Thursday, July 24, 2008

July 2008 - Township Update


The township has been busy in the last month, and I have a lot of news in this month's issue of Talk of the Township.

7510 Wind River Drive - UPDATE


As previously announced, today the Sylvania Township Trustees held a hearing regarding the property located at 7510 Wind River Drive in Sylvania Township. This was a quasi-judicial hearing based upon section 505.86 of the Ohio Revised Code, which authorizes the Trustees to order removal of any building located within the unincorporated territory of the Township which has been declared insecure, unsafe or structurally defective by any fire department, county building department or declared unfit for human habitation by the county board of health.

Today at that hearing, we heard testimony from John Walters, Chief Building Inspector for Lucas County, Nathan Fries, Registered Sanitarian for the Toledo/Lucas County Health Department, Deputy Chief Tom Eisel of the Sylvania Township Fire Department and Jim McGowan, a local builder/developer who had no pecuniary interest in this property. We also heard testimony from area residents as well as several people who stated they had an interest in this property and were performing work at the premises.


Repeatedly, the testimony that we heard was that this property was not safe, it was not secure, and it was structurally defective, all a result of the fire which occurred in November 2006, and the fact that the house remained open to the elements since the fire. Damage included water-soaked wood, standing water in the basement, and mold and mildew due to being open to the elements. Testimony regarding the ability to renovate the property included the statement that anything above the foundation was unsalvageable.


Given the testimony presented to me and the other trustees by experts in their field related to the housing and building industry, the trustees unanimously passed a resolution calling for the removal of the structure located at 7510 Wind River Drive in Sylvania Township. The resolution was declared an emergency, dispensing with the second reading, and takes effect immediately in order to preserve the public peace, health, safety and welfare of Sylvania Township.


We have authorized our Planning and Zoning Manager, Mr. Tim DeWitt, beginning thirty (30) days after service of the Resolution upon the owner and all lienholders of the property, to remove and secure the building and all appurtenances located on the property.


This has not been a quick process, and I want to thank all of the residents who have expressed concern regarding this property yet have been patient in allowing the township to work through the processes necessary to deal with troubled properties in our community.

Junk Cars - Townships Granted More Authority


A new portion of the Ohio Revised Code, section 505.871, became effective earlier this year which grants townships additional power in which to deal with junk motor vehicles. Prior to this new law, townships were really restricted on what we could do to address junk cars left in driveways and yards. Only junk cars that were deemed a 'nuisance' could be removed from the property.

With the new law, we can legally remove a junk vehicle from a property after proper notice. "Junk motor vehicle" is specifically defined as a "vehicle that is three model years or older, is apparently inoperable and is extensively damaged, including, but not limited to, any of the following: missing wheels, tired, engines or transmissions." There is no dollar limit or value. Court involvement is not required prior to removing a junk motor vehicle.

This is a great new tool that can (and will) be used to help us help our community maintain a quality of life and high property values by addressing junk vehicle issues in a more effective and efficient manner. I welcome this added authority and we are working to implement the necessary legislation so that we can utilize this authority and improve the quality of life in Sylvania Township.

Downed Wires and Volunteers


At our last regular trustee meeting, Fire Chief Fred Welsh presented his June monthly report regarding fire department operations. We use monthly reports to keep the trustees updated on a regular basis on department operations, although our department heads are always available for our questions and to discuss resident concerns.

There were two items of interest in the recent monthly report. First, we were informed that we had 18 - EIGHTEEN - applicants to become members of our volunteer firefighter ranks. Applicants range from those with little/no fire fighting or EMS experience to EMTs and even a doctor. This is a wonderful testament to the willingness of our community to step up and become involved in some capacity.

In the last several years, the viability of our volunteer program was questioned because of shrinking membership and failure of volunteers to respond when called. But I was convinced that the program simply needed a fresh perspective and the commitment of the administration and the fire department to thrive. And that is exactly what has happened. We haven't even fully implemented our plans due to budget restraints in 2008, but the response from our community so far is promising and I look forward to the benefits and support that a fully functioning and supported volunteer force can provide to Sylvania.

The second issue to be raised in the June monthly report was a service-related issue and at first glance may raise eyebrows and concern, which is why I want to address it directly. Chief Welsh reported that during the serious storm system that moved through our community on the evening of June 9, eleven calls to our 911 call center were not responded to.

As I said, at first this may raise some serious concerns about our ability to respond to calls. However, further review of the data shows that we did what we should do during serious weather-related conditions: we prioritized our resources, assessed calls for service and responded accordingly. Ten of the eleven calls for service were for reports of downed wired. Downed wires are the responsibility of Toledo Edison, not the Sylvania Township Fire Department. Yes, it would be nice if we could respond to calls for downed wires and provide 'blocking' so that residents and visitors do not mistakenly travel on or near the downed wire, and during otherwise normal operations we do provide this service. But during excessive call volumes like we experienced during this storm, we simply do not have the manpower to respond to every call for service. And we can't afford to staff 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year at a level that would let us respond to all of these calls for the once or twice a year that we experience severe weather.

In reviewing this situation, the Fire Department has noted some weaknesses and has begun the process of addressing those weaknesses in a logical, efficient and cost-effective way so that during the next severe storm our response is improved. The 18 potential volunteers I mentioned previously is another way that we can help address this situation.

Bottom line is that we still maintain the best Fire/EMS department in the area, with excellent response times and highly qualified staff dedicated to keeping our community safe. During severe weather and similar manpower-taxing situations, we may not be able to respond to every downed-wire call, but we do respond to incidents where life, limb and property are imminently at risk.

Mosquitoes Abound


With the heavy rains of the past month, our area is experiencing a heavier-than-normal influx of mosquitoes. While this is just a fact of life for living in what used to be called the Great Black Swamp, it is still annoying; it interferes with the ability to enjoy our decks, sports facilities, and other activities where we are outside.

The township has received numerous inquiries as to why we are not spraying for mosquitoes or when we will be in certain areas. Unfortunately, we do not spray for mosquitoes. This is handled by the Toledo Area Sanitary District (TASD), which is a separate entity created by judicial order back in 1945. According to their website "The Toledo Area Sanitary District controls adult mosquitoes by daytime "misting" and by evening "fogging" operations. Schools, business and homeowners may have their properties misted by requesting this service at 419-726-7891. These properties must have an access so that a pickup truck may drive around the periphery of farmyards, wooded areas and buildings."

The township is not equipped to spray for mosquitoes and doing so would only duplicate the work of the TASD, which is paid for by a special property tax assessment. If you have concerns about mosquitoes or questions about spraying, please contact the TASD at 419-726-7891.

Thank you for joining me in this township update. I encourage you to forward it on to other township residents and businesses.



Sincerely,

DeeDee Liedel
Sylvania Township Trustee