BAZETTA — Township trustees will pay an additional $34,000 for the employee hospitalization plan next year — and they’re glad it wasn’t more.

“We’ll take the 9.2% rate increase gladly,” said Trustee Chairman Michael Hovis. “One insurance company wouldn’t even quote us.”

Bazetta Township paid $364,000 for the year ending May 1. The township got four quotes for insurance plans this year:

• Current provider, Anthem: $397,600, a 9.2% increase.

• Medical Mutual of Ohio: $481,500, a 32.3% increase.

• UnitedHealthcare, $696,000, a 75.1% increase.

Hovis said trustees had budgeted for an 11% or 12% increase this year.

“If we can get under 10%, that’s a home run for us,” he said.

The full rates for the health plans range from $689 for singles and $1,940 for families each month. The plans have high deductibles starting at $5,000 in medical costs before the insurance kicks in, so the township offers a supplemental plan to cover the high deductible. Each employee pays 10% of the plan cost and a total of $1,500 per plan in deductibles.

Trustees also heard a report from police Chief Christopher Herlinger that thanks to new scheduling of officers, there will now be two township officers on patrol most of the time.

Before the scheduling change, township officers had to work alone 372 hours in the month, or more than half of their scheduled patrols. With the new changes to shifts and schedules, township officers only patrolled alone 55 hours in March, or 7% of the time.

The increased staffing was achieved without overtime.

In other business, trustees:

• Announced a drug take-back day will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 25 at the police department. Only unused prescription pills, not liquids, gels or syringes, will be accepted.

• Announced an auction of the old playground equipment previously installed at the Imagination Station playground at Township Park. The equipment to be auctioned includes three large steeples, a small steeple, two plastic curve slides and two spring horses. The auction will be 9 a.m. to noon May 9.

• Reminded residents that a grand opening for the new Imagination Station playground will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 2 at the park. The event will include craft vendors, food available for purchase, and a display from BobKat’s Lil’ Critters of Mecca.