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January 2022 Trustee Meeting Minutes

January 2022 Trustee Meeting Minutes

Trustee Meeting – January 10, 2022

The Board of Deerfield Township Trustees met for a combined Organizational Meeting and Regular Meeting on Monday, January 10, 2022, at 6:00pm, with Trustees Charles “Ed” Dean, Mark Bann and Tiffany Havens present. Chairman Dean opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance. Mark made a motion to dispense with the reading of the previous minutes from the previous meeting and approve them as written. Ed seconded the motion and the roll call vote was as follows:

Mr. Bann Yes Mr. Dean Yes

Ms. Havens

Abstained

Mark moved to accept the December 2021 financial reports as submitted. Ed seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.

The meeting was turned over to the Fiscal Officer who called for nominations for Chairman for a period of either one or two years. Ed nominated Mark Bann for Chairman for a period of one year. Mark moved to close the nominations. Tiffany seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous. The Fiscal Officer called the roll for each member’s vote for Chairman. Mark voted for Mark Bann; Ed Voted for Mark Bann; Tiffany voted for Mark Bann. Mark Bann was duly elected as Chairman for a period of one year.

The Fiscal Officer called for nominations for Vice Chairman for a period of either one or two years. Mark nominated Ed Dean for Vice Chairman for a period of one year. Ed made a motion to close the nominations. Tiffany seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous. The Fiscal Officer called the roll for each member’s vote for Vice Chairman. Mark voted for Ed Dean; Ed voted for Ed Dean; Tiffany voted for Ed Dean. Ed Dean was duly elected as Vice Chairman for a period of one year. The Fiscal Officer then turned the meeting over to the Chairman.

Communications:

 None

Day, Time and Place of Meetings:
Mark Bann moved to adopt Resolution No. 22-01, thereby, to hold the Trustee Meetings on the second Monday of each month, at 5:30pm, at the Deerfield Town Hall located at 1450 State Route 14, Deerfield, Ohio 44411.

Ed seconded the motion and the roll call vote was as follows: Mr. Bann Yes
Mr. Dean Yes
Ms. Havens Yes

Adopted: January 10, 2022

A second meeting may be added later in the year starting in April, if needed, on the fourth Monday of each month at 5:30pm.

Rate of Pay:
Ed Dean moved to adopt Resolution No. 22-02, thereby to increase township employee rates, as follows:

(A) Fire Chief $788.19/Month

Mark Bann seconded the motion and the roll call vote was as follows: Mr. Bann Yes
Mr. Dean Yes
Ms. Havens Yes

Adopted: January 10, 2022
Mark Bann moved to adopt Resolution No. 22-03, thereby to increase township employee rates

by 25%, as follows:

(B) Class 4 EMR
(C) Fire Dept EMT-B (D) Fire Dept EMT-I (E) Fire Dept Paramedic

$ 10.41/Hour $ 15.14/Hour $ 15.78/Hour $ 16.71/Hour

Tiffany Havens seconded the motion and the roll call vote was as follows: Mr. Bann Yes

Mr. Dean Yes Ms. Havens Yes

Adopted: January 10, 2022

Mark Bann moved to adopt Resolution No. 22-04, thereby to remove the EMS Coordinator position at this time and add township employee rates for Assistant Fire Chiefs time conducting administrative work as signed off on and approved by Fire Chief Vaughn Sutcliffe, as follows:

(F) Fire Dept Assistant Chiefs

Ed Dean seconded the motion and the roll call vote was as follows: Mr. Bann Yes Mr. Dean Yes Ms. Havens Yes

Adopted: January 10, 2022

$ 16.71/Hour

Ed Dean moved to adopt Resolution No. 22-05, thereby to increase township employee rates by 5%, as follows:

(G) Road Superintendent
(H) Buildings and Ground Superintendent (I) Cemetery Sexton

$ 21.42/Hour $ 18.21/Hour $ 21.42/Hour

Tiffany Havens seconded the motion and the roll call vote was as follows: Mr. Bann Yes

Mr. Dean Yes Ms. Havens Yes

Adopted: January 10, 2022
Mark Bann moved to adopt Resolution No. 22-06, thereby to increase township employee rates,

as follows:
(J) Part Time Help

Ed Dean seconded the motion and the roll call vote was as follows: Mr. Bann Yes Mr. Dean Yes Ms. Havens Yes

$ 14.00/Hour

Adopted: January 10, 2022
Mark Bann moved to adopt Resolution No. 22-07, thereby to increase township employee rates

by 5%, as follows:
(K) Assistant Fiscal Officer

Ed Dean seconded the motion and the roll call vote was as follows: Mr. Bann Yes Mr. Dean Yes Ms. Havens Yes

Adopted: January 10, 2022

Bonds:

$ 15.75/Hour

Mark Bann made a motion to maintain the present $5,000 bond for the Road Superintendent and Assistant Road Superintendent, Buildings and Grounds. Ed Dean seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.

Employment Policy:

Full-Time employees are offered health insurance. The elected officials have opted out due to not having the funds. The Township will pay 85% of the premiums and the employee will pay 15% of their premiums. Ed Dean made a motion to accept these percentages for March 1 renewal. Tiffany seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.

Mark Bann made a motion to set vacation time for the Road Superintendent/Cemetery Sexton and Buildings and Grounds Supervisor as two (2) weeks per year, with the year ending December 31st. Vacation time will increase to three (3) weeks per year after employed ten (10) years. Vacation may be rolled over up to a maximum of one year. Ed seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.

Mark moved to maintain the comp time for the Road Superintendent/Cemetery Sexton and Buildings and Grounds Supervisor as one and one-half hours of comp time for every hour of overtime logged and pay, on a quarterly basis, any hours over 24 hours logged. Ed seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.

Ed made a motion to maintain the following paid holidays for full time employees: New Year’s Day; Martin Luther King Day (another day can be taken in lieu of this day); Presidents Day; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day, Veterans Day; Columbus Day; Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day and add Juneteenth as a paid holiday. Mark seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.

Mark made a motion to require the Road Superintendent, Cemetery Sexton, Buildings and Grounds Superintendent and Fire Chief to be in attendance or provide a written monthly report to the Trustees prior to the meeting held on the 2nd Monday of each month. Ed seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.

Mark made a motion to grant the Road Superintendent, Cemetery Sexton and Buildings and Grounds Supervisor 3 sick days per year, with an additional 5 sick days per year if hospitalized. If all sick days are not used during the year, they will not accumulate from one year to the next. If tests positive for COVID 19, upon proof of a positive result, the individuals above will be paid per the CDC quarantine guidelines, which is currently up to five (5) days. Tiffany seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.

Mileage Reimbursement:

Mark made a motion to pay 58.5 cents per mile for mileage expense reimbursement for 2022. Tiffany seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.

Cemetery Fees:
Mark made a motion to adopt Resolution No. 22-08, thereby, to maintain the present cemetery fees as follows:

Cemetery Lots:
Residents $300.00 (Single Grave) Non-Residents $775.00 (Single Grave)

Ed Dean seconded the motion and the roll call vote was as follows: Mr. Bann Yes Mr. Dean Yes Ms. Havens Yes

Adopted: January 10, 2022
Mark made a motion to adopt Resolution No. 22-09, thereby, to maintain the present cemetery

fees as follows:

Burials: Residents

Non-Residents
Infant Resident
Infant Non-Resident Cremation – Resident Cremation – Non Resident

$300.00* $450.00* $ 50.00 $ 60.00 $200.00 $250.00

Vault Burials after 2:00pm will be charged an additional $100.00*.

$250.00 additional for Saturday burials and $300.00 additional for Sunday and Holiday burials

Tiffany Havens seconded the motion and the roll call vote was as follows: Mr. Bann Yes

Mr. Dean Yes Ms. Havens Yes

Adopted: January 10, 2022

Ambulance Fees:
Mark Bann moved to adopt Resolution No. 22-10, thereby, to charge the ambulance fees, effective immediately, as follows:

  1. Resident & Non Resident – Basic Life Support $650.00
  2. Resident & Non Resident – Advance Life Support I $700.00
  3. Resident & Non Resident – Advance Life Support (Ea. Add’l Tier Service)$ 50.00/Tier
  4. Resident & Non Resident – Non Transport $200.00
  5. Resident & Non Resident – Mileage Charge (Loaded) $ 12.50/Mile

Mutual Aid to the following townships shall be soft-billed the same as Deerfield Township residents: Atwater Township; Berlin Township; Edinburg Township and Palmyra Township.

Ed Dean seconded the motion and the roll call vote was as follows: Mr. Bann Yes Mr. Dean Yes Ms. Havens Yes

Adopted: January 10, 2022

Town Hall Rental Fees:
Ed Dean moved to adopt Resolution No. 22-11, thereby, to maintain the Town Hall Rental fees as follows:

Sunday through Saturday:

Deerfield Residents 0-50 People

51-100 People 101-200 People

Non-Residents 0-50 People

51-100 People 101-200 People

$100.00 $175.00 $300.00

$200.00 $350.00 $500.00

*No organizations during the months of May through August and December will be permitted to use the Deerfield Township Hall free of charge on Saturdays without prior approval from the Deerfield Township Trustees. There will be a minimum charge of $200 for events held by organizations held on Saturdays with prior approval. Without prior approval, Deerfield residents will be charged $600 and non-residents will be charged $750.

All rentals require a minimum $250 refundable deposit which will be returned after 14 days. There will be a minimum of $50 (up to $250) withheld from the deposit for cleaning if hall is not cleaned after rental. Wedding receptions and fundraisers will require a minimum of $750 deposit. No confetti, hay, straw, open flame candles, glitter or livestock will be permitted effective immediately.

The pricing and rules above will be effective for new rentals, effective January 10, 2022. Prior rentals made will be honored at the previously quoted pricing. The individual renting the Deerfield Town Hall must be in attendance during the entire event.

Tiffany Havens seconded the motion and the roll call vote was as follows: Mr. Bann Yes

Adopted: January 10, 2022

Mr. Dean Yes Ms. Havens Yes

Mark Bann moved to adopt Resolution No. 22-12, thereby, to charge all organizations holding events other than meetings a rental fee of $50.00 to assist with reimbursement of costs incurred to Deerfield Township.

Ed Dean seconded the motion and the roll call vote was as follows: Mr. Bann Yes Mr. Dean Yes Ms. Havens Yes

Adopted: January 10, 2022

Fire Department Expense Reimbursement Pool:
Mark Bann made a motion to adopt Resolution No. 22-13, thereby, to maintain the fire department expense reimbursement pool of $12,000.00.

Ed Dean seconded the motion and the roll call vote was as follows: Mr. Bann Yes Mr. Dean Yes Ms. Havens Yes

Adopted: January 10, 2022

Fire Chief Vaughn Sutcliffe provided a copy of a proposed reimbursement policy to be adopted by Deerfield Township. Mark Bann made a motion to adopt Resolution No. 22-14, thereby, to adopt the proposed Reimbursement Policy.

Ed Dean seconded the motion and the roll call vote was as follows: Mr. Bann Yes Mr. Dean Yes Ms. Havens Yes

Adopted: January 10, 2022

Mark Bann made a motion to adjourn the organizational meeting and go into the regularly scheduled Trustee meeting. Tiffany seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.

Fire Department:

Vaughn Sutcliffe submitted a written report for the fire department on activity since the last meeting, of which calls were made. The fire department ran a total of 593 calls in the 2021 year. Medical emergencies accounted for 63.2% and mutual aid 11%.

The new computer purchased by Deerfield Township Fire Fund and ipads purchased through a grant have been set up at the station.

Unit #1413 pumper needs repaired. Parts are on order and will be done at the station when the parts arrive.

The Fire Department Association held its annual awards/Christmas Party at the Deerfield Town Hall in January. Nineteen members and their spouses including the Trustees enjoyed dinner and games. Awards were given for years of service to the Deerfield Fire Department as follows:

Vaughn Sutcliffe Clair Simpson Stephanie Sutcliffe Robert Abbuhl Lindsay Davis Scott Simmons

35 Years 10 Years 10 Years 5 Years 5 Years 5 Years

Chief Vaughn Sutcliffe would like to expand training for our on-duty staff personnel. Ed made a motion to approve two (2) paid 8-hour shifts, or 16 hours maximum to shadow and be trained with another member on duty. Tiffany seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.

Chief Vaughn Sutcliffe goals for the 2022 year are as follows:

  •   Cleaning & Organization of the Station
  •   Obtain Grants for new self contained breathing apparatus
  •   Obtain Grants for pumper air packs
  •   Upgrade Septic and Water at Station
  •   Increase Active Duty Staff and Call Backs
  •   Training all Officers on Administrative DutiesEd Dean made a motion to reimburse employees of Deerfield Township for Amazon purchases & various credit card purchases made. Mark seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.Road Department:New culverts have been installed.
    Cargill delivered more salt that cannot be sold at no cost to Deerfield Township. The 97 Lo Pro International Truck needs replaced soon.Buildings and Grounds:The main man door needs replaced at the chapel at the cemetery. The Trustees would like to ask the Cemetery Association to pay for this replacement.The Road Department will need stone approved prior to Memorial Day.

New Business:

A member of the Portage County Sheriff’s office, Major Lembrick attended the Trustee meeting to provide the calls for service Deerfield Township report for January 1, 2021-December 31, 2021. Total calls for Deerfield Township were 1028 during 2021. He explained the new 12 week Citizens Academy. The Trustees installed a key box outside of the Deerfield Township Garage that is available to used by the Sheriff’s Office.

The following bills were presented for Trustees’ inspection and approval: See Payment Listing attached.

With no further business to discuss, Mark Bann made a motion to adjourn the meeting and pay these bills. Ed seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous.

Meeting adjourned at 7:15pm.

_____________________________ _______________________________ Chairman Fiscal Officer