PHOTO BY JOHN FRYMAN / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
BUILDING ACQUIRED … The Center Township Trustees recently acquired the Williams Center Community Building (above) from the Williams Center Community and Cemetery Association at its regular meeting on Tuesday, July 21.
By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com
The Center Township Trustees met in a regular session on Tuesday, July 21, at the township building.
Trustees in attendance were Matthew Grube, Julie Davis, and Ryan Muehlfeld. Also, Fiscal Officer Terry Collins, Cemetery Sexton Kurt Roan, and Zoning Inspector Todd Burkholder were present.
Following the Pledge of Allegiance, the minutes from the July 7 meeting were approved. Trustees announced the township recently acquired the Williams Center Community Building, which is located just off State Route 576 in Williams Center.
It will be officially under the jurisdiction of the Center Township Board of Trustees, Williams County.
The building, which also includes a park and playground, was officially transferred from the Williams Center Community and Cemetery Association on July 14. It was originally built in 1920.
“They hosted ice cream socials and gatherings there, and it was originally set to raise money for the cemetery and beautification around the town,” said Grube.
“Over the years, there hasn’t been anyone taking interest in running it. We are going to keep it and use it as a rental facility.”
Grube mentioned that County Engineer Todd Roth will be conducting the surveying for the township to change the parcel on the community building because it’s already split into four properties. The plan is to reduce it to two properties.
Roth will get the property line moved so that the building and basketball court can sit on its own property, and is going to help get the alleys and road vacated so it’s cleaned up, because the building actually has an alley that runs through it.
Once that’s done, Roth would be willing to help the township apply for grants if there are any available for the newly acquired building.
The township will also be working on plans for future improvements to the building. Grube added that there are 12 deeds, including cemeteries, that will need to be changed under the new name.
Burkholder reported that he issued a permit for James Brown for a home addition and approved a property split for a township resident.
He also sent a letter to a Pine Lane resident regarding their new clothing business and recommended issuing a conditional use permit if they wanted to go forward with it.
Trustees were informed by Burkholder regarding a house recently burned in Williams Center. The resident is currently living at The Sanctuary of Williams County and is at risk of losing that housing as well.
Burkholder said it involves a disabled person, and they are trying to figure out a way either to get the house torn down or do something else with it.
Burkholder gave an update on the ongoing chicken situation involving a residence on Oak Meadows Drive.
Burkholder said the township doesn’t enforce subdivision rules; the homeowners do, and the township just makes the deed restrictions available, since those are the superseding rules.
“The township’s interpretation of the 1967 Oak Meadows covenant did not include livestock or fowl as domesticated animals,” Burkholder said.
“If they want to enforce the covenant or deed restrictions, you’ll have that discussion with them.”
Burkholder reported that a woman from Melbern has chickens, as does her neighbor. She isn’t against chickens, but said her neighbor is also adding goats, which she strongly opposes.
“Under the Ohio Revised Code rules, it’s like a subdivision,” added Burkholder. “Nobody in there can have any animals if the township says no, but since they do and nobody is complaining, we just let things go.”
Kurt Roan reported there has been one burial in the township. He also sold two cemetery lots and has three hall rentals scheduled for July.
Trustees went into an executive session to discuss insurance with no action being taken. Next meeting will be on Tuesday, August 4, at 8 p.m.