We are a mostly rural and residential community that is home to over 6,000 residents. Located in Fremont Ohio, we are dedicated to exemplary customer service to the residents of our township. We hope this site keeps you up to date with the services we offer to our residents.

**ANNUAL AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY RELAY FOR LIFE WILL BE HELD FRIDAY & SATURDAY, JUNE 14 & 15 AT CONNER PARK.**

**2013 Road Paving project.  Roads will be milled off and repaved: 1. River Run Drive, 2. Meadowbrook Lane, 3. Arrowhead Drive,       4. Cheiftain Circle, 5. Tomahawk Trace.**  

**OUR NEXT BRUSH DROP OFF WILL BE HELD 8-12 P.M. ON July 13, 2013.  EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE AT UNIVERSAL LANDSCAPING, 219 E. STAHL RD.  (CROSSROADS MORRISON ROAD & BUCHANAN RD).**

**Ballville Township Trustees meet the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at the Ballville Township House, 2220 Tiffin Rd., Fremont.  Meetings are open to the public.**

**The Ballville Township Recycling Center is now located at Hydraulic Square, 1835 Cemetery St.  This is a full time recycling drop off that is open (7) days a week during the daylight hours.**

BALLVILLE TOWNSHIP IN REFLECTION OF 2012

We had another productive year, and we are pleased to share our accomplishments and successes with this 2012 Report. This report will highlight the various projects the Township has accomplished this year.  We hope that you will take the time to review this document.  It is filled with an abundance of information that demonstrates all the ways our community is moving forward.  We would like to thank our staff who worked diligently for the Township.  Their service is appreciated by the Township Board.

In January, the Township purchased a new backhoe for $36,678.98.  The new backhoe has 4-wheel drive to give us more flexibility with various projects our maintenance crews work on.

The Township Road 43 drainage project was completed this year.  Tree removal along the ditch cost $6,000.00.  A new 42 inch pipe at a length of 640 feet and a cost of $21,720.96 was installed to enclose the drop-off hazard along the road.  Willis and Sons Excavating was contracted at $5,460.00 to install the pipe.

Darr Road (Township Rd 173) experienced slope slippage of approximately 12 inches of drop over a one month period of time. $48,000.00 was authorized in an emergency contract to Unilliance Construction to rock the slope and stabilize the base of the road.  Lake Erie Construction was hired at a cost of $8,910.00 to install new guardrails on Darr Rd. and TR 193  to protect the residents traveling on those roads.

New storm sewer for Fennimore and Martin Avenue was performed by S&S Builders at a price of $13,978.20.

The Stahl Road drainage project was not completed due to unforeseen complications that were not anticipated.  A variety of solutions have been reviewed to redesign the project by the County Engineer.  We hope to petition the project in 2013 to again start the project.

The 2012 Sandusky County Township Association received an Issue II Grant for resurfacing of roads in the amount of $314,056.00.  Ballville Township’s portion was $71,600.00 for Baker and Rice Roads.  Ballville Township is the Lead Township and prepared the application for The Ohio Public Works Commission.  The total cost of the project was $781,819.50 with Five Townships (Ballville, Rice, Riley, Townsend and Washington) participating in the program.  Kokosing Construction was the low bidder out of five contractors on the project.  Bob Kusmer is Chief Executive Officer, May Kay Gabel is Chief Financial Officer and Dave Stotz is Assistant Officer.  During the whole process, our Road Superintended Bill Lagrou provided us with assistance on data information for the grant.

The Township road resurfacing project was awarded to M & B Asphalt for $45,850.50.  Williams Drive, Midway Dr. and South Dr. were all resurfaced under the 2012 Township paving program this year.  Unfortunately, we had the possibility of property damage by the contractor to a couple of private residents.  We investigated the problem and agreed with the property owners by holding back part of the contract until the damage is repaired to the satisfaction of the Trustees.

The Traffic Sign Retroreflectivity program, as adopted by the Ohio Department of Transportation, is a mandatory program the Township must participate in.  All signage in the Township shall meet a specific reflectivity at night.  This requires all signs to be replaced over a 3 year period or we can lose any funding for transportation.

The Mull Cover Bridge is in disrepair and a contract will be prepared to fix the structure.  The cost of the construction will be shared by Ballville Township, the Sandusky County Commissioners and The Sandusky County Park District.  The Sandusky County Engineer’s Department will contribute by inspecting the Bridge annually for structural defects. The Township entered into a Cooperative agreement to secure funding with the project.  The Township also voted their support with $35,000.00 for the upgrade of the bridge.

We would like to thank the residents of Ballville for the passage of the Fire Levy in November.  The protection our fire department provides is second to none of any department in the county.  These men and women do this out love for the profession.  They receive no pay and put in many hours to serve our community, for this we are very grateful for their service.

Residents often wonder what our Fire Department does with the money they receive from the Township.  Chief Doug Crowell provides the Trustees with an annual report on the Department’s efforts.  Grants the Fire Department received were as follows: $1,500.00 EMS grant for Supplies, $9,000.00 ODNR grant for radios, $2,222.00 EMA grant for hazmat Supplies, $1,000.00 Fire Marshall grant for training,  $13,500.00 State EMA grant for water rescue supplies, and $70,000.00 FEMA grant for grassfighter with 5% matching local funds.  

This year 10 of our firefighters completed 120 plus hours of continuing education to become a Firefighter I.  One firefighter completed 240 plus hours to become a firefighter 2.  This course work was beyond their normal duties at the Fire House.  It was an intense course over 6 months with the firefighters spending every Tuesday and Thursday nights and numerous Saturdays in the classroom.  We are proud of the 11 members from the Department who completed this class.

Cemetery Board chaired by Jim Gillis and member Jack Ferguson.

The Cemetery Board reviews the burial fees annually for recommendation to the Trustees.

Six marble plates were purchased for the Mausoleum we own at Oakwood Cemetery for $3,900.00. A new 15 by 15 foot tent was purchased for cremation burials.

A final resolution to the Overmyer Trust was agreed upon between Oakwood Cemetery and Ballville Township.  The trust was set up for wreaths being placed on the Overmyer interment vaults at the mausoleum.  The trust account was turned over to the Township to administer, per the request of the trust.

Mount Lebanon Cemetery restoration was completed by Stonehugger Restoration. The cost of the restoration was $39,500.00 completing a five year program to restore all the cemeteries in the Township.

The Oakwood Cemetery Board addressed the Township in regard to their financial situation and large expenditure concerns in the future.  The members came at the request of the Trustees to share their issues with the cemetery.

Park Board Committee is under Chairmanship of Kerry Wood.  Other members are Roger Berger, Les Gallatin, Ben Hickey, Joe Pemberton, Jane Stotz, and Kim Wood.

Expenditures made by the Park Committee include a new blacktop drive way and parking lot for Conner Park at a cost of $25,175.00. A new Toro Lawn mower was purchased for $8,500.00 and a new John Deere gator was purchased for $3,182.00.

The annual Cancer walk in June was again a huge success for the organizers. A total of $130,000.00 was raised for the foundation.

The Make a Wish Foundation Car show was held on October 6.  It was a very successful event and will be held again this year (2013).

175 Trees for Chudzinski-Johannnsen Park were purchased and planted for the future design of the park, which will start in 2016. A master plan of the park has been developed with a first draft for review.

A new John Deere Gator was purchased for $3,182.00.

The Parks Committee received three grants from the Sandusky County Park District for a total of $4,890.00.  These grants went to improvements in Conner Park for curb post, recycle benches and landscaping bricks.  Since 1990, Ballville Township has received a total of $64,689.51 from the Sandusky County Park District grant program.  The Parks Committee also received an OSS Solid Waste Grant for $3,823.00 to help with an additional purchase of curb posts in Conner Park.

The Township entered into a new recycling program which provides a 24 hour service seven days a week for residents.  Tim Wasserman, District Director -OSS Solid Waste Management introduced the new recycling program and it will be managed by his office.  This allowed us to move the recycling dumpster down to Hydraulic Square for convenience and easy access any time of the day.

Zoning Commission is chaired by Phil Klausz.  Other members are Brian Edwards, Les Gallatin, Tom Hoffman, Walter Lamson, and John Swint.

A new zoning inspector was hired by the Trustees in July.  Dave Schwartz was chosen from 43 applicants for the position.  Seven applicants were interviewed before Dave was chosen.  Dave brings a new energy and enthusiasm to the office.  We look forward to working with him in the future.

The Bloom residence fire on St. Thomas Drive was an unusual situation for residents in the neighborhood.  The home caught fire and was a total lose in June.  Mrs. Bloom had passed away and the ownership was in question for approximately two to three months.  A neighborhood group worked with the heirs of the estate along with the Township to remove the home due to health concerns.  This problem finally got resolved through the efforts of many.  We would like to especially thank Michelle Bishop, spokeswoman for the neighborhood group, Attorney Chris Knight, Chief Doug Crowell and Bill Lagrou for their help on this project.

The Township was involved with a zoning violation against the Internet Cafe in River Cliff Golf Course.  After the golf course lost the appeal in regard to the café, they opened without regard to our zoning regulations.  We pursued the situation by filing an injunction in the courts only to lose the decision.

The Ballville Dam removal and the City’s Reservoir have become concerns not only for Fremont, but for the Township.  A series of meetings have been ongoing over the past two years.  ODNR and U.S. Fish and Wildlife want the Dam removed upon completion of the Reservoir for fish habitation to move up the River.  The main question, which has not been answered by the governmental agencies, is the ice flows and the function the Dam plays in the safety of downtown Fremont.  Based upon the facts presented at this time, Ballville Township Trustees are not in favor of the removal of the Dam.   We will give a more detailed report later in the year for the residents to read.  If any resident would like to comment on the Dam Removal please feel free to contact Bob Kusmer in regard to this matter.

The Trustees continue to represent the Townships concerns and values on various committees in the county.  These include Sandusky County Regional Planning, Tax Incentive Committee, The BIG Fremont Program, The Ballville Dam removal Committee, The City-County Sanitary Sewer Board and the Sandusky County Emergency Management Agency.

We hope our efforts will enhance the quality of life in our Township.  The new year will bring many challenges and which we will continue to work on improving our services to you.

Respectfully Submitted,

Bob Kusmer, Ballville Township Trustee