Sanitary Sewer Project Update Mon-e
Transcription
Sanitary Sewer Project Update Mon-e
Published by Franklin Township, Franklin County, Ohio January 2015 Sanitary Sewer Project Update County Sanitary Engineer Stephen Renner had no updates to the Mon-e-bak and Brown Road East projects. Both of these projects are in negotiations between the County and the Surety Bond holder of the project to agree to terms. We are still holding out hope that the issues can be resolved and the projects started again in 2015. On the bright side, the Eureka Park sewer project will begin soon and is scheduled to be finished in mid-2015. Once the project is near completion, additional mailings or handouts will be provided by the County instructing residents on next steps for hook-ups and monetary assistance application. In this Edition: Mon-e-bak Water Sanitary Sewer Update......... Page 1 Mon-e-bak Water ................. Page 1 Police/ Fire Funding............. Page 1 Electric Gas Aggregation ..... Page 1 JEDD Agreement ................. Page 1 Safety when Shoveling ........ Page 1 Township Department Updates: Police, Fire & Road Depts. .. Page 2 Township Trash Contract .... Page 3 Township Office Donation .. Page 3 Township Meeting Dates ..... Page 3 SWAC Meeting Dates ......... Page 3 Winter Safety Tips ............... Page 4 Call Before You Dig ............ Page 4 Township Directory ............. Page 4 The Township grant application did not score high enough to be funded for this round which would have ran from July 1st of 2015 through June 30 th of 2016. The Trustees are going to meet with the Sanitary Engineer in the near future to develop a plan to allow for a new application next year for this much needed service. Police Funding The Township Police Department staffing is down 3 officers due to the limited funds available. The two approved Police levies, voted in by our residents, and are not bringing in enough money to fully staff the department. Any gaps in coverage are currently being handled by the Sheriff’s office, when available, based on priority of the call. The Police Chief is working with the Trustees and Fiscal Officer to determine next steps which may result in a May of 2015 ballot request for additional funding. The deadline for filing is early February of 2015. Fire Funding The Township Fire Department staffing is also down by 8 firemen due to the limited funds available. The three approved Fire levies are not bringing in enough money to fully staff the department. An additional levy failed in May of 2013, November of 2013, Franklin Township had two successful tire as well as November of 2014. The Trustees are discussing options for moving forward drives this past year and has applied for with no decisions having been made to make up for funding shortages. Meanwhile reimbursement for these drives through equipment will occasionally be out of service. If so, you will still receive help it will County Public Health. We plan to hold two just take longer for another fire department to respond. drives again in 2015 with dates provided in future newsletters. Tire Drive Electric/ Gas Aggregation JEDD Agreement Agreements between Franklin Township and Columbus, as well as the property owners and the businesses located in our intended JEDD area, is still being worked out. The County is assisting the Township with this endeavor. We are still waiting to hear from the utility aggregation to see if they will be allowing individual Township residents to join in with their group which would allow for some savings on utility rates. As you recall, our own Township initiative failed twice so we cannot act as a group on this matter and must wait to be allowed to enter in individually. Updates will be provided in future editions of the newsletter. Columbus/Franklin Township Settlement Money – As reported in the last edition of the newsletter, this settlement agreement is being worked on by our Township attorney. No new updates to provide. Safety when Shoveling Snow Sunday March 8, 2015 Remember to change batteries in your Smoke Detectors Nationwide more than 11,000 adults and children are hospitalized for shoveling injuries each year. These injuries include orthopedic injuries to heart attacks. The exertion of lifting snow, especially in the early morning hours when the heart is more susceptible to coronary events, can be dangerous. Prevention is the key to these injuries. First, don’t rush. Snow can be heavy, and a shovelful is often too much. Avoid the activity if you have a history of heart problems. If you must shovel, use caution and listen to your body. Move more slowly or stop if you start feeling winded or fatigued. To avoid the orthopedic injuries, be aware of proper lifting techniques. Never lift and twist or try to throw snow over your shoulder or head. Throwing snow straight ahead of you is always best, even if it means it might take you longer to finish the job. Winter is beautiful. Take a few moments to enjoy it, and be safe as you get the driveway cleared. FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP DEPARTMENT UPDATES Police Department News Road Department News 2014 brought more changes to the Police Department. Sergeant Christopher Beach received Disability / Retirement which led to the promotion of Officer Byron Smith to Sergeant on November 6, 2014. Also, on November 6, 2014 the Board approved to hire Joshua Edwards as a new police officer so this brings the total officers back to 9. Congratulations to Byron and Joshua! We wish them well in their new positions! From January 2014 through December 5, 2014 the Reserves have worked 2,732 hours of service to the Township with no cost to the taxpayers of Franklin Township. The following are some of the stats from the Police Department for the time period of December 1, 2013 through November 30, 2014: Accident Reports 385 Citations 906 Reports taken 1,371 Dispatched Runs 8,496 Domestic Violence Arrests 34 Pick Up Runs 3,051 Miles Driven 85,838 Court Cases 623 Vehicles Impound 196 Traffic Safety – House Bill 637 After hearing concerns of many residents throughout the Columbus area the Ohio House of Representatives committee recommended passage of a bill to allow police officers to pull over and cite motorists for texting while driving. If approved, House Bill 637 would make texting while driving a primary offense instead of the current secondary offense. The bill would also forbid the use of cellphones for any purpose while driving in school zones during restricted hours and in highway construction zones during work hours. Of the 44 states that ban texting while driving, it is a primary offense in 39 of the states. People continue to text and drive and these people pose danger not only to themselves but to everyone else. State officials say drivers distracted by texting or phone use were involved in nearly 2,800 crashes last year, including 16 that were fatal but this total may not be accurate, there may have been even more. Studies show that a primary offense law, rather than a secondary one, reduces fatal crashes by 3 percent. Take an Inventory! After the holidays, it is a good time to update-or create your home inventory. Take photos or make videos of items, and list descriptions and serial numbers. If your home is burglarized, having a detailed inventory can help identify stolen items and make insurance claims easier to file. Make sure things like TV’s, DVD players, stereo equipment, jewelry, silver, computers, home office equipment, and power tools are on the list. Snow Removal With the upcoming winter months and snow accumulation, please pay attention to the areas where it is posted “No Parking” when there is a Snowfall of 2” or more. This makes it easier for us to remove the snow in a more efficient manner. Also, please be considerate of the Snow Plow operators and try to keep your vehicles parked off the roadway during this time so we can clean the whole roadway. The Road Department asks if a resident knows it is going to snow to please not put their trash cans in the road if it is trash service day. The Road Department does not want to hit the trash cans with the snow plow. Christmas Tree Pickup As a reminder, Local Waste will pick-up live cut Christmas trees on your regular trash day. Please remove all lights, decorations and hooks, and set it out along the roadway. End of the Year Statistics for the Road Dept. are as follows: 2013-2014 Winter Months 454 Tons of Salt was used 1200 Gallons of Salt Brine was applied to the roads 2014 Nuisance High Grass Properties 162 Letters sent to the property owners 72 Properties Mowed by Township Road Department 2014 Leaves Collected: 47 Loads = 65 Tons 2014 Brush Collection 354 Loads (254 Tons) of Brush taken to Ohio Mulch Fire Department News Winter Season: It is time to think about the safety of our home during the winter season when we spend so much time indoors. Below are a couple of tips: Check your carbon monoxide detectors, smoke detectors, and fire extinguishers to make sure they are working properly. If you have a fireplace or a wood burning stove, make sure the flues and chimneys have been properly cleaned so there is no creosote buildup before you start using them again. When you are cleaning the ashes from your fireplace, don’t put them in a container, such as a paper bag, that can catch fire. Some of the ashes may still be warm enough to start a fire even if they seem cool. Wet the ashes and mix them so everything has been cooled down before you dispose of them. Emergency Vehicles & Divided Intersections: If you are stopped at an intersection that has a median or divider in the middle of the road, and an emergency vehicle approaches from behind you, here’s what you can do. If possible move to the right. Continued next page – See Fire News Township-wide Trash Contract – Fire News Continued As a reminder, Local Waste is the exclusive hauler for all residential trash in Franklin Township. No other hauler may Do not go to the left. If you are blocked in, stay put and let the collect residential waste. Some of the particulars of the contract emergency vehicle find a way around you. It may have to move include the following; into oncoming traffic lanes, so it is equally important that vehicles traveling in the opposite direction move to the right and stop as Collection day is always Friday unless a Holiday falls on well. If an emergency vehicle stops behind you with its lights and Monday through Friday of the collection week. If that is the siren on, and you have no other options, carefully move forward case, the collection for that particular week is Saturday. toward the intersection and to the right, but only if it is safe to do You may place unlimited trash out for collection but no so. If it is not safe, wait for the light to change so you can move. container can weigh more than 50 lbs. Bulk pick-up is free and does not have to be called in or scheduled prior to collection day. Hazardous items cannot be picked up. Examples would include batteries, tires, lead based paints, TV’s appliances, etc. When in question, contact Local Waste at 409-9375 for verification. Each household provides their own trash receptacle but if you choose, you may rent a rolling container from Local Waste. Call 409-9375 to arrange a rental container. Each household is provided an open-top, 18 gallon container for recycling. Additional containers may be provided for recycling use by contacting, 2799411, select option 0. On October 26, 2014 Franklin Township moved the Fiscal Office and Fire Yard waste is collected and must be in a Prevention / Building Inspection Departments from 2193 Frank Road to designated container marked “yard waste”. Yard offices at 1963 Harrisburg Pike. These offices had been donated to Franklin waste bags are OK as well. Bundled limbs must be Township by Mr. Robert O’Hanlon who had operated a tax service for many no more than 4’ long and 2’ in diameter and less years from this location. than 50 lbs. Please place yard waste a few feet away from the normal trash. About five years ago there was a fire on the second floor of this building. Mr. They will pick up Christmas trees. O’Hanlon had the building completely gutted and rehabbed. All the rooms Senior citizen discount can be provided for head of were wired for internet connection / surge protection outlets for computers households that are 62 years of age, or older. You and printers. New furnace and air conditioner for 1st floor and new furnace must provide verification to receive this discount. and air conditioner for 2nd floor were installed, also handicap restrooms Contact 279-9411 and select option 0 for details. upstairs and down and new hardwood floor downstairs. There are three Garage side pick-up is available for those with offices, one restroom, storage room, and large open center area upstairs. documented medical concerns. Contact Local There are two large offices, one restroom, a snack room with small sink, Waste at 409-9375 for additional information on cabinets and refrigerator downstairs. It also has a full basement and two-car this service. garage. Garage side pick-up is also available to those that This office was donated to Franklin Township by Robert O’Hanlon wish to pay for the additional privilege. Again, completely furnished. Everything was like new as Mr. O’Hanlon operated the contact Local Waste at 409-9375 for additional business for about a year after the fire before he retired. This includes threeinformation on this service. piece L Shaped desks in each room, computers, two or three monitors at each If an issue should arise regarding your weekly desk, calculators, office chairs, file cabinets and much more. The offices collection, you must contact Local Waste by 5:00 were walk-in ready. pm on your collection day at 409-9375 to report We want to thank Mr. O’Hanlon for his generous donation as the extra office your problem. A follow-up call to alert one of space has been needed for many years. The Franklin County Prosecutor’s your Trustees would be appreciated as well. Office did the paperwork at no cost. Our total cost to acquire the house was less than $1,000 for Warranty Deed and filing fees. The General Office, Police Department, and Road Department are still SWAC is the abbreviation for the newest Columbus located at 2193 Frank Road and all phone numbers remain the same. City Area Commission. The letters stand for South West Area Commission. Their boundaries are the railroad tracks just west of 3C highway on the west, Mound Street on the north, Interstate 71 South on the east, and I-270 on the south. This area encompasses land that lays 50% in Columbus, 40% in Franklin Township, and 10% in Jackson Township. The Franklin Township Business Meetings are held on a bi-weekly basis. The dates and times for the 2015 The meetings are held at 1665 Harrisburg Pike every third Wednesday of meetings will be determined at the first Township the month starting at 7:00 P.M., but are subject to change. For the latest Business meeting that will be held on January 15, 2015 information on dates and times for the meetings view their web site at: starting at 6:30 P.M. http://www.columbusswac.org/home.html Donation of Township Office SWAC Meeting Dates for 2015 2015 Franklin Township Business Meeting Schedule WINTER SAFETY TIPS There’s a whole wonderland of winter activities for the entire family such as sledding, snowmobiling, and snowboarding, to mention a few. Here are some tips for keeping safe and protecting your children from the cold: Dress them in several layers of warm, breathable clothing; avoid cotton clothing. Waterproof and windproof outer layers will keep them dry. Cover their head and neck to retain body heat. Put Vaseline on exposed areas (nose, cheeks, ears, etc.) to protect from wind chill. And protect your kids’ faces with sunscreen. Even though the idea of sunburn in winter can seem odd, snow can reflect up to 85% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Give kids a snack before going out. The calories will give their bodies energy in the cold weather. Tire Disposal: Liberty Tire 3041 Jackson Pike Grove City, Ohio 43123 614-871-3088 Hours: 7:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. weekdays, closed Saturday & Sunday National Severe Weather Preparedness Week March 1 to March 7, 2015 A State-Wide Tornado Drill is scheduled for March 4, 2015 Call Before You Dig Ohio Utility Protection Services (OUPS), or “Call Before You Dig”, urges you to please for the safety of all, prior to digging in your yard or road right-of-way, call 811. This will connect you to the appropriate office to schedule utility markings. The turnaround time is 48 business hours. This call could save a life or at least prevent interruption of service to you and your neighbors. Ever wonder what the colors painted on the ground meant? Red is for electric lines, yellow is for gas, orange is for communication and alarm signals, blue is for water, purple is reclaimed water and irrigation lines, green is sewer and drain lines, pink is temporary survey lines, and white is proposed excavation lines. Follow us on the Web, Facebook, and Twitter Your Trustees want to get the latest news, events, and emergency information to you as soon as we can about Franklin Township and the surrounding area. Find us on the web at www.franklin-township.com, on Twitter at @Franklin_Twp, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FranklinTownshipOhio. Franklin Township Directory Fire Department Emergency ................... .911 Chief Richard Howard .................... 279-1537 4100 Sullivant Ave., Columbus, 43228 Houses; Engine 192, Medic 192 Foam Truck 199, Total of 39 Full-time Firefighting Personnel in both houses. Station 193........................................ 279-1441 2193 Frank Rd, Columbus, 43223 Houses: Engine 193, Medic 193 Fire/EMS Inspector/Investigator Contact Number……………………. 279-9411 Fire Prevention Bureau Lt. Larry Geiger ................................ 279-9411 Road Department Supervisor, Jim Stevens Five Person crew ............................... 279-9411 2193 Frank Road, Columbus 43223 Road garage houses 3 dump trucks, jet-vacuum, brush chipper, leaf vacuum, asphalt roller, and 3 snowplows. Police Department Emergency ........... 911 Non-emergency Dispatch............. 525-3333 Chief Al Wheeler.......................... 279-9411 Headquarters 2193 Frank Road, Columbus, 43223 Total of 9 full-time Police Officers and 6 Auxiliary Officers in the Police Department. Security check on your home while you’re away............................................... 279-9411 Local Waste .................................. 409-9375 Franklin County Offices Public Health ................................. 525-3160 Trash .............................................. 525-4539 Tall grass/weeds............................. 279-9411 Environmental Control Task Force (Nail a Dumper) ......................................... 871-5322 Zoning ........................................... 525-5627 150 South Front Street, Suite 10 Engineers ...................................... 525-3072 970 E. Broad Street Board of Trustees: Don Cook, Trustee: Serving term 01/01/14 – 12/31/17 272-2094 John Fleshman, Trustee Serving Term 01/01/14 – 12/31/17 272-8595 Timothy Guyton, Trustee: Serving term 01/01/12 – 12/31/15 276-6946 Lisa Morris, Fiscal Officer: Serving term 04/1/12 – 03/31/16 279-9411 Sandy Hodge, Business Office Secretary 279-9411 Board of Elections: Animal Control: Prosecutors Office: Juvenile Bureau: 525-3100 525-3400 525-3520 525-3355 Reflective House Number Signs Reflective house number signs (18” x 6”) can be purchased at the Township Business Office. The signs are aluminum with a green reflective background and white reflective numbers. Signs can be mounted either horizontally or vertically and with numbers on both sides. The cost is $6.00 per sign, $0.70 per number.