PHOTO BY BRIANNA BALOGH / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
TRUSTEE FOCUS … Trustee Bert Brown (left) and Donald Imm confer on upcoming projects and approvals during the session.
By: Brianna Balogh
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
On Tuesday, March 17, the fire-department-receives-state-fire-marshals-grant/”>Florence Township Trustees convened with all three trustees present: Bert Brown, Donald Imm and Mark Trausch. Also attending were Fire Chief Allyn Luce and Dan Ankney. Fiscal Officer Courtny Osborn was absent.
Beginning at 6:03, attendees recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT
Chief Luce was first to present a list of updates and topics for discussion. Up first was the fire department policy regarding property and casualty insurance, which is due April 21. The policy was set aside for Osborn to review upon her return.
Luce updated the trustees that the department had received $1,000 through the Ohio Township Association Risk Management Authority (OTARMA) grant to be used for ropes. The remainder of the cost will be covered by a local donor.
Attention turned to the generator, which recently failed to engage during a power outage. Batteries were replaced in key fobs that were not working. Imm was able to change the generator battery and contacted a service company.
The company suggested some further maintenance, which the trustees would discuss later in the meeting.
The service company was also not able to perform a physical shutdown of the generator due to activity in the building.
Luce provided good news, informing the trustees that new tires for Truck 45 would be in that week. The removed tires would be brought back, and the trustees needed to determine what to do with them.
Ideas included offering the tires publicly for a set donation. Several interested individuals were mentioned. The tires are in near-new condition and were pulled from multiple vehicles.
The next topic was also good news — a donation the fire department was making. An out-of-service hose was being donated to a fire department in Michigan.
Luce pointed out that the hose was of little remaining value to the department and that it was gratifying to be able to support another department.
NOVFA TRAINING
Luce shared information from the recent Northwestern Ohio Volunteer Firemen’s Association (NOVFA) training held March 14 and 15.
The event is one of the largest free firefighter training events in the nation, supported by the state fire marshal’s office, state funding and donations.
Luce reported that one class he attended covered grant writing. He was pleased to report that the department was already receiving or had received several of the grants discussed in the class.
The gear representative was set to visit the following week. The grant, through the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of State Fire Marshal, offers fire department equipment grants to qualifying departments serving populations under 25,000.
The representative would be on hand to measure individuals for equipment. The class also discussed the demand for gear — $17 million worth was requested with the state having $8 million to distribute.
The free training also gave Luce the opportunity to meet the grant administrator for the State Fire Marshal’s office.
The administrator advised reaching out to Congress to continue adding these funds to the budget, as it helps many small departments.
Read more: Florence Township Fire Department Receives State Fire Marshal’s Grant
Luce also attended a class on the fire reporting system. New requirements include reporting at a national level with the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS).
Beginning January 1, 2027, the Ohio system will automatically flow through to the national system. The department will not be required to do double reporting and will remain compliant.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
With the report wrapped up, the trustees began reviewing their discussion items. The first item raised was a recent downed tree at the corner of County Road 5-I.
The county cleaned up the brush debris, and the larger pieces would need to be addressed by the township.
Next was an update on electrical poles on County Road 4 being replaced by Toledo Edison. Two poles that had been completely snapped off have been replaced.
The trustees then revisited the generator service contract. The generator was refurbished from the previous fire station and no one is certain how old it actually is.
All members agreed that the service contract presented would be worthwhile and that they would like to move forward with it.
The trustees circled back to a previous discussion regarding the removed tires. A $200 set donation was suggested.
With new tires of similar size running close to $800, all members agreed the donation amount seemed fair. Brown would contact an interested party to see if they would be agreeable to the price.
Trausch asked if either of the other trustees had been contacted about fiber optic installation.
He had observed several trucks that appeared to have equipment for running fiber optics and was unsure whether notification should have been made to the township. Brown suggested contacting the city engineer’s office for additional information.
LAWN SERVICE AND LEVY
The trustees reviewed two lawn service contracts. Both were similar in price and service to the previous year. The trustees decided to continue with the current service provider, who is also contracted to service the cemetery.
Proof of insurance would need to be provided, which Trausch agreed to follow up on.
The next item was a letter from Williams County Auditor Vickie Grimm detailing renewal requirements for the fire station levy. Brown clarified that the requirement would not apply because the station would be paid off when the levy expires.
The trustees had also been contacted by the prosecutor’s office via email regarding a vehicle purchase. When attempting to reach out for clarification, Brown found several representatives to be out of office.
ROAD MAINTENANCE
Upcoming road maintenance was the next item for discussion. The trustees hope to partner with the county on several chip-and-seal projects throughout the township and are currently working on obtaining quotes. Brown volunteered to contact the county engineer.
Both Brown and Imm had recently been contacted by GT Contracting of Stryker, a company specializing in road maintenance and crack sealing.
Imm suggested it might be worth discussing what services GT Contracting could provide and at what cost.
One trouble area involved road damage attributed to Northwest Electric. Imm noted that the company was willing to repair any sections it had affected. The township had already added pea gravel to some of the damaged areas from the previous summer. Imm offered to follow up with the company.
CLOSING BUSINESS
Closing out the meeting, the trustees signed checks and approved the generator service contract among other outstanding items.
Trausch moved to approve the payments, Imm seconded, and the motion carried with all three trustees in favor.
While the trustees were completing the check-signing, Trausch updated them on a recent cemetery board meeting.
Unlike the fire station levy, the cemetery levy would be a replacement — not a renewal — keeping the same purpose and millage as the current levy.
As the final item of business, the meeting was adjourned, with Imm making the motion and Trausch seconding.
The meeting concluded at 7:08 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 7.