By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
Metamora-Amboy Fire Chief Jessica Geer provided several updates on department business during Monday’s meeting of the Amboy Township Board of Trustees.
The main item of discussion was a workers compensation case involving a former employee who contracted cancer due to exposure to firefighting materials.
Geer said the individual only responded to two or three calls with the department and may have only served as a paramedic and not as a firefighter.
The person had worked for several other departments prior to Metamora-Amboy, but workers compensation liability falls on the last department for which an individual works.
Geer said she was looking into his past employment in the field to see if there was anything that could help cover related costs, as the cost of the department’s policy will increase due to the successful claim.
Geer also provided an update on efforts to determine which volunteers would continue working for the department based on length of time not responding to calls for service.
She said a volunteer can be let go after not responding to any calls for six months, although she noted they don’t want to lose volunteers unnecessarily if they plan to continue responding to calls.
Geer said letters had already been sent to three volunteers in an attempt to determine their status, with two already having returned all of their gear.
A brief executive session was held mid-meeting in order to determine a course of action regarding the third volunteer. No action was taken following the session.
Geer reported that year-to-date calls for service had reached 135 by the end of June and were already past 155 as of the meeting date. She said the number of calls was on track to exceed 2025’s total of 242 calls.
Geer reported the department was awarded a $4,800 EMS grant for equipment and training through the Ohio Division of Public Safety.
Geer reported one of the county ambulances housed at the department was going to be repaired due to an electrical issue after the price for a needed part was obtained. Another county ambulance is still in need of repairs.
Geer was granted permission to bring on a new volunteer with EMT basic certification. The volunteer wants to be a firefighter as well, and Geer said a level one fire class would be starting in August.
Geer reported quotes for four recliners had come in at $9,244.60 from Herron’s Amish Furniture and Better Sleep Gallery and $5,410.14 from Furniture Row.
She said both quotes were for recliners made of the same materials and that the purchase had been approved to be tax exempt. Board members voted to purchase the less expensive recliners from Furniture Row.
Geer reported a portion of eight sets of new gear they ordered was received. Geer reported food truck inspections would be occurring the upcoming Wednesday.
Geer reported she had been appointed to the Fulton County Emergency Management Agency board.
OTHER BUSINESS
It was reported that a levy request to be placed on the November ballot would be turned into the county the following day.
Board members briefly discussed plot management at the cemetery, noting all of the nearly 40 remaining spaces have been surveyed and measured. The type of markers to be placed on the plots have yet to be determined.
It was reported that mandated cybersecurity updates, both hardware and software, were in progress.
It was reported that all new and replacement road signs have been installed.
The next regular meeting of the Amboy Township Board of Trustees will be held at 8 p.m. on Monday, August 31, at Township Hall, 2650 County Road 5, Metamora.
