Township administration, department heads review 2019 accomplishments

by Kathy Sidaway

Feb. 10 trustee meeting

Last year was one of change, improvements and increased efficiencies, as reported by department heads and township administration at the Feb. 10 Bath Township trustee meeting.

Property and land improvements

The township continues to work with the Trust for Public Land to finalize acquisition of a 73.8-acre parcel of land on Everett Road, now known as the North Fork Yellow Creek Preserve. The land was acquired with funding from a $1.65-million Clean Ohio grant.

Vacant property near the intersection of Ghent and Cleveland-Massillon roads has been sold to Stonemill Real Estate, which plans to construct a building housing a wine bar/restaurant and offices.

To the north of that parcel, the Summit County Engineer’s Office is constructing a turn-lane from Cleveland-Massillon Road northbound turning onto Ghent Road.

Sidewalks were installed on the north side of state Route 18 from Cleveland-Massillon Road past Springside Drive, with assistance from the Summit County Engineer’s Office, Local Technical Assistance Program funding and Copley Township.

Phase 2 of that project, which would extend sidewalks along Springside Drive from Cleveland-Massillon Road to Route 18, is being evaluated.

Waste and recycling

Rumpke Waste collected 4,860 tons of solid waste and recycling in the township in 2019, with 22 percent diverted to a recycling facility.

Simple Recycling collected 41,225 pounds of textiles in the township in 2019, amounting to more than 265,000 pounds total since 2014.

Technology updates

Zoning Inspector Bill Funk said technology updates in the township last year included new administrative software with payroll, scheduling and accounting components, increased password complexity for security, additional phone lines, two battery backups and monitoring for dispatch, and new internet service for the vehicle fuel management system. A camera security system was added and Wi-Fi was upgraded at the Ira Road service garage.

School safety

Police Chief Vito Sinopoli said that in 2019, Bath police focused on school safety, holding monthly meetings with school principals and the school resource officer.

In November, department members participated in a community worship security workshop and reviewed security plans for area places of worship.

Community policing, including preventative patrols and house checks, increased last year and now accounts for nearly 50 percent of calls for service each month.

Bath’s dispatch center fielded 13,356 calls in 2019, a 51-percent increase over 2018, Sinopoli said.

Fire department

Fire Chief Rob Campbell noted 1,455 calls and 687 transports in 2019. Mutual aid was given to other communities 165 times and received 86 times.

Bath parks

Field and shelter reservations in Bath’s four parks totaled 1,135 last year, said Park Director Alan Garner.

At Bath Community Park, a StoryWalk Trail was installed, the football storage building was enlarged and the parking lot expanded.

At Bath Baseball Park, several fields were renovated. At the Bath Nature Preserve, a new split-rail fence was installed and the parking lot near the Regal Beagle was expanded.