Patience paid off for Truro Township officials when they were notified long awaited plans to renovate Rodebaugh Road and streets in the Qualstan development were finally financed by the state.
"We got word three weeks ago," said engineer Matt Ferris during the Jan. 3 Truro Township trustee meeting. "I congratulate the township on receiving the grant. We’re excited and thankful, but we can’t start until after July 1 because OPWC (Ohio Public Works Commission) funding won’t be available until then."
Bidding for more than $300,000 in street improvements will be held prior to July in order to fast track construction and complete work by the end of 2008. Roads included in the capital improvement project are Olivette, Parkline Drive East and West, Quincy, Renfro, Ronda, Silverton, Talbert, and Tuxworth Court.
"It’ll be nice to have that area taken care of over there," said Trustee Dennis Nicodemus.
Truro Administrator Bob Stapleton reported the total cost of the project, including a 10 percent match by the township, is approximately $335,934. Traffic will be maintained at all times. Ferris said his firm, E. P. Ferris, put in three applications and two were successful. Twenty five municipalities submitted grant applications, but only five, including Truro Township, made the final cut.
"This is the fifth year since we’ve received a grant, but we got in on the first round this time and that’s something that’s never happened before," said Stapleton.
Other Truro news
•Road Superintendent Stan Knoderer told trustees a round of storms made the soil unstable in a section of the Silent Home Cemetery and caused a freshly dug grave to collapse following a funeral ceremony. A monument company working in the area volunteered their services and used cables and a boom to help pull everything up and out of the marshy ground.
"Had they not been there, it would have cost the township a lot of money," said Trustee Barbara Strussion, who also thanked township employees and residents for their support throughout the year. "I’m thankful for the leadership in the township and our facilities. We are very fortunate. We want to strive to improve all of the time."
•Trustee Pat Mahaffey was sworn in for another term, Nicodemus was elected as chairman and Mahaffey as vice chairman. The trustees will continue to meet on the first Thursday of the month and pay health, life, dental, and vision insurance for elected officials.
•A brief ceremony was held in December when a 2007 American LaFrance Eagle custom five-man pumper was officially added to the township inventory. Engine 162 is equipped with a 750-gallon water tank and was designed by a committee of firefighters overseen by Battalion Chief Jeff Sharps and under the direction of Fire Chief Jerry Foltz and Executive Battalion Chief Steve Hein.
