VIENNA — Housekeeping was the main theme of the fire chief’s report, as he inquired as to why the township wasn’t using an insurance provider commonly used throughout the area for its volunteers.

At a regular meeting earlier this week, fire Chief Gus Birch asked why the township’s volunteer fire organization got rid of its Volunteer Firemen’s Insurance Services insurance — an insurance provider for emergency service organizations — and went with a different provider.

“I think it was a better rate, I thought they were getting a better rate off of that for the same coverage,” Trustee Mike Haddle said.

Birch said he wasn’t opposed to the volunteers being covered for as much as they could get. He said his main concern was cost, noting that it had coverage for other things, such as station issues.

“Every fire department that I know uses VFIS,” Birch said.

Birch said they could switch back, and he wanted to cover all of the bases — adding that it was three times as much.

“I want them to be covered for their health and disability stuff, but I think they’re missing out on some other opportunities that the VFIS provided, and this policy doesn’t,” Birch said.

FIRE DEPENDENCY FUND

Haddle said the township had to reactivate its dependency fund for the fire department, a fund set aside by the state’s fire marshal that requires two legislative authority members, two fire department members, and a member of the public who lives in the fire department’s jurisdiction.

Haddle said that, with Fiscal Officer Heidi Brown becoming a public official, she would need to be switched out as the resident member.

“The board only kicks in if someone dies in the line of duty; it’s just how that works out,” Haddle said.

Haddle said they submit the board’s paperwork once a year, meaning they don’t even have to meet.

In other action, trustees:

• Approved voiding a check written to Trumbull 911 in September for $28,926 and to reissue it for the same amount. Haddle explained that officials did a series of checks in September, paying off many individuals at that time. Brown said that if she couldn’t find the check, they would stop payment — which was the case with this one.

• Approved setting Vienna Clean-up Day for May 16, 2026.

• Approved sending deputy road superintendent Ron Fraser, trustee-elect Kim Ellis and Haddle to the Ohio Township Association winter conference.