Familiarity reigns supreme in Kingston Twp.

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While a lot has changed since the first of the year, one thing has remained the same in 2020 — the leadership in Kingston Township, which is located in the northeastern part of Delaware County.

“It is my honor and privilege to again serve as your chairman of the Kingston Township Board of Trustees for 2020,” Chairman William Shively wrote in the most recent township newsletter.

After Shively was elected chairman, Dewey Akers was sworn in as trustee for a new term and selected as vice-chair during the township’s organizational meeting held back in January. Shively was also named to the Delaware General Health District Advisory Board; and Akers named trustee representative to the Porter-Kingston Fire District Board.

Trustee Steve Volpe was elected executive member. In 2019, Volpe served as chairman.

“I would like to congratulate Dewey Akers on his victory,” Volpe wrote in the November 2019 newsletter. “I have known him for more than a decade. He is a dedicated public servant, whom we are fortunate to have serving Kingston Township.”

In addition, Dave Stites was renamed zoning secretary, assistant zoning inspector, Delaware County Regional Planning Commission representative, and resident representative for the fire district. Bob Talbott was renamed zoning inspector, and Doug Crowl was renamed road superintendent and cemetery sexton. The township’s legal counsel remains the Delaware County prosecutor, and Rinehart Legal Services was retained for zoning legal counsel.

Recently, the trustees, which meet at 7 p.m. the first Tuesdays of the month, established a Public Records Commission. As a small township, Kingston does not have an administrator.

Fiscal Officer Greg Roy was also re-elected in the November 2019 election.

“When Greg took over as your township fiscal officer, the state had said our books were un-auditable,” Volpe wrote. “He has put the books back in order. Although, sometimes we are still hit with a surprise from “back then,” he manages to straighten it out. We are very lucky to have a man of his caliber working for our township.”

Local Waste Services is the new trash vendor in 2020 for Kingston. The fee is $19.95 per month, billed quarterly. The township’s contract with Waste Management expired, “and the trustees selected the lowest bid that provided both refuse collection and curbside recycling.” They note that Local Waste Services uses rear-collection trucks, resulting “in much less windblown trash generated by the front load trucks used previously.”

In other news, there is talk of constructing a new Kingston Township Hall and park on the west side of Carter’s Corner Road on property owned by the township. “We will be paying cash for our new township hall,” Volpe said.

The Ohio Department of Transportation is said to be putting in a roundabout at the intersection of state routes 61 and 656/Wilson Road. The peanut-shaped roundabout would be built over 60 days next summer, with closures. Kingston’s portion of the $2.1 million project is $17,250.

Also, the township did $60,000 of fall road work on Todd Street and Blue Church, Rosecrans and Wilson roads.

As of May 1, the DGHD had reported no cases of the novel coronavirus in Kingston, Brown, Trenton, Oxford, Marlboro, Radnor, Thompson and Scioto townships, or in the Village of Galena. However, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Kingston Township Board of Trustees meeting held April 6 was said to be abbreviated, “taking on only the minimal essential tasks” to keep the township functioning. The Kingston Township Zoning Commission scheduled for today has been canceled.

For more information, visit www.kingstontwp.org.

On a recent rainy morning, a tree on North Galena Road in Kingston Township had homemade masks in bags attached to clothespins on a line. The homeowners have said visitors are allowed to grab a mask but are requested to be considerate and take only what they need.
https://www.delgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2020/05/web1_Mask-tree-Galena-road.jpgOn a recent rainy morning, a tree on North Galena Road in Kingston Township had homemade masks in bags attached to clothespins on a line. The homeowners have said visitors are allowed to grab a mask but are requested to be considerate and take only what they need. Gary Budzak | The Gazette

By Gary Budzak

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Gary Budzak may be reached at 740-413-0906 or on Twitter @GaryBudzak.

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