Ross Township trustees adopt fiscal policies, approve routine minutes and grant agreements; begin levy process

The Ross Township Board of Trustees at its January meeting approved a set of routine governance and fiscal measures, accepted grant funding for the fire department, and authorized several personnel and infrastructure actions.

Julie Joyce Smith, the township fiscal officer, presented the December 31 financial reports, highlighted gains in interest income on the township’s hybrid checking account, reviewed fund and appropriation summaries, and said she scheduled an Auditor of State Local Government Services visit for Feb. 20 to help close the 2025 year. "I scheduled it for February 20th," Smith said, describing the role the auditor’s staff plays in preparing year-end filings. The board approved Resolution 2026-001 adopting Ross Township fiscal policies for 2026; the motion passed on roll call votes with Trustees Hatton and Bennett voting Yes and Trustee McGurn recorded as Yes on this item.

The board also approved Resolution 2026-00002, which adopts staffing levels and the 2026 pay summary for township employees, and Resolution 2026-00003 authorizing an agreement with the Ohio Auditor of State’s Local Government Services Division for consulting and training to support statutory accounting and reporting duties. Smith moved the motions; all three trustees voted to approve them.

Several routine minutes and motions were approved earlier in the meeting, including motions to dispense with the reading of past minutes and to approve the Dec. 4 and Dec. 18, 2025 meeting records. The board passed the motion to pay bills presented through the fiscal officer’s certified purchase orders (Motion 26-006) by unanimous roll call.

Administrator Lori Kyle presented a nuisance-abatement status report and introduced two housekeeping items. The board adopted Resolution 2026-00004 (meeting schedule, appointments, travel expense policy, and authority to sell obsolete property via internet auction) and Resolution 2026-00005 declaring 2150 Robin Avenue a nuisance for accumulated debris; both passed on unanimous roll calls.

On infrastructure, Road Superintendent Paul Bulock received authorization to accept Distler Concrete proposals for curb replacement: $44,000 for Rabbina Lane and $40,600 for Fox Den Court. The motion (26-00007) passed by roll call.

The board also approved a set of police-department personnel actions (Motion 26-008) to hire part-time recruit Chase Little at $20 per hour with advancement tied to academy completion, move Officer Candace Stilts to step three paygrade, and promote a part-time officer to full-time to fill a school resource officer vacancy; the motion carried on a roll-call vote.

Fire Chief Chris Johns briefed the board on department activity and funding. The board accepted a workers’-compensation safety-intervention grant of $11,685 to purchase a turnout-gear drying cabinet and approved Resolution 2026-00006 to enter into the project grant agreement and establish a grant fund. The trustees also approved Resolution 2026-00007 beginning the process to place a 3-mill fire-levy renewal on the May 2026 ballot; board members discussed the Feb. 4 deadline to submit required county-auditor documentation so the measure can appear on the May ballot.

Before adjourning to executive session to discuss public-employee matters (Motion 26-009), the meeting included a discussion of whether to rejoin the Coalition of Large Ohio Urban Townships (CLOUT) at $200 per year and a decision to reschedule the Feb. 5 meeting to Feb. 3 to avoid the Ohio Township Association conference.

Votes at a glance: 26-00001 (appoint president, Russell A. McGuran): adopted (Hatton Yes; Bennett Yes; McGurn Abstain). 26-002 (appoint vice president): adopted (Hatton Yes; Bennett Abstain; McGurn Yes). 26-00003, 26-004, 26-005, 26-006, 2026-001, 2026-00002, 2026-00003, 2026-00004, 2026-00005, 2026-00006, 2026-00007, 26-00007, 26-00008 (police staffing): adopted by recorded roll-call votes (see meeting minutes for per-item tallies).