MADISON TOWNSHIP — Madison Township trustees awarded a contract to Brennstuhl Construction for a culvert replacement to prevent further flooding issues at the intersection of Manner and Eastview drives.
Richland County engineer Adam Gove reviewed the bid and suggested the board award the contract to the Bellville business. The $76,467.52 estimate was the apparent low bidder and below the engineer’s estimate for $110,520.
Trustees awarded the pact, with American Rescue Plan Act funds, in a special meeting Saturday. The project entails replacing the current 30-inch steel culvert that’s about 80-feet long with a 66-inch by 50-inch oval culvert about 90-feet long.
“It’s been a long time coming, but we’ve secured funding and I’m looking forward to seeing that project completed,” trustee Dan Fletcher said.
County commissioners have also committed $50,000 of county ARPA funds to assist in the project after the township sends the county the signed contract.
According to original design plans from Shaffer, Johnston, Lichtenwalter and Associates Inc., the project is estimated for an April 2025 completion date.
Township allocates remaining ARPA funds
Madison Township received a total of $938,778.99 from the American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law in March 2021. Funds must be allocated by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026.
Including the approved ARPA resolutions below, trustees have spent or allocated nearly all of the township’s ARPA funds.
Trustees approved the following ARPA allocations on Monday night:
- An estimated $26,960 for garage door replacements at the township road department.
- Versatile voiceover internet protocol (VoIP) one-time fees of $1,325 for installation and training for services at the township hall, road and fire departments. This includes an analog telephone adapter (ATA) callbox for the fire department.
- About $3,280 for a new conference table and eight chairs for a meeting room and office in the township hall.
Also in Monday’s meeting:
- A NOPEC representative hosted public hearings regarding the electric aggregate contract that trustees agreed to enter at their last meeting beginning in March 2025.
- Trustees approved a 90-day leave of absence for firefighter Jacob Caseman to work toward finishing his EMT-basic training.
- Fire Chief Ken Justus said he secured a grant of about $5,800 for 40 hoods and 40 pairs of gloves for firefighters from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. The total cost for the hoods and gloves is $6,950.
- Trustee chair Tom Craft said the township zoning board hosted a successful workshop detailing various zoning variances and enforcement.
- Justus said the Fill the Ambulance campaign events on Dec. 8 and 15 were successful. The department will sort through the food and gifts to distribute to area food banks and Richland County Children Services for families in need before Christmas.
- The fire department’s new ambulance, Medic 72, should be complete by the end of the week, Justus said. Rahall Lettering will complete the lettering and the ambulance will be the first-out medic unit at station 2 on Belmont Avenue.
- Fiscal officer Leanna Rhodes said trustees should discuss whether to pay electric bills by check starting in 2025 due to upcoming 50-cent transaction fees for online accounts that don’t set up automatic payments.
- Trustees authorized road superintendent Larry Weirich to list the township’s 2001 Chevy one-ton dump truck on GovDeals.com for a minimum bid of $20,000.
- Trustees discussed compensation for a public employee in a 35-minute executive session.
