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GOSHEN TOWNSHIP – The board of trustees approved the sale of the township's flail mower in its meeting Tuesday.
The potential sale of the mower was previously discussed by the trustees in their March meeting, with trustee Chairman John Bricker noting at that time that the mower "really wasn't made for" the job it was purchased for, and that the township had experienced difficulties when attempting to use it. At that time the trustees requested Road Foreman Matt Springer gather additional information on the potential value of the unit and present it to trustees in their next meeting.
Springer said that he had confirmed the township's original purchase price for the unit had been $8,449, and that he had found that the resale value of the unit ranged widely from as low as $500 for units in poor condition and as high as $8,000 for those in the best condition.
"So there's a pretty big range," said Springer.
Bricker asked Springer if he felt the township "would be out of line" to set a minimum bid of $2,500 for the sale of the mower, and Springer said that he felt that would be reasonable, as while the unit was used, it is only three years old "by the serial number," and that the township had only had it for around two years.
Bricker requested Springer forward the relevant information for bidding to Fiscal Officer Michele Barratt, so that the sale could be advertised and bids received ahead of the trustees' next meeting. To that end Trustee Shawn Mesler said that the board would need to set a deadline for bids to be received, with Bricker suggesting it be set for noon May 13, the day prior to trustee's next meeting, so they can unseal and review the bids in that meeting, which the other trustees agreed with. Mesler also requested the relevant information be posted to the township's website.
Trustees ultimately voted unanimously to approve a resolution declaring the mower as surplus and authorizing the mower to be advertised for sale with a minimum bid of $2,500.
Other financial matters discussed included the recently implemented form designating who may be interred within a particular burial plot in a township cemetery. Barratt said that she had met with the county prosecutor's office regarding the form and that while they had felt the form was a good idea, they wanted to "tweak it slightly," to include the listed addresses for those designated for interment, and that the prosecutor's office would complete the revisions.
Trustee Teresa Stratton also gave an update on the nuisance property at the corner of Garfield and Seacrist roads, noting that she had been in contact with the new property owners, who had begun trimming back the overgrown shrubs. Stratton said the owners were planning to build a farm market on the property, which would likely see the majority of the building currently present on the property demolished.
"The building is going to be gone, the front section especially, they might be able to save some of the back, but they don't know for sure," said Stratton.
Mesler also provided a brief updated on the Smith-Goshen Road, and Malmsberry Road paving projects, announcing they were tentatively slated to begin work "around the end of May to the beginning of June."
Trustees also voted unanimously to reschedule their June meeting from June 11 to June 4, to accommodate for the special congressional election to be held June 11.
The board of trustees will meet next at 6 p.m. May 14.