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PERRY TOWNSHIP -- Township trustees held their annual re-organizational meeting Monday.
The board elected to re-appoint trustees Steve Bailey and Jim Armeni to their positions as chairman and vice chairman, respectively, and all three trustees opted to continue overseeing the same departments, meaning Bailey will continue to work with the police department, Armeni with the fire department and Ieropoli with the service department. Trustees also elected to continue holding board meetings at the same time in 2024 on the second and fourth Monday of the month at 4 p.m.
Armeni and Ieropoli were also re-appointed to the Volunteer Firefighters Dependent Fund. A further two members will be appointed by the fire department, after which all four members will convene to appoint a fifth.
Trustees also approved an annual resolution of necessity requesting the Columbiana County Auditor certify tax valuation information in anticipating of levying a tax in excess of the 10-mill limitation. Bailey explained that the total revenue collected by the township each year exceeds the 10-mill limitation, and the resolution simply allows them to collect the full amount.
Other annual matters approved included: the adoption of the Perry Township cafeteria plan, the re-hire of township employees and approval for trustees to hire outside legal counsel for township matters on an as-needed basis.
Trustees also unanimously approved a motion to change the township's health insurance plan to a Health Savings Account plan, and to contribute $1,500 to each participant's account. Bailey said that this change would save the township $1,748 a month for a total of $20,976 annually.
Also approved was a temporary increase to the township's police uniform allowance from $600 annually, to $1,000 annually for 2024, $500 in January and $500 in June. Bailey said that the temporary increase was due to the department recently gaining two new full-time officers and having a third full-time officer return from an extended leave of absence, all of which needed to buy all of their equipment for the year.
Other personnel matters approved included: the re-appointment of Jim Newman to the Zoning Appeals Board and Glenn Leininger to the Zoning Board from Jan. 1, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2028; sending Timothy Spiker and Abigail Humphrey to Firefighter 1 training on Jan. 24 at a cost of $1,500 each, for a total of $3,000 which the township will apply for reimbursement for after the course is completed; and reimbursement of up to $100 per month in fuel expense to Fire Chief Brandon Smith for using his personal vehicle for fire department work.
During his report, Zoning Officer Jeffrey Christopher said that the township issued 60 permits last year and that seven CRAs had been approved. Christopher also said that he expected three to four houses to be built in 2024, and that there would be an update to the township's zoning map soon to reflect recent changes in the township which he expected to be completed sometime in March or April.
The meeting concluded with an executive session for discussion of employee matters with no action to follow.
The board of trustees will meet next at 4 p.m. Jan. 22.