Мост на Стюарт-роуд в Мэдисон-тауншип закроют до 2027 года, а пожарная служба обновляет парк и набирает персонал

MADISON TOWNSHIP — The Stewart Road Bridge will not see completion until 2027, according to Madison Township Road Superintendent Larry Weirich. During the Madison Township Trustees meeting Tuesday, Weirich said the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) plans to complete the work sometime next summer. Trustee Tom Craft said an ODOT employee told him completion would be in late summer or early fall of 2027. “I talked with ODOT about breaking that down with the concrete barriers and they’re not at all interested in that,” Weirich said. Instead, ODOT plans to move the barrels closer to the damaged area and restripe the bridge with paint lines. ODOT also told township officials the bridge’s west beam has pulled away some from the bridge, but does not present a problem. Trustees approve road funding, work schedule The trustees approved an appropriation reallocation in the road district, decreasing the resurfacing account by $65,000, and increasing blade patching by the same amount. A temporary agreement extending 10-hour workdays for the road department through Sept. 10 was also approved. Under the temporary schedule, employees work from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Just in case everybody wonders why we did that, they’re doing a lot of patching for while the weather’s good, and that helps with that,” Trustee Dan Fletcher said. Fletcher said Weirich also identified several roads that need attention, including Stewart Road, Beal Road, Mayflower Avenue and some shorter, dead-end roads. The trustees approved a resolution accepting the tax rates determined by the Richland County Budget Commission and authorizing the necessary tax rates for tax year 2027. “We had already submitted our request to them back in July,” Fiscal Officer Leanna Rhodes said. “This is their final approval for 2027.” The resolution includes voter-authorized levies for the township’s general fund, fire fund and road levy. Fire department updates ambulance, staffing The fire department reported 169 incidents and 196 completed patient care reports, averaging 8.6 incidents per day in August. The department is still using a loaner ambulance from another township after returning an ambulance to the City of Shelby. Medic 73 has returned to service, while Medic 74 needs a fuel line replaced. Craft said OTC located the discontinued GM part in California and plans to forward it for completion this week. The fire department has begun interviews for part-time positions, with senior firefighters conducting the interviews. The lieutenant test is scheduled for Oct. 24 at 9 a.m., and the department currently has five applications for the test. Interviews will take place in early November. Additional items discussed during the meeting The trustees approved Stormwater Awareness Week for Oct. 1 through Oct. 7 and approved a resolution regarding the five-year update of the Solid Waste Management Plan. Trustees discussed an invitation to Local Heroes Day on Sept. 20 and an upcoming Trunk or Treat and Touch a Truck event with Richland County Children’s Services at Madison High School on Oct. 24. Richland County Auditor John Jerger will retire at the end of September. Anna Salas will replace him and has been training for the position since July. The township received notice that it was accepted into the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation’s group retrospective rating program for the 2027 policy year. Rob Kasper resigned from the township’s property code board of appeals, effective immediately, to join the zoning commission board of appeals. OTHER STORIES MADISON TOWNSHIP — The Madison Township Pixies faced an unexpected challenge just three days before taking the mat at a national… Construction projects will prompt road closures in Madison and Jefferson townships, beginning Monday. Madison Township trustees, fire captain explain need for Nov. 3 tax increase requests during Monday meeting.