LIVERPOOL TOWNSHIP — Liverpool Township has opted out of the state salt contract for the 2026-2027 winter season.

Road Supervisor Chris Bosworth and trustees made the decision during Tuesday’s Liverpool Township Board of Trustees meeting to opt of the State of Ohio Salt Purchasing Contract due to a significant price increase for the salt.

The price of salt for the township has increased from $54 per ton for the 2025-2026 season to $151.85 per ton.

Like other municipalities in Columbiana County who entered into the state salt contract, Liverpool Township received notice via email on Monday from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) that Columbiana County was one of 18 counties the state did not receive salt bids for and they had issued a second invitation for bids for those counties. During the second round of bidding, Columbiana County was one of six ODOT received salt bids for which came in much higher.

ODOT gave municipalities the option to opt out of the contract for this year and purchase salt on the open market.

Liverpool Township had been contracted to purchase 150 tons of salt.

With approximately 300 tons of salt on hand which the township can mix with the number eight crushed stone, Bosworth said feels confident the township should have enough salt on hand for the upcoming winter and feels it would be less costly to purchase any additional salt they may need through the open market, which would allow them to purchase only what they may need versus a set amount.

During the June 23 trustee meeting, the trustees approved advertising for one full- and one part-time employee for the road department, with the full-time position paying a starting wage of $19.50 per hour and the part-time position paying $17 an hour.

The township received no applications for the positions.

Bosworth said the township will be hurting come winter if they don’t get people hired because currently it is only Bosworth and one employee working at the road department.

He also noted that it is currently difficult to keep up with the work needed to be done over the summer. He had to apply for an extension on the grant the township received to replace nearly 300 stop and yield signs across the township due to not having the time and staff to put them up.

The trustees voted to go into an executive session for personnel to discuss hiring.

After exiting the executive session and returning to an open meeting, the trustees voted to readvertise for the positions at a higher starting wage. The full-time position will now pay a starting rate of $21.20 an hour with a 50-cent increase after six months. The part-time position will begin at $18.10 an hour.

The current road department employees will receive a $2 an hour pay increase.

Fiscal Officer Shirley Flati said she started mandatory quarterly reports for the second quarter, and she is working on the June bank’s reconciliation. She also noted communications received included an email forwarded by Deborah Dawson, St. Clair Township fiscal officer, from John Garwood concerning interest in the possibility of exploring a county wide centralized 911 system and another email forwarded from Dawson from Garwood regarding the state bid pricing for road salt.

There were no reports from the police or fire department.

Bosworth in his report said there would be no parking permitted on the streets that are part of the chip and seal from July 17 through 22 and that Boring Lane would be closed on July 13 for most of the day for tree cutting. Tree cutting would not impact the three residents that live on the road.

Bosworth also said that he received an estimate from Mike Pusateri for $3,400 for a repair of a pipe on Hill Boulevard and Broadview Circle.

He also said all prep work for the chip and seal program is done and he has been busy with mowing.

A resolution to reallocate appropriations for the Fire District Fund in the amount of $15,000 from the Principal Payments/Notes to the Contracted Services line item was approved.

Minutes from the June 23 meeting were approved, and bills totaling $82,985.35 were approved for payment.

There was no new, old or unfinished business to discuss.

The Liverpool Township Board of Trustees meets every other Tuesday at 3 p.m. at the township administration building, 2485 Boring Lane, East Liverpool. The next regular meeting is scheduled for July 21.