Trending
BROOKFIELD -- Township trustees approved an agreement with VAZA Consulting LLC for grant-writing services at their meeting Monday.
The cost to hire VAZA will be $1,985 per month and the contract is for one year. Trustee Shannon Devitz said she and the other trustees will meet with VAZA Consulting two to three times per month.
She said once they receive grant money, they will use it for outdoor improvements.
"(I want to) start with the park down there," Devitz said. "People have been asking me for lights. I want to make sure if we can supply it, we (will) supply it."
Devitz said she also would like to improve sidewalks.
"I've been a part of that conversation since I've moved here with previous trustees," she said. "I'd like to see what we can do with that."
She also said she plans to use the grants to partner with the Brookfield Local School District.
"To (innovate) would be kind of piggybacking off things that they (the school) have already done," Devitz said. "We have the opportunity to bring help centers and innovation centers."
Tim Radachy, a resident of Masury, expressed concern that the partnership with VAZA Consulting wasn't going to be worth the outcome.
However, trustee Mark Ferrara addressed these concerns by stating, "I think it's a very good investment in our community."
Devitz also said their goal is getting a greater return on their investment from VAZA Consulting than the investment they are putting into it.
In other business, trustees announced they will be live streaming their meetings on the township's website and on YouTube.
Ferrara thanked Devitz and trustee Dan Suttles for their help in setting up the technology to do so.
"I know this is something that's taking a little time to put together, but we're now hopefully in a good position," he said.
Suttles said they tried to make an announcement regarding the webcam.
"People that can't make it here can see the government in action," he said. "The con is we can't get feedback from that. That's what kind of stopped us from doing it before."
Despite not being able to get feedback from those watching, Suttles said it's a step in the right direction."
"One of the things I wanted to do from the beginning is to get more people involved in what we do," he said.
Devitz said it will take a couple days, but they will have Monday's meeting posted on the website.