GALENA — Rod Myers was named chairman of the Berkshire Township Board of Trustees for 2021 at its annual organizational meeting.
As chairman, Myers leads trustees meetings and the parks department, and he represents the township for the Delaware Public Health District. Myers has served as a trustee since 2009, and his term expires Dec. 31, 2021.
Mike Dattilo was named vice chairman. He heads the roads and maintenance departments. Dattilo has served as a trustee since 2014, and his term expires Dec. 31, 2021.
Trustee Joshua Varble will head the cemetery department and be the representative to the Delaware County Township Association and the BST&G Fire Board. Varble is in his first term, which expires in 2023.
Also at the Jan. 11 meeting, township staff were rehired, and fees, policies and salaries were established. The trustees will meet at 7 p.m. the second and fourth Mondays of the month at the township hall on Rome Corners Road. Notices will be published in The Gazette, the newspaper of general circulation in the township.
According to past meeting minutes, the trustees have terminated the township’s intergovernmental agreement with the Delaware County Finance Authority.
Non-essential public use of the hall was suspended until further notice due to the pandemic. However, use will be allowed for upcoming elections.
Trustees filled a vacancy on the Berkshire Township Zoning Board after reviewing letters at a special meeting on Feb. 9, and later interviewing candidates. Philip Pifer was selected as an alternate member.
During a meeting on Feb. 22, Dattilo said this year’s road work consists of Blaney Road, Joe Walker Road, Bent Tree Drive, Fourwinds Drive, and part of Stockwell Road (with Trenton Township). The trustees approved having the Delaware County Engineer’s Office do the work for $135,740. The trustees also unanimously approved rezoning five acres in the township from Agricultural to Farm Residential after a public hearing.
On March 8, trustees approved purchase orders for plow carriage repair and chip-sealing of the township roads.
Lastly, Zoning Inspector Dave Weade gave an update on all the building going on within the township. He said there were 55 new home permits to date this year, compared with 110 all of 2020. He said several developments are moving forward, including an archery facility on Carter’s Corners Road. Signage updates are also in the works for the Flying J, Pilot and Shell stations.
