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Goshen Township trustees approved several annual administrative mattersduring their annual organizational meeting Tuesday.
The 2024 organizational meeting began with a nearly 30-minute executive session for the discussion of the township's annual organizational and administrative items, following which the board elected to re-appoint trustees John Bricker and Teresa Stratton to their positions as chairman and vice chairman, respectively. Trustees also voted unanimously to change their meeting date to the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. and to approve a new policy to conduct bi-annual performance evaluations for the township's department heads in January and July.
The meeting also saw Fiscal Officer Michele Barratt present the estimated budget figures for 2024 which are based on the ending balances of 2023.
Barratt projected the township's expenses, $2,438,585.15, to exceed its income of $2,120,292, which would see the township's beginning balance of $908,060.44 decrease to $589,767.29.
Trustees also approved cemetery prices for the new year, with the cost of graves for township residents set at $500, or $1,000 for non-residents, grave openings and closings for a standard burial will be $650, while those for a cremation burial will be $325, with an additional $100 for burials arriving at the cemetery after 2 p.m. on weekdays and an extra $200 for cremations or burials on Saturday or permitted holidays, with no Sunday burials. Foundations for grave markers will have a cost of $75 per square inch and must be 6 inches larger than the marker and 36 inches deep and will be poured as needed with weather permitting.
Other financial matters approved included setting the township's mileage rate to 65 cents per mile including the payment of necessary expense for parking and lodging to trustees, fiscal officer and township employees for business outside the township, and meals, including tips, up to a maximum of $35 per day; and continuing charge of fees as laid out by the Ohio Revised Code utilized by the Ohio State Patrol for crash reports at a cost of $5 and $5 for color photographs, township building rental rates of $20 per hour with a two hour minimum for the gym and $75 for the meeting room for a six-hour period.
Trustees also voted unanimously to approve the rehire of Police Chief John Calko at a rate of $31.11 per hour; Road Department Foreman Matt Springer, who will also serve as recycling coordinator, at a rate of $25.62 per hour; and Road Department Worker Adam Corll at a rate of $23.57 per hour; and 2.5% pay increase for all police personnel. Seasonal road department personnel will be hired at a rate of $15.37 per hour.
Trustees set the road department's normal working hours for 2024 from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with a 30-minute lunch break, Monday through Friday.
Trustees also set the annual clothing allowances for the road and police departments, with full-time road department employees receiving $300 annually, and part-time police employees receiving $225, with full-time employees receiving $900.
Other matters approved included setting the township's annual road evaluations for spring after winter thawing is complete; authorization for Calko to complete police towing contracts at his discretion; and the designation of Barratt as the township's public records training designee in accordance with a request from the Ohio State Auditor's Office.
The board of trustees will meet next at 6 p.m. Feb. 13.