Madison trustees hire new zoning inspector, receive one bid for summer paving program

Madison Township has a 2023 summer road paving program and a new zoning inspector. Township trustees resolved the two long-standing issues at a special meeting Thursday evening.

The majority of the more than three hour meeting took place in executive session to interview and discuss candidates for the vacant zoning inspector job. Trustees had nine applicants, but only five people came for an interview.

The board chose Amanda Harris, a licensed real estate broker with the Alpha and Omega Real Estate Group. Trustee Jim Houser Swank said Harris was chosen because her qualification stood out not only with her real estate experience but also because she has dealt with the court system and is familiar with the process of investigation.

“Her interview went very well,” added Trustee Cathy Swank.

Harris was a restaurant manager from 2008 to 2017, has been a private investigator since 2015 and a real estate agent since 2019. She currently owns and operates what was described as a “popular seasonal restaurant” and is a managing real estate broker/team lead.

Harris lives on Mansfield’s south side. However, Swank noted the zoning inspector is not required to live in the township.

Swank said Harris needs to become familiar with the local zoning regulations and fill out paperwork before she can start work.

Trustees voted In February to change the pay for the zoning inspector to $600 per month plus 25% of all permit fees and $12.50 per hour for time spent in court but did not set any weekly or monthly number of work hours.

“We can’t say how many hours because it varies so much,” Swank said. “We expect them to put in the hours to get the job done.”

Madison Township has been without a regular zoning inspector since Wayne Liggett retired Aug. 22, 2022, after serving nearly two years.

During the board’s regular meeting earlier in the week Swank told about investigating complaints involving chickens, goats and overgrown properties. A resident also pointed out that the township is losing money because signs have gone up without permits including a three-sided billboard at Ohio 39 and Trimble Road and a new sign for a grocery store.

Kokosing lone bidder for summer road paving

During the time set for the bid opening, Kokosing Construction was the only bidder on the road program with a figure of $324,658 for the main list of roads and three alternates. The county engineer’s estimate was $360,187.50

Kokosing submitted a base bid of $252,305 to resurface the main list of roads that includes Lehigh, Duke and Kentucky avenues, the Illinois Avenue extension, Lincoln Terrace, Forest Drive and Home Road. The company also submitted a $27,250 bid to work on Terrace Drive, $31,737 to do Charvid Avenue, and $13,658 to resurface Stage Road.

Trustees’ Chairman Tom Craft said the board asked for a base bid and alternates so they could pull some roads if bids came in too high. The township has around $330,000 available for paving this summer.

Craft pointed out that Madison will be reimbursed for part of the cost of resurfacing several roads that are joint projects with either Springfield Township or the City of Mansfield. He estimated the figure will be around $35,000.

“We’re doing a lot of roads his year,” Craft said. “That’s pretty impressive.”

“And they all need done bad,” added Swank.

Trustees will approve a contract after the county engineer reviews the bid. The board has been working since late fall to develop the paving list.

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Madison Township hires zoning inspector, finalizes summer paving