LEWIS CENTER — We wanted to tie up a few loose ends with a roundup of the Orange Township Board of Trustees meetings from the second half of last year.
On Aug. 2, the trustees approved an agreement with the Department of the U.S. Army Engineers to install a cricket pitch at the Below Dam Recreation Area on Alum Creek Lake. The U.S. government manages lands and waters at Alum Creek Lake.
The trustees discussed the township and the City of Worthington entering into a Joint Economic Development District contract at their Aug. 16 meeting. “The City of Worthington and Orange Township desire to facilitate economic development, preserve and create jobs and employment opportunities and improve the economic welfare of the residents of the City and the Township,” the resolution read. This was adopted at their meeting on Oct. 18.
At their Sept. 6 meeting, the trustees appointed Eric Gayetsky to be senior zoning officer. Also approved was advancing $400,000 from the general fund for construction of the Veterans Memorial Project.
During the Sept. 20 meeting, the trustees agreed to switch the supplier for its electric aggregation program from Energy Harbor to Archer Energy in 2024. The Dec. 6 meeting saw the trustees examine the amended Master Service Agreement with Archer Energy, LLC.
A special meeting was held on Sept. 28, where the trustees accepted “the official certificate of estimated resources and schedule A for the fiscal year beginning Jan. 1, 2024.”
Back to a regular meeting on Oct. 4, the trustees approved a cooperative project agreement between Orange, Berlin Township and Delaware County for improvements to Shanahan Road (Township Road 100) “including widening, paving and grading the road as a three-lane roadway from a point approximately 500 feet east of U.S. 23 to the intersection of North Road (Township Road 272), and ancillary roadway and drainage work necessary to complete project,” the minutes said. The county would complete the project by Dec. 1, 2026. Berlin and Orange would each pay $1.05 million towards the $6.71 million project.
On Nov. 1, the board adopted a “Digital Speed Limit Sign Policy” for the flashing signs used by homeowner’s associations. Also approved was an agreement with the Evans Farm Homeowners Association for installation, procurement and maintenance of the sidewalks on Market Street (a township road).
Finally, on Dec. 20, the Orange trustees approved “a commercial advertising and sponsorship policy for the township’s website.”
The trustees are Chair Erica Fouss, Vice Chair Lisa Knapp and Michael Ringle. Also present at the meetings are Administrator Michele Boni, Director of Operations Silas Bowers, Administrative Officer Valerie Bunting, Development and Zoning Director Robin Duffee, Fiscal Officer Lisa Kraft, Senior Human Resources Manager Mike Kremnitzer and Fire Chief Nathan McNeil.
For more information, visit www.orangetwp.org.
Assistant Editor Gary Budzak photographs and reports on stories in eastern Delaware County and surrounding areas.
