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ST. CLAIR TOWNSHIP -- St. Clair Township trustees Jordan Williams, Bob Swickard and Jim Sabatini along with Fiscal Officer Deborah Dawson all agree St. Clair Township like any other community has seen some challenges in 2023. They also saw a lot accomplished and look to accomplish more in 2024.
According to Swickard, the biggest accomplishments achieved in the township in 2023 were the completion of Columbia Drive, the completion of the chip and seal program which covered more than 4.3 miles of roadway and increased economic development.
"It has been a busy but successful year in St. Clair Township," Swickard said. "The future is bright in St. Clair Township."
Additionally, the township negotiated a three-year Fraternal Order of the Police contract.
"Our community and this board share a commitment to safety," Swickard said. "We are blessed to have a great police department. Our officers are our greatest asset. Negotiating an agreement that worked for our township and allowed us to provide competitive wages was our goal.
Sabatini listed the biggest projects completed in 2023 for the township as Columbia Drive, completing the chip and seal including all the preparation for it such as ditching, road shoulder work, canopy tree trimming and installation of cross-over pipes, mowing of township road right of ways and road line striping.
"The chip and seal program went great this year," Sabatini said. "Quality preparation is the key to any successful project. Our road department did an excellent job preparing our roads. We are thankful to the county engineer's office for their continued partnership with this program."
According to Dawson, some of the biggest challenges faced in the township in 2023 were cyber fraud and scams.
"For public entities in general, the threat of cyber fraud and scams is becoming more prevalent," Dawson said. "Public entities must constantly stay on their guard, stay up with changing technology and implement additional internal controls to ensure data is safe and secure."
A challenge the township will face in 2024, according to Sabatini, is the Midland Fredericktown Road slip repair.
"We are fortunate to receive the grant from OWPC (Ohio Public Works Commission) to address the issues with Midland Fredericktown Road." Sabatini said. "We are in the early stages of planning, but being diligent as we work through the issues that arise will be critical to the project's success. We have a good team in St. Clair Township. I'm confident we will have success."
Goals for the township for 2024, according to Williams, include completing the Midland Fredericktown Road slip repair, increasing milage in the chip and seal and line striping programs and completing the parking lot for the community park at the intersection of Calcutta Smith Ferry and Sprucevale roads.
According to Dawson, there are no notable changes to the township's budget for 2024 and the year-end carry over balances for 2023 are on target to sustain expenses moving forward into the new year.
The township did see a staffing change in 2023 with Matt Smith being named the new fire chief for the Glenmoor Volunteer Department. There was also the addition of K9 Rebel to the police department and K9 Solace to the Calcutta Volunteer Fire Department Search and Rescue.
"2024 will be an excellent year for St. Clair Township. The growth and development occurring in our township are a testament to what we have to offer," Williams said. "I'm proud of the way this board has maximized our dollars and taken advantage of grant applications and other funding sources to move our community forward. We will continue researching and looking at any possibility to improve our township."