NEWTON TOWNSHIP — Trustees have approved a new one-year agreement with the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office for police protection in the community.

Trustee Pete Augusta said at the recent trustees meeting the contract is similar to the last one, but sheriff’s deputies will provide more coverage in the township and provide a monthly spreadsheet of activity by the sheriff’s department to the trustees for their monthly meetings. There were 131 calls in the township in December.

The contract is for $46,644 for 23 hours of coverage per week, as well as response beyond those hours when there is a call for service. One deputy will be assigned to the township.

Fiscal officer Susan Montgomery said the cost was $4,100 per month for six months in 2025.

Trustees said there is an office at the township administration building that the sheriff’s department can use. Johnston and Bristol townships also provide office space to the deputies in their communities.

In other business, trustee John Nemet said he was named chairman of the Newton Falls Joint Fire District board and Aaron Perkins was named vice chairman. Nemet said the district had 1,962 calls in 2025. In December, the district gave five mutual aid assists and received 21 assists.

He said the district is still having difficulty filling shifts because there is not enough staff. Nemet said fire Chief Jim Williamson will help cover shifts. He said the fire department does not have the funds for a full-time staff.

The department recently gave the township an AED unit for the administration building.

In other business, trustees:

* Discussed surveying land east of Brandywine Trail by McGuire Surveying of Windham at $850.

* Heard from Road Superintendent Mike Hall that road crews were out plowing for 12 hours straight after the Jan. 25 snowstorm.

* Heard the zoning department is addressing restrictions on portable storage shipping containers in the front yards of small residential properties.

* Approved attorney Patrick Wilson as additional legal counsel at $175 per hour to replace attorney Cherry Poteet, effective March 1, because of her requested workload reduction.

* Received a $7,500 grant that will be used for a catch basin project.

* Will upgrade the telecommunications equipment for a phone/ tech hub station to serve the fiscal officer, zoning and other offices at the administration building.

* Scheduled two public cleanups with one May 2 and 3 and the second Sept. 12 and 13 that includes tire collection.