Miami Township— Trustees broach cemeteries, fiscal transition
- Published: April 3, 2026
Budget questions — particularly around cemetery spending, future capital needs and how Township funds should be used across departments — have been at the center of recent Miami Township Trustees discussions, first at their March 2 regular meeting and again at a March 9 work session focused on cemetery appropriations.
Across both meetings, trustees worked through cemetery budget lines, discussed how spending should be tracked and debated whether the cemetery, fire and general funds should contribute toward the upkeep and eventual replacement of road department equipment used for work beyond roads.
“I think we all want the same thing,” Moir said at the March 9 work session. “We have a really great cemetery, and we want to make sure we can keep people happy, keep it an inviting place and get a business plan for the future so it can continue to be a great cemetery.”
At the center of the March 2 discussion was the cemetery fund, which Trustee Chair Marilan Moir said has grown over time as the Township expanded Glen Forest Cemetery with new options, including offering natural burial choices in the 5.8-acre Oak Grove, established in 2022, and the forthcoming Pine Forest, slated to open this year.
Moir said the trustees need a clearer picture of how much the Township is spending on cemetery costs, as well as improved processes regarding how that spending is planned and tracked.
According to Moir, trustees had approved $20,000 for development of the natural burial areas, but total spending appeared closer to $35,000 after work was completed. Trustee Chris Mucher pushed back on parts of that characterization during the earlier discussion, saying some approvals occurred at different times and that trustees had authorized additional work along the way.
By the March 9 work session, trustees shifted from that disagreement toward the practical work of building the cemetery budget line by line. They reviewed salary estimates, utilities, mowing and maintenance contracts and website, certification, recordkeeping and advertising costs. Mucher also revived a broader conversation about road depart-ment equipment. Road departments, he said, often operate differently from other municipal departments when it comes to planning for large future costs.
“If it breaks, you fix it because you need it,” he said. “If you can’t fix it, regardless of whether it’s two years old or 22 years old, you still need it — so you replace it.”
He noted that machinery used for road work is often used for cemetery and other Township projects as well; to that end, he suggested that a line item be included in the cemetery budget to contribute to capi-tal costs for the road department.
Moir said she had begun gathering information about major equipment — including age, expected replacement timelines and estimated costs — so trustees can better understand long-term needs. Trustee Lori Askeland said she would prefer to review that information before assigning any specific annual contributions from the cemetery fund toward equipment replacement.
“For clarity’s sake, especially for those of us who haven’t been around for 30 years, it would help to see that inventory,” Askeland said.
Pauwels approved as fiscal officer
At the March 2 meeting, trustees formally appointed Fiscal Officer Assistant Cyndi Pauwels to serve as fiscal officer beginning April 1, when current Fiscal Officer Jeanna GunderKline’s resignation takes effect.
GunderKline announced in February that she would step down before completing her elected term; following that announcement, the trustees approved increased hours for Pauwels, who began serving as fiscal officer assistant last July.
At the March 2 meeting, GunderKline said she and Pauwels were working through year-end reporting and other recurring responsibilities so the incoming fiscal officer could see how the Township’s financial cycle works, and the trustees thanked GunderKline for helping to prepare Pauwels for the new role.
“She’s committed to helping us have a smooth transition and training,” Moir said.
Trustees also spoke briefly on how fiscal information is presented to the public. Resident Fred Stockwell told trustees during the meeting that he hoped the Township would continue publishing a monthly total of bills paid.
“I’m not trying to increase the load of what you have to present at the meeting, I just don’t want things to disappear,” Stockwell said.
Trustees said they are working toward a reporting format that will provide clearer financial information while meeting state reporting requirements.
“You have a right to see anything on these documents, so we could certainly make them available,” Askeland said.
MTFR report
Miami Township Fire-Rescue also reported several recent incidents and operational updates during the March 2 meeting.
Just days earlier, on Feb. 26, the department responded to a vehicle fire at the intersection of U.S. 68 and Cemetery Street.
In an email to the News, Fire Chief James Cannell said the incident occurred shortly after 10 a.m. as a driver traveling south from Springfield noticed a burning smell. The driver stopped at the intersection traffic light and spotted flames coming from under the hood of their vehicle.
Cannell said officers from the YS Police Department arrived first and confirmed that everyone had safely exited the vehicle before firefighters arrived and extinguished the fire. The cause of the fire, Cannell said, was determined to be a mechanical malfunction.
Miami Township Fire-Rescue and YS Police Department responded to a vehicle fire Thursday, Feb. 26, that erupted at the intersection of U.S. 68 and Cemetery Street. MTFR was quickly able to extinguish the fire, and no injuries were reported. (Photo by Fire Chief James Cannell)
Cannell also reported that Miami Township Fire-Rescue has continued to meet its goal of staffing three personnel on duty around the clock. The department had logged about 150 runs this year at the time of his report, including a Feb. 21 house fire on North High Street that crews were able to contain quickly.
Trustees approved Cannell’s request to decommission Rescue 81, MTFR’s box truck, and to offer the vehicle for sale.
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