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Fairfield trustees approve $3.6M in appropriations

FAIRFIELD TWP. — Trustees approved permanent appropriations of approximately $3.6 million during Thursday’s meeting.

Dave Slagle has helped advise the township on financial issues and attended the meeting providing some checkpoints regarding spending procedures.

Slagle is the fiscal officer for New Waterford.

He explained the use of blanket certificates regarding road department purchases as a more efficient procedure than having each purchase order being approved during meetings.

“So when Mel (Road Supervisor Mel Miller) needs supplies, he won’t have to ask for a purchase order … and get just what he needs,” Slagle said.

He also pointed out that township’s investments through the state treasurer’s office have returned interest and Trustee Barry Miner said they may want “to look at some of that interest and put it toward the cemeteries.”

Slagle said they can spend general fund money “on anything you want to without putting it into another account.”

Trustee Chairman Bob Hum thanked Slagle for his assistance.

In other business, Miller said since the last meeting the road crew plowed and salted roads, noting January was a “busy month” and there were three days during the month that “we didn’t work.”

Miller said 150 tons of salt was delivered since the last meeting and he would purchase a final 100 tons of salt that will fulfill the annual contract and “put me to the maximum tonnage that was requested.”

Trustees approved the purchase order, that Miller estimated at approximately $6,300, with a 3-0 vote.

Miller said since the weather broke, the road crew has power-washed its equipment, performed the monthly road sign inventory, cleaned ditches and straightened areas where there were gouges in the roads.

He also asked trustees to formally take new employee Kevin Rice off 60-day probationary status effective Feb. 4.

A change to permanent status provides Rice with a 50-cent an hour raise and healthcare coverage.

“I feel he’s performed well,” Miller said, adding he’s always on time.

Trustees approved taking him off probationary status with a 3-0 vote.

Just after the meeting began, trustees went into a 10-minute executive session with township legal counsel Alan Wenger to discuss pending litigation.

No action was taken when they returned to regular session.

lshields@salemnews.net

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