In July 2007, the Pleasant Township Road Department noticed that the water retention wall on Old Harrisburg Road was beginning to crumble.
Water erosion and time were said to be the causes for the shape of the wall, but since the residents were not in any danger, the plans to fix it up were pushed back by the Franklin County Engineer’s Office.
"In all fairness to the Franklin County Engineer’s, they service 17 other townships as well as their own areas," said Pleasant Township Chairman Keith Goldhardt back in January when the problems with the wall were adding up. "They do an excellent job of helping us when we really need it."
Over a year after the problem was noticed, it was announced at the Aug. 12 Pleasant Township Board of Trustees meeting that the new wall has finally been installed.
"It was a pretty quick job," said Road Department Superintendent Jeff Karn. "They started working on Aug. 4 and finished on the 11th."
Karn said to stabilize the wall, the engineers placed the bottom of the wall three-foot underground, and located it five to six feet back from its original location.
"That wall is not going anywhere," Karn said.
The cost of the wall replacement project was just under $25,000.
Firearm classes
At the meeting, Goldhardt made a motion to approve firearm training for all the full-time firefighters, and to make that same training available to all part-time employees, only they would have to pay $50 to $60 per person.
"I think education on firearm safety is a good idea no matter who are you," he stated.
He said the course is needed because if the firefighters are called out onto the scene of an accident and there is gun in the road or in the immediate area, they need to know how to disable the weapon for the safety of those on that scene.
"We have to make it safe for all the firefighters, residents and the small children who are around," he said. "We don’t want anyone hurting themselves."
In other news
•Goldhardt said he has spoken with the Franklin County Engineer’s Office regarding their plans to fix the drainage ditch that affects residents who live along Zuber Road, Young Road and portions of Plum Run and they plan to start the project sometime in September.
•Part-time Firefighter Jason Adams was promoted to full-time with the department.
