List of Services

• Trustees select farmland lease agreement recipient CLAY TOWNSHIP - The Clay Township trustees selected a recipient for the township’s farmland lease agreement.
  
  Stephan Bridenbaugh was selected to receive the agreement at $245 an acre.
  
  The total cost of the lease agreement, according to township Trustee Vice President Dal Winner, is $5,390 for 22 acres. The agreement will be in effect for three years.
  
  Winner stated he would make sure Bridenbaugh signs the agreement.
  
  The trustees also passed a resolution that will add the necessary language to a Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) act resolution the trustees had planned to adopt at an earlier meeting.
  
  According to trustee Steve Woolf, legal counsel recommended that the language associated with the earlier resolution be included before adopting it.
  
  Winner said the trustees should make an attempt to have all necessary language included before adopting a resolution.
  
  “Hopefully going forward it would make it better if we didn’t pass resolutions without the language unless it is an emergency. It’s not any fun to go back and try to fix those things, but I think we’re squared away now,” Winner said.
  
  The trustees also adopted an Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) request form associated with Covid-19.
  
  Winner said the EPSLA sick leave request form was created because the township did not have one for Covid-19 illness.
  
  “We are required to provide emergency sick leave as it relates to coronavirus, but we’ve never had any kind of request form for that,” Winner said.
  
  Winner said this for covers requests for leave if the illness is associated with Covid-19.
  
  “The form is valid through Dec. 31 of this year unless it is extended,” Winner said. “If it isn’t extended, the form will cease to exist at that point.”
  
  In other matters, the trustees voted to transfer a 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe from the police department to the Cemetery and Road Department.
  
  2020-10-14 Trustees select farmland lease agreement recipient
• Trustees promote police officers CLAY TOWNSHIP - The Clay Township trustees approved the promotion of a township police officer to full-time status during the Sept. 8 trustee meeting.
   
  Brandon Lingenfelter was promoted from a part-time police officer to full time. As a full-time officer Lingenfelter’s duties will include serving as a police officer and as a zoning officer.
   
  The trustees also approved the hiring of Samuel Conley as an extended part-time officer.
   
  In other matters, the trustees approved Jacob Cook to the zoning commission.
   
  The Trustees also approved the update to the police department police and procedures manual.
   
  According to Police Chief J. Van Gundy, the updates were made to sections dealing with the welfare check of juveniles and supervisory response.
   
  Gundy said the major change to the section dealt with making sure of the status of the juvenile and not just taking the word of a parent or guardian.
   
  “The only major change was that mandatory contact with a juvenile versus just taking a parent’s or guardian’s word they’re asleep in their bed or at a neighbor's house so it’s not allowed to keep festering or continue on into a conflict,” Gundy said.
  
  2020-09-16 Trustees promote police officers
• Clay Township will have on the ballot for the August 4 Clay Township will have on the ballot for the August 4, 2020 Special Election, a Fire and EMS RENEWAL Levy. Residents of the following voting precincts will be able to cast a ballot on the issue: BROOKVILLE A, B & C, CLAY TWP A, B, & C, CLAYTON 1-C, AND PHILLIPSBURG. Please remember to vote on August 4.
  
  2020-07-29 Clay Township will have on the ballot for the August 4
• Township to wait on reopening cemetery CLAY TOWNSHIP - Clay Township trustees agreed to keep the township building closed to the public at least through June 1. Meeting on May 4, trustees decided to follow the state’s lead.
  
  In addition, when Trustee Steve Woolf said the township’s Arlington Cemetery was being prepared for the Memorial Day ceremonies.
  
  “Not this year,” Trustee President Dave Vore Warned.
  
  I think it will be approved,” Woolf replied. “From what I heard today, it sounds like they are allowing certain outside assemblies. We’ll see.”
  
  The virus has affected township business in other ways. The Ohio Township Association Risk Management Authority has provided the township with $500 for any expenses incurred by the COVID-19 virus.
  
  And due to the COVID-19 virus’ effect on county and state budgets, Woolf said that Montgomery County will not be striping the township’s roads this summer and the township will not secure Issue II funding from the state this year.
  
  He reminded trustees that the township had encumbered money for repairing Cemetery Lan in Phillipsburg, a project that has not started yet.
  
  “Outside of that, we have no other commitments to our roads this year that we’re still paying on,” he said.
  
  Repairs to Upper Lwisburg-Salm, Wellbaum and Pleasant Plain roads were all part of the application for Issue II funds. Woolf said repairs to those roads would help the township get Issue II funds in the future.
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  He recommended the township do the “ver high” repairs that were part of the Issue 2 application and also repair sections of Blank Road and a section o fHartman Road.
  
  Trustees voted to approve $53, 779 for Upper Lewisburg-Salem, Blank, Pleasant Plain, Wellbaum and Wengerlawn Roads, with a possible discount cutting the cost to $49,999. A decision on Hartman Road was postponed until a revised estimate for the just a section could be obtained.
  
  Fiscal Officer Brad Limbert reported teh township received $8,400 in a refund from the workman’s compensation program and said he was seeking a new printing company for the township since Northmont Printing is closing.
  
  Police Chief John Van Gundy told trustees of one officer in the department who needs to take an extended leave and is a few hours short of qualifying for using vacation and person hours. Trustees voted to make an exception to policy “on a one-time basis” so the officer could received pay for part of his leave.
  
  In special meetings throughout April, trustees clarified the language necessary to put the 2.5 mill replacement fire/EMS levy on the ballot in a special election in August. Trustee Dale Winner has an individual willing to assume leadership in promoting the levy, and Woolf said he would locate the signs previously used for the levy.
  
  The township expects to finish interviews to fill the administrative assistant’s job on a permanent basis.
  
  The next regular trustee meeting will be at 5PM on Jun 1 at the township building, 8207 Arlington Road.
  
  2020-05-13 Township to wait on reopening cemetery
• Clay Township police levy is a renewal CLAY TOWNSHIP - Clay Township voters will decide the fate of a 3.25-mill police levy on the November 5 ballot. Township officials stressed that this is a renewal of a levy that is expiring and will not cost the residents anything extra.
   
  “I can’t believe it’s been five years already,” said Trustee President Steve Woolf. “Having a strong police force is always necessary, but recent activity, such as the shooting outside the government building, and more activity along the I-70 corridor, has made good quality police protection more important than ever.”
   
  Police chief John Van Gundy said, “We are only trying to maintain our current funding.”
   
  He also told trustees at the Oct. 21 meeting that the department has taken steps that mean the 2020 Montgomery County Crime Lab fees will be a bit lower.
   
  “Before, we would send all evidence down to be tested,” he explained to the Brookville Star later. “But we found that with some minor misdemeanors, such as possession of a very small amount of marijuana, the person would pay the fine and the case would be over with before we got the report back. Now we only send the evidence down for testing if the case will go to trial.”
   
  He also noted that other agencies in the area have obtained certified technicians and can help out for a lower fee on occasion.
   
  Trustee Dave Vore, a former Montgomery County Sheriff, noted at a recent trustee meeting that “the police department has made tremendous strides in the last five years, not only with run-of-the-mill matters but with the big deals. That shooting last fall was handled about as well as anything I’ve seen.”
  
  
  2019-10-30 Clay Township police levy is a renewal
• Clay Township trustees get good financial news CLAY TOWNSHIP - Clay Township trustees got some good financial news at the Oct 7 board of trustees meeting.
  
  Fiscal Officer Brad Limbert told them that the township had paid off the note on a dump truck. The only note the township now owes is on a backhoe. In addition, the township received a refund of $7,547.76 from Workman’s Compensation.
  
  And even though in February of 2018 the township dropped health coverage with United Health Care in favor of another company, Limbert said, “When they did their reassessment and their expenses and raios and all that, we received $884.60.”
  
  This money will not stay in the township budget, as it is a refund to the covered employees, who Limbert said would each receive $88.46.
  
  The money is welcome, as Road Superintendent Chris Maleski said his department had received a quote of $4,900 for recent damage to a culvert and gas line on Clayshire Road.
  
  Trustee President Steve Woolf also asked him to look into improving the gravel berms on Blank Road, noting that farm equipment along here was “knocking out residents’ mail boxes.”
  
  “Even though the equipment is doing it, we are responsible for the road from pole to pole,” he said, noting that there were also potholes along that road.
  
  Trustees decided to postpone any meeting on next year’s budget until after the election. Not only is there a police levy up for renewal in the township, but Police Chief John Van Gundy said his department would not know what county funds would be available until after the election. Trustee Dave Vore reminded township residents that passage of the renewal will not increase taxes.
  
  Woolf mentioned that there will be a choice of two ways to mark ballots this time. A spokesperson for the Montgomery County Board of Elections office explained that ballots will be sheets of paper that can be marked in a machine as before or by pen. In either case, the papers themselves will then be run through an optical scanner to be read and recorded.
  
  This creates a paper trail in addition to the electronic count.
  
  The next regular meeting of the board of trustees will be at 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 21 at the township building, 8207 Arlington Road.
  
  2019-10-16 Clay Township trustees get good financial news
• Local company recognized CLAY TOWNSHIP - At the Sept. 3 meeting, the Clay Township Board of Trustees recognized Heuker Excavating on Wengerlawn Road, for work after the Memorial Day tornados.
  
  On behalf of the trustees, Trustee President Steve Woolf expressed “a heartfelt thank you for your assistance, support, and friendship.”
  
  After the tornado, Heuker Excavation provided 172. Cumulative manhouse of service, especially using heavy equipment.
  
  “As you know,” Woolf pointed out, “the township can be very limited to immediate resources, especially heavy equipment such as yours.”
  
  Owner Duane Heuker said, “We just try to help where we can, and you know we’re there if you need it again.”
  
  Trustees also heard again from Phyllis Kennedy and Nancy Oskey, who had spoken at the last meeting, Aug. 20, about the weed problem behind their houses on Landis Road.
  
  Kennedy said that at the last meeting, “You actually stated to us there was nothing you could do and you were going to set up a meeting with the prosecutor. That was an outright lie.”
  
  Trustee Dave Vore told her, “We said we would meet with the prosecutor, but the chief (Police Chief John Van Gundy) did say if we had to, we would look into going in and mow. It was my understanding that it has been resolved.”
  
  Kennedy agreed it had been resolved, but said, “I would like ths statues so I don’t have to go through this again. I’ve had to go through it every year for 14 years.” Oskey said that the owner still had not mowed the property behind her house. Zoning officer Ben Marcum said he’d check into it, as there might have been a property line involved. He promised to get copies of the statutes immediately following the meeting.
  
  Vore explained the prosecutor “originally had an opinion that we all felt was our understanding of the law and we expressed that at our last meeting. However, a re-look determined that we could act on it, and we acted within a two-week period. I think this came out as a good resolution not only for you folks but for us in the future.”
  
  After the meeting, Kennedy also said the wording of the previous meeting's minutes contained inaccuracies. Fiscal Officer Brad Limbert, who transcribes the recorded minutes, said if she would mark them he would check into the matter.
  
  Woof also said he has been in touch with the county about the high weeds creating a hazard for drivers at the corner of Diamond Mill and Landis roads. Oskey also had contacted the county and said she had been told tornado work had put the county behind schedule but the weeds would be attended to.
  
  Woolf reported the Keep Clay Clean event on Aug. 24 had filled “three commercial dumpsters of tires, plus what could have been the equivalent of a fourth one on the ground.”
  
  2019-09-11 Local company recognized
• Clay trustees hear plea for weed control CLAY TOWNSHIP - Phyllis Kennedy, Nancy Oskey and David Bruce asked the Clay Township trustees and zoning officer to do something about a neighbor who has not cut his weeds at all this year.
  
  At the Aug. 19 meeting of the board of trustees, Kennedy said the neighbor, whose property on St. Rt. 49 near the corner of Landis Road extends behind the trio’s properties on Landis Road, told the board that the owner has not mowed all year bu merely runs trucks around the property to wear down the weeds, which include Queen Anne’s Lace and “that large purple one.”
  
  Kennedy, who said she had already spoken to Zoning Complian Officer Ben Marcum, complained, “You can’t go outside if you have allergies as I do,” and said she understood the law to say noxious weeds must be mowed twice a year.
  
  The Ohio State University Extension Service defines “noxious weeks” as “plants that can injure humans, ecosystems and agricultural crops and livestock due to their invasiveness, toxicity and other harmful characteristics.” Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota L., also known as wild carrots) was removed from the list of noxious weeds last year.
  
  Kennedy also complained the weeds attracted bugs and coyotes.
  
  Police Chief John Van Gundy said he and Marcum had contacted the Clay Township attorney in the County Prosecutor’s office.
  
  “Nothing can be done. Anytime a farmer wants to go back to a natural habitat, according to the prosecutor, they have that right. As a matter of fact, there’s a lot of farmers that will do it for a year or two just so they can provide the nutrients for the ground.”
  
  Trustee Dave Vore suggested the three residents, Marcum and Van Gundy could set up a conference call with the attorney to “walk it through” and see if a solution could be reached.
  
  Kennedy also said neighbors had been burning rubber and insulation and asked why the township wouldn’t issue a reminder of prohibited items. Marcum said the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency would have to cit the people in that case.
  
  Vore pointed out, “We don’t have the capability to put every law out to our residents. If I want to burn something, I look it up.”
  
  Bruce also said his neighbor’s grass on Landis Road kept the water from draining from his yard. Keith Luckey, filling in for Road Superintendent Chris Maleski, said the road department would look into that matter.
  
  The trustees also approved a liquor license to S & G Stores, the new management for the former Sunoco store at St. Rt. 49 and National Road.
  
  Trustee President Steve Woolf reminded the public that those who missed dropping off outdated or unused medicines at Keep Clay Clean on Aug. 24 could drop them off at the township building.
  
  Because of the Labor Day holiday, the next board of trustees meeting will be at 5PM on Tuesday, September 3, at the township building, 8207 Arlington Rd.
  
  2019-08-28 Clay trustees hear plea for weed control
• Clay Twp. road grants CLAY TOWNSHIP - At the Aug. 5 meeting, the Clay Township trustees voted to apply for state grants for four road projects, one for Upper Lewisburg-Salem Road from Brookville-Salem to Wellbaum Road, for Upper Lewsburg-Salem Road from Wellbaum to Diamond Mill roads, for Hartman Road, and for Temple Road.
  
  Trustee President Steven Woolf explained that the state has three funding cycles in the road program.
  
  “Two are for the cities and counties and the third is for small villages and townships.”
  
  Because the state takes average income of the jurisdiction into account, “and Clay Township has a fairly high-income level per capita, so we’re going to lose some points there. But we are applying to receive this, and if not, we’ll come back again for these projects.
  
  He said the cost of repairing, draining and blacktopping a road is $400,000 to $500,000 per mile.
  
  The township received a $2,760.26 rebate from the Ohio Township Association Risk Management Association, an insurance pool. This will be applied to future insurance payments.
  
  Keith Clark of Sweet Potato Ridge Road asked the trustees what could be done to open the ditch on Diamond Mill Road near his property, complaining that “the cattails are taking over” and the adjacent field floods. As it is a county road, Road Superintendent Chris Maleski said he would coordinate the matter with the county.
  
  The land surrounding Arlington Cemetery is leased to a farmer. The current lease will expire in January of 2020, and the board of trustees agreed to issue a Request for Proposal from farmers interested in leasing it then.
  
  Asked for committee reports, Trustee Dale Winner, who had just been sworn in on Aug. 1, replied, “I don’t have any committees to report on yet!” He added he was pleased to be back on the board of trustees.
  
  The next regular meeting of the board of trustees will be at 5 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 19, at the township building at 8207 Arlington Road.
  
  2019-08-14 Clay Twp. road grants
• Winner returns to trustee board CLAY TOWNSHIP - Dale Winner is once again a member of the Clay Township Board of Trustees.
  
  Steve Woolf and Dave Vore appointed Winner to fill out the vacancy created by Jeff Requarth’s resignation. The action was taken at a special meeting held on July 31.
  
  In addition to Winner, Christian Homan and Mike Henne applied for the position. Announcing the selection after a half-hour executive session, Woolf said he and Vore wanted to choose someone who “could hit the ground running,” who had prior experience in township government.
  
  Winner had been named in June of 2015 to succeed the late Robin Lehman. He was elected to the remaining two years of Lehman’s term that November, defeating Jeff Requarth. But two years later, Requarth defeated Winner and served until his move out of the township required him to resign last month.
  
  Winner is the principal of the east building at the Miami Valley Career Technology Center.
  
  The appointee will serve until this November, when someone will be elected to serve the rest of Requarth’s term, until 2019.
  
  Vore reminded the audience, which included Homan, that the trustees had acted so quickly to give others a chance to run in November. An appointee named more than 40 days before the next general election must run for election. Someone appointed less than 40 days before the election would have served until the end of the term.
  
  “We wanted to give all applicants time to run,” Vore said. “And everybody can run, not just the applicants.”
  
  Asked if he intended to run, Homan said he and his wife would have to discuss the matter.
  
  Referring to the Aug. 7 deadline for filing, Terra Homan, his wife, said, “It will have to be a quick discussion.”
  
  2019-08-07 Winner returns to trustee board
• Requarth resigns as Clay Twp. trustee CLAY TOWNSHIP = Clay Township Trustee Jeff Requarth resigned at the end of the July 1 meeting, an action required by his move out of the township.
  
  Although not unexpected, his move, intended to be effective at midnight, caused some problems. At least two votes are needed for any motion, and Trustee Dave Vore was on vacation. Woolf could not accept the resignation by himself, so it had to be tabled until the next meeting.
  
  Additionally, if any situation required emergency action before Vore’s return, he said adding, “like, God forbid, another tornado,” Requarth would be needed as the second signature on paperwork.
  
  Earlier in the meeting, Woolf was unable to vote to approve the minutes of the June 17 meeting, when he had been on vacation. Only trustees present at the meeting can approve the minutes.When he moved to table them until the next meeting, Requarth pointed out, “you’re not going to be able to vote on them the next time, either, because I won’t be here!”
  
  Woolf moved to approve them subject to consultation with legal counsel.
  
  When Road and Cemetery Superintendent Chris Maleski asked the trustees to consider a change in the personal leave days available for the workers, Requarth suggested postponing the matter until a new trustee took office. Woolf agreed and moved the proposal be tabled until the first of the year, since tabling a measure without any dae would effectively kill it.
  
  “We aren’t saying no,” he told Maleski, “but we want to table it until we are discussing benefits.”
  
  Turning to matters they could deal with, the board voted to hire Brandon Lingenfelter as an extended part-tim police officer, meaning he could work up to 1500 hours a year as opposed to 24 hours a month for regular part-time officers.
  
  The trustees approved an estimate of $26,869 for a new side mower, with a contingency of $850 to remove the mower itself from the vehicle if Maleski couldn’t do so himself.
  
  “I simply haven’t had time to look at it,” he said.
  
  He told them that last spring’s weather had delayed tiling township property farmed by Stefan Bridenbaugh, leaving options of paying $341 for crops that were damaged during the tiling or postponing the project until after the harvest. Trustees decided to pay for the crops rather than trust the weather to permit the work this fall.
  
  He also said the chip and seal project on Wengerlawn Road would proceed.
  
  Woolf reminded residents of the unincorporated areas of the township, and Phillipsburg, that the Keep Clay Clean event at Phillipsburg Community Part on Aug. 24 will feature a drug drop-off, tire recycling, a Goodwill trailer, and shredding of up to two banker’s boxes of papers.
  
  “No hazardous material can be accepted, though.” he said.
  
  The next regular meeting of the trustees will be at 5 p.m.on Monday, July 15, at the township building, 8207 Arlington Road.
  
  2019-07-10 Requarth resigns as Clay Twp. trustee
• Tornado delays meeting CLAY TOWNSHIP - The Memorial Day tornado played a role in delaying the June 3 Clay Township Trustees meeting.
  
  At the scheduled 5 p.m. start time for the meeting Dave Vore was the only trustee in attendance. Trustee President Steve Woolf was delayed by a traffic accident (in which no one was hurt).
  
  Trustee Vice President Jeff Requarth, also the Director of Support Personnel for the Brookville Schools, was simply too busy to notice the time and showed up late with apologies.
  
  “I’m juggling about 40 contractors,” he explained at one point.
  
  Later in the meeting, Requarth thanked the township street department for loaning the school barricades to keep traffic away from the school.
  
  “Brookville didn’t have enough.”
  
  Randy Robinson, representing the street department in Chris Maleski’s absence, asked when they could have the barricades back, saying the township didn’t need them but “I don’t want to lose them.”
  
  The two agreed on terms of their use.
  
  While damage in the township was not as severe as in the rest of the area, Woolf said the EF-0 tornado in Phillipsburg knocked down several tombstones and tees in the Luther Cemetery in Phillipsburg and took out about 500 trees being grown by Brown's Nursery.
  
  Trustee Vore said the township police and the road department “worked excellently” with other departments and said he was thankful the trustees had worked with Brookville and Clayton a few years ago to locate warning sirens where the coverage would be the greatest.
  
  “Some people have said the sirens were their first warning,” said Vore. “I believe the sirens and the apps are the reason we didn’t have fatalities.”
  
  The trustees agreed to the hiring of Seth Paul as a part-time police officer, the promoting of Steve Hodge and Cody Whitmore to full-time police officers, and the promotion of Haywood McDaniel to operations sergeant. They also promoted Ben Markham from part-time officer to full-time as well as performing the duties of zoning officer.
  
  The township will also upgrade three computers at a cost of $3,155. The next regular meeting of the trustees will be at 5 p.m. on June 17 at the township building, 8207 Arlington Road.
  
  2019-06-12 Tornado delays meeting
• Clay trustees make financial decisions CLAY TOWNSHIP - When Jeff Requarth returned to the Clay Township trustee meeting on Feb. 4, after an absence of almost two month due to illness, Trustee President Steve Woolf reminded him he had been chosen vice president at the December 2018 meeting.
  
  “That’s what happens if you skip a meeting,” Requarth said, laughing.
  
  Actually, the positions rotate, and it was Requarth’s turn at the vice presidency.
  
  Getting down to business the trustees agreed to transfer township money deposited in Huntington Bank to an interest-bearing account.
  
  Fiscal Officer Brad Limbert told trustees that although the account would involve service charges of about $160 a month the interest earned would easily outstrip that.
  
  “That’s a no-brainer,” Requarth said, and after Woolf learned that the money could easily be moved back to a no-interest account if the situation changed, trustees approved the change.
  
  Woolf asked Limbert to set up a conference with bank officials to discuss an endowment fund for cemetery maintenance.
  
  “People can bequeath money to the cemetery to provide maintenance,” he explained. “We had one, but the trustees then didn’t market it, and it never gained money. Now the law’s been changed so we can use the principle as well as the interest in such a fund if we need to.”
  
  Trustees also adopted a “custody and control” credit card policy. The fiscal officer keeps custody of the township credit cars and signs them out to officials for specific period. The policy would not affect gas or phone cards, which are often needed on a daily or emergency basis.
  
  Woolf and Limbert explained as a result of mishandling in another area of the state the auditor requires all townships write either such a policy or a “compliance policy,” under which the cards are distributed to township departments but a compliance officer must oversee expenditures.
  
  When Limbert said the compliance officer had to be someone other than the fiscal officer, treasurer or trustee, Requarth joked, “We don’t have that many other officials.”
  
  The custody policy is basically the procedure the township already follows, but not having a written policy for one or the other will be a violation of state audit.
  
  Trustee Dave Vore asked what would happen if Limbert were not in his office when someone needed a credit card, and Limbert said most of the purchases could be planned in advance.
  
  I addition, Woolf said, townships could set up blanket purchase orders with companies, and authorized employees could charge purchases that way. Road and Cemetery Superintendent said most of his departments’ purchases came from Lowe’s or Tractor Supply via just suce purchase orders.
  
  Limbert said he had a policy from another jurisdiction he could easily alter to fit township needs and satisfy the law.
  
  The next regular trustee meeting will be at 5 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 18, in the meeting room at the Township Administration Building, located at 8207 Arlington Road.
  
  2019-05-29 Clay trustees make financial decisions
• Clay Twp. officers receive medals CLAY TOWNSHIP - At the May 20 Clay Township board of trustees meeting, Clay Township awarded the Medal of Valor and the Combat Cross to two police officers involved in a November 2018 shooting incident.
  
  On Nov. 30 a person fired shots at the township building and was then chased by police from Clay Township and other jurisdictions, and subdued on Diamond Mill Road after shooting at officers.
  
  The recommendation for the medals, written by Officer Anthony Scott because Police Chief John Van Gundy was involved in the incident, described how Van Gundy and Detective Sgt. James Hawkins “could just as easily have sheltered in place and awaited the cessation of shooting and hoped the shooter was not intending to make entrance to the building” but instead “chose to confront the shooter and may have prevented the shooter from advancing his attack into the building.”
  
  Scott further said the two officers provided the suspect with a chance to surrender without violence, only returning gunfire when the suspect refused to surrender. He further noted that “Chief Van Gundy chose wisely not to engage the subject due to obscured vision but remained in the position of danger within the area should the assailant move into a position for him to engage the suspect.”
  
  Scott also noted the involvement of Officer Jim Corcoran and officers from other jurisdictions.
  
  At the same meeting, trustees announced this year’s Keep Clay Clean event will take place from 8 a.m. until noon on Saturday, Aug. 24 at the Phillipsburg Community Park.
  
  “Residents will receive a flier about it,” Trustee President Steve Woolf said.
  
  Residents are already getting letters offering them the energy aggregation package the township contracted for with Trebel LLC. Woolf said some packages he has viewed offered savings. Trustees reiterated that it is an “opt-out” system, so residents wanting the package have to do nothing, and residents not wanting it need to follow the instruction to op out.
  
  The next trustee meeting will be at 5 p.m. on Monday, June 3, at the township building at 8307 Arlington Road.
  
  2019-05-29 Clay Twp. officers receive medals
• Trustees put levy on November ballot CLAY TOWNSHIP - Clay Township trustees voted on March 18 to put a police levy on the Nov. 5 ballot. The 3.25-mill, five-year levy is a renewal of a current levy.
  
  Trustee President Steve Woolf said the township had been approached by the Montgomery County Soil and Water District about flooding which is washing out the ground under the roadway along Pansing and Hartman roads. Woolf said 2019 road money was already allocated, but noted that flooding was damaging the work already done on Pansing and the Hartman site should be fixed before the Issue 2 improvements began.
  
  “Chris (Maleski, road superintendent) found 300 feet of 12-inch pipe left over from old jobs,: he said. “This is sufficient for our rights of way, and the Soil and Water District sais it would be excellent for them to complete the project. It won’t solve all the flooding problem, but it allows us to be part of it without expending funds.”
  
  Police Chief John Van Gundy raised questions about the new credit card policy. Under a recently adopted policy for the control of the township’s credit cards, cards were issued in the name of the department heads but are in the physical custody of Fiscal Officer Brad Limbert, who can sign them out to department workers for up to a week as needed for purchases.
  
  Van Gundy noted that he and Maleski were thus responsible for cards that were in someone else’s hands. He also questioned what happened if the township needed to make a purchase while the fiscal officer was on a vacation.
  
  Limbert said he was having the cards reissued in the name of the township and he would authorized to sign them and then could issue them to the departments as needed.
  
  Van Gundy noted that the Ohio House Bill requiring the policy allowed the policy to have a low-limit debit card that could be turned in with the receipts.
  
  Trustee Dave Vore suggested the township acquire a debit card with a limit of $500, pointing out that “the department will still have access to the township credit cards.”
  
  This would not apply to the road department, but at an earlier meeting Maleski had said most purchases were from blanket purchase orders and he didn’t see a problem with having to sign out a credit card in advance.
  
  The trustees also accepted the resignation of Zoning Officer and Police Officer Justin Brown, who is taking a position with the Union Police Department.
  
  The next regular meeting of the trustees will be at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 1, 2019.
  
  2019-03-27 Trustees put levy on November ballot
• Clay Trustees upgrade technology CLAY TOWNSHIP - Technical matters opened the Clay Township Trustees’ March 4 meeting.
  
  Trustees approved five new Mobile Data Terminals for the police. The current ones are old laptops and are running Windows 7, which will not be supported after this year. The township also replaced Chief John Van Gundy’s flip top phone.
  
  “Welcome to the 21st century,” Trustee Jeff Requarth quipped, bringing chuckles from Northmont High School students attending the meeting as a social science assignment.
  
  Trustee President Steve Woolf reported he and Fiscal Officer Brad Limbert had “a positive meeting” with Hunting Bank officials about enabling residents to pay utility bills online with credit cards or Automatic Clearing House transfers.
  
  “We were cautioned that there are a lot of regulations about compliance,” he said. “You’re responsible for people’s data if you do in-house credit card processing, and we could be sued individually or as a township if there’s a data breach. This applies to ACH transfers, too. There are pitfalls we didn’t know about.”
  
  With data breaches more common, Trustee Dave Vore suggested asking what other government entities do.
  
  Requarth suggested trustees postpone work on fire contracts with Brookville, Phillipsburg and Verona until September.
  
  “They run until Dec. 31. Four months should be enough time.”
  
  Talk then turned to roads, with Woolf offering a report by himself and Road Superintendent Chris Maleski of roads needing repairs now. The township still may receive grant money for some major road projects but even if received, work couldn’t start until 2020.
  
  Woolf warned, “These other projects need to be done now. They can’t take another harsh summer and winter.”
  
  Repairs were estimated at $27,000, and he suggested an optional project to have the service road from the township building to the cemetery, a cost of $16,990. Although not a public drive, he said, people are using it.
  
  When Requarth questioned why there was only one quote, Woolf explained this vendor was the lowest of all the quotes last year. Since the total is under $50,000, the township doesn’t need to ask for bids.
  
  Speaking of the cemetery drive, Vore declared, “We don’t need to justify it. We just need to get it done. We have been talking about it for five years.
  
  Trustees accepted the motion with Vore’s change of 60 percent of the financing from the Joint Economic Development District funds and 40 percent from road funds.
  
  Requarth said he has learned that work on the Brookville-Salem intersection with Route 49 will start in June and take two or three months.
  
  Woolf offered “kudos” to Administrative Assistant Michele Williams for finding the right person at Republic when notified that trash from a trash truck was blowing along Arlington Road during a windy day last week.
  
  “By the time my wife and I got out there with trash bags, Republic was already out there cleaning up,” said Woolf.
  
  2019-03-27 Clay Trustees upgrade technology
• Shooter injured in Clay Township police chase CLAY TOWNSHIP - Sounds of sirens could be heard last Friday around 12:30 p.m. as law enforcement personnel from all over the west side of Montgomery County raced toward the Clay Township Administration Building on Arlington Road north of Interstate 70 after employees inside the building thought they had heard the sound of gunfire.
   
  "One officer ran outside to see what was going on and saw the shooter in his car," said Chief Sheriff's Deputy Rob Streck.
   
  At that point, the shooter then took off east into the township.
   
  The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office is the agency heading up the investigation into the incident.
   
  "The officer immediately put out a call for assistance over the radio, " said Streck. "As the pursuit continued, the OSP put down stop sticks. They were effective.
   
  "The car came to a stop on Kimmel Road near South Diamond Mill Road," said Streck. "This is where the shooting occurred in which the gunman was shot."
   
  During the chase, the suspect fired shots from his car and officers shot back. No police officers were shot, but the shooter, Streck said, was injured and was taken to Miami Valley Hospital for treatment.
   
  Streck on Monday morning said the name of the suspect was not being released at that time because the case was still under investigation. The shooter's condition also was unknown.
   
  "We hope to find out all our information and take the case to the Grand Jury as soon as possible," Streck said.
   
  Multiple law enforcement sources later identified the suspect as Aaron Mitchell, 40.
   
  The Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office ha not approved formal charges against Mitchell, a spokesman said Monday.
   
  Streck said investigators are trying to determine a motive for the shooting.
   
  "We do not know why he did it," Streck said.
   
  At least 38 officers were assigned to the incident, including officers from the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, Dayton, Clay Township, Trotwood and other agencies, according to dispatch records.
   
  It as been reported that Mitchell made some "strange statements" to police authorities at some point.
   
  A Clay Township resident, Gary Horstman, who serves on the township's Board of Zoning Appeals, was walking out of the township building when he noticed the man who turned out to be the shooter sitting in a black car racing the engine, but thought it was probably a backfire.
   
  Streck has indicated more information will be forthcoming as this case progresses.
  
  2018-12-05 Shooter injured in Clay Township police chase
• Man indicted for Clay Township murder DAYTON - Montgomery County Prosecuting Attorney Mat Heck, Jr. has announced that David Savage, 61, has been indicted for causing the death of 47-year-old Steven Johnson, whose body was discovered at a Clay Township nursery.
   
  On Monday, Oct. 8, a worker reported to police that he had discovered a sleeping bag with a body inside on the grounds of A. Brown and Sons Nursery on Arlington Road in Clay Township. Inside the sleeping bag, law enforcement officials found the deceased body of the victim.
   
  An autopsy determined the identity of the victim, and that he had died as a result of blunt force trauma.
   
  Further investigation determined the victim had been murdered inside a home in the 4500 block of Eichelberger Avenue by the defendant.
   
  The Montgomery County Grand Jury indicted the defendant on:
  - One count of murder.
  - One count of felonious assault.
  - Two counts of tampering with evidence.
  - One count of gross abuse of a corpse.
   
  The defendant was arrested in Wisconsin and was extradited back to Montgomery County. He is currently in custody in the Montgomery County Jail, being held on a $1 million bond. He will be arraigned on Nov. 15 at 8:30 a.m.
  
  2018-11-14 Man indicted for Clay Township murder
• Clay Trustees hear about commendations CLAY TOWNSHIP - Clay Township Police Chief John Van Gundy told the trustees on Oct. 15 that two more commendations had arrived from local residents commending Officer William Stewart for his work. One letter said he had "gone beyond his duty" to solve their problem and the other praised his courteous listening skills for defusing a dispute between neighbors.
   
  At an earlier meeting, Van Gundy passed along a letter from a resident saying Stewart and Sgt. Jim Hawkins had gone beyond necessary duties and been helpful and supportive in locating a runaway teen.
   
  "Stewart had only worked about three weeks, and he received three officer commendation letters," Van Gundy said.
   
  Trustees returned to the payroll problems that had upset officers at an earlier meeting. Currently the pay period ends on Friday and money needs to be deposited Tuesday night to be in the employees' accounts on Wednesday. Occasionally there has been a delay in this schedule.
   
  Trustee Jeff Requarth suggested that payday be moved to Friday, with the first payroll in January being delayed for two days. This will allow the township more time to process the records and make the deposit on Thursday.
   
  "No one will lose any money," he stressed. "The pay period will still run from Saturday through Friday night, and after the first payday, the pay will regularly be available on Fridays instead of Wednesdays. The only delay will be two days for the first payday."
   
  He told Van Gundy and Ralph Richardson, filling in for Chris Maleski of the Road and Cemetery Department, that we would be glad to meet with the workers to answer any questions and reassure them that they were no losing any money.
   
  When the trustees agreed to assess residents for delinquent tax bills totaling $4,396.16 for the third quarter, Trustee President Dave Vore asked if the format of the bills couldn't be changed. Now they are sent out as postal cards, and Vore said he recently almost threw his out because it looked like much of the junk mail he receives.
   
  "Can we expand the size or something?" he asked, suggesting that some of the delinquent bills might have also been mistaken for junk mail.
   
  Van Gundy said he knew of a case in which the card had clipped inside a magazine delivered at the same time.
   
  Fiscal Officer Brad Limbert said plans had been discussed to change the appearance of th bills to make them more distinctive.
   
  The Trustees also accepted the resignation of Jean Payton from the Board of Zoning Appeals and gave Active Zoning Officer Jim Corcoran permission to advertise the vacancy.
   
  Th next regular meeting of the Clay Township trustees will be at 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 7 in the township building at 8207 Arlington Rd.
  
  2018-10-24 Clay Trustees hear about commendations
• Murder victim found in Clay Township CLAY TOWNSHIP - The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office said at the end of last week that it was working to speak to a couple of "persons of interest" in connection with the murder of Steven T. Johnson of Clay Township.
   
  Johnson, 47, was found dead on Oct. 8 in a wooded area about a thousand yards from Arlington Road south of Baltimore-Phillipsburg Road.
   
  Shortly after noon, an employee of Brown's Nursery, which owns the property, told the 911 dispatcher, "I think I found a dead body. I was driving through and I looked over to the right and I saw this blue blanket on the woods line."
   
  The body was wrapped in a tarp or blanket, and it has not been reported how long he had been dead.
   
  The coroner's office last week determined he had died of blunt force trauma to the head and ruled the death a homicide.
   
  The Sheriff's Office said Johnson had several cases in Greene County Common Pleas Court, charges of domestic violence, illegal cultivation of marijuana, failure to notify of change of address and was also on the state' sex offender registry for a December 1999 convection for unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.
   
  But Sheriff Phil Plummer said he thought the murder was more likely related to drugs than to the sex conviction.
   
  A spokesperson for Brown's Nursery said the employee who discovered the body was a full-time employee.
  
  2018-10-17 Murder victim found in Clay Township
• Clay Township trustees hear pay deposit complaints CLAY TOWNSHIP - At the Oct. 1 board of trustees meeting, Clay Township Sgt. Jim Hawkins presented trustees with a letter from himself and other employees protesting recent financial problems.
   
  "One pay period ended Aug. 24," he told them, "and the money was not deposited in our accounts by Aug. 29. This was not the first time. Also, there have been cases in which the gas credit cards were not valid and for two years in a row, the licenses on two of the cars were not renewed."
   
  Police Chief John Van Gundy told the trustees the license plates were covert plates issued to unmarked police cars and the applications for renewal were not received by the state in time.
   
  Trustee Jeff Requarth said, "our short turnaround is the problem with the pay. We are making changes but they probably won't take effect until the first of the year."
   
  Township fiscal officer Brad Limbert said part of the problem with the plates is that the state does not send out notices of renewal for this category of plates as it does with private citizens.
   
  Startled, Requarth asked how the plates were different.
   
  Laughing, Van Gundy replied they are simple processed differently and "they don't say 'undercover cop' or anything."
   
  Trustee president Dave Vore asked Limbert if he had a checklist of things to take care of periodically, agreeing that ti was easy to let once-a-year tasked clip by.
   
  Limbert said he was in the process of organizing the records so this didn't happen again.
   
  Trustees also rescinded an earlier resolution authorizing the purchase of a For SUV by the police department. This car is not available, so the trustees authorize the purchase of a Dodge Charger with police equipment at a cost of approximately $37,580. Chief Van Gundy observed that this is "about $4,200 less" than the Ford.
   
  Vore reminded the public that a meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 16, will give residents of the unincorporated area of the township an opportunity to discuss the energy aggregation measure on the November ballot.
   
  The Board of Zoning Affairs will meet on Wednesday, October 17, to discuss the proposed youth ministry facility at Diamond Mill and Westbrook roads.
   
  The next meeting o the board of trustees will be at 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 15, at the township building at 9207 Arlington Road.
  
  2018-10-10 Clay Township trustees hear pay deposit complaints
• Clay Trustees ask county to share funds CLAY TOWNSHIP - Clay Township trustees voted at the meeting on Sept. 4 to adopt resolution 2018-032, identical to Miami Township's recent resolution asking Montgomery County Commissioners to share a portion of the sales tax increase with the townships in the county.
   
  The sales tax increase of 0.25 percent, for a total of 7.5 percent, is intended to make up a $9 million gap in the county's 2019 budget and will generate an additional $19.1 million for the county. The resolution asked that 5 percent of this money be shared with Butler, Clay, German, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Miami, Perry and Washington townships.
   
  "That's about $95,000, split among nine townships," Trustee President Dave Vore quickly figured out. "I'm disappointed that the county didn't approach the townships and passed this without a citizen vote. We weren't able to pass the fire levy because our citizens feel taxed out. This money should have been passed downs."
   
  Trustee Steve Woolf pointed out that the sales tax more than makes up the budget gap.
   
  Trustee Jeff Requarth said he thought five percent was low and wanted to make sure it would be shared equally among the townships, but refrained from amending the resolution to provide solidarity among the townships.
   
  The trustees also asked Fiscal Officer Brad Limbert if the township could setup electronic payments of several regular bills. In the past, some problems had arisen either because of holidays or because they had arrived after the last trustee meeting of the month and were due before the trustees could authorize payments at the next meeting. In some months, such as August, two Mondays occur after the last meeting of the month.
   
  Limbert explained some of the vendors would not accept electronic payment but said if the trustees would agree he would try to authorize automatic withdrawals from township accounts.
   
  The township has received all the paperwork to take over administration of the Lutheran Church Cemetery in Phillipsburg. The Emmanuel Lutheran Church is no longer able to administer the cemetery, and under th e Ohio Revised Code the township become responsible.
   
  Woolf presented a quote for patching and paving Lutheran Road from Fernwood Drive to the cemetery.
   
  Requarth asked why there was only one quote.
   
  "After all, it's not an emergency," he pointed out.
   
  Trustees agreed to table the proposal to repair the road until the next meeting and to ask Road and Cemetery Superintendent Chris Maleski to ask for one or two more quotes.
   
  Woolf also read a letter from an unnamed family thanking th township for repairing broken tiles in the ceiling of the mausoleum, where their relative is buried, in Arlington Cemetery and offer to assume the cost.
   
  Than next meeting of the board of trustees will take place at 5 p.m. on Sept. 10 in the township building at 8207 Arlington Rd.
  
  2018-09-12 Clay Trustees ask county to share funds
• Clay Trustees discuss lighting options CLAY TOWNSHIP - Clay Township Trustee Steve Woolf told the trustees at the Aug. 6 meeting that the action setting up the Wengerlawn Lighting District had “frail documentation” and recommended the trustees discuss solutions.
   
  In the early 1980s, the township installed street lights on about 18 properties in the area of Wengerlawn and Number Nine road (the old village of Wengerlawn). This was apparently in response to homeowners’ petitions, but when two of the lights malfunctioned recently, the township couldn’t find clear records of who was responsible for replacing them or upgrading the system.
   
  The township repaired the lights and will assess the homeowners, but Woolf said the system needed o be upgraded. Woolf suggested three solutions. The township could “continue the wway we have.” The township could contract with Miami Valley Lighting, the company that provides outdoor lighting at the township property.
   
  Woolf added, “We could just do away with the lights.”
   
  He favored a contract like the township has for township property, but Trustee Jeff Requarth pointed out that since the lights were installed, properties might have changed hands and asked, “Do the current owners want the lights?”
   
  Trustee President Dave Vore suggested the township determine what is needed to upgrade the lights and send those residents letters outlining the situation and inviting them to a meeting to discuss the matter.
   
  “And make it a registered letter, so we are sure each person receives it,” he said. “Maybe we could warn them that not responding to the letter will be a no vote.”
   
  Trustees have filed all the paperwork to put the question of energy aggregation on the November ballot. If this proposal passes, it will authorize Trebel LLC to negotiate energy prices for any township residents who want to join the aggregation. At earlier trustee meetings, Joe Garrett explained his company will form a group of jurisdictions and negotiate for prices a a body.
   
  Reminding trustees that Garrett had said Trebel will handle all the publicity and explanations, Woolf said the township can’t advocate for or against the measure but “we can put the details on the Web site.”
   
  Trustees changed the status of Police Officer Chad Norman from Police Extended-Part Time for Prt-Tie, reducing his hours at this request, and hired William Stewart as Police Extended-Part Time.
   
  The next meeting of the board of trustees will be at 5 p.m. on Aug. 20 at the township building at 9207 Arlington Road.
  
  2018-08-15 Clay Trustees discuss lighting options
• Speed problems on Brookville-Phillipsburg CLAY TOWNSHIP - At the July 16 board of trustees meeting, Clay Township Board of Trustees President Dave Vore summarized a packet he and Clay Twp. Police Chief John Van Gundy prepared analyzing the question of Clay Township assuming police powers in Phillipsburg.
  Earlier, Phillipsburg officials had asked trustees about the possibility of a joint district.
  A major consideration is financial. Vore pointed out that the township pay for police is still lower than in some other places. He estimated if the township split the most of increased protection with the village, the township could add a full-time officer to the 8 p.m to 4 a.m. shift, the time Phillipsburg most needs coverage.
  Trustee Jeff Requarth asked who is handling calls in that area now. Van Gundy said who responded depended on the locations and type of calls. For example, when the owner of the gas station discovered a skimmer on a pump, it fell within the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office's jurisdiction.
  "Would we be paying for the officer's time handling calls in Phillipsburg?" Requarth also wanted to know.
  Van Gundy explained the officer would be an extra township officer patrolling an area that included inside the village limits. Vore restated reservations from an earlier meeting about joint fire or police districts because such districts involve another layer of supervision. While the governing board would include township representation, he said, "We would be giving up a supervisory role over our police."
  He preferred a contract, such as the township has for Phillipsburg to provide fire services to township residents. He pointed out that a contract could also specify that the township and village would not be liable for any legal problems the other encountered.
  Trustee Steve Woolf said he thought the Ohio Revised Code allowed a third option.
  "I understand an existing district can allow another jurisdiction to come in. Clay Township is currently a Police District," said Woolf. "If a jurisdiction contracts for services it pays its own millage, and I think that would be unfair. If it joins the other district, everyone pays the same millage."
  Woolf and Requarth agreed to study the figures Vore and Van Gundy had assembled and to talk further with Phillipsburg officials.
  Woolf also said the Keep Clay Clean drive to be held in the Phillipsburg Community Park from 8 a.m. to noon on Aug. 11 would offer Clay-Phil trash district residents shredding, a drug drop-off, children's car seat checks, and tire recycling.
  The township also agreed to send the auditor a list of delinquent tax bulls for the second quarter of 2018, so delinquent property owners can be assessed on real estate taxes.
  The township's Web site has a second URL., http//www.claytownshipohio.org/ in addition to http://www.claytownshipoffices.com/, because, Woolf said, "There are eight other Clay Townships in Ohio. People who forget to type offices now get one of the others."
  The next trustee meeting is at 5 p.m. on Aug. 6 at the township building at 8207 Arlington.
  
  2018-07-25 Speed problems on Brookville-Phillipsburg
• Phillipsburg, Clay trustees discuss fire and police issues CLAY TOWNSHIP - Kevin Koontz of the Phillipsburg Village Council asked the Clay Township Trustees at the June 4 trustee meeting if they had given any thought to a split fire district in which property owners served by Phillipsburg and Verona fire departments would vote on a separate fire levy than those served by Brookville.
  Trustee Steve Woolf, who also works as Jefferson Township's administrator, said such a split district exists there, with those served by the Germantown Fire Department paying one rate and those served by Farmersville paying another.
  "There are also other options, and we need to study this," he said, but he cautioned that the trustees can't make such a decision.
  "It's a matter of what the voters want," Woolf said.
  Koontz also asked if trustees had looked further into the village's request for a joint police district.
  Trustee President Dave Vore responded that he and the township's police chief, John Van Gundy, had discussed an estimated budget, "but we put it on hold until after the fire levy vote." The 3.5 mill fire levy was defeated in May by a margin of 1,038 votes against to 823 votes in favor.
  "A police district is governed by a board, and a lot of responsibilities change," Vore said.
  He said Phillipsburg Mayor Cheryl Crabtree had not replied when he suggested a contract instead of a joint district, but he assured Koontz the issue is not dead. Crabtree was unable to attend the Jun 4 meeting.
  Fiscal Officer Brad Limbert suggested the trustees adopt the system used elsewhere of elected officials signing a statement that they had examined the bank reconciliation. He explained this allows for more internal control in small jurisdictions where on person handles the finances.
  Vore objected, saying he felt this indicated trustees had validated the record' accuracy. Trustees agreed they had no problem with a statement that they had "reviewed the bill."
  Trustee Jeff Requarth asked why the township didn't adopt the Online Checkbook program, with expenditures listed online for resident to review. The others favored such transparency, but Limbert said he prefers answering financial questions from the public directly so he can explain revenue as well as expenditures. Woolf said possibly financial records could be posed on the township's Web site.
  The weather also came under discussion, as Road and Cemetery Superintendent Chris Maleski reported he and Stefan Bridenbaugh, of the county engineer's office, have determined that flooding complained about at the May 21 Trustees' meeting, is most likely due to broken tile at the edge of the township's property. He was collecting quotes on replacing it.
  Zoning Officer Justin Brown said recent rains were creating tall grass on abandoned properties, but he is working to locate the owners. One person, he said, had asked for the township's patience, saying she had gotten part of the property mowed and then the mower broke.
  The next trustee meeting will be at 5 p.m. on Monday, June 18, in the township building at 8207 Arlington Road.
  
  2018-06-13 Phillipsburg, Clay trustees discuss fire and police issues
• Clay Trustees listen to energy proposal CLAY TOWNSHIP - Joe Garret of Trebel LLC addressed the Clay Township trustees on May 21, asking them to consider allowing his company to negotiate for aggregated energy prices. (He had made a similar proposal two years ago.)
  Under his proposal, Trebel would form a group of communities in the area to bid on utility prices and would handle all the arrangements. The trustees, he explained, would only have to put the proposal to the voters, "and we think we're going to have a pretty large group this November."
  While promising to look over Garrett's paperwork, trustees had reservations.
  "What's the downside?" Jeff Requarth wondered.
  Garrett replied, "There's always a few people complaining we're taking away their choices. But they can join or drop out at any time with no termination fee."
  Rather than the trustees going to the voters, Trustee President Dave Vore suggested Trebel should demonstrate public support by circulating a petition asking the trustees to put the measure on the ballot. He also said he would prefer to remain with local services.
  Garrett said DP&L would continue to supply the service and linemen. Only the generation of the electricity would change.
  Trustees agreed to immediately begin background checks on applicants for the seasonal road worker position so they can make an immediate decision when they interview applicants before the June 4 meeting.
  The new employee will be busy. Larry Bridenbaugh asked at the meeting, "When will the ditch mowing begin? I'd hate to see the thistles go to seed."
  Chris Maleski, cemetery and road superintendent, said he had started mowing that day "but the cemetery has to come first."
  Vernon Brown, speaking on behalf of himself and two neighbors, complained about the store mater problem that floods their properties. He speculated that a drainage tile might be broken.
  Maleski replied that he hadn't seen a broken tile but was aware of the problem.
  Vore suggested township officials should meet with the Montgomery County Engineer's office about the problem.
  Trustee Steve Woolf said this would help obtain a grant for repairs, as multi-jurisdictional projects had a better chance of getting grants, and pointed out that if the tile extended under National Road, the Ohio Department of Transportation would also have to be involved.
  The township accepted a quote of $7,507.30 by Modern Entry Systems to replace two doors to the township building. As soon as his schedule allows, Maleski will install the new drop box that will enable people to drop off utility payments and other mail in an outside box with no access to the building, thus increasing the building's security.
  The next meeting of the board of trustees will be at 5 p.m. on Monday, June 4, in the township offices, located at 8207 Arlington Road.
  
  2018-05-30 Clay Trustees listen to energy proposal
• Clay history group opening building CLAY TOWNSHIP - The Clay Township Historical Society building will be open for visitors on Sunday, May 6, from 1 until 3:00 p.m. Admission is free for members, and by donation for non-members. The society building is located at 8991 Wellbaum Road at the intersection of Wengerlawn and Wellbaum roads. All are welcome to visit and view the collection of local historical materials.
  
  2018-05-02 Clay history group opening building
• Trustee urges Yes vote on fire levy To the Editor:
  The last three weeks I have had articles in the Brookville Star with information concerning the operating needs of the three fire and two EMS departments that cover Clay Township throught contracts. The last new money vote in was 11 plus years aog.
  In the last 50 years things have changed from private business, like funeral homes transporting patients to hospitals, to the present system of advanced equipment and personnel highly trained to meet the needs of those patients.
  Medic crews, in my opinion, have become an extension of those hospitals and emergency facilities to provide immediate care on wheels for those 25 to 45 minutes spent en route to the hospital. The results are often times the difference between life and death.
  The same can be said on fire side of things. Advancements of equipment and fighting fire strategies and accident extrication takes equipment and highly trained personnel to keep the public safe and those personnel that respond safe. All this has a cost to it. This levy is to meet that cost now and into the future.
  The Clay Township Fire and EMS Levy will ensure that these vital services continue at the highest level possible, with adequate staffing, training and equipment. One fact that I can't stress enough is that the funds generated by this levy is only for the daily ongoing operation of Brookville Fire and EMS, Phillipsburg Fire and EMS and Verona Fire Department.
  None of these funds go into the retiring of the bonds for Brookville's new fire station.
  I know many of you may never need the fire or EMS personally, but when people do, they expect a fast and efficient response to their needs with the highest quality care and training.
  In closing, I would like to ask every voter in Clay Township to consider supporting the Clay Township Fire and EMS Levy on May 8 so that we can continue to receive the first class services that are provided to us each and every day.
  Look past the politics and consider the real needs of all our Township, incorporated and unincorporated portions.
  One last thing, no matter whether in favor or against the levy, please vote because it is a right and a duty we all share.
  
  2018-05-02 Trustee urges Yes vote on fire levy
• Fire funding explained for villages - 3rd in a three part series _Editor's Note: This is the third in a series of informational columns supplied by the Clay Township Trustees concerning the upcoming 3.5 Mill levy for fire protection services. The issue will be on the May 8 primary ballot. Any opinions expressed by Mr. Requarth are not those expressed by the Brookville Star._
  The information in this article was supplied by the villages of Phillipsburg and Verona..
  Village of Phillipsburg Fire and EMS receive their funding entirely from the Clay Township Fire and EMS levy. The current level of funds does not provide adequate funding to sustain the expected level of service required for our number of calls for service. Additional funding is needed to replace aging equipment, ambulances, fire apparatus, and updates to facilities, along with increased training requirements, wages, fuel, travel distance to the hospital, utilities maintenance are among the many items that must be addressed. Phillipsburg Fire and EMS to continue the present level of service will need additional funding.
  If no, the level of service could suffer and may jeopardize its continued existence all together. Village of Verona Fire Department receives funding from several sources that include Village of Verona, Village of Gordon, Harrison Township , and Clay Township.
  While they have received increases in funding from other sources in the last few years, they have lost funding from Clay Township making it even harder to maintain quality equipment and service.
  Some of the major needs to replace equipment, that in many cases is more that 20 years old and is no longer compliant with NFPA and OSHA standards. Equipment such as Bunker Gear, Extraction tools are over 25 years old, 1992 fire engine outdated, maintenance issues unable to carry today's require equipment, breathing apparatus 13 units reaching end of their life cycle, thermal imaging cameras out-dated and fail often.
  By not replacing these items to keep compliant, you put firefighting personnel at risk.
  I cannot stress enough that all three, Brookvile Fire and EMS, Phillipsburg Fire and EMS and Verona Fire Department are all vital to providing Fire and EMS service the the entire area of Clay Township, the loss of any of these three departments would be devastating.
  The levy will add $122.50 annually on a $100,000 home that is $10.21 per month or .34 cents per day if your home is valued at $100.000.
  In closing, I hope that the information in these three articles has been informative. Each individual voter must make a decision based on his or her priorities.
  If additional information is needed, or additional questions your can contact me at 475-0268 or reach out to any of the three departments.
  
  2018-04-25 Fire funding explained for villages - 3rd in a three part series
• Clay Township to hire part-timers CLAY TOWNSHIP - Clay Township trustees agreed at the April 16 meeting to hire part-time seasonal road and cemetery maintenance workers, to work from May 2018 to November 2018. Applications are available at the Clay Township Administrative Office from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  Trustees also announced that the prescription drop-off box will be available at the building within a few days for anyone to dispose of outdated or unused prescription medicine. It was about to be bolted into place so, as Trustee Jeff Requarth pointed out, "no one can run off with the contents."
  Anyone, township resident or not, can drop off medications, Police Chief John Van Gundy said.
  "It's a 'don't ask don't tell situation."
  Trustees also discussed the problem of street lights in the Wengerlawn area. Two of the lights are not working and at an earlier meeting Trustee Steve Woolf said Dayton Power & Light was researching the area to determine who was responsible for the lights. At the latest meeting, he reported he had not uncovered any township records detailing the establishment of the Wengerlawn lighting district and DP&L had not uncovered any records wither.
  When Woolf reported he had contacted the residents and none could remember when the lights were installed, Zoning Officer Justin Brown said he had heard someone say they were in place about 1985.
  Checking with Fiscal Officer Brad Limbert, who confirmed that the records of the trustee meetings were supposed to be kept indefinitely, Trustee Dave Vore then said, "We need to check from 1980 on, in that case. There must be a record."
  Requarth said the original action didn't matter much, saying, "If we have been assessing the homeowners and we are getting the money, the lights are our responsibility."
  Woolf also reported the Montgomery County Solid Waste District has signed a 10-year contract with Rumpke instead of Waste Management and also said he had gotten requests from residents to have the "Keep Clay Clean" event this August again to include tire recycling and shredding. He asked Phillipsburg Mayor Cheryl Crabtree, who was present, if the event could again be held in the Phillipsburg park.
  Crabtree was agreeable but cautioned, "I need a date as soon as possible, because all three ball diamonds are in use and scheduling may be a problem."
  Woolf explained for Requarth's benefit, who joined the trustees after the event was moved to Phillipsburg, that there had been complaints about trucks driving through the cemetery with items to be contributed.
  Th next regular meeting will be at 5 p.m. on Monday, May 7, in the township meeting room at 8207 Arlington Road.
  
  2018-04-25 Clay Township to hire part-timers
• Fire funding explained for Brookville - 2nd in a three part series _Editor's Note: This is the second in a series of informational columns supplied by the Clay Township Trustees concerning the upcoming 3.5 Mill levy for fire protection services. The issue will be on the May 8 primary ballot. Any opinions expressed by Mr. Requarth are not those expressed by the Brookville Star._
  The information in this article was supplied by the city of Brookville.
  The funds that support the Brookville Fire Department operating and capital improvement comes from several sources such as the Clay and Perry Township Fire/EMS levies, EMS billing and the General Fund.
  The revenues generated by the Clay and Perry Township Fire/EMS levies are distributed 60 percent to Brookville, 35 percent to Phillipsburg and five percent to Verona. Brookville and Phillipsburg provide fire and EMS services and Verona fire services to the residents and businesses located in Clay Township.
  Seventy-five percent of the fire/EMS levies are receipted into Brookville's General Fund toward the Fire Department operating budget and twenty-five percent is receipted into the Fire Capital Fund toward capital purchases in the Fire Department. Fire/EMS levy revenue is not used to pay for the new fire station.
  Ninety percent of the EMS billing funds are receipted into the General Fund toward the Fire Department operating budget and ten percent is receipted in the Fire Capital Fund.
  The Brookville Fire Department operating and capital budgets should be fully funded from Fire/EMS levies and EMS billing. The Brookville Fire Department operating budget has been supplemented with other General Fund money for the last six years.
  In 2008, the Brookville Fire Department operating expenditures totaled $661,938 and in 2017 their operating expenditures totaled $962,098, and increase of $300,160 or 45.3 percent.
  The increase is due to increased personnel, ongoing maintenance costs and operating materials and supplies.
  In 2008, the city of Brookville receipted $351,854 in Fire/EMS levies and $272,596 in EMS billing into the General Fund, which totals $624,450.
  The General Fund supplemented the Brookville Fire Department Operating budget by $37,488.
  In 2017, the city of Brookville receipted $381,998 in Fire/EMS levies and $395,731 in EMS billing into the General Fund, which totals $777,729. The General Fund supplemented the Brookville Fire Department operating budget by $184,369.
  Fire/EMS levy funds have remained flat over the last 10 years. EMS billing increased somewhat, and this is due to the call volume increasing over the last 10 years. In the last five years, the Brookville Fire Department call volume increased by 31 percent. In 2013, the Brookville Fire Department responded to 1,552 calls, and in 2017 they responded to 2,032 calls.
  Staffing for the Brookville Fire Department has changed over the years. Prior to 1995, the Brookville Fire Department employed volunteer, or paid-on-call personnel. In 1995, the department hired part-time personnel that worked Monday-Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., which supplemented their volunteers. In 2006, the department added a two-person weekend medic crew to the part-time program. In 2009, the department increased their weekend medic crew to four, which gave staffing for both EMS units and an engine crew. In 2010, staffing was adjusted to give them a Friday night crew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Saturday.
  In mid-2012, the Brookville Fire Department transitioned away from the volunteer program and went to part-time staffing 24/7. In 2013, when the Affordable Care Act to effect, they had to limit their part-time employees to working 30 hours or less per week. With this cut in hours worked, the Brookville Fire Department had to hire additional employees to cover the 24/7 shifts.
  The Brookville Fire Department personnel have increased training and education requirements to comply with the Insurance Services Office and National Fire Protection Association.
  In addition to providing Fire and EMS services to the incorporated and unincorporated areas of Clay Township, the Brookville Fire Department provides a smoke detector program, and ongoing maintenance and flow testing program on fire hydrants and fire hose testing and maintenance.
  The Brookville Fire Department has a Capital Improvement Plan that shows the need to replace fire and medic apparatus, replace personal protective (fire-fighting) equipment, a cardiac monitor and a chest compression device over the next five years. The cost of these capital items is very significant.
  The closing, the need for increased revenue is necessary to maintain current service levels without cutting services elsewhere in the City. The funds that present and futures Fire/EMS levies provide go toward the Brookville Fire Department operating and capital equipment needs. The levy funds do not go toward the retirement of bonds for the new Fire Station.
  Next week the column will contain information on Phillipsburg's Fire and EMS and Verona's fire funding needs.
  
  2018-04-18 Fire funding explained for Brookville - 2nd in a three part series
• Grant-funded sirens enhance Clay areas CLAY TOWNSHIP - In the April 4 issue of the Brookville Star, there was an update on the status of the city of Brookville's emergency sirens. Today, we take a look at the sirens in Clay Township.
  Both jurisdictions were able to take advantage of grant funds made available through the US Office of Homeland Security and administered by the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management. These grants allowed participating jurisdictions to share the cost of sirens.
  "Originally, the $500,000 was allocated for all cities in Ohio for terrorism equipment. Terror sirens were on of the new items covered by the grant," said Clay Township Trustee Steven Woolf.
  After checking with Jeff Jordan, Montgomery County Emergency Manage3ment director, to see if the grant would apply to Clay Township, trustees decided to apply for the grant.
  "Of course, I also have a special interest, because I was affected by a tornado myself," Woolf said, "That's when I began investigating tornado sirens."
  (A tornado touched down in the area of Woolf's home in 2014, damaging this home as well as some of hi s neighbors' properties.)
  He said the sirens under the Homeland Security grant are referred specifically as terrorism sirens, but they can also be effective for other emergencies, including weather/tornado warnings or other disasters.
  Woolf and Trustee Dave Vore, who was overseeing emergency management for th township, discovered in 2016 that Montgomery County had received approximately half=f of the $500,000 available to the state.
  "That is 50 percent of the funding allotted to Ohio granted to the county!" said Woolf. "The major amount of the available funds was shared in Wester Montgomery County except for Verona, which is in Preble County."
  The township applied and received grant funds and voted in September of that year to fund 50 percent of each of the sirens. Areas to be covered are rural areas, including areas to the west, down to Brookville-Phillipsburg and north to protect the business along US Route 40 as well as the KOA campground and Melody 49 drive-in.
  As it turned out, the township paid 50 percent of the amount of $21,000 each for the two new sires, at a cost of $5,267.48 each. One is located at the Jacks Lane Industrial Park and one is located directly behind the Clay Township Administration Building on Arlington Road.
  In addition, there is a pre-existing siren in Phillipsburg Community Park that will need to be replaced.
  It should be noted that these sirens are not intended for indoor protection.
  "People are outside a lot during the summer. At the Payless Distribution Center, you could hear it inside the facility, but it really is for outdoors," Woolf said.
  People indoors should rely on cell phone apps, as did many who were awakened during the 2014 tornado warning, or on weather radios, he added.
  "I'm very relieved to know we have these sirens installed and ready to go to cover Clay Township in advance of the upcoming spring tornado season," said Woolf.
  
  2018-04-18 Grant-funded sirens enhance Clay areas
• Fire levy committee meets CLAY TOWNSHIP - The committee to support the Clay Township fire levy, organized by trustee Jeff Requarth, met on Monday, April 9, to discuss how to address public misunderstanding about the fire levy support the May 8 ballot in Clay Township, Phillipsburg, Brookville and Verona. The measure narrowly failed last November.
  Phillipsburg Fire Chief Matt Rhoades felt a major problem was confusing ballot language last fall.
  "As it appeared on the ballot, it said it would cost 35 cents per $100 of valuation, and it sounded like a lot," he said.
  Clay Township Trustee Steve Woolf agreed, saying, "They don't understand that for tax purposes the valuation is on third the total value of the property."
  Woolf also expressed concern about the effect Good Samaritan Hospital's closing will have on area emergency services. Ron Fletcher, Brookville fire chief (who could not attend the meeting), had told him the shorter time to the expanded Good Samaritan facility would balance the longer runs made to Miami Valley Hospital with cardiac and other critical cases, but Woolf questioned this.
  "Good Samaritan North is adding a 35-bed unit. It can't absorb all the emergency runs around here. This will change our call time, and we may need a third medic unit or we may not be available for mutual aid."
  Rhoades said he would check into the mutual aid used in the area, and Brookville City Manager Gary Burkholder said he would get similar figures from the Brookville Department.
  He also said a lot of people in the area don't understand the fire protection system, under which Clay Township has no fire department of its own but pays Brookville, Phillipsburg and Verona for protection. Also, many people with Brookville addresses don't understand that they really live in Clay Township.
  Paraphrasing the seventeenth-century poet John Donne, Burkholder said, "No community is an island. We all need each other."
  Cheryl Crabtree, mayor of Phillipsburg, said the levy is especially needed in Phillipsburg as the village doesn't have the Brookville's financial resources to finance its fire department. "Many of our residents are retired and don't pay income tax, and we don't have much business income," she said, noting that the village's EMTs still have to respond to a lot of overdoses because of its location on a major highway.
  The committee agreed to send out mailers explaining the relationship between the jurisdictions and comparing the increase in operating budgets and costs over the last five year. There has been no increase in fire levy money for the last 10 or 11 years).
  "Even if Brookville got all the money," Burkholder said, "We couldn't provide all the service. This shouldn't be political."
  Woolf pointed out that paying for the fire department is like paying for auto insurance.
  "You may pay $400 a quarter for years and never use it. But if have an accident, your need it right then."
  
  2018-04-18 Fire levy committee meets
• Factors play into need for fire levy - 1st in a three part series) CLAY TOWNSHIP - The Clay Township Fire and EMS Levy that will be on the ballot May 8 seems to bring confusion to those residents that live in the incorporated portions of Clay Township.
  Those portions include the city of Brookville as well as the villages of Verona and Phillipsburg.
  Clay Township is involved in the fire and emergency responses in all of those areas including the residents of the incorporated parts of the township.
  To meet these requirements the Clay Township Trustees must pass levies to support these services.
  The township does not have its own fire department as it contracts with Brookville, Verona and Phillipsburg. These three communities receive a split of the revenue in relation to the amount of territory covered.
  One hundred percent of the revenue generated by the current levy is divided among the three communities for fire and emergency services.
  The trustees, with cooperation of the fire departments, have managed your tax money in a conservative manner. The trustees have been working with the revenue generated by a levy that was last increased 11-plus years ago.
  Several factors for several years have caused the expenses to out-pace revenue for these departments.
  The are:
  The changeover from largely volunteer fire and EMS departments to paid full- and part-time personnel. This was due to more training and time spent per state and federal requirements.
  Equipment requirements and cost of protective gear for first responders.
  Call volume has increased from year to year.
  Another factor to be determined is the closing of Good Samaritan Hospital in Dayton.
  Calls will go to Miami Valley North (formerly Good Samaritan North in Englewood), which will mean shorter runs, but some EMS calls will to to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, which could as much as double on-call times.
  The uncertain impact of the changing landscape of emergency facilities is yet to be determined.
  In summary, Clay Township, by law, must provide fire, emergency medical and emergency responses to all citiizens of Cly Township; regardless whether they live in incorporated or un-incorporated parts of the township.
  The rising costs and requirements put on the departments that the township contracts with have outpaced our current revenue stream.
  
  2018-04-11 Factors play into need for fire levy - 1st in a three part series)
• Township to get new backhoe CLAY TOWNSHIP - Clay Township trustees voted at their April 2 meeting to finance a new backhoe over the next five years.
  Gary Arthur from Southeastern Equipment was present to answer questions about the proposals already submitted. He said another arrangement would be to trade in the backhoe every few years. In the past, trade-in value depended on the hours of fuse logged, but now the company bases it on the condition and the market value. He also said if the township traded in the old backhoe it would be accepted as the down payment, making the first payment not due for a year.
  He and Township Road Superintendent Chris Maleski agreed with Trustee Jeff Requarth's assessment that the current backhoe, a 2001 mode, "has a lot of hours on it" and was not worth repairing.
  Trustee president Dave Vore asked if the township could save money by forgoing any of the options "such as an air conditioned cab."
  Maleski was relieved when Arthur replied that the savings would be minimal and that "you are not buying options outside of what most people buy."
  The trustees voted to purchase the backhoe, paying a bit less than $86,000 over the next five years.
  The township has received a $500 Managing Ohio Risk Exposure grant from the Ohio Township Association Risk Management Authority.
  Trustee Steve Woolf asked what it would be spent on , and Maleski told him original plans had been to use it for speed limit signs or a new battery for the township's Automated External Defibrillator, but another grant paid for the signs and the battery had already needed replacement.
  "But we can find a use for it," Maleski, said. The grant costs the township nothing.
  Woolf told trustees the Ohio EPA wanted a sign at the fuel storage facility directing responders to the "kitty litter" stored to cleanup up spill and also wanted signs at the cemetery entrances warning the public of sprays used on the grass.
  He also advised Maleski that the street department should watch for Palmer amaranth while mowing the ditches. This invasive plant, fast-growing and resistant to herbicides, has appeared in Preble County. Apparently, he said, the plant arrives in a load of hay and "the cows did what cows do and the seeds spread in the manure."
  Phillipsburg Mayor Cheryl Crabtree told Requarth she had the names of three residents who would like to serve on Requarth's committee to explain the fire levy. She was able to talk with a Brookville council member opposed to it and had tried to explain Phillipsburg's need for the levy.
  Requarth said he had located some Clay Township residents who would service if anyone from other jurisdictions would join them. Crabtree, Woolf, and Requarth, as we as other township officials met informally after the meeting to discuss plans.
  The next trustee meeting will be at 5 p.m. on April 16 in the township building at 8207 Arlington Road.
  
  2018-04-11 Township to get new backhoe
• Fire levy, property maintenance issues occupy Clay Trustees CLAY TOWNSHIP - Brookville Fire Chief Ron Fletcher and Phillipsburg Fire Chief Matt Rhoades spoke to Clay Township trustees at the March 19 meeting.
  Referring to Trustee Jeff Requarth's previous statement that he had gotten no response from from officials in Brookville, Verona and Phillipsburg about a committee to support the levy, both chiefs said he had not contacted the.
  "It's not our levy," Fletcher said. "We are just the recipients of it. Brookville is not going to be able to continue to subsidize the shortfall. We have nothing to cut."Requarth reminded the chiefs they had originally indicated they saw their roles as consultants. Since the last meeting, both the Verona and Phillipsburg mayors have told him they have a few interested citizens but have not given him the names.
  Trustee President Dave Vore said first contacting elected officials was a matter of protocol.
  Addressing Fletcher, he said, "You came to us after the last election, wanted the levy put on the ballot in the next election and advocated for the same rate. We did what you wanted."
  Requarth pointed out the levy passed in the unincorporated areas of Clay Township the trustees represent, saying, "The problem is in your cities. I can't go into the city and make them harmonious."
  Fletcher speculated that in the event of another failure, "we are going to be left to deal with the problem" and asked, "Are we going to do away with the services? No one wants that."
  Both chiefs met informally with trustees after the meeting.
  Steve Argast, from Brookville-Phillipsburg Road, asked about progress on a property maintenance code. In 2014, Argast asked the township to deal with his neighbor's poorly maintained property. At that time the trustees began working on a maintenance code.
  Argast said the recent triennial evaluation had in fact shown lowered property values in the area.
  "I put a lot of money in my house, and one property in the neighborhood is dragging down the other," he complained.
  Both Requarth and Vore (trustee Steve Woolf was absent) said they have talked to Butler Township officials about their code.
  "There is no legal basis for us to enforce anything outside of what the Ohio Revised Code allows," Vore said. "Butler has only managed on civil action in six years, through the Vandalia Municipal Court."
  He suggested setting up a meeting between Argast and the attorney for a better explanation.
  Trustees set the starting pay of part-time police officers at $12.50 per hour. Vore agreed with Requarth that this was low and said, "We've been able to move it up, but it's not where it should be."
  The next regular meeting of the trustees will be at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 2, in the township building at 8207 Arlington Road.
  
  2018-03-28 Fire levy, property maintenance issues occupy Clay Trustees
• Trustees see plans for State Route 49 CLAY TOWNSHIP - At the March 5 meeting of the Clay Township board of trustees, President Dave Vore displayed an artist's drawing of the plans of the Ohio Department of Transportation to improve safety along State Route 49 between Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 40.
  The plans for the project call for the elimination of the northbound lanes and the median, converting SR 49 into two lanes as far as Pleasant Plain Road, making the northbound exit from Interstate 70 a "T" intersection, and putting a traffic light at Brookville-Salem Road. The entry ramp from SR 49 to eastbound I-70 will be redesigned and resurfaced to lessen skidding or overturning.
  Vore later said not much will be done at the Pleasant Plain intersection, "but the traffic lights should slow traffic to improve safety there."
  He also told Police Chief John Van Gundy that local motorists using Pleasant Plain and Wellbaum roads to detour around the closed Arlington Road bridge and going as fast as 65, and the chief promised to step up enforcement there.
  Brookville City Manager Gary Burkholder spoke at the meeting to correct misinformation from a speaker at the Feb. 19 meeting.
  "The fire levy revenue is not going to the general fund in Brookville," he said. "it can only be used for fire service."
  He also refuted the rumor that the city is bankrupt, saying "From 2013 to 2016, the city had more that $1million in carryover funds. It needs additional funds to meet operating expenses that have increased every year. The fire levy is needed for the future and to meet the needs of the Verona and Phillipsburg fire departments."
  Trustee Jeff Requarth said after contacting officials of all three communities, he has no volunteers for a committee concerning the levy.
  "The Brookville people are the ones whose votes defeated it," he said, "but they'll get the biggest benefit from it."
  Sixty percent of the levy money will go to the Brookville fire department. Thirty-five percent goes to Phillipsburg and five percent to Verona. Those amounts have been established by the three fire service providers.
  The trustees approved a resolution to build a retainment wall around the road department's fuel tank, at a cost not to exceed $3,000, and accepted for review estimates from Road Superintendent Chris Maleski for a new backhoe.
  Vore said the budget should have included encumbrances to reserve money all along for this, but admitted, "We have to buy something. This one is 17 years old."
  Trustee Steve Woolf asked Fiscal Officer Brad Limbert to set up an encumbrance reserving $31,000 to pay for the new terrorism and disaster warning sirens. He said he waited at the KOA on Wellbaum Road when they were tested that day, and all three-at the township building, at Phillipsburg and on Salem Street in Clayton-could be heard.
  (Woolf was recently re-elected to the Board of Directors of the Ohio Township Association.)
  Maleski agreed to provide figures on the township's propane usage when Woolf suggested it might "be a big savings" to connect the township building to the natural gas line nearby.
  The next regular meeting of the trustees will be at 5 p.m. on March 19 in the township building at 8207 Arlington Road.
  
  2018-03-14 Trustees see plans for State Route 49
• Plea made for passage of Clay fire levy BROOKVILLE - Brookville Mayor Dave Seagraves and City Manager Gary Burkholder both spoke very passionately about he need for passing the upcoming fire levies in Clay Township, as well as speaking very candidly in addressing what they thought was a negative information campaign being conducted locally.
  Seagraves gave his remarks at the Feb. 20 Brookville council meeting.
  "I want to make sure we are clear on this," Seagraves said.
  He asked Brookville Fire Chief Ron Fletcher to speak on how the levy funds are disbursed.
  Fletcher said that Brookville receives 60 percent of the funds, while Phillipsburg, received 35 percent and Verona receives five percent.
  Fletcher said there is no "perfect way" to split the revenues, but the percentage of the splits have been done over a very lengthy period of time.
  He called the fire partners with Brookville in providing fire and EMS service to Clay Township, "Very important to Brookville," and that he does not want to see those two other departments fail if the levy gets defeated.
  Burkholder said that the "jurisdictional boundaries (in Clay Township) have been changed to make sense," and that the levy request "is to support our strategic partners" in fire service in the township, as well as helping with costs for Brookville Fire Department.
  "We have people campaigning to defeat this need based on false information," Burkholder said. "Public safety is one of the main responsibilities of us a public officials.
  "We are trying to do the best we can to get the information out on the needs for the levy," added Burkholder.
  Chief Fletcher addressed one of the rumors floating that the city has purchased an aerial ladder truck.
  "We currently do not have a facility to support having a ladder truck, it would have to sit outside and this not acceptable," Fletcher said. "We need this levy to pass so we can save some money in order to purchased big ticket items in the future."
  Fletcher also addressed questions about the need for sleeping quarters a the fire station under construction on Upper Lewisburg-Salem Road.
  "We don't want our firefighters and EMS personnel providing care fatigued," he said. "Our people work 12 to 36 hours straight and we have to have accommodations for them to rest and sleep in order for them to do their work."
  Seagraves spoke to the topic of transparency, something that citizen's groups have asked from city officials.
  "We are doing the very best we can to do what is best for this community," Seagraves said. "There is nothing to hide."
  He told those gathered at the Feb. 20 meeting "If you have any questions or concerns let us know."
  Council member Anne Kirklin said that working together as a team does not mean that all council members will agree with everything.
  "Working together as a team does not mean we will always agree," Kirklin said. "But we have respect for each other and we make decisions based on facts.
  "As much as ewe need to be transparent it is important for the citizens to be transparent as well," she added.
  Burkholder addressed one last point before the meeting moved on, and that is a comment being put out that the city is bankrupt.
  "There are accusations that the council is overspending and the city bankrupt," Burkholder said. "If the city is bankrupt we would not have cash reserves in our budget and we ended the 2017 year with a $2.2 million carryover. Enough lies are enough lies and they hurting this community."
  Seagraves took an opportunity to defend the job that Burkholder has done for the city in his two plus years on the job as city manager.
  "He (Burkholder) works at our (mayor and council) pleasure," Seagraves said. "We want these changes."
  "Another thing, Gary lives here (in Brookville) and he has since day one," Seagraves added. "He goes to Columbus on the weekends but if we need he responds to our needs."
  "Gary has done a tremendous job, but he is doing what his is being told to do by us (mayor and council)," Seagraves said.
  In business at the Feb. 20 meeting Don Cordes and Jessi Sievers were appointed to serve open seats on the Brookville Planning Commission.
  Third readings of ordinances and resolutions to authorize the city manager to dispose of surplus public property, to levy assessments for delinquent utility bills and to levy assessments for construction of curbs, etc on Market Street were all approved.
  The second reading for levying assessments for curbs, etc. on Crosswell Avenue and Vine Street was approved.
  Council adopted the first reading, and pass it in emergency fashion for adopting sections of the Ohio Revised Code as it pertains to new municipal income tax collection procedure was approved.
  This was done under advisement of Law Director Rod Stephan who noted that city is among many in the state who are engaged in pending litigation against the State of Ohio regards to these new procedures.
  He said that if the suit fails the city would be in compliance with the new state codes.
  Council also approved entering into a three-year contract with the Montgomery County Soil and Water District for storm water assistance and council approved authorizing a letter of support be sent to the city of Dayton in its procedures to safeguard its drinking water well fields.
  Brookville Park Board member Carolyn Haney gave a report about some maintenance issues pending at the Brookville Community Theatre.
  "We do have some major issues," she said. "We have a nice asset for the community and I don't think we want it to deteriorate."
  Seagrave echoed Hane's comments.
  "It would be foolish on our part to turn our heads about the maintenance," said Seagraves.
  The next meeting of Brookville City Council will be Tuesday, March 6, at 7:30PM in Council Chambers at the Brookville Municipal Building, 301 Sycamore St., Brookville.
  
  2018-02-28 Plea made for passage of Clay fire levy
• Clay Township addresses storm water CLAY TOWNSHIP - At the Feb. 19 meeting of the board of trustees, Clay township trustees approved a memorandum of understanding with the Montgomery County Solid Waste Conservation District to form a storm water management district.
  The Ohio EPA has identified part of Clay Township as a census-identified urbanized area where run-off water draining into streams, rivers and lakes may pose a pollution problem. Under the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) program, such communities are required to develop plans and make reports on efforts to reduce such pollution.
  Under this program, the SWCD will supply articles, brochures, and "rain barrel workshops" to educate homeowners, help the township locate outfalls (points where storm water discharges into streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands) and determine locations for new tile. In addition, the District will update the maps the township supplies, train township employees in the program and help prepare the required reports.
  The SWCD program, costing the township $2,000, was "the least expensive but the preeminent agency," Trustee President Dave Vore said.
  Trustees also said a page will be added to the Township's Web site (http://www.claytownshipoffices.com/) updating the program and offering explanations of measures that property owners can or cannot take regarding drainage.
  Trustees also approved the renewal of a liquor permit for the Sunoco station at National Road and State Route 49. Local jurisdictions have the right to object to such renewal, but Trustee Steve Woolf said, "We've received no complaints about that location."
  Woolf also welcomed Christine Biggs and Tsubasa Miwa to the meeting. Biggs is a Northmont High School student observing the meeting for a government class. Miwa is an exchange student from Japan staying with the Stephen Naas family while attending Northmont High School.
  Woolf also said at the next meeting he hoped to have a map of the improvements planned for State Route 40 at Brookville-Salem Road and National Road.
  "There is not truth to the rumor that this will include a roundabout (traffic circle)," he said.
  The next regular meeting will be at 5 p.m. on Monday, March 5, in the Township Building at 8207 Arlington Road.
  
  2018-02-28 Clay Township addresses storm water
• Clay Web site, and warning siren in place Clay Township Trustee Steve Woolf announced at the Feb. 5 meeting that the township's Web site is now online. The township has been without an updated Web site since the death of Trustee Robin Lehman in May of 2015. The site is available at http://www.claytownshipoffices.com/.
  Wolf urged all department heads and any organization in the township to post information about activities.
  Trustee President Dave Vore suggested there should be a focal point to avoid duplications or contradictions, and Fiscal Brad Limbert agreed, "It might as well be me."
  He also agreed to develop a form to use to make it easier for the administration to add items.
  In other matters, trustees learned that the terrorism/disaster warning sirens have been installed and are being activated and tested.
  Trustee Jeffery Requarth, the trustee in charge of the sirens, said that while wiring them a Chase Electric official also told him that a backup generator for the township would be fairly easy to install, since all the electricity to the township buildings comes through the building housing the administrative offices.
  The trustees also accepted the Montgomery County Engineers Audit of certified township highway miles. This is necessary as state funding for road projects takes the certified mileage into account.
  The 33,483 miles of township roads are a bit less than last year, but Woolf explained this was due to the township and the county trading the maintenance of two areas that were contiguous with others being maintained.
  Keith Lucking of the road department said the department "is working on" fixing potholes, and Woolf asked him to look into the chip and seal done last year on Wellbaum Road.
  "it doesn't look like anything was ever done," he said.
  "We took over part of Dodson road and the county took over the northern end of Arlington. Our snow crews, for example, don't have to drive over roads they aren't responsible for to reach these sections," he said.
  At a recent meeting of the Ohio Township Association, Woolf also was recently re-elected to the state board of township trustees. This allows him to join others in lobbying the legislator for changes in the law applying to townships.
  At the meeting, Montgomery County trustees won recognition for the most trustees in attendance.
  
  2018-02-21 Clay Web site, and warning siren in place
• Election brings change to Clay Township In the recent election, one Clay Township incumbent was re-elected and another was defeated.
  While disappointed by his loss, Dale Winner said, "I enjoyed the opportunity I had while serving. I saw positive changes."
  When he was first appointed to replace the late Robin Lehman, he told the Star, "I didn't apply because I was upset about any specific condition. I just applied so I could serve."
  He said he hasn't entirely ruled out future political activity, but "right now I just want to concentrate on my work and my family."
  He is a building principal at the Miami Valley Career Technology Center, so at the moment his major hope is for a winter free of snow days.
  I a letter to the Brookville Star, Dave Vore, who won re-election, thanked Winner for his hard work. In an interview, he expressed his gratitude to the voters and said "I've always been able to count on the people out here."
  During the campaign, he was surprised to find how many people misunderstood some issues. For example, "some folks thought the fire levy was going to be used to pay for the fire house, even though the ads and several news stories said it was just for operations in the township."
  He plans to work on the Route 49 connector and hopes the township can expand the emergency sirens to provide more warning to people further west in the township. (The sirens to be installed in February will be at the township building and shared with Clayton and Phillipsburg.)
  The new member of the board of trustees is Jeffery Requarth. Besides thanking his supporters for their votes, he said, "I want to be accessible. In fact, I'd like my phone number published (937-475-0268). I intend to look into everything that is brought up to me, and anyone calling me will get routed to the correct person to deal with their problem."
  He said during the campaign he did not encounter any surprising concerns from the public.
  "The most important issue is to pass the fire levy. The public is concerned about some zoning issues that I'm going to work on. No problem is too big or too small to look into, but inevitably we can't please everyone. Some things we just can't do."
  
  2017-12-06 Election brings change to Clay Township
• Council approves Clay Township fire contract At the Nov. 21 meeting of Brookville City Council, a new and revised contract to provide fire and EMS service to ~lay Township was approved. The service is coming from Brookville and two other departments.
  The new contract, which covers the period of Jan. 1, 2018 through Dec. 31, 2019, covers the same period of time as the other two fire service providers to the township, the villages of Verona and Phillipsburg.
  Brookville Law Director Rod Stephan said that the new contract, per a recommendation from the Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office (legal provider to the township), does not include payments for administrative costs to the township. Stephan said that the few new items, the new contract contains the same terms and conditions as the previous one.
  City Manager Gary Burkholder. was asked by Council Member Mike Duncan about the proposed detour for when the Arlington Road bridge over Interstate 70 is shut down for re-construction.
  Burkholder responded "we need to get that detour broadcast out as much as possible."
  That official state of Ohio Department of Transportation detour map has not been distributed to the Brookville Star.
  Burkholder did report that the bridge project and shutdown. is expected to take 150 days when started in the spring of2018.
  Resident Kim Cheatham asked once again about cost figures for the recently completed, and sold, Foothill Drive project.
  That project included the purchase of a foreclosed home by the city, the remodeling of the home and the sale.
  Cheatham asked what the sale price was, to which Burkholder said $97,000.
  Burkholder did state that the city did not have ''All of the final figures" on the project.
  Cheatham said that she felt that the city took a loss on the project and that;she was"disappointed that you never Set a budget" for the project.
  Mayor Dave Seagraves commented that he thinks the residents in the Terrace Park neighborhood "don't consider it a loss" with a home that once sat empty is rehabilitated and now occupied.
  Burkholder echoed Seagraves' comments. "We did it the right way and it raised the values of the neighborhood," Burkholder said. "It is a positive contribution."
  He also said that the city was not in a position to give complete cost projections because of the scope of the project and the fact that project estimates kept coming in.
  City Council met in regular session on Dec. 5 and is scheduled for its final meeting of 2017 on Tuesday, Dec. 19, at 7:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at the Brookville Municipal Building, 301 Sycamore St., Brookville.
  
  2017-11-15 Council approves Clay Township fire contract
• Perry/Clay voters turn down Fire/EMS levies Voters in both Perry Township and Clay Township narrowly turned down levies that would have affected the future of local fire/EMS services. In Perry Township, the portion between Westbrook and Amity roads is officially served by the Brookville Fire Department, while the portion of the township south of Amity is served by the New Lebanon Fire Department. (However, the two departments along with others, reciprocate to respond to many calls.)
   
  Perry Township had requested an additional 1.5-mill Fire Levy, which failed with 696 votes for the levy and 775 votes against the levy - a mere 8-vote margin.
   
  On the Nov. 7 election ballot, Clay Township had asked voters for an additional 3.5-mill Fire and EMS levy, which lost with 1,162 votes for the levy and 1, 231 against, with votes decidedly split there as well.
  
  2017-11-15 Perry/Clay voters turn down Fire/EMS levies
• Clay Trustees hear about progress on sirens The Nov. 4 thunderstorm caused a power surge that set off the warning siren in Phillipsburg. Steve Wolf, president of the Clay Township board of trustees, reported to the Nov. meeting that some wires in the siren had been dmaged and were being examined with an eye to repair.
   
  "But we've received final approval on the siren at Arlington Road," he reported, "and installation of all three sirens will probably start in February."
   
  Woolf was referring to the three sirens purchased jointly by the township and Phillipsburg and the township and Clayton, using grant money from the department of Homeland Security. Although the sirens are supplied to warn of terrorism activity, they can also warn of natural disasters. The township has worked with surrounding communities to locate sirens where they will be audible to the maximum number of people.
   
  Fiscal Officer Brad Limbert told trustees that the township's Web site is getting closer to going online, and the next decision for trustees is how notify all township residents. The company has suggested postal cards be mailed to all residents. Woolf estimated the cost of this would be $225 in postage, besides the cost of the printing.
   
  After Trustee Dave Vore protested that he would like to see the Website before approving notification, Woolf suggested the company draw up a card for trustees to examine at the next meeting.
   
  The Trustees also approved a measure to continue using Huntington Bank for deposit of public funds. Noting that the Ohio Revised Code requires government entities to evaluate the bank used every five years, he praised Limbert for conducting such a review every year.
   
  The next regular meeting of the board of trustees will be at 6 p.m. on Nov. 20 in the township building at 9207 Arlington Rd.
  
  2017-11-15 Clay Trustees hear about progress on sirens