Disclaimer: Video Links are posted as a courtesy to our residents and are not owned by Deerfield Township. Videos are recorded by a third party. Be advised that the official meeting minutes are recorded by our Fiscal Officer and approved by the Board of Trustees. These minutes are posted below for your convenience or may be obtained by request from our Fiscal Officer.
Trustee Meeting – March 11, 2024
The Board of Deerfield Township Trustees met in regular session on Monday, March 11, 2024, at 6:00pm, with Trustees Tiffany Havens, Laura Lindberg and Ed Dean present. Chairman Havens opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance. Tiffany moved to dispense with the reading of the minutes from the previous meeting minutes approved January 8, 2024 and re-approve with the changes, which included changing the resolution numbers and including the Black Friday paid holiday omitted in error. Laura seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous. Tiffany moved to dispense with the reading of the minutes from the previous meeting held February 12, 2024 and approve them as written. Ed seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous. Tiffany indicated that there were some changes for the meeting minutes presented held February 26, 2024 to discuss with Kristy. They will discuss approval at the next meeting.
January 22, 2024 meeting minutes, Tiffany indicated that she had one correction. Kristy indicated she inadvertently printed a draft copy and that the copy provided was not the final copy with the changes requested. Kristy will get copies to the Trustees. Tiffany approved the meeting minutes from the January 22, 2024 meeting per the original changes discussed. Laura seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.
Ed moved to approve the February financials as presented. Laura seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.
Communications:
- The Deerfield Town Hall will be open for voting.
- The new leadership attended the meeting for SYBSA and introduced themselves and provided a brief description of their organization. Southeast Youth Baseball Softball Association saw no reason to make any changes to the previous agreement for the 2024 Season. Tiffany moved to accept the contract that was agreed upon for the 2023 season for 2024. All things will stay the same including the porta potty rental, dumpster usage, parking rules, etc. Laura seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous. Practices can resume at any time. The Trustees asked SYBSA to help regulate the parking and keep people from parking off the designated parking areas.
Buildings & Grounds: Ed made a motion to purchase up to $1,000 in topsoil from Peg’s Excavating. Tiffany seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.
Ed made a motion to bring back part-time help, which includes Butch & Buddy, as needed to assist with mowing, etc. Laura seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.
Gary and Ed are meeting with an engineer they agreed to hire to determine if the structure is able to be saved and if so, what needs to be done to meet building codes. Otherwise, he will provide prints to build new to current code.
Ed provided a picture of the fence to be replaced at the Deerfield Circle to Tiffany and Laura.
Road Department: Ed moved to pay $243 for a Y purchased from Marlboro Supply that was needed in the middle of a road project between meetings. Tiffany seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.
Plow Sheers and trailer fenders were approved to purchase at a previous meeting. Some of the items have come in, but still waiting for some of the approved items ordered.
Ed met with an OSHA Safety gentleman to assist Deerfield Township with developing a program. SDS sheets are needed at the shop. Several items like paint & oil should be inside a cabinet. Ed made a motion to purchase a locking storage cabinet in the amount of $399. Laura seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.
Deerfield Township is waiting on the roof for the salt shed. We have been paid all but $7,000 from our insurance company. The remaining money will be paid upon 50% completion. Tarp has been ordered, but has not yet been received. The Road Department has no place to store topsoil. Ed proposed allocating 1/3 to topsoil and putting a divider down through it. Morton Salt donated salt to the Township. It chunks up and has been a pain to our road department. At the end of this year, they plan to dispose of this remaining salt and start with all new salt that has already been approved to purchase.
At the last meeting a citizen had concerns about State Route 14 & Wagner Road. The parking was originally put in when they were working on the bridge. Tiffany spoke to both the Army Corps of Engineers and ODOT. They intend to eliminate this space Spring/Summer of 2024.
Fire Department: Scott Dean provided a verbal report for the fire department. The Deerfield Fire Department is at 49 calls for the year, of which there were 15 medical, 1 fire, 2 service calls since the last meeting. Mutual aid was given two times and received six times.
Katelyn (Katy) Patterson submitted an application to be a member of the Deerfield Fire Department. She is a firefighter, graduated from EMT school and waiting to sit for her Boards. She resides in Brimfield and currently works for Windham. She is 240FF. She will be available to work shifts at the Deerfield Fire Department upon completion of her test. Tiffany made a motion to accept the application for Katy Patterson on a one-year probationary basis. Ed seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.
For tires for both the engine and the tanker from Sebring Tire comes to $6,007.50. Springer Tire was called along with others for quotes. The tires we are utilizing are the original tires and have never been replaced. Tiffany moved to purchase the tires at a cost up to $6,007.50. Laura seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.
The radio has been installed in the ambulance. They hope to have in service soon.
The EMR class will start on March 19th at the Fire Station.
The MABAS being used currently by the Deerfield Fire Department is the same as the MABAS used back in 2019. Several departments surrounding may show up to a scene. The individual on duty can call for mutual aid.
Last week, no mutual aid had to be called.
The lights that were replaced approved at the last meeting at the Deerfield Fire Station are bright and the outside area is very lit up. Four lights over the doors were not replaced because they were 12volts and the price was reduced. These lights were paid for with NOPEC grant money.
They have been cleaning up and throwing old trash, old wood, etc into the dumpster every week.
Ed provided copies to Tiffany and Laura for the small addition on the back of the Deerfield Fire Department. They discussed using back building almost exclusively. A small kitchenette, laundry area, male and female bathrooms including showers will all be considered. Septic and well has already been approved. Bunk rooms have to be in the original building. Tiffany made a motion to hire Pavliga Architecture to update the drawings for the Fire Department addition to discuss at the next meeting. Laura seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.
Ed proposed changing the payroll to be turned in by the 1st and 3rd Monday at 9pm for the new fiscal officer schedule. Derek Day is willing to take on this responsibility.
Cemeteries: No Report.
New Business: Laura proposed adding a public commentary session to the beginning and end of the Trustee meeting. Each individual will have a maximum of three (3) minutes to speak with a maximum of ten (10) minutes total at the beginning of the meeting and ten (10) minutes at the end of the meeting. There will be a sign up sheet that needs to be signed in order to talk in the public meeting. Laura made a motion to have two (2) designated public commentary sessions, one at the beginning of the meeting and one at the end for any individual who has signed up on a sign up sheet with a maximum of three (3) minutes to speak per person for a total of fifteen (15) minutes for each. Tiffany seconded the motion and the roll call vote was as follows:
Mrs. Lindberg Yes
Mrs. Havens Yes
Mr. Dean No
Ed asked members of the Deerfield Historical Society if they intended to move back into the Old Town Hall. Ed requested they keep the Old Town Hall neat and orderly going forward. A member of the Historical Society intends to purchase a shed to provide more storage. The Fire Chief indicated they should have a 3 foot walkway to be wheelchair accessible as well as up to fire code.
The following revenues and bills were presented for Trustees’ inspection and approval: See Revenue Receipt Register Payment Register attached. See Payment Listing.
Tiffany made a motion to pay these bills and adjourn the meeting. Laura seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.
Ed made a motion to re-open the public meeting. Laura seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.
Trustees thanked Kristy for all her work since this will be her last meeting as Fiscal Officer. Ed made a motion to keep Kristy on payroll until she decides she does not want to be or Deerfield Township no longer needs her to assist with the transition. Ed proposed paying Kristy as part-time help at the same rate of pay as Assistant Fiscal Officer, Nancy Cowan. The audience gave Nancy Cowan a round of applause for her years of service. Laura seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.
Tiffany made a motion to pay these bills and adjourn the meeting. Ed seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.
Meeting adjourned at 7:15pm.
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Chairman
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Fiscal Officer