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Welcome to our new "Current News" page! We'll be using this page to post the most current newsletter, our Focus on Danbury Township article and timely information we need to communicate. As always, if you need to reach any of us just click on the "Contact Us" page for telephone numbers and our email address.
NEW STUFF! A brand-new Meadowbrook trail map is now available. Go to the "Land Preservation" link on this website. At the end of the last paragraph you'll be able to click and view the map (you can also print it). The maps are also available in a box at the new parking area.
TOWNSHIP CLEAN-UP WEEK: April 12-16. See the newsletter for details.
DANBURY TOWNSHIP MEETING OVERVIEW
At the regular meeting of the Danbury Township Board of Trustees held March 10, 2010 the following business was conducted:
• Trustees approved the purchase of two safety fences for the athletic field backstops and fencing for two dugouts in the total amount of $11,195. Purchase of a batting cage was also approved and will be paid for with funds donated by the Peninsula Youth Athletic League. Jim Dress was thanked for building and installing a box for trail maps at Meadowbrook.
• Police Chief Michael Meisler reported 214 incidents in February and 73 to date in March. Trustees approved the final quote for the purchase of six tasers in the amount of $4,899.72.
• Dianne Rozak reported a safety committee meeting was held on March 9. Drug-free workplace mandatory refresher training for all employees will take place on March 23. Fire safety training for employees will be conducted in April.
• Zoning Inspector Rhonda Botti Sowers reported 8 permits written in February and 2 written to date in March. The Board of Zoning Appeals will hold two hearings on Wednesday, March 17 beginning at 6:30 p.m. Mrs. Sowers conducted a training session with the Zoning Commission last week. She reported the Common Pleas Court has upheld another zoning case in the township’s favor. She also presented a new monthly zoning report detailing all activity in the zoning office.
• Trustees approved making application to the building department for a small gravel parking area for Meadowbrook fishermen.
• Purchases from Bill’s Implement Sales were on hold pending receipt of information from the county prosecutor. Charles Scott reviewed the standards provided by the prosecutor that prevent an ethics violation. He and Ms. Rozak agreed there was no conflict. Mr. Scott reviewed lawnmower quotes from Tuffman and Bill’s Implement Sales. The mowers were not available from State Purchasing. Bill’s trade-in offer on the township’s current mowers provided the lowest total quote for purchasing new mowers. The purchase of three mowers from Bill’s Implement was approved. Dave Hirt was absent from all discussion.
• New cell phone and credit card polices were approved.
• Fiscal Officer Shelley Seamon provided information on fire and EMS contract payments.
• Trustees approved a requisition to the County Engineer for paving the middle of the cul-de-sac on Jeannie Drive and the entrance drive at Lake Point Park.
• A request was made by a woman from out of state who has relatives buried at the Kelley Cemetery. She offered to coordinate clearing of the 16 foot access strip to the cemetery. Trustees will request that she provide a plan for discussion.
• Employee health insurance will renew on April 1. There will be a monthly premium increase of $1,103.90.
• Charles Scott met with a representative from Poggemeyer Design to review the structural integrity of the township building. It was determined the building is in good shape. Mr. Scott will obtain further costs regarding remodeling of offices, window and door replacement, ADA compliance and sanitary requirements. Dianne Rozak provided detailed information she obtained from bond counsel including a schedule of payments if the township were to build a new facility.
• Bills in the amount of $30,545.17 were approved as were February financial reports and the bank reconciliation.
• Upon receipt of $36,964.43 from the Land and Water Conservation Fund grant trustees approved repayment of this amount to the general fund.
• New emails are in place for elected officials and all departments. They will be communicated in the newsletter which is scheduled to be mailed on Friday.
• Following an executive session to discuss compensation trustees approved crediting Mark Meisler with 263 hours of sick time used for his Worker’s Compensation claim.
Danbury Township Zoning Monthly Report February 2010
Training & Professional Growth
Both the Zoning Inspector and Zoning Assistant attended training seminars at the Ohio Township Association Winter Conference in Columbus February 18 and 19. The Zoning Inspector attended sessions on Zoning Updates, Making & Defending Zoning Decisions, Role of Township Zoning Bodies, Creative Township Management, Knowing When to Update Your Zoning Code, and Open to the Public. The Zoning Assistant participated in sessions on Zoning Update, Knowing When to Update Your Zoning Code, Working with Citizens, and Creative Township Management.
Utilizing information obtained at the conference the Zoning Inspector has developed presentations to share with the Zoning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals members at their March meetings.
Board & Commission Activity
The Board of Zoning Appeals heard 4 cases in February as follows:
#008-10 variance to side setback for a set of stairs denied
#009-10 variance to side setback for a set of stairs denied
#010-10 variance to allow accessory structure in front yard continued
#011-10 conditional use for recreational camp approved
The Zoning Commission heard 2 cases in February as follows:
#001-10 rezone 12.225 acres from “R-3” to “R-C” denied
#002-10 rezone a 0.528 parcel from “R-1” to “R-C” approved
The Board of Trustees also held hearings on the above rezoning cases in February and voted in agreement with the Zoning Commission recommendations. Zoning text amendments approved in January went into effect at the end of February and have been filed with the Ottawa County Recorder.
Permits
Eight permit applications were processed during the month of February with a total of $397.06 collected in fees. Three permits were issued for residential additions as follows: a handicapped ramp, a room addition and a new foundation under an existing house. Three permit applications were denied. One eventually resulted in a permit being issued for partial reconstruction of a non-conforming structure after modifications were made to the plan. Another resulted in an application being filed for an area variance to permit an addition in excess of a 20% increase in floor area for a non-conforming dwelling. The third has not yet been resolved.
Permit activity in February 2010 was considerably higher than the same period in 2009 when only 3 applications were processed and a total of $75.00 collected in fees.
Calls and Site Visits
A primary activity of the Zoning staff is responding to inquiries from residents, developers, appraisers, contractors, etc. Inspections are performed to verify or identify violations as well as to verify that projects are completed in compliance with approved plans. In addition, the department staff greets visitors seeking information regarding other township services and directs them to the appropriate official or department.
During the month of February 2010 the Department responded to 282 calls, e-mails and in-person inquiries and went on 14 site visits. Here is the breakdown:
Calls
• Permit and application questions 125
• Zoning classification requests 7
• Inquiries regarding BZA applications 46
• Inquiries regarding Zoning Commission applications 36
• Other 47
• Non-zoning related 21
Site Visits
• For zoning violations 6
• For Zoning Commission cases 2
• For BZA cases 4
• For other inspections 2
SPRING NEWSLETTER CONTENTS (March 2010)
TOWNSHIP CLEAN-UP WEEK APRIL 12 - 16
The big dumpsters will again be at Township Hall for residents to dispose of household items, steel, metal and appliances. Employees will be on hand from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to help you unload your vehicle. We will pay for freon removal from your appliances. Cleanup ends at 11 a.m. on Friday. DO NOT bring tires, brush, oil, paint, batteries, propane tanks, boats or vehicles. Please take advantage of this free service! Clean-up will also be held the weeks of July 12 and October 18.
A huge THANK YOU goes out to the Peninsula Youth Athletic League for their generous donation of $1,500!! The funds will be used to supplement the cost of improvements to our township athletic complex.
NEW WAYS TO CONTACT US!
We now have new emails for you to contact us directly. Please make a note of them or add them to your email address book. And...please don’t hesitate to contact any of us by telephone!
TRUSTEES
Dave Hirt (419) 732-2703 dave@danburytownship.com
Dianne Rozak (419) 798-4071 dianne@danburytownship.com
Charles Scott (419) 734-4703 charles@danburytownship.com
FISCAL OFFICER
Shelley Seamon (419) 732-3039 or (419) 732-6615 fiscalofficer@danburytownship.com
POLICE
(419) 732-2549 dtpd@cros.net Chief Michael Meisler policechief@danburytownship.com
ZONING
Rhonda Botti Sowers (419) 734-6120 zoning@danburytownship.com
ROADS/MAINTENANCE
Jim Dress (419) 734-4091 roads@danburytownship.com
SAFETY COORDINATOR
Deb Biro (419) 734-6120 safety@danburytownship.com
Our mailing address is:
5972 E. Port Clinton Eastern Rd. Marblehead, OH 43440
BRUSH DROP-OFF NOW OPEN
Follow the driveway and signs at 310 Bridge Road (SR 269 South) to drop off your branches and limbs. DO NOT bring stumps or grass clippings. We are only able to process limbs and branches. This service is for residents only. NO contractors! PLEASE do not bring anything other than limbs and branches. We have had severe problems with this service being abused.
LEAF DROP-OFF
We will accept leaves at our brush drop-off at 310 Bridge Road (SR 269 South) only during the months of April and May (and November & December). You must use biodegradable bags or bring loose leaves. Biodegradable bags are free to our residents. You may pick them up at the township zoning office Monday thru Friday between 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The limit is 12 free bags per household.
2010 CENSUS…..Census forms are now being delivered. Please complete and mail yours by April 1. An accurate count is critical for federal funding as well as the number of seats our State receives in the U.S. House of Representatives.
SHEDS! FENCES! DECKS! POOLS! It’s springtime and all this good stuff is being advertised at local home improvement stores. Just a reminder...a zoning permit is required for all of these items. Call or visit the zoning office for information and forms needed for a zoning permit. (419) 734-6120. The zoning office is open Monday thru Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (The office is closed on legal holidays).
TRUSTEE MEETINGS...Are held at 7 p.m. on the 2nd & 4th Wednesday of the month in the lower meeting room at Township Hall. Please join us!
POLICE CHIEF MICHAEL MEISLER reports that incidents last year totaled 4,477. That number is up from 2008 where we had 4,328. Due to current staffing, Detective Sergeant Mark Meisler is now able to devote more time to investigations. For the most part he is now doing the follow-ups and call-outs so the other officers can concentrate on their patrol responsibilities including neighborhoods and business checks. Mark was able to investigate and solve some serious crimes last year. Chief Mike is now in the office more in case our citizens should call or need to stop by.
MEADOWBROOK TRAIL MAP! We now have a complete trail map for Meadowbrook. You can download it directly from our website by clicking on Land Preservation. The link is at the end of the last paragraph. Maps will also be available in a box at the parking area.
FULL ADA ACCESSIBILITY. ODNR has approved the use of our remaining grant funds for paving two ADA parking spaces and a trail connection at Meadowbrook. When this is done all paved trails and the boardwalk will be fully ADA accessible from the parking area. This should be completed in late spring.
CHECK OUT the “Current News” button on our website for all the latest information.
ANNUAL PLANTING OF FLOWER SEEDS AT SACKETT CEMETERY! Can you join us on Saturday, May 1 at 10 a.m. for an hour or so? Come to Sackett Cemetery to help with our annual planting of cosmos seeds along the fence line. The ground will be prepared and all we’ll need to do is drop in the seed. Park at the cemetery crossroad by the Armed Services Memorial. These lovely orange flowers always make the cemetery look spectacular!
SPRING MUSHROOM HUNT…Past experience has found that wild mushroom growth never seems to coincide with dates published ahead of time in this newsletter! So...if you’d like to join in on this fun, low-impact hike at Meadowbrook Marsh, please call or email Dianne by the first week in April. She’ll put you on a contact list while she keeps a sharp eye out for those elusive ’shrooms. She will then let you know when in April the hunt will happen. Be ready with bags, a knife and sturdy shoes. Call (419) 798-4071 or email: dianne@danburytownship.com
COULD EMS FIND YOUR HOUSE DURING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY? If you do not have a clearly marked address sign on your house or by the road, precious time will be lost. The Marblehead Fire Department makes green & white reflective address signs for just $9. Call (419) 798-4450 to order yours today. It’s a lifesaving investment.
PLEASE HELP US RECYCLE PROPERLY. We are continually finding our recycling dumpsters full of things and stuff that are not recyclable. Anything from carpet to general junk magically appears in the bins. PLEASE...the next time you bring your recycling take a moment to read the sign that shows what is accepted. When a load is contaminated with non-recyclable materials it may cause the entire load to go to the landfill. We’re trying hard to be “green”. Please recycle only what is accepted!
JANUARY 2010 FOCUS ON THE TOWNSHIP
This is an article provided by Trustee Dianne Rozak to inform residents of township activity and business that comes before the Board of Danbury Trustees.
Danbury Township experienced a very busy and successful 2009. As part of an aggressive move to receive available discounts from the Bureau of Worker’s Compensation we adopted a drug-free workplace program, established a safety committee and began participation in the Ottawa County Safety Council. First-aid training was provided to our employees along with CPR and AED refresher training for our police department. We’ve completed several of the ten steps necessary for our safety plan of action, developed safe work procedures and will soon have a safety manual ready for our employees. Earlier in the year we selected The Collaborative, Inc. as our architectural firm to explore the development of a new administration facility at our property on Bridge Road (SR 269). In line with that plan we purchased additional acreage and now own fifteen acres on the site. We will have ample room for building as well as future expansion. Public meetings with the architects are continuing. We are treading carefully with this project. Without access to a crystal ball we are unable to fully project what will happen with some of our future income sources including local government funding. Our intent is to explore all possibilities for proceeding by utilizing our existing revenues yet still maintaining an adequate reserve. Our police department was able to purchase a new vehicle, seven new police vests and adopt a police policy manual. It is always interesting to provide year-end comparisons on police activity. We ended the year with 4,477 incident reports which is 149 more than the prior year. This number is inclusive of all police activity. On the increase from 2008 to 2009 was breaking and entering, DUI, disturbances, prowler calls and drug possession. Also on the rise was the request for house watches. Incidents on the downturn include civil disputes, vandalism, investigative follow-up, verbal traffic warnings, criminal damaging and trespassing, domestic violence, underage consumption and speeding.
We have expanded our playground equipment at our heavily used township athletic complex. Our thanks are extended to the Peninsula Youth Athletic League for their gracious donation of $1,500 toward future improvements which could include dugout shelters. The money will be put to good use for our sports teams. While we would like to install restrooms at the complex it is just not possible since the county sewer line does not extend past township hall. A wonderful addition this past year at Lakepoint Park was a covered walking bridge. Less than an hour after it was installed visitors were already using it! Many thanks to our maintenance staff and Deb Burley Biro for keeping up the lovely garden at Lakepoint as well as the beautiful plantings at Battlefield Park. They are enjoyed by many. The planting of cosmos flowers at Sackett cemetery has become an annual tradition. We look forward to our volunteers again assisting with this project in early May. Our website has been updated to include a Current News button which features an overview of the most recent meeting, notices of special meetings and the current newsletter which is mailed quarterly to residents. Soon each of our departments as well as the elected officials will be provided with their own individual township emails for your ease of use in contacting everyone. This information will be added to the township website as well as published in the spring newsletter. Meadowbrook continues to progress quite nicely. This past year we installed 3,000 feet of paved trails, a new boardwalk and new parking area. These projects were made possible through funds received from three separate ODNR grants saving the township well over $100,000. I’m in the process of applying for yet another grant for 3,855 additional feet of paved trails and would appreciate your wishes for success. Notification will occur in fall of 2010. To date we have received six separate grants for Meadowbrook improvements that have provided us with over a half-million dollars in federal, state and local funds. Our maintenance staff continues to do an outstanding job of mulching and re-mulching our trails as well as maintaining the entire preserve. We’ve sponsored several well-attended public events there including wild mushroom hikes and a moonlight lantern tour. The preserve is being used regularly by many residents and visitors. Our thanks go out to WSOS as well as the Port Clinton Kiwanis, both of whom conducted clean-up days at Meadowbrook. We also received a grant from the Joint Solid Waste District for a second recycling container which is located at Danbury Township Hall. This year was the 40th anniversary for Jim Dress working at the township. Jim and his crew do a tremendous job with our roads, parks and especially snow plowing. We thank them for their sincere dedication and feel most fortunate to have such a great staff. Earlier last year we were pleased to learn that after our recent State audit we were again citation free for 2007 and 2008. Mandatory audits are conducted every two years. We also recently introduced new performance review forms for supervisors and employees.
Activity in the zoning department mirrored the economy with only 144 permits processed during 2009. Permits for new dwellings and commercial buildings experienced a 20 year low. Interestingly, additions and accessory buildings including docks and pools have remained relatively consistent when compared to the last twenty years. Since 1990 the highest years ever for new dwellings were 2000 and 2001 with 79 permits issued in each of those years compared with only 15 new dwellings in 2009. A noticeable overall decrease began in 2007 and has continued. The second half of 2009 brought a number of rezoning requests for the purpose of future commercial development which is a promising sign. A slowdown in permit activity afforded time to devote to several major improvements. The first was conversion of the zoning resolution to an easily searchable, electronic Clearzoning format. The new format has received a tremendous amount of positive comments and is available on the township website www.danburytownship.com. Another is conversion of all zoning forms to a PDF fill-in format. The process should be completed soon and the forms will be available through a link in the zoning resolution as well as on the website. The third major undertaking was the purchase of a document management program. Following training last year the arduous task of scanning 35 years of zoning documents into a searchable digital format will begin this year.
As we said a fond farewell to John Englebeck as trustee and Rhonda Botti Sowers as fiscal officer, we also welcomed new fiscal officer Shelley Seamon and new trustee Charles Scott. John and Rhonda’s many years of dedicated service contributed to the excellent financial position our township currently enjoys. Dave Hirt and I look forward to working with Shelley and Charles to pave the way in this decade. At the end of January our board will host the Ottawa County Township Association quarterly meeting where we will present a program on transparent communication tactics to our fellow trustees from across the county. I have again been requested to present a workshop at the February conference of the Ohio Township Association where I will have the privilege of addressing trustees from across the state. The program will encompass a detailed overview of our accomplishments here in Danbury. Dave, Charles, Shelley and I have our plates full with projects and we anticipate another outstanding year in Danbury Township.
Current News
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