NEAPOLIS – Providence Township residents will have an opportunity to come together as a community on Saturday, Sept. 12, trustees shared during their Sept. 2 meeting.
Neapolis Volunteer Fire Association is hosting its annual Community Day and Fire Department Open House that day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the fire station, 8149 Main St. in Neapolis. The event features dozens of local vendors and artisans, fire station tours, a safety trailer and Happy the Clown doing face painting and balloon animals. The fire association members will grill chicken halves for $15 meals that will be available from 11 a.m. until sold out.
Just a block south on Main Street, the annual gathering of Wheel Horse tractor aficionados will take place, with tractor owners bringing models of all years for the public to admire. And across the road, Good Shepherd Animal Sanctuary will host an Open Barn Day from noon to 4 p.m., with free kids activities, tours and an opportunity to see the goats, chickens, cows, horses, pigs and other animals who reside at 8339 Providence Neapolis Swanton Road. Enter near the Ferrell Gas Co.
During the meeting, the trustees also:
-Discussed options for adding regulations on data centers to its zoning book, specifically a planned district M-3 like that being considered by Waterville Township. Trustees welcomed Monclova Township resident Mike Tyson, who submitted a copy of “Data Centers – The Impact on Public Health Zoning for a Safer Future & Smart Growth,” which he researched and compiled for Monclova trustees.
Trustee Chair Steve Kendall is moderating an upcoming data center town hall meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 13 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Veterans Memorial Building at City Park, 520 Conneaut Ave. The free event will include five speakers on data centers, including representatives from Grand Rapids, Mich., Maumee and Ohio Township Association. The event is free and will seat up to 250 people. Trustees agreed that this would be a good source of information for the township and its residents.
-Learned that construction of a roundabout at Providence-Neapolis-Swanton Road and Archbold Whitehouse Road will begin on Monday, Sept. 14 and result in a 45-day closure with a detour.
-Heard resident Gail Perry ask about the status of a home at 13614 Meredith St. in Neapolis. The Toledo Lucas County Health Department began investigating the home a few years ago. The owner was asked to move out because of the home’s condition, but has remained on site. The case was handed over to Maumee Municipal Court nearly two years ago but no action has been taken. Several agencies have offered to work with the homeowner, but he has not followed through on getting help. The township is limited on what it can do with the property because it is in a nonzoned area.
-Heard Road Superintendent Kevin Keifer say that he is installing a new catch basin on Manore Road and running a tile 100 feet south to another tile that drains to Iron Ore Ditch.
-Agreed to ask the county to have signs made to post on Manore and Patton roads, explaining how those projects were funded with a combination of Ohio Public Works Commission and township money.
-Agreed to contact the Hartman Road property owners who planted rose of Sharon bushes that have grown into the right of way, causing a line of sight issue for drivers on Patton Road.
-Heard Keifer say that he’s working with the fire marshal to resolve the issues with the township’s fuel tanks.
-Approved the hiring of Antonio Genito as a volunteer firefighter. He is currently taking the firefighter 1 course in Swanton and is a probationary hire with Whitehouse Fire Department.
-Discussed bids presented by Ryan Grant and Fire Chief Rick Triggs for replacing the ambulance that was severely damaged in an accident earlier this year. While the three bids were thorough, they did not follow the standard process, so trustees asked that Triggs and Grant advertise the specs and seek bids and set a bid opening. The department is currently using a vehicle with 200,000 miles on it, and the lead time to get a new vehicle is up to two years, Grant noted.
