LACROFT — After a 45-minute executive session with legal counsel to discuss personnel, Liverpool Township trustees returned to asked for charges to be drawn up against the township’s embattled fire chief.

Trustees Mike Bahen and Dennis Giambroni voted after the closed door meeting with a staff member from the Baker and Dubikar law firm of North Canton to have the staff member draft up “charges” against former fire Chief Dave Ward, who still is officially on the payroll but under suspension. The charges are not criminal, but violations of township policy. Trustees did not specify the exact violations.

Trustees also appointed Jacob Russell as the township’s new acting fire chief, replacing Bahen.

During Friday’s meeting, pagers and cell phones went off several times alerting Bahen and meeting guests of emergency alerts with several choosing to leave in response.

Bahen, in midst of the meeting, couldn’t leave.

He also relayed that there is a chunk of nonfunctional fire hydrants in the area around Thompson Park and Anderson Boulevard, which city officials are now aware of and said they will repair.

Road foreman Chris Bosworth also reported receipt of an Ohio Department of Transportation grant to pay for replacement of township signage and poles if needed. He estimated township officials will receive $47,000.

The next township meeting will be held at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30 in the trustee room of township hall.

In other action, trustees:

— Voted to direct Mike’s Trucking to pull the township’s two trucks, which are pending completion from Glenhill, citing Glenhill’s inability to meet the deadlines for completion as promised.

— Agreed to allow Bosworth to purchase two buckets of undercoat solution for the township’s trucks at a cost of $496.

— Passed legislation to repair several pieces of road department equipment, including a mower and 2016 truck.

— Directed fiscal officer Shirley Flati, who was absent, to pay $50,280.16 in warrants and deposit $1,341.99 in the first payment received from the opioid settlement.

— Approved moving fire communications from emergency dispatch to active 911 with little change in the cost. However, Bahen said the Active 911 has more “bells and whistles” the department can utilize.

sujhelyi@mojonews.com