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BRACEVILLE – With the recent resignations of the interim police chief and several police officers, township trustees have approved a six-month contract with the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office to provide police protection.
Trustees last week approved the agreement with the sheriff’s office for eight hours of police protection per week at $13,043 from Nov. 1 to April 30, 2027.
Interim police Chief David Fay resigned Oct. 16, while patrol officers Hollie France and James Thomas resigned Oct. 20 and patrolman Corey Nemec resigned Oct. 29.
Trustee Chairman Todd Garland said trustees are interviewing for a new part-time police chief, which will take time since an Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation on any new person takes three weeks. He said once an interim police chief is in place, that person can help to get part-time officers, which he said could take 60 to 90 days.
“We want to get the police department back up and running,” Garland said.
Trustee Dennis Kuchta said despite what was posted on social media, he never spoke to Newton Falls officials about having police service from the village for the township.
Trustee Jeff Tucker said he also has received calls about the police department.
Garland said he was contacted by Newton Falls Village Manager Jeremy Shaffer about the matter.
In other matters, Kuchta said the zoning department is addressing sober living houses. He said the township can’t keep them out, but they can regulate them like short-term housing.
Garland said there have been some homes with eight to nine people living in them.
“We need to keep these things out of residential areas. This has not been going over well,” he said.
Tucker said he will contact other townships to see how they address these types of homes.
Trustees also have decided to have the county engineer’s office have a speed study done on McConnell East Road, Braceville Robinson Road and state Route 534.
Trustees also are addressing issues with residents who have placed fences 4 to 4.5 feet from the road in the right-of-way at properties off Shanks Phalanx Road, Benedict Leavittsburg Road and Bailey Anderson Road. The fences are being addressed by the township’s zoning board. Garland said fences are not permitted in the right-of-way.
Some residents have said the fences are to prevent speeding vehicles from going onto lawns.
Garland said they can ask the county engineer to do a speed study to see if guardrails are warranted on some roads because of speeding.
Fiscal officer Thomas Shay said he has had calls from residents who want to be notified by email of special meetings.
Shay notifies residents of special meetings via the newspaper and the community sign. Residents have said they want to be notified by a township website.
Trustees said they will check on how other townships notify the public of meetings and make a final decision on the notification process at the January organizational meeting.
In other action, trustees:
* Announced three 1-mill renewal levies for fire, police and roads all passed in Tuesday’s general election.
* Approved Russell Vereshack and Michelle Garland as volunteer firefighters and approved Keegan Pownell and Austin Bittner to attend firefighter training.
* Approved an agreement with Fire Force for air packs at $120,000.
* Will ask the Trumbull County Combined Health District to reconsider the unfit for human habitation declaration for property at 3031 state Route 5.
* Will have the zoning department issue citations to property owners to remove junk vehicle at 993 Kale Adams Road and numerous vehicles at 1288 Cedar St. Garland said the process needs to begin to get vehicles removed.
* Heard from trustee Dennis Kuchta that he received a phone call that someone fired a weapon from a moving vehicle on Eagle Creek Road.
* Reported that data centers are being addressed by the zoning board. Tucker said the current moratorium will need to be extended for six months starting in January. A decision will be made by trustees in December.
* Announced the annual fire department turkey raffle will be Nov. 19 at the fire station.
* Were informed someone broke into the former Braceville school property. The school has since been secured again.