The Goshen Police District welcomed its newest part-time officer James Craven, right, in the board of trustees’ meeting Tuesday. Craven currently serves as an assistant police chief for Mercy Health and brings 29 years of experience to the department. Police Chief John Calko, left, said that he believed Craven would be “a great asset” to the department whom other officers will look up to, and will help him to “lead them in the right direction.” (Photo by Morgan Ahart)

GOSHEN TOWNSHIP — Trustees discussed cost estimates for the township’s potential Ohio Public Works Commission projects for the year in their meeting Tuesday.

The board of trustees voted unanimously to submit Diagonal Road between Duck Creek and Middletown roads, Duck Creek Road between state Route 165 and Pine Lake Road, and South Smith Goshen Road between Garfield Road and U.S. Route 62 for traffic counts for a potential OPWC project in their April meeting. Board Chair Shawn Mesler said that the township has since received rough price estimates for each of the three potential projects with the Diagonal Road project estimated at $199,345, the Smith-Goshen Road Project estimated at $248,223, and a third phase of the Duck Creek Road project estimated at $269,196.

Mesler stressed that these were only rough estimates, and that the township was not committed to moving forward with any of the potential projects. Ultimately no formal action was taken with trustees set to discuss the matter further in a subsequent meeting.

Trustees also voted unanimously to approve the hire of James Craven as a part-time officer. Craven currently serves as an assistant police chief for Mercy Health and has previously served as both sergeant and patrolman for the village of Poland, and as police chief for Washingtonville and New Middletown.

“Mr. Craven is bringing with him over 29 years of experience, and leadership, and I think he will be a great asset to our police department. I think our guys are going to look up to him and he’s going to help me lead them in the right direction,” said Police Chief John Calko.

Other police matters approved included a change in status for Detective Hoyle West from full-time to part-time effective June 10. Calko said that West, who has been with the department since 2021, requested the change so that he could spend more time with his family.

Mesler also said that he had received an update from the Mahoning County Land Bank about the nuisance property at 14854 S. Pricetown Road in Damascus. He said that the land bank was moving forward with its asbestos investigation and potentially abatement, if necessary, which could take as long as 30 days, and that once completed the property would be on schedule for demolition.

The board of trustees will meet next at 6 p.m. June 10.