MADISON TOWNSHIP — Tom Brandt has long attended Madison Township Trustee meetings as a resident, but he earned a new seat Tuesday night.
A retired Madison Local Schools auto tech teacher, Brandt was sworn in as the newest trustee Jan. 21. He has served on the township’s zoning board of appeals for more than 11 years.
Following Jim Houser’s resignation after a cancer diagnosis, trustees Tom Craft and Dan Fletcher interviewed two applicants for his unfulfilled term.
“Tom has been a consistent attendee of our meetings to begin with and he’s involved,” Fletcher said. “I’ve got high expectations and think we’ll make a good team.”
Brandt, 63, said he plans to run for election to the seat next year. He was also appointed the township’s zoning liaison Tuesday night.
Brandt said he wants to improve the township’s zoning department and business growth.
“Arby’s opened yesterday, we have a new oil change place on U.S. 42 also — so there’s some movement but I would like to keep that momentum and continue to see Madison Township grow,” he said.
Brandt said another goal of his is keeping the township’s roads in good condition.
“I think some of our roads need center lines striped,” he said. “We have some foot paths for kids walking to school that need lines.”
Brandt said he has been attending Madison trustee meetings as a resident since around 2011.
“I was a teacher for 35 years, and have lived in Madison all my life,” he said. “It helps to have a good relationship with the other trustees Dan and Tom.
“It makes it more enjoyable and easier to get things accomplished when all three of us can get along.”
Madison Township trustees are paid $99.57 per day of work for up to 200 days a year, per Ohio Revised Code.
Also on Tuesday, zoning inspector Paul Smith announced he will be resigning from his position by the end of January.
“It was a hard decision, I’ve enjoyed this and it’s been an honor and privilege to work for the township,” Smith said. “I want to give a special thank you to (former zoning inspector) Wayne Liggett for answering the phone every week. Tom Brandt was great as well.”
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Trustees & fire union agree to new MOU
Trustees met in executive session Tuesday afternoon to discuss contract negotiations and labor management with the fire union.
They agreed to a memorandum of understanding including a 3% pay raise for full-time union fire department employees beginning this April, and a 3.5% pay raise in April 2026.
Trustees and the union also agreed to eliminate overtime pay on 8-hour shifts, but keep overtime offered on 12 and 24-hour shifts.
“We offer overtime on a 24-hour basis currently, the only thing that changes is getting rid of the 8-hour shift overtime,” said Fire Chief Ken Justus.
Also on Tuesday:
- Road superintendent Larry Weirich asked to look into surveillance cameras for the township’s salt shed, garage parking and gas pumps. Trustees will consider the request at a later meeting.
- Trustees agreed to put the township’s one-ton dump truck on GovDeals.com for a minimum bid of $10,000. They also agreed to put a conference table on GovDeals with no minimum bid required. Trustees approved purchasing a new truck and conference table with American Rescue Plan Act funds in December.
In a special meeting last week, trustees confirmed plans for their new voiceover IP system for the township and fire department, and voted to proceed with putting the 5.5-mill replacement fire levy on May primary ballots this year.
According to estimates from the auditor’s office, the levy replacement would collect about $193 per $100,000 in appraised property value beginning in 2026 if passed. It currently collects about $111 per $100,000 of appraised value.
