Van Buren Township Trustee Advisory Board elected officers for 2022 at its Jan. 4 meeting in Milford. Clockwise from left are President Stephen Unruh, Trustee Rebecca Alles, Secretary Shane Bucher and Robert Beer. InkFreeNews photo by David Hazledine.

By David Hazledine
InkFreeNews

MILFORD — Van Buren Township Trustee Advisory Board held its first meeting of 2022 Tuesday, Jan. 4. Members kicked off the new year by electing officers, which will remain the same as 2021.

Trustee Rebecca Alles’ board members are: President Stephen Unruh, Secretary Shane Bucher and Robert Beer.

Also in attendance were Milford Volunteer Fire Department’s Chief Virgil Sharp and Assistant Chief Steve Farber, who reported on efforts to post a fire truck on the east side of the railroad tracks in Milford in the event a stopped train prevents timely service.

Sharp reported the Town of Milford would be keeping the rescue truck it owns for other purposes, leaving only the 2003 pumper truck, which Sharp said would require “quite a bit of money to keep in service at this point.”

“The smaller truck is more feasible,” he said. Also, a larger truck would require a building be built to house it, and even preexisting structures are difficult to locate.

Further complicating the venture is the fact while 15 firefighters live on the east side of the tracks, 14 of those actually work on the west side between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., according to Sharp.

Bucher said he had reached out to county dispatch to provide information on the number of calls received for the east side of the tracks, which will “help with the endeavor in the future.” Currently, mutual aid from Leesburg can reach areas on the east side of the tracks as well.

Farber agreed there may be a need for additional service to the east side; however, more work would need to be done for the plan to be feasible.

Sharp also reported Jefferson Township has agreed to pay one-third of the cost — roughly $7,000 — for pagers compatible to the county’s new 700-800 mhz emergency communication system. If Milford Town Council agrees at its Jan. 10 meeting, Jefferson and Van Buren townships and the town will split the roughly $21,000 cost three ways.

The board also agreed to sign an amended version of the 2022 contract with Kosciusko Ambulance Service LLC, more widely known as Lutheran EMS. Alles objected to language in the first version, which automatically renewed the contract unless a 180 day notice was given. “We want to sign a contract every year,” she said.

Lastly, Alles reported only $200 in assistance was distributed in December. Six boxes of food were also donated to township residents by Clunette United Methodist Church. Total expenditures for December were $6,530.70 and included a portable aluminum ramp for the township office to better serve those in wheelchairs.

The next meeting of Van Buren Township Advisory Board is at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8.