By Thomas Clapper
FPS Staff Writer
Commissioners discussed and adopted a resolution accepting the donation of a 2006 Ford F-350 and a 2005 Pace Trailer at the March 6 and March 10 meetings.
Resolution 2025-12 accepted the truck and trailer from the Portage County Commissioners.
“This truck is of no cost to the village, but the county will be responsible for the insurance,” said Commissioner Robert Wirkner.
The truck was delivered March 7 at the Carroll County Sheriff Training Center and Hazmat on Kensington Road. Carroll and Portage county officials meeting at the training center to receive the truck included Carroll County Hazmat Team Coordinator Dennis Fenton, Portage County EMA Mike DiCarro, Carroll County Commissioner Robert Wirkner, Portage County EMA Deputy Director Brett Lee, Sherrodsville VFD and Hazmat Team member John Miley, Carroll County EMA Director Tom Cottis, and EMA Deputy Director Dustin Lucas.
“This is a huge step up for us because it affords us space we have never had before,” said EMA Director Todd Cottis on March 7 after receiving the truck. “I would like to thank former Carroll County EMA Deputy Director Brett Lee for thinking of our needs. Hazmat will use this to replace antiquated equipment.”
On March 8, there was a work session scheduled for the Hazmat Team. They will begin transferring their materials from the old vehicle to the new vehicle.
Markings and decals will be changed from Portage to Carroll County.
Old equipment will be sold at an auction, with proceeds funding the Hazmat Team. Commissioners approved allowing the Hazmat Team to keep the proceeds at their March 10 meeting. The Hazmat Team is able to operate on bill backs from calls they have received. Wirkner noted the last time commissioners gave funds to the Hazmat Team was for oxygen breathing apparatus bottles.
The trailer can also be used as an emergency operations command center in case of a disaster.
In other business, commissioners:
-HEARD Modranski report that recycling bins have been installed at the Carroll County Fairgrounds. Enter through the north entrance by the county engineer’s office and take the road around the back side of the track. Follow the same path back out to Kensington Road. Do not enter through the south entrance or go through the Senior Center parking lot, as this is too dangerous for residents.
If you arrive and the recycling bins are full, do not stack items in front of them—bring them back later. There should be a contact number in case the bins are full.
The bins are only open during daylight hours. Signage was discussed at the March 10 meeting.
-HEARD Wirkner report from the Essential Ohio Energy Report – 2023 that Ohio is the seventh-largest oil producer in the U.S. Within Ohio, Carroll County is the top producer, accounting for 33% of the state’s oil production. Wirkner said this proves Carroll County is still a significant player in the oil and gas industry. As a group, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio form the third-largest oil-producing region in the world.
-APPROVED a blanket work order for the Village of Leesville for winter mix.
-HEARD Carroll Golden Age Retreat Superintendent Dawn Faulk report that she is currently looking for a seamstress to do alterations for some of the CGAR residents’ clothing and for some in-house facilities. Faulk is also seeking a full-time or part-time nurse’s aide for the 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. shift. Anyone interested in applying for the job can stop by or call the facility. Faulk commended Charles and Karen at Golden Protective Services (GPS) in Carrollton for supplying disposable gloves for CGAR.
-APPROVED permits for the use of the following county highway right-of-way(s) as recommended by the county engineer: Carroll Electric Cooperative for traffic control in Washington Township on Chase Road (CR 66).
-LEARNED that pumps at Environmental Services in Malvern are no longer in use and past their service life. These pumps have been stockpiled instead of taken to a scrap yard. Leggett said selling the scrap could potentially raise enough money to get a new steel roof on one of the buildings.
-HEARD Donald Leggett II report that they paid $450,000 for the annex building, leased mineral rights, and recently received a check for $72,000. “We are already getting some money back, and in the next five or six years, it could pay it back entirely,” said Leggett.
-HEARD Transit Director Sonja Trbovich give her report. They had 33,891 service miles, 1,758 passenger trips, and 33 declined rides. She said overall passenger trips increased by 4.72 percent. Declined rides were due to not having enough staff or a passenger requesting a later ride in the afternoon or after hours. There may be other reasons as well.