Barbara Schaab – 275-3042

Jerry Burke – 275-1691

Janie Spade – 275-7917

John Kusar – 275-0788 or 223-6511

John Beninato – 998-2493

Don Narish

William Wilms

Mike Petro – Road Superintendent

William Wilms – Cemetery Sexton

Scott Tenney – Roadman

March has crept up on me and it is newsletter time. I hope all of you survived winter well and warm. 
As I write this, I am looking at the wrath of our terrible ice storm, but marvel at the glittering scenery 
as the sun shines on an icy landscape. With our changing seasons, northeast Ohio certainly gives us 
something to talk about.

The closing of fiscal year 2007 went smoothly. The first quarter of each new fiscal year is always
 somewhat challenging, as the township sees very little income until the first half real estate tax
 settlement. We are financially sound, and all funds are balanced.

1^st and 3^rd Mondays of each month at 7:30pm in the Town Hall. 

Please try to come!!

1^st Wednesday of the month – 7:00pm in the Town Hall

Township Hall Phone – 275-1378

Township Garage – 275-3402

While on the subject of finances, I was able to attend the Ohio Township Association 
Winter Conference. I took advantage of a full day of classes on investments of public funds. 
These classes are designed for public funds manager, and instruct participants on a variety 
of topics such as investment strategies, financial markets, eligible investments, and cash flow 
forecasting, just to name a few. I certainly came away with a lot of knowledge and information. 
I also participated in other seminars on ethics, the Public Records Law, and legal issues facing 
townships today. Austinburg was audited by Auditor of State Mary Taylor’s audit staff in 
November of 2007, as we are every two years. The years 2005 and 2006 were audited. I am 
happy to report the audit went smoothly with no material citations. I am entering my third term as 
Fiscal Officer for Austinburg and intend to continue to serve you, the residents, to the best of my ability. If you ever have any
questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at the township office, 275-1378 or at home, 275-3042. Take care
and have a wonderful spring season.

Barbara Schaab
Fiscal Officer

Hi! I hope everyone has survived the winter. It is almost over and spring is around the corner. All too soon 
we will be complaining about the heat instead of the cold. We humans are never content! I would like to take
 this opportunity to thank the township employees for the great job they have done in keeping the roads open this winter.

Enough of the weather and on to other items of township business. The board of trustees has published bids 
for stone and related petroleum products such as asphalt and emulsions. The price of all petroleum products,
 as you well know, continues to go up. The results of the price negotiations will dictate the course of the
 township’s road improvement and maintenance program.

We are also investigating the possibility of leasing a track hoe to clean road ditches. This method would 
be more efficient and considerably faster than using our current equipment and methods. Additionally, 
we are considering erecting a structure to house some of the equipment that is currently subjected to 
the elements of the weather all year. A greenhouse style building is one of the styles of housing that we 
are considering to prolong the useful life of the township equipment.

The Township Trustees are working with the County Commissioners and the Sewer Committee in efforts
 to acquire grants and other sources of funding to defray the cost of the sewer project and reduce the
 financial burden for the residents of Austinburg. The County Commissioners presently have several
 funding requests submitted to various sources.

In closing, I would like to invite all residents to attend the township meetings. We welcome your 
involvement and ideas. Please call me anytime you have a concern or thoughts on how we can improve
 our services to the residents of our community.

~ Jerry Burke

 

 

Northwest Ambulance District

As always, emergency services will be provided regardless of NAD membership status. NAD serves Geneva City, 
Geneva, Harpersfield, Austinburg and Trumbull Townships. If you haven’t received your annual membership 
application from NAD, they can be obtained by calling or stopping at the NAD Building – 1480 South Broadway 
(Route 534), Geneva, 440-466-4900. Membership for individual or family is $15.00. This is for all residents in
 the NAD area. Your participation in the program will protect you and your immediate family from out of pocket
 expenses should you need emergency rescue/ambulance services.

The Ashtabula County Solid Waste Management District will have a scrap tire collection on April 26, 2008
 from 9:00am to 1:00pm at the Ashtabula County Fairgrounds. This is open to Ashtabula County Residents 
ONLY, no commercial businesses.

TIRES: Passenger or pickup tires – no rims, maximum 10 per vehicle. First four tires per vehicle are free,
 $1 per tire thereafter will be charged. $5 per tire over 17" and no off road tires will be accepted. Muddy
 tires will be charged extra.

The Ashtabula County Solid Waste Management District will have a household hazardous waste collection on
 September 20, 2008 from 9:00am to 1:00pm at the Ashtabula County Fairgrounds.

For more information on the Hazardous Waste or Scrap Tire Collections, please contact Janice Switzer at 576-3777.

 

As the Western Reserve was being mapped, and through the early development, this area went by many names.
 At one point Austinburg was under the area known as Trumbull County and one map lists the area as Richfield Township.

In 1860 the Census has Austinburg Township’s population as 1,185, but by 1870 it had dropped to 1,111. 
In the 1905 Ashtabula County Atlas the population of the village of Austinburg was 270. Eagleville’s population
 was 102, and Mechanicsville’s was 32.

Volunteer Fire Department History

In 1917 Austinburg had a major fire at the Women’s Dormitory at Grand River Institute. Local residents formed
 a bucket brigade but, were unable to save the building. By 1925, it was decided to put a bond issue for $3000 
on the ballot for fire equipment and housing. The issue might not have passed except for another blaze that broke 
out at Swanson’s General Store (the building at the NW corner of Routes 45 & 307). This again, was fought by
 local residents until neighboring fire departments could arrive and save the building.

At the next election, the bond issue was passed with a vote of 100 to 35. A volunteer fire department of 12 men 
was formed and the township purchased a shiny red Model-T fire truck with 12 pails, a ladder and three chemical 
tanks. For about a dozen years, the fire company was a casual, loosely-knit group with no formal training just a 
willingness to leave their work or their beds to rush to the scene of every township fire.(Much of this information
 was taken from a writing by Maxine Mooney Carleton)

Information submitted by 
Ginny Seifert

A NEW YEAR….

In January, the Board of Trustees adopted a schedule for regular township meetings. This will clear up the confusion of our
 meeting dates so all residents can attend. Meetings will be the first and third Monday of the month at 7:30pm, unless it falls 
on a legal holiday. If so, it will be on the following day. For your convenience, a copy of the schedule is included in this newsletter. 
We encourage as much public participation as possible.

The board of Trustees is in the process of having the zoning text in electronic form for easier access by the residents. 
We have passed legislation that directed our zoning commission to look into a corridor plan for the Route 45 and I-90 interchange.
 This will help relieve the traffic congestion. The zoning commission is also looking into possible grants and quotes for a comprehensive
 look at our zoning text. Regular zoning meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month at 7:00pm at the Town Hall. 
These are public meetings and we welcome public participation.

The Sewer Committee along with the Trustees, County Commissioners and state officials are working together to try to
 secure local, state and federal funding to alleviate some of the financial burden on our residents and our township. 
I would like to thank everyone that has participated and supported the Sewer Committee and elected officials in this matter.

As spring approaches, our road department will be working diligently to repair the winter damage to our roads. 
The board of trustees will be working to initiate a long range road plan to bring all our thoroughfares up to current 
standards. This will also provide a good working tool for maintenance of the roadways for our residents.

I would like to thank Marcy Hejduk for all her time and help in publishing this newsletter for the Board of Trustees.

Please do not hesitate to call any of your trustees with questions or concerns. Thank You.

John Kusar
Township Trustee

Please mark your calendars on the above dates and join us at the Township Hall at 7:30pm for our meetings. 
We appreciate and encourage input and suggestions from all township residents. If you can not make the
 meetings and have a question for any of the Trustees, please feel free to call them.

An organizational Park Committee meeting is set for April 30^th at 6:00pm. If you are interested in being 
on this committee, please feel free to attend this meeting. Anyone interested in giving suggestions on what 
improvements you would like to see in our parks is welcome to attend and give your input.

We are presently looking into some new playground equipment, restroom facilities, expanding the basketball 
court and baseball field. If you are interested we encourage you to attend the meeting and bring your ideas.

Please feel free to contact me for more information or to offer your input.

Janie Spade

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The Austinburg Township Clean-up Day will be April 26^, from 8:00am to 12:00pm 
at the Austinburg Township Garage (1393 State Route 45). We will haveroll-offs
 for scrap metal and roll-offs for regular refuse.Please do not bring yard debris,
 tires, household wastes, or hazardous chemicals. We will accept appliances, 
(refrigerators as long as the gas has been removed).

Spring is here….

I find I look forward to Spring more every year as I get older. I love the changes of the 
season but I could go for a shorter winter. I look to Spring as a new beginning. I put 
the previous year records away as I file my taxes and clean and throw out things I have
 no idea how I accumulated.
This brings me to our Annual Spring Clean-up. This year the Trustees have chosen Saturday, 
April 26^th from 8:00am to noon held at the township garage on Route 45. Mark your Calendar.

I was hoping our recycling bin would be up and running by now, but as of now I am promised a late
 spring date. The drop off recycling bin will be located at our township garage. Flyers will be posted 
on the bulletin board at the Town Hall and around town when the bin is up and ready.

Ashtabula County Solid Waste Management District has passed along a brochure as to what will be accepted.

Steel, aluminum & bimetal containers: Containers may be crushed and 
must be rinsed out. Includes "tin" cans and beverage containers.

Newspapers – Bundle in brown paper bag or tie with twine. Glossy
 inserts are also accepted.

Magazines – Place loose in container

Corrugated Cardboard – Boxes must be pieces no larger than 3’ x 3’.

Junk Mail – Keep in envelope.

Phonebooks are accepted.

Paperboard – Flatten containers. Examples are cereal boxes, Kleenex boxes and other pantry food boxes.

Items not accepted are Paper egg cartons, frozen food boxes, pizza boxes or books. 

Any color glass container will be accepted. Rinse out container and remove lid. Labels may remain on items.

***Glass containers NOT accepted are window glass, light bulbs, mirrors, broken glass, drinking glasses or dishes.

Includes soda bottles, food containers milk bottles, detergent bottles, yogurt containers and deli containers. 
Rinse out container, remove and discard lid. Labels may remain on items.

***Plastic containers not accepted are plastic bags, Styrofoam, plastic containers used for auto
 parts, paint, chemical solvents, lawn care products, toys or other plastics.

With spring also come discussions on road projects for this year. Materials have gone out to bid and
 were opened on March 17^th at 7:00pm. The Trustees and Head Roadman, Mike Petro will be 
sitting down to discuss our project priorities for 2008.

Another subject I would like to discuss is training Northwest Ambulance District (NAD) has available.
 If you are interested in CPR, first aid or AED (defibrillator) training call NAD at 440-466-4900 to set it up.

If you have any other questions, feel free to contact me.

AUSTINBURG NEWS & VIEWS

Austinburg Township

P.O. Box 134

Austinburg, Ohio 44010