MADISON TOWNSHIP — Trustee Jim Houser said he has been talking with insurance adjusters nearly every day since a microburst damaged the township building on April 1.
Trustees have been hosting regular meetings in the fire station and working partially out of their homes for a month. Houser said the township hall is salvageable and an insurance adjuster is putting an estimate together on how much repairs will cost.
“They’re saying repairs will take six to nine months right now,” he said.
Rainbow International of North Central Ohio and Schrock Restoration out of Loudonville proposed an emergency service agreement for restoration estimates and work to the township.
Fiscal officer Leanna Rhodes said she was concerned about the payment method in the agreement. The contract says the customer will pay Rainbow International directly and go to their insurance company with the invoices.
“I wouldn’t want the township to commit to a bill when we don’t have the money to pay this in our general fund upfront,” Rhodes said.
Houser said he shared the proposed contract with attorney Andrew Burton and hasn’t heard back yet.
“All we’re doing is giving them permission to come onto the property to put an estimate together,” Houser said.
All three trustees agreed to wait for attorney Andrew Burton’s approval.
Trustee Tom Craft said Rainbow International won’t give the township an estimate until the agreement is signed.
Contract signed for temporary office
Trustees entered a six-month contract for office space at 1408 Ashland Road, which formerly housed Kris Radio Quality Kars and Mansfield Truck Service.
Beginning May 15, regular meetings will be held at the building and trustees will be working out of temporary office space.
Houser said the township’s insurance company will pay the $3,000 monthly rent and utilities. The township will pay for the $3,000 deposit themselves and be reimbursed $2,000 from insurance.
“The rest they’ll keep for our deductible,” Houser said. “It’s six months right now, but they’ll extend it month-to-month if needed and insurance will cover that.”
Houser said the roof of the township hall will need to be re-shingled and some of the township hall’s frame will need rebuilt. An electrician will complete an evaluation this week and an HVAC specialist will reinstall the air conditioner that blew off the roof of the fire station.
“Like dealing with any insurance company, it takes time and there’s legal things that have to be done to make sure they’re paying their part and taking care of us,” Houser said.
Also in Monday’s meeting, trustees entered the free vector control program with Richland Public Health to monitor mosquito populations and test them for West Nile virus. Swank said Richland Public Health will notify residents when they’re spraying insecticides.
“They monitor more than they do anything else” she said. “You as the public can call in and say, ‘I noticed I have an unordinary amount of mosquitoes in my area.’ And then they’ll come out and set traps, check for standing water, tires and things like that.
“They’ll set traps and the mosquitoes are sent for testing to see if they test positive for West Nile. If that happens, they’ll spray in that area.”
The six-month contract is from May 1 to Oct. 15.
The township trustees’ regular meeting on May 15 will take place at 1408 Ashland Road.
Craft said trustees will meet at the fire station May 8 at 5:30 p.m. to discuss road guardrails and Ohio Public Works Infrastructure Program funding opportunities.
Township trustees also answered a number of questions during public comment, including:
— They are still evaluating the streets they want to repair this summer and fall with county engineer Adam Gove’s recommendations. Houser said the township doesn’t have to take Gove’s recommendations, “but we’d be foolish not to.”
— The township is still looking to hire a part-time zoning enforcement officer for $600 a month and a 25% commission on permit fees, as well as $12.50 for each hour in court. The employee would need to provide their own vehicle and pay for their own gas.
— Trustees said they would look into Attorney General Dave Yost’s announcement of the “Shine a Light on Dumpsters” program to help localities fight sold-waste dumping.
— Swank said she will talk with the road department about fallen trees and brush on streets near U.S. 30 to find out if the township needs to clean those up or if property owners do. She said the township garage is still open for small yard waste drop-off.
— Swank said most documents and paperwork that were lost in the wind storm April 1 were in the attic. Personnel files and historical documents were mostly kept in fireproof safes that weren’t damaged.
— Trustees advised a resident to consult an attorney regarding water damage to his property that he said was caused by his neighbor. Because this is a civil matter, Swank said trustees can’t intervene.
