Miami Township Trustees approved several fire department personnel changes during their regular meeting Monday, June 1, including hiring Andrew Reichert as a part-time firefighter/EMT.

Trustees also approved moving Jax Lawrence from part-time to full-time status, while returning Daniel Watt to part-time service after he accepted a full-time position elsewhere.

Following those votes, trustees approved a motion requesting that Fire Chief James Cannell develop formal criteria for hiring full-time firefighters and paramedics, create a continuous list of candidates interested in full-time positions and establish a process for lateral hires from other departments.

“It seems like we’re always [promoting to full-time] internally and not really opening up to the outside,” Trustee Chair Marilan Moir said, noting that most hires from outside the department are for part-time positions. “There may be people out there who want to be here, but don’t want to be here part-time and would consider a full-time position, but there’s no full-time positions available.”

Capt. Nate Ayers, standing in for Cannell during the meeting to deliver the fire and rescue report, said Miami Township Fire-Rescue has responded to about 500 calls so far this year and operated at about 90% staffing during May. The department is also preparing two federal grant applications, including a request for updated self-contained breathing apparatus equipment estimated to cost more than $100,000. Ayers added that preparations are underway for the June 13 Yellow Springs Street Fair, with 12 MTFR employees scheduled to staff the event and emergency units stationed near Mills Park Hotel and the Bryan Center.

In his monthly zoning report, Zoning Administrator Bryan Lucas reported that the Township issued three zoning permits in May — two for detached garages on State Route 370 and Huston Road and one for The  Riding Centre on Hyde Road. He also reported that the Miami Township Board of Zoning Appeals approved a temporary use permit for 12 summer comedy shows to be hosted by Dave Chappelle at Wirrig Pavilion this summer.

Near the meeting’s end, the trustees returned briefly to an ongoing discussion of health insurance premium reimbursements for Trustee Chris Mucher. As the News reported last month, trustees voted in April to end a longstanding practice of reimbursing health care premiums for elected officials who opt out of the Township’s group health plan.

In May, Greene County Prosecutor David Hayes delivered a requested opinion letter that stated the Township could provide either premium reimbursements or a group healthcare plan, but not both, unless trustees passed a resolution permitting premium reimbursements; passing such a resolution, Hayes wrote, would potentially violate Affordable Care Act restrictions and “subject the Township to penalties by the IRS,” and Hayes suggested trustees consult with an attorney experienced in ACA and tax law.

During the June 1 meeting, the trustees voted unanimously to invite Hayes to attend a future meeting to discuss legal questions raised by the letter.

Looking ahead, Moir announced a June 11 work session to discuss a possible capital equipment levy for MTFR, to be placed on the November ballot. She said the levy under consideration would be less than one mill, and the revenue it would generate would help the Township establish a long-term replacement plan for MTFR equipment, including a new fire truck, rather than relying on the current “break-fix” model.

The trustees’ next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 15.