Miami Twp. meeting— Firehouse groundbreaking
- Published: June 6, 2019
Groundbreaking for the township’s long-awaited new firehouse, to be constructed on the south side of the village, is expected to take place in late August or early September, Miami Township Trustee Chairperson Chris Mucher said earlier this month.
Reporting on the firehouse’s progress during the Trustees meeting Monday, May 6, Mucher said that the township is working with the project architect to reduce anticipated construction costs by another $300,000 before writing individual bid packages for various components of the project.
The township decided last month to change its approach toward bidding the project that has thus far been unable to secure a full contract bid within the 10 percent limit over the proposed building cost of $4.9 million.
Instead of hiring a single contractor to oversee and complete the station, the township is planning to work directly with subcontractors on such individual features as plumbing, electric wiring and roofing.
Voters approved a 2.4-mill 30-year bond levy in May 2017 to construct the new station on land formerly owned by Wright State University and occupied by Wright State Physicians. New construction was stalled, however, when three attempts to bid out the project, as well as design revisions to reduce costs, failed to attract a contractor who met budget requirements.
Mucher said he is feeling optimistic about the project’s forward movement.
In other township business this month—
Fire department report
Miami Township Fire-Rescue Chief Colin Altman reported that MTFR crews had responded to 58 EMS and 19 fire calls and conducted eight fire inspections since the previous trustees meeting April 15.
He informed the trustees that YS Kids Playhouse had contacted him in hopes of using the Xenia Avenue property of the future fire station to put up an advertisement for the group’s production this summer.
Altman said he worried that an advertisement about something other than the fire house might “confuse the public” about where their tax money is going.
Trustee Don Hollister suggested the three-person board “mull over” the request for a couple weeks, and his fellow trustees agreed.
Altman also reported that the testing process for a new MTFR supervisor was underway, and he hoped a new supervisor could be be sworn in at the trustees’ first meeting in June.
MTFR crew honored
Kristi Bradford, representing the Kettering Health Network, presented plaques and pins to MTFR members Casey Brewer, Ryan Evans, TJ Fries, Nick Miller-Jacobson, Joe Panuto and Ryan Schroeder in recognition of their early morning response March 17 that saved the life of a Bath Township man who had gone into cardiac arrest.
Chief Altman also commended the crew members for their life-saving actions. In addition, Bath Township Trustee Steve Ross was in attendance and thanked the men for their service.
Road work
Road Department Administrator Dan Gochenouer reported that milling — the process of removing paved surface — had been completed on Jacoby and Brannum roads, and wedge work would begin on Jacoby the next week.
He said that spring rains had inhibited roadside mowing, but he hoped to start mowing ditches the next week.
He also reported that Grinnell Circle had some trees that needed to be “cleaned up.”
“There was a tree [needing attention] on Hyde [Road], but someone beat me to it,” he added. “So, thank you.”
Zoning permits issued
Zoning Inspector Richard Zopf reported that he had issued two permits in the last month. One was for a new residential garage, and the other was for a new bank of restrooms at the Boy Scout camp on Swimming Pool Road.
State Route 343 repair
Chairperson Mucher reported that the township had received notification from the Ohio Department of Transportation, or ODOT, that the state plans to “revisit State Route 343’s pavement quality.”
The trustees agreed that the roadway needs additional resurfacing.
Trustees meeting dates
Regularly scheduled meetings of Miami Township Trustees are set the first and third Monday of each month, beginning at 5 p.m., at the township offices on Corry Street.
Contact: csimmons@ysnews.com
Comments are closed for this article.