By: Mario Gomez
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
The Pike Township Trustees held their first meeting of the month on Monday, Aug. 3 at the Pike Township building in Winameg.
Todd Miller, Jon Ehrsam and Jack Wagner, trustees, and Dennis Savage, fiscal officer, were all present for the meeting.
Miller called the meeting to order, and the minutes from the last meeting were approved. The presentation of receipts and expenditures was approved before the group moved into old business.
The Ohio Department of Transportation approved a grant that will go toward the replacement of worn out or damaged signs for the township. This grant will not be available until 2027.
Chip and seal was set to start at the end of July on County Road 10 between County Roads H and HJ, County Road 11 between County Roads H and J, County Road 11-2 between County Roads M and N, and County Road HJ between County Road 10 and State Route 109. Cost of the project is $41,585.
A resolution was passed and signed to approve the road projects. Miller was assigned as the liaison for the county to come to with any questions or concerns.
There was a property complaint pertaining to cleanup on County Road 11. The tenants are making some progress but it is far from acceptable. The trustees will continue to monitor the situation.
A new township sign is in the planning stages, with estimates on cost being considered. The trustees discussed the design and look of the sign and also how it would be installed.
A discussion on a cemetery grant was brought to the table. A grant is expected to be available sometime at the beginning of next year.
There was a question of whether the grant would be made available to the township automatically or whether an application would need to be submitted. A full report on what the grant would be used for will need to be presented at that time.
The township is still in the process of purchasing a new truck. Wagner is keeping tabs on prices and what kind of truck would be needed to fulfill the needs of the township, and is receiving updates on pricing as well as deals from local dealerships. Miller suggested they wait and not rush to a quick decision, stating that the matter is not urgent.
The current truck is a 2012 model that has just over 80,000 miles. If and when a new truck is purchased, it is believed the township can retain the vehicle for 10-13 years, considering the low mileage the truck would take on.
In new business, the trustees discussed the possibility of constructing a new storage building with three bays for storage of vehicles and machinery, as well as general storage. The project is only in its early stages, as no final decisions have been made.
Kinsman Propane, which supplies the township with propane, offered Pike a payment option. The township can prepay up front for $1.63 a gallon, or it can enter a price-cap program.
The price cap would charge a $35 fee and would guarantee the price of gas would never go over $1.89 a gallon. The price-cap program has been used by the township in the past and meets the satisfaction of the trustees to continue using for the time being.
New levy requirements were received by the Fulton County prosecutor. The timing of when a levy can be put on a ballot has changed. Typically it takes two to three months to get a levy approved and on a ballot.
Now, they will need to be addressed earlier to ensure proper ballot placement. For example, whether it is a renewal with an increase or a new levy altogether, it will have to be presented earlier in the year for it to go on the spring ballot.
Savage reported that he has not heard from Wreaths Across America. WAA is a nonprofit organization whose primary activity is distributing wreaths for placement on veterans’ graves in military cemeteries.
Volunteers would gather on Dec. 19, 2026, to remember the fallen and honor those who serve. There appears to be no deadline approaching at the moment, but there needs to be a firm account of the number of veterans. Savage will reach out to the vocational agriculture teacher to enlist students to get a more accurate count of veterans in the cemetery.
Wagner gave an update on a bench that will be installed at the veterans memorial cemetery. The bench, made of granite, will have a prayer etched on the back that would honor the fallen soldiers.
Prayers were brought to the trustees to look through and find one that is appropriate for all veterans.