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HOWLAND -- Trustees passed a resolution to apply for an Ohio Department of Transportation grant that could help improve anything from sidewalks and roads in the township when they met Wednesday.
Communities all across Ohio can apply for the grant, but, said Planning Director Kim Mascarella, awards will be limited to five to seven.
If awarded, the state will help the township develop a plan that will document walking and biking conditions and make recommendations to improve the physical environment to better accommodate all valid forms of transportation.
"It's a statewide opportunity to apply for planning dollars to help us do various narrowed and specific (things)," Mascarella said.
The transportation plan would be added to the township's existing comprehensive plan.
"We know from community comments during the comprehensive plan process that the ability to walk, bike and do things out in the community is a high priority of our community, so, again, this is the comprehensive plan in action immediately," Trustee Matthew Vansuch said.
Also Wednesday, it was announced Howland will soon launch its Wireless Emergency Notification system.
"There's a county system that sends out notifications for different things," police Chief Nick Roberts said. "But we have created our own account for Howland Township, which will allow all of our departments, police, road and fire to send out messages to just Howland Township residents. That is a cost that's being shouldered by the EMA (Emergency Management Agency) and being offered to anyone in the county."
In other news, Vansuch said he and Howland Local School District Superintendent Kevin Spicher have spoken about a land swap that would involve the North Road Intermediate School building, which is no longer used for educational purposes.
"He (Spicher) reached out to us to see if there was any interest in the community in maybe doing something with that building since it's no longer functioning as an educational facility. The carrying costs for that are expensive, but there was some discussion about swapping land. Could we use it as a park? Possibly, but to that, we don't have the funds, and I'm not sure the school has the funds to demolish the property," Vansuch said.
"The school will do what it's going to. But the township is not in a position to try to take any action, demolish it, or anything. But we have offered a land swap for that, which could be an opportunity," Vansuch said.
Also, the board announced the township's annual Tree Lighting Festival will be 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1 at Richard Orwig Park on East Market Street.