Salem trustees return road bond to driller
FRANKLIN SQUARE – Salem Township trustees voted unanimously to return a cash bond guarantee regarding permanent upgrades for Grafton Road to Hilcorp Energy on Wednesday.
The company drilled the Grubbs well site in the 4900 block of Grafton Road last year and the $150,000 bond was through the spring of 2013.
The company’s road use maintenance agreement (RUMA) with the township is still in good standing and Trustee Chairman Bill Heston said Hilcorp had done a “good job” regarding about 1.4 miles of road it posted the bond on.
In other business, Trustee John Wilms said he spoke to the Columbiana County engineer’s office regarding a damaged guardrail on Eagelton Road near the covered bridge and was advised it was Salem Township’s responsibility.
The guardrail was damaged in a traffic crash.
“Unfortunately it’s ours,” Wilms said, adding there was no coverage on the vehicle that damaged it.
Wilms said the township would use its equipment and workforce to fix the guardrail and estimated it would take one day of work to complete it.
He expressed little hope of recovering the cost for repairs.
Fiscal Officer Cathy Wilms advised the board that the Ohio Department of Transportation is implementing a summer and winter program for 2014-2015 for bulk salt contracts.
The deadline is April 8 and the minimum order is 25 tons for the new program. Heston asked how much the salt cost and Wilms said they didn’t have the price and Heston said they wouldn’t participate.
Heston also said he met with the county engineer regarding the chip and seal program and said it “looks like we’ll be later in the year.”
He didn’t want to guess at what month. The township has approximately 8.3 miles of road it wants chip and sealed.
Trustees passed a road use maintenance agreement with Cardinal Gas Service for 0.13 miles of West Street (in Franklin Square) for a pipeline placement under the road.
The township also received a letter from a resident thanking it for picking up trash on Shady Tree Drive.
Also the fiscal officer also advised the board that Tri-County Asphalt Materials submitted a price list, and Baer Auction announced that the 8th annual municipality auction will be held at 5:50 p.m. on July 23; and the CCH Environmental Group will collect tires from May 1 through June 30 at Solomon Scrap and Salvage, 7735 Salem-Unity Road, Salem and at the East Liverpool Recycling and Refuse Department, 1253 Pennsylvania Ave., East Liverpool at times that will be determined.