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More grants pursued in Jackson Township
(by Linda Dillman, staff writer - February 03, 2010)
Many old cars past their prime gather rust in an auto graveyard, but the tires they traveled miles upon are getting a second life under foot and in the garden.
Jackson Township is joining in the effort to recycle rubber from the road by accepting a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for scrap tire processing at Liberty Tire Services on Jackson Pike.
"It's a win for us," said township Administrator Mike Lilly during a Feb. 2 trustee caucus session. "The grant request is for $240,000. ODNR would give us a check for 50 percent of the amount and Liberty would draw against that.
"They (Liberty) would have to show us an invoice indicating they actually purchased the equipment. The account would be audited by the state."
Liberty Tire Service processes 15,000 tires a day for a variety of applications such as flooring, industry and mulch.
Richard Douglas, general manager for the local Liberty tire recycling center, told trustees the grant would afford the company the opportunity to purchase additional processing equipment. The local operation employs 51 people, but the grant could add one to two more individuals to the roster.
If approved, the grant would also allow the company to transport shredded agricultural equipment tires from a Minerva, Ohio plant to Jackson Township for further processing. Douglas said, at the present time, after the specialty tires are shredded, they are buried in a landfill and not recycled.
The additional equipment will virtually eliminate all waste at the Jackson Pike facility, asserted Douglas, who said, "Our company processes 40 percent of all of the tires in the United States.
"We're constantly changing project scope based on demand. We're pretty confident this (grant) will be approved. We're known by the DNR and we have received grants in the past."
Douglas informed trustees the company plans to donate rubberized, painted mulch to the township for use as mulch in flower beds around the municipal building. He also said residents can drop off old tires at the Jackson Pike recycling facility for a small fee.
In other news
•Lilly reported that Grove City estimates by EMH&T for bridge work on an Ohio Department of Transportation White Road project was $300,000. However, ODOT estimates were double the local number and totaled $604,000.
"If accurate, this increases Grove City's share of the White Road project to $1.4 million, where the original understanding was that Grove City, Franklin County, and Jackson Township would each have a third share of $800,000 in the project," stated Lilly.
"It could cost us $100,000 more," observed Trustee David Burris. "I'm very concerned. There has to be some reasoning there."
•The Grove City Environmental Day and Jackson Township's Clean Up Day are merging for a one-day environmental/ clean up event on May 1. Services include a Shred-It operation, as well as computer recycling. The cost for CRT monitor recycling is $15 per monitor, but all other computer equipment is free.
•A second public input meeting - ice cream social - for a comprehensive plan is scheduled for March 9, 7 p.m., at the township hall.
•The trustees approved a resolution supporting the Firefighter for Kids program up to $3,000.
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