MADISON TOWNSHIP — Daniel Fletcher elected to save Madison Township more than $5,000 in ARPA funds at his first meeting back in the trustee’s chair.
At their first meeting of the year Tuesday evening, Fletcher and trustee chair Tom Craft elected to forgo compensation raises for Madison Township trustees suggested by Ohio Revised Code.
Craft and Fletcher declined their raises, while trustee Jim Houser accepted his. Houser will receive an additional $5,158 this year, including pension and Medicare contributions.
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds issued to the township in 2021 pushed it into a larger operating budget, allowing trustees temporary raises paid for with ARPA money.
“We still have a balance in the ARPA fund that has pushed us over the $6 million cap again, so that’s why trustees voted on this resolution tonight,” fiscal officer Leanna Rhodes said.
“These raises will go away if we are operating below $6 million again next year. If we’re in the $6 to $10 million bracket, then trustees will vote again, but it will come out of the general fund instead of the ARPA fund.”
Salaries for trustees and the township fiscal officer are based on a township’s annual budget. The budget contains the township’s estimated resources as reported to the Auditor of State’s office.
Houser raises total $14,000+ since 2022
Craft and Fletcher will both be paid $15,104 for 2024. Houser’s bi-weekly paychecks will reflect his higher pay.
By the end of 2024, Houser will have received more than $14,000 in statutory raises, including pension and Medicare contributions. Former trustee Cathy Swank also elected to accept two raises offered by Ohio Revised Code compensation adjustments for 2022 and 2023.
Rhodes will receive more than $12,400 in temporary raises for 2022 through 2024.
ARPA funds must be allocated by the end of 2024 and expended by the end of 2026. Madison Township still has more than $620,000 unused ARPA funds after the 2024 raises.
Fletcher said he would like to use some of the remaining ARPA funds to enforce zoning codes and clean up blight in the township’s neighborhoods if the projects are eligible.
“I’ve heard former trustees say there’s nothing we can do, but we can pass a resolution to clean up properties and assess them for taxes,” he said.
“Now, we might not get that money back if people don’t pay their taxes, but I’m willing to take that chance — especially if we have additional money to do that.”
In other business, trustees voted to re-appoint John Hamilton to a five-year term on the zoning commission board of appeals, pending his acceptance of the position.
The three also re-appointed Craft as the chair of the Madison Township trustees for 2024. Each trustee was also appointed to be a liaison for a public office.
Craft is:
- Chair of the trustees
- Fire department liaison
- Madison Twp.’s Richland County Land Bank representative
Fletcher is:
- Vice chair of the trustees
- Road department liaison
Houser is:
- Clerk pro tempore
- Zoning department liaison
- Public Employment Risk Reduction Program recordkeeper for the township
Craft said his goal for 2024 is to work with Fletcher and Houser to improve the township.
“We’re looking forward to the betterment of Madison Township this year, including some paving projects and sanitary stormwater improvements,” he said. “We have the rest of the ARPA money to spend, so that should give us some good opportunities.”