BATH TOWNSHIP — The Bath Township Board of Trustees made progress toward widening the intersection at Herr Road and State Route 235.
Tim Suter, an area manager at FirstEnergy, told township trustees during the Jan. 31 township meeting that he had read an article that was recently published in this newspaper regarding the township’s efforts to widen the intersection, and he thought he could provide them with some essential information.
According to the article, Bath Township Road Supervisor Vern Heizer had reported to township trustees during the Jan. 17 township meeting that he had been in contact with Josh Wallace, Greene County transportation manager at the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), regarding the township’s efforts to widen the Herr Road and State Route 235 intersection.
Heizer said Wallace had inspected the intersection and noted that the two utility poles on the southeast corner of the intersection needed to be moved farther back from the road before ODOT could widen the intersection. Although it was very apparent that motorists had hit both poles several times, Wallace said it would be very unlikely that the utility company would agree to the expensive undertaking of moving the poles. Therefore, the intersection expansion was not on ODOT’s agenda.
Suter said Ohio Edison would move the two poles contingent upon ODOT widening their right of way at the intersection.
“Right now we are at the back of their right of way. Therefore, if they want to get that done, ODOT needs to go out and acquire the rights for it. Ohio Edison, at its own cost, will then move the poles back and out of the way,” Suter said.
Heizer suggested that Suter, Wallace and he arrange a time to meet and discuss the situation. Suter was very receptive to Heizer’s suggestion and noted that a representative of Ohio Edison’s engineering department would come out to the county or township anytime ODOT plans to widen a road.
“The whole issue goes back to the right of way. We will do it for nothing, but we have to have the right of way,” said Suter. “Once the new right of way is established, call us up, and we will design where we will move the utility poles.”
Township Zoning Inspector Jim Miller also told Suter about a township resident who had complained to him about an Ohio Edison utility pole, located at 5089 West Enon Road Miller said the resident claimed that the pole was erected only 12-to-15 inches from the pavement, and he had collected a number of broken-off rearview mirrors that he found near the pole.
Township Trustee Tom Pitstick told Miller that he knew what pole Miller was referring to because he had hit the pole when driving on West Enon Road. According to Miller, the township resident had inquired about the standard right of way distance along the road, which Miller stated was 25 feet from the center of the road.
“I look it up on GIS, and you certainly have plenty of room to move that pole,” Miller told Suter.
Township Trustee Steve Ross said he thought it would be very prudent for Suter to meet with township officials to discuss any possible solution related to the location of the pole. Suter said he would line up a meeting with an Ohio Edison engineering supervisor, Heizer, and himself at the West Enon Road location.
Suter also provided pamphlets to the township trustees and Heizer about Ohio Edison’s tree trimming and vegetation management program. Suter told the trustees that Ohio Edison conducts tree trimming and other vegetation management year round to maintain proper clearances around electrical equipment and to help protect against tree-related outages. As part of its notification process, the company works with townships and other municipalities regarding tree trimming schedules in their areas.
In other business, the township board of trustees unanimously approved a request from Township Cemetery Supervisor Teresa Phillips to purchase an awning from Glawe Awning and Tent Company that will be erected over the entrance to the Byron Cemetery office. Phillips told trustees that she had chosen a forest green colored awning with the word “office” printed on it.
Phillips collected bids from three local awning retailers and submitted them to the township board of trustees who selected the lowest bidder. Township Trustee John Martin pointed out that Glawe Awning and Tent Company, who submitted the lowest bid, provided the same warranty the other two retailers offered.
“Glawe is clearly the lowest bidder by $300 to $400, and I think it would be a good thing to add the awning over the entry to the office,” Martin said.
The Bath Township Board of Trustees meet in regular session at 7 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday each month and the fifth Wednesday at 1006 Yellow Springs-Fairfield Road in Fairborn.
