Roads are a topic again for Madison trustees

As the warmer weather of spring brings out the orange barrels that mark the start of road construction season in Ohio, it also brought out road issues at Monday’s regular Madison Township Trustee’s meeting.

Among the items approved and issues discussed were legal counsel to advise on ARPA fund spending, preparing Old Bowman Street Road for a repair project, road department oversight, and past action and inaction on the 2021 road resurfacing project.

Trustees approved a resolution to retain the services of Baker, Dubliker Attorneys at Law of North Canton to handle questions about the use of American Rescue Plan Act funds. The township received $568,078 in ARPA funds in the first round of allocations in 2021 and is scheduled to receive the same amount during the second round later this year.

Trustees began looking at using the ARPA funds for paving projects after Fiscal Officer Leanna Rhodes attended a webinar on revised program regulations and restrictions that went into effect April 1 that allow work on government services as well as infrastructure projects, including road building and maintenance. Trustees wanted to seek their own legal opinion before moving any further with discussions on how use the allocation, which must be designated for specific projects by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026.

Fees for lawyers set at $140 per hour

The service agreement calls for Baker and Dubliker to charge $140 per hour for work by lawyers and $90 per hour for paralegal work, which includes long distance calls, faxes, postage, normal copy costs and routine on line or electronic research. The firm provided similar services when trustees were trying to determine how to use federal COVID-relief funds.

The board initially indicated it would consider using ARPA funds to resolve storm water problems in certain neighborhoods but decided last week to change the emphasis to summer paving in order to stretch the dollars. Trustee Tom Craft said a report that the storm drainage work could cost $1,000 per foot was not correct and that the figure stated at the meeting was $100 per foot, which was a “ballpark” figure.

Madison trustees also voted to approve a request by the road department to use overtime to clean ditches and replace some drainage tile on Old Bowman Street Road before a township contractor begins a road repair project. Trustee Jim Houser told the board that department supervisor Jimmy Baker recommended that the work be done on a Saturday, when trucks from a local recycling business were not using the road and the job could be completed in an eight hour shift.

Although Chairwoman Cathy Swank questioned what the cost would be and if the township had enough money to pay it, there was no other discussion on those issues before the board voted unanimously to approve the proposal.

Residents voice concerns about road department work

Questions were raised during a following public comment period about whether the City of Mansfield was asked to pay part of the preparation cost. Officials previously said the recycling firm that is the primary user of Old Bowman Street Road is in the city limits and has another access it could use that is inside the city.

Craft said he plans to discuss the issue with the mayor and city engineer before the reconstruction is scheduled to start July 1.

Beal Road resident Tom McGinty asked why Baker discussed the preparation work with the contractor rather than the trustees. Houser said Baker came to him with the proposal to use overtime.

“Baker’s not running this place. You guys are,” McGinty responded. “Whatever Baker does is OK with you guys.”

Another regular meeting attendee, Tim Goff, asked how road department work orders are taken and how trustees know they are being taken care of. Houser said trustees normally call Baker about a problem, Baker takes care of it and submits a report.

Also during public comment, former trustee Dan Fletcher said he believed Swank and House “committed a form of collusion” in an attempt get the township’s 2021 paving program done. He presented a timeline based on information from a public records request that included his continuing contention of how dates on printed and online bid documents had different project completion dates.

In other business, Madison Township trustees decided not to participate in a Richland Public Health mosquito spraying program this summer and agreed to pay for their membership in the Richland County Township Association. They also finalized the sale of an Emergency Management Agency trailer to the county for $500.

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Madison Township trustees discuss roadwork and funding