MADISON TOWNSHIP — Amanda Harris is set to fill a nearly 10-month job vacancy in Madison Township.
Trustees interviewed five candidates for the zoning inspector position at a special meeting Thursday and chose Harris to fill the position.
Trustee and zoning department liaison Jim Houser said the three trustees were impressed with Harris’ resume of realty and private investigator experience.
“Her interview went really well and we think she’s going to do a good job for us,” Houser said. “She’ll do enforcement, permits and all the zoning responsibilities.”
The township hasn’t had a zoning inspector since Wayne Liggett’s retirement in August. Sidney Fouty was hired to write zoning permits in August and will continue that work through the end of June.
“Sidney was just hired to help us out until we found somebody to fill the position,” Houser said.
Harris said she will complete paperwork and training before she officially starts her new job.
“I’m excited for the opportunity and the knowledge I’ll gain,” she said. “I can use my real estate knowledge in this position and zoning knowledge in my real estate, so I think they will cross over well.
“And as a licensed private investigator, I have experience appearing in court if I need to for violations.”
While Harris lives in Mansfield and not in Madison Township, she said about 90% of her real estate business is in the Madison area.
“I grew up there and mine and my husband’s families still live there, so we’ve stayed really invested in Madison Township,” Harris said.
The position is part-time but hours vary based on how many permits and inspections the officer needs to complete.
Harris will be paid $600 each month and 25% of all permit fees. She will also be paid $12.50 an hour for each hour in court.
Kokosing submits bids for 10 roads
The only bid the township received for its list of roads was from Kokosing Construction with a base bid of $252,305.80.
Streets included in this bid are Lehigh, Duke and Kentucky avenues, the Illinois Avenue extension, Lincoln Terrace, Forest Drive and Home Road.
Kokosing also submitted individual bids totaling $72,352.20 for the alternates of Stage Road, Terrace Drive and Charvid Avenue.
County engineer Adam Gove will review the bids and contracts before the township trustees move forward at their next meeting on June 20.
The township has worked with Kokosing for paving projects in previous years. Trustee Cathy Swank said all of the roads will be paved with at least 1.5 inches of pavement per Gove’s suggestions.
Madison Township will be splitting the costs of paving Home Road with Springfield Township and will pay the city of Mansfield $6,050 to pave North Road.
The township has appropriated about $330,000 for road paving between this year’s budget and carryover funds.
“We’ll do Eastlawn with the city too, so after that, we’ll be right at that threshold,” trustee chair Tom Craft said. “We’re paving a lot of roads this year.”
