birkner intersection be looked at by the road department.
A Brady Lake area resident asked the board of leaf pickup zones would be rotated this year as has been done in the past. Mr. Swan responded yes. Each zone would be scooted down one week (last zone picked up last year would move to first picked up this year, 1st zone picked up last year would move to 2nd, etc. Mr. Lehman also expressed gratitude to the road crew for continued good work and to Mr. Swan for the follow-up information provided regarding the railroad/bridge repair and closure on Ravenna Road.
ROAD REPORT
Submitted as written by Dave Akerley and is attached to the official record. After a discussion about the chipper that has been in for diagnostics and repair since early July, the trustees asked Mr. Akerley to go ahead and get a second opinion from a contact he has in Mantua about the repairs quoted by KTS Equipment.
ZONING REPORT
Submitted as written by Joe Ciccozzi and is attached to the official record. Additionally, Mr. Ciccozzi reported that he was contacted by a Brady Lake resident requesting to have and repurpose the old posts that held the Welcome to Brady Lake signs. The board unanimously agreed that giving away township-owned property was not in the best interest of the township.
FIRE UPDATE
Richard Smith updated the board on the status of street signs in the Germaine Reserve – they are up. Also, two propane tanks that have been sitting on the Germaine site have been removed.
OLD BUSINESS
Lakeview Drive parking – Glenn Russell reported that he, along with Joe Ciccozzi, Dave Akerley, and Lee Smith met at Lakeview Drove to assess where township-owned property lines are located. Mr. Ciccozzi utilized a phone app he uses as a realtor that shows where borders are located accurately. The information gathered was enlightening. It appears township property lines along Lakeview reach far into what some homeowners have long used as their front yards. Mr. Russell and Mr. Akerley both concurred that there is not adequate space to provide safe parking options along Lakeview and that the township should erect barriers of some type to prevent parking along the road. Mr. Swan and Mrs. Kapusta agreed. Mr. Akerley will investigate what type of barriers would be approved for use by the engineer’s office and ODOT.
Franklin Township Employee and Policy Handbook update – the number of areas highlighted as a need for change in either verbiage or is extensive. As this handbook will be an important document for all Franklin Township employees to have and follow a final decision on the update is tabled while trustees continue with their considerations and organize their thoughts.
Township chipping services
There has been an ongoing discussion about the possibility of revising the chipping schedule. Mr. Swan asked each trustee to share their thoughts. Mrs. Kapusta opened the discussion by asking road superintendent Dave Akerley what his position is.
Mr. Akerley believes that, while chipping is a good service to provide, the amount of time and manpower it takes to provide the service prevents other needs from being addressed – paving, crack sealing, ditching, trimming, mowing, etc. This month's chipping wasn’t completed until the 18th of August. It was nearly the same date last month. He believes the priorities of the township are better focused on roads and stormwater management. He is also in communication with Portage County Water Resources representative Eric Long about the possibility of having a place where residents could bring their chipping piles to a designated parcel by the garage where it could be stored and then a tub grinder could mulch it during down months. This would need to be cleared with the EPA as well.
Mrs. Kapusta believes that roads should be the priority, at least for the time being. If chipping is proving too time-consuming and being done at the expense of needs being met then it would be time to adjust the schedule and cut back. She emphasized that communication is the key to letting residents know what the township’s priorities are and when chipping would be done and what other needs are being met in place of chipping on a monthly basis for nine months of the year.
Glenn Russell agrees with everything stated by Mr. Akerley and Mrs. Kapusta and believes that chipping should not be taking up so much of the crew’s time. Our priority should be roads and ditching. He suggested two options – chipping three times a year – spring, summer, and fall or at least moving to every other month.
Mr. Swan believes that brainstorming ideas is a good practice and that all points made thus far are valid. He added that maximizing staff should be balanced with serving residents; that historically chipping has not been as time-consuming as it has proven to be this year; that Franklin Township is a heavily wooded area with trees that have matured over the years thus providing more branches and trimming needed; and is concerned about the perception of residents that services are being reduced and pointed out that with increasing fire and EMS costs looming that trustees might have to ask residents to support additional revenue opportunities for contracted services or for much-needed road repairs. He strongly agrees that communication with our residents is key. He also likes the idea of three chipping cycles yearly as mentioned by Mr. Russell. He then asked for audience input.
A Westview resident of Twin Lakes stated that if residents had the option of taking their chipping waste to a designated area that would then be chipped by the road crew at their opportunity that it would be a win-win situation.
A Twin Lakes resident on Merril Ave stated that the website clearly advertises the service as only being provided the first week of each month and her surprise to find out that so much more time is being needed to complete it. She also wondered if neighborhood signage, much like that used for leaf pickup information, could be used to notify homeowners when their area is on the schedule.
A Brady Lake area resident stated that he knows there are many residents taking advantage of the service and allowing excess debris to be placed on their lawns by landscape companies and having trees trimmed and then put out for chipping. He also supported the idea of three times yearly or every other month.
A Kent Park resident pointed out that there are residents who would not capable of getting their chipping materials transported to a designated area to be chipped at a later date. She suggested the possibility of the crew collecting piles and bringing the material to the garage to chip later.
All of these suggestions and opinions were greatly appreciated by the board and will be taken into consideration when final decisions are made. The board agreed that this late in the season no change to the schedule should be implemented.
NEW BUSINESS
Approval for Franklin Township Trick or Treat to mirror the City of Kent Trick or Treat was decided by a motion made by Glenn Russell; 2nd Scott Swan. All three trustees voted yes.
CORRESPONDENCE
A new Twin Lakes resident contacted the township twice about the allowance of her service animal to accompany her at Twin Lakes Beach. She was referred to the Twin Lakes Association and it has been worked out.
FINANCES
Payment of bills totaling $93,614.71 was approved by a motion made by Glenn Russell; 2nd Kellie Kapusta. All three trustees voted yes.
At 8:47pm a motion to suspend regular session and enter executive session for the purpose of discussing the compensation of a public employee as provided for on the O.R.C section 121.22 was made by Glenn Russell; 2nd Kellie Kapusta. All three trustees voted yes. At 9:50pm a motion to close executive session and resume regular session was made by Scott Swan; 2nd Kellie Kapusta. All three trustees voted yes. A motion was made by Glenn Russell to issue merit increases in wages to Jenny August, Joe Ciccozzi, and Richard Smith to be effective the first day of the next pay period (September 1, 2022) as follows:
Jenny August will receive an annual salary of $42,000; Joe Ciccozzi will receive an annual salary of $20,000 and Richard Smith will receive an hourly rate of $21.00; 2nd Scott Swan. All three trustees voted yes.
At 9:51 a motion to adjourn was made by Scott Swan; 2nd Kellie Kapusta. All three trustees voted yes.
Which members of the board/council were present: Scott Swan, Glenn Russell, Kellie Kapusta
Was there a public notice of the meeting that included the time and place of meeting: Yes
Was an agenda of the meeting or handouts available to visitors: Yes
Are minutes from previous meetings posted/available: Yes
https://www.franklintownshipohio.org/minutes
Name of Observer: Anne Reid