Trustees updated on paving schedule for Lawrence Township

In an update to township trustees, Road Supervisor Perry Myers asked residents to pay attention to when paving and crack and seal work starts. At the Aug. 14 meeting of the Lawrence Township Board of Trustees, Myers also said residents should not park along the streets when they are scheduled to be paved.

Paving is scheduled to take place in the last two weeks of August on Old Trail Road, Kennett Square and Kingwood Drive. 

According to Myers, chip and seal work will take place the week of Aug. 25 on Glenpark Drive and on Eberhart and Kendall roads. Trustee Matt Ritterbeck advised motorists to be careful of tar and loose stone that can cause car damage. 

Myers asked trustees to approve the purchase of materials to put in a French Drain to stop storm water from breaking up the asphalt on Lawnridge Drive, as he is continuing to make repairs there. Trustees approved an expenditure of $2,500.

Regional Planning report

Trustee Don Ackerman reported on voting at the Aug. 12 meeting of the Tuscarawas County Regional Planning Commission. Ackerman said he voted in favor of making the transition from a regional planning authority to a County Planning Department. 

The vote means the RPC will be dissolved and the county commissioners will assume the planning role until a certified planner and support staff can be hired.

Proponents of the transition say it will allow the creation of a comprehensive land use plan for the county, address housing needs and improve communication among different levels of government. 

One potential drawback is that the department may be able to approve developments that townships without zoning may not necessarily want. Ackerman said the fact Lawrence Township has zoning regulations could benefit residents here. Only three townships in the county have established zoning requirements.

Onion Bag project

Ritterbeck said he spoke with Nick Williams from the Onion Bag Litter Prevention Project. The project has placed boxes with onion bags in them at river entry and exit points to encourage people to place their trash in the bags.

Ritterbeck wants to investigate getting a sign that lets people know they can deposit the trash in the dumpster by the basketball courts rather than piling it up on the riverbank. 

Public comments

Bolivar Fire Chief Shawn Lynch said Sparks of Giving, which will take place Sept. 13, will now include a Touch-A-Truck activity and asked if trustees would like to have one of the township trucks there. 

Lynch also asked if part of Wilkshire Boulevard could be closed that day because of the foot traffic between the Wilkshire Event Center and the Wilkshire Golf Course parking lot where activities are scheduled.

Trustees agreed to work with the sheriffs department and Kyle Quillen, organizer of the event, to close Wilkshire Boulevard as needed. They also agreed to have a township truck available for the event.

The Lawrence Township Board of Trustees meet the second and last Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Charles E. Lundenberger Hall, 10867 Industrial Parkway NW in Bolivar. All meetings are open to the public.