[0:08] Okay. Ready.
[0:14] » Yes.
>> Good evening. Today is Tuesday,
[0:19] September 8th, 2026 at 7 p.m. I now call
this Fairfield Township Board of
[0:24] Trustees meeting to order. Miss Schulz,
will you call the role, please?
[0:28] » Trusty Birding,
>> present. Trusty Harkimire
[0:30] » here.
>> Trusty Makabe
[0:31] » here.
>> Harkimire, will you lead us in the
[0:34] pledge, please?
>> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
[0:39] United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands, one nation
[0:45] under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
[0:54] » Thank you, Trusty Harkim.
The first item on the agenda is board
[0:59] discussion items A through E. Miss Ley
>> under Moody's rating system. That's the
[1:06] first item. Um Shelley, our fiscal
officer, ended up getting a email from
[1:12] Moody's asking if we had any reason to
keep our rating since we are debtree. So
[1:17] I'll let her to go into it. So, the
email stated that in order to keep our
[1:22] rating up, we have to pay $3,000 a year
annual fees. If we'd like to do that, we
[1:27] can pay it. If we since we have no debt
coming up, we don't have to keep it.
[1:34] » Thoughts from the board?
[1:38] » Like to look into that a little bit
more. Um, butler County, aren't they
[1:42] debtree?
>> No.
[1:44] » No,
>> they're general debtree, but they're not
[1:47] totally
>> debtree because I know they have a debt.
[1:52] » Yeah.
>> Um I wonder if there would be if we if
[1:55] we were to need to borrow again in the
future,
[1:59] » we would have to go through everything
to get it back.
[2:01] » Would we retain our current debt rating?
>> That I'm unsure of
[2:08] » I I'm not sure how that works.
>> I'd be curious to get the answer to
[2:13] that.
>> Okay. I can get the answer that
[2:16] unfortunately he needed an answer in
seven days like three weeks ago. So I
[2:19] told him that I'd get back to him after
the meeting. He keeps emailing me. I
[2:23] keep saying I'll get back to you as soon
as our meeting's over. So I mean I can
[2:27] find out but did you want to give me
some direction on if we can keep it the
[2:31] rating that we will let it go or
something?
[2:36] » Like if we did let it go and
we start
[2:43] » okay. What if I email you guys that
answer and then since there's no motion
[2:48] or anything, can they just email me back
their preference?
[2:52] » I mean, yeah, if you're gonna if you're
going to take action on your own, then
[2:54] you can get the will separately.
>> Okay.
[2:58] » They can't they can't form a consens.
>> Okay. So, I mean, I can make the
[3:03] decision after hearing from you guys if
you'd like.
[3:06] » So, paying the 3,000, what does that get
us?
[3:08] » Just to keep it up
>> membership.
[3:10] » Yeah. Membership to move.
>> Does that guarantee that we'd have the
[3:12] same rating anyway? No,
>> but if they check our finances,
[3:18] » it's it's uh if they check our finances,
they're not going to give us the same
[3:22] rating we have before,
>> right? They they would reevaluate likely
[3:26] no matter what,
>> right? So to me, the $3,000,
[3:30] it's a membership dues basically.
>> I don't know what it cost.
[3:37] » We didn't we didn't have to pay. We
haven't paid as long as we've been long
[3:40] as I've been around. So I'm not sure
why. Why do we have to pay now
[3:43] » when it goes to zero? Maybe because I
I'm not sure honestly.
[3:46] » Maybe it gets paid by the banks.
>> Yeah, that could be. Could be getting
[3:49] paid by the banks.
>> We paid it indirectly then.
[3:52] » Could we push back on that and find out
why we have to pay now and we've never
[3:55] had to pay before? Sure.
>> I'd like to know the answer to that.
[3:57] » We probably did. It was just indirectly.
>> You know, just like we're not debtree
[4:02] indirectly, we still have obligations
that are costing this
[4:08] principal and interest payments. Um, but
yeah, that would that that would be good
[4:13] information to have.
Not that I'm looking to go in debt, but
[4:20] and I and I wasn't here, I don't think,
when the original debt was taken in the
[4:23] Moody's was um we went through the
process. I know that's a it is a
[4:28] process, but
>> yeah, I do think it was a percent of the
[4:31] debt because it's based on how much debt
you have outstanding. The $3,000 fee is
[4:36] zero debt outstanding. So if it was 50
million or less, you paid 3,000. So I'm
[4:42] guessing it got paid through the debt
offering.
[4:45] » And I'm guessing that would be the most
we would ever pay would be 3,000.
[4:48] » Yes. So I think since we don't have any
more debt offerings, we would have to
[4:53] pay it. But I can get those answers and
then I'll just email you all and you can
[4:58] give me your opinion and then I'll make
the decision based on what you guys tell
[5:02] me. So, if we were to apply to get a
loan, if we go to borrow money,
[5:08] » they would rate us on some sort of
>> our current financial
[5:13] » our current financial situation, no
matter what our
[5:17] » Moody's rating is,
>> right?
[5:20] » Well, they would give us a rating and
that would help set the pricing for the
[5:25] » for the debt, right? Is that how it
works?
[5:28] » Yeah. The better it is, the lower the
interest rate. And how fast could they
[5:31] do something like that? Like if we
needed to take debt for some reason, is
[5:37] that like a 30-day thing, a 90-day
thing?
[5:41] » I'm unsure.
>> Are you writing all these questions down
[5:44] » in my head?
>> Well, she's got the recording.
[5:47] » Yes.
>> Well, thank goodness for that.
[5:50] » Well, I would be in favor of of cancing
our membership because I don't remember
[5:55] getting a membership card and I don't go
to the gym anyway. So,
[6:01] I wouldn't want to pay $3,000 to hold on
a rating if we don't have any intent of
[6:05] borrowing money. We do need to borrow
the money though. The $3,000 really now
[6:09] isn't the issue.
>> Um, one other thing to note, I think Kim
[6:13] emailed Andy Broart and asked his
opinion and he said we do not need it.
[6:18] » Is that correct?
>> Okay.
[6:19] » Yeah. Andy Broart said we do not need to
maintain.
[6:21] » I was curious what Andy thought about
that.
[6:23] » That was the first thing we did since
either her or I was unaware of what what
[6:27] it was. So
>> that would have been good information at
[6:30] the beginning of this conversation.
>> Sorry. I just
[6:33] » I just thought of it when I was thinking
we should have asked
[6:36] » these questions down.
>> Yeah.
[6:38] » Yes. I'm sorry. You're right. I had
forgot. We had forgotten.
[6:41] » I'll second the motion to let it go.
>> Okay.
[6:43] » Let it go.
>> Let it go. Okay. I'll erase my questions
[6:47] and let it go.
>> Okay. Next item.
[6:51] » Temporary road closures. Um, we have
gotten a question recently about closing
[6:56] the road
um, up on Tanya Trail and we didn't
[7:01] really have a good answer. We didn't
have an application system. So, we came
[7:06] up with one. We came up with an
application. We came up with some
[7:08] temporary parameters. Um, they wanted to
have like a Halloween
[7:14] kind of festival little thing at the end
of the street. So, um, we thought we'd
[7:18] bring it to you and see what you guys
thought of the, uh,
[7:24] the closure
>> in the rightway.
[7:27] » Yes, it would be at the end of the
culde-sac
[7:30] » in the rideway.
>> Yes.
[7:32] » And in the rightway that we're
responsible for?
[7:35] » Yes, we are responsible for the rideway.
Let's see.
[7:41] » So, we're talking like a temporary
road closure for a small amount of time
[7:46] to have a private event,
>> right? Like a party or
[7:51] » Yeah. So, like if you have like a block
party or
[7:55] I think that's kind of what they're
thinking for Halloween.
[7:59] » Well, we currently don't have any
policy,
[8:01] » right?
>> So, we should come up with a policy even
[8:05] if it says you can't close down a road,
>> right? So, we came up with Chuck wrote
[8:10] something up and basically has a
purpose. It has eligible events such as
[8:16] neighborhood block parties, culde-sac
gatherings, national night out, business
[8:20] grand openings, chamber of commerce
events, community festivals, farmers
[8:24] markets, charity walks or runs, holiday
celebrations, car shows, outdoor
[8:29] business events, or township sponsored
events.
[8:32] Um,
[8:38] And then basically the street
classifications that would it would be
[8:42] allowed on
to include residential streets,
[8:46] culde-sacs, local commercial streets
owned and maintained by the township,
[8:51] streets within commercial developments
where the township has jurisdiction.
[8:55] Um, temporary street closures will not
be approved under this policy for
[8:59] collector streets, arterials, county
roadways, state highways, or private
[9:04] streets not dedicated for public use.
[9:10] Neighborhood notification and approvals.
So, the applicant shall provide written
[9:14] notice of the proposed street closure to
all residents, businesses, and property
[9:18] owners directed directly affected by the
proposed closure. Notification shall be
[9:23] provided no fewer than 14 calendar days
prior to the event unless otherwise
[9:27] approved by the township administrator.
So the notification shall include at a
[9:31] minimum name of the event, date of the
hours of the proposed street closure,
[9:35] location, limits of the closure,
applicant contact information and
[9:39] information regarding how questions or
concerns may be directed to the
[9:42] township.
[9:46] See, neighborhood approval. The township
administrator may require written
[9:50] acknowledgement or approval from
affected residents, businesses, or
[9:53] property owners where the proposed
street closures is expected to
[9:57] materially impact property access,
parking, deliveries, business
[10:01] operations, or the reasonable use and
enjoyment of adjacent properties. The
[10:05] township administrator may also require
modifications to the proposed event,
[10:09] traffic control plan, or closure limits
to minimize impacts to adjacent
[10:12] properties as a condition of permit
approval.
[10:18] And then just different requirements
that the applicant completed
[10:22] application, a site map, event
description, attendance, event schedule,
[10:27] traffic control plan, proof of
insurance,
[10:31] written permission
um from affected property owners when
[10:36] applicable.
See, application should be submitted at
[10:41] least 14 days in advance and 30 days in
advance for large public events.
[10:46] And then our review process will include
me, public works, fire department,
[10:50] police department or others as
necessary.
[11:02] And then we will consider emergency
vehicle access, traffic impacts, public
[11:06] safety, parking availability, access to
surrounding businesses, event size,
[11:11] noise impacts, previous compliance
history, construction conflicts, weather
[11:14] related concerns, and then commercial
area requirements
[11:20] when events occur in commercial areas.
Applicants may also be required to
[11:26] notify affected businesses, maintain
pedestrian access to businesses,
[11:29] maintain ADA compliant access, provide
certified traffic control personnel if
[11:34] required, maintain customer parking
where feasible, provide additional
[11:38] insurance, pay associated costs with
traffic control, police details or
[11:42] township personnel when required. Uh
depending on the event, the township may
[11:46] require type three barricades, METCD
compliant signage and detour signs.
[11:54] cones, certified flaggers, police
traffic control, temporary no parking
[11:58] areas or zones. Um, all devices must
comply with a green manual. Um, then it
[12:05] goes into insurance
and then we could establish a fee if we
[12:10] wanted to.
Um, then it talks about permit
[12:14] conditions and if we want it or if we
ever revoke it for whatever reasons.
[12:21] So,
What are your all's thoughts on that?
[12:26] » I think we need to define what large
event there should be a number of
[12:31] attendees.
>> Okay.
[12:32] » Right. For what a small and a large
event is
[12:39] and township liability.
>> Yeah, that would be something we'd
[12:45] probably have to figure out.
>> Alcohol. No alcohol.
[12:48] » That's I was
>> etc etc etc. only just say they can do
[12:52] it, but it's a $5,000 charge to do it.
That's should probably discourage it.
[13:02] » I mean, insurance,
I don't know what kind of insurance you
[13:06] would get to be in the street.
>> I don't know.
[13:09] » I would be very concerned about our
exposure, especially if we agree to let
[13:13] it let it work. But
>> well, I mean, the policy kind of refers
[13:16] to it, but if you're going to if they're
going to have anything that is like an
[13:20] inflatable or things they bring in,
those do tend to come with insurance
[13:23] requirements because they have workers
and are operators of those kinds of
[13:27] things. So, there would be a fair amount
of elements with that with respect to
[13:30] insurance and liability.
>> We'd have to be listed as an additional
[13:33] insurance so we're protected.
>> Right.
[13:35] » True.
[13:38] » Okay.
[13:42] I don't know if we get this done by
Halloween or not.
[13:47] » I did see something up there about the
event schedule, but the is there like a
[13:50] time limitation that we want? Was there
>> It would probably behoove us to do that
[13:55] to put a time limit on it
>> or nothing can be after x amount
[14:00] whatever sometime
[14:10] event schedule.
>> Yeah, there was event schedules but I
[14:13] don't know if we'd want to say you know
everything needs to be done by 10 before
[14:19] a certain time. It has to end by certain
>> end by a certain time. Yeah.
[14:22] » That parameter would be
>> between 7 and 8.
[14:32] » So we're asking uh staff to put some
more information together and then bring
[14:36] it to us for next meeting and we can
decide whether we're going to do it or
[14:40] not. That would still give them 14 days
before an Halloween event.
[14:45] » Okay. Okay.
>> If it's on Halloween,
[14:47] » are they wanting to do a Halloween
thing? I think so.
[14:50] » 24th of
>> Oh, the week before.
[14:53] » Yeah. I think we're changing our
meeting. Didn't you say
[14:57] » I hope so.
>> Yeah.
[15:02] Well, I mean, we if they put a policy
together,
[15:07] but they submit an application now, it's
still they're notifying us prior to 14
[15:13] days,
>> which they've already done. Yeah.
[15:16] » Right. So, I think it would still ponder
that. Have you got a copy of the
[15:20] application?
>> Uh, they sent it to us via email, didn't
[15:23] they?
>> They did.
[15:24] » Yeah. You want to fil They filled it
out?
[15:26] » Yeah, we came up with an application and
they sent it to us. Well, they filled it
[15:30] out.
>> They said we need to get back to our
[15:32] board.
>> I'd like to see the application if you
[15:35] could send that out.
>> Okay. Are we looking at moving our
[15:39] October meeting forwards or backwards?
>> Think you had the conflict, right?
[15:44] » I was hoping it would go backwards
>> like to the sixth maybe.
[15:48] » No, I'm sorry. Forward
later in the month, whichever direction
[15:55] that is.
>> Let's finish this discussion real quick.
[15:59] So, temporary road disclosure, you're
going to come up with a a form or a
[16:05] policy. Bring it back to us.
>> Okay.
[16:09] » Yep. We'll close the gaps of what you
just said.
[16:12] » Okay.
All right. Do you want to discuss the It
[16:16] wasn't on here, but we should discuss
the October meeting.
[16:21] » You're wanting to move it later in the
month.
[16:22] » Yes, if we could. Um, and before we
leave that topic, I just want to make
[16:26] sure we have the law director's opinion
on it. I don't know if she's seen any or
[16:30] all of this.
>> I have not seen it yet.
[16:33] » Okay.
>> Oh, did I not include it when I sent it
[16:36] out Thursday? I thought I did. Okay,
you gate.
[16:49] make sure we have whatever insurance
requirements we put on it.
[17:00] » Okay.
>> And we might want to talk to uh Otarma
[17:05] and run it past them as well. Yeah.
They're I don't know if they'll make us
[17:08] get a special special certificate or
not,
[17:13] but could be.
[17:18] and and and this event or Halloween
party shouldn't cost us any money.
[17:24] Shouldn't cost the township any money.
So if there is a an extra certificate
[17:29] that costs us money that needs to be
right by them. Yes.
[17:32] » Yeah.
[17:44] » Thank you. Sure.
All right, calendars.
[17:50] » Yeah, I was hoping we could go from the
13th to the 20th.
[17:55] » If that works for everybody or not
available,
[17:57] » I'd prefer the 27th. I know that's a
long time, but I'm just might not be
[18:01] here on the 20th.
[18:10] » That works for me.
>> That's fine with me, too.
[18:12] » 27th.
>> Mhm. Is that okay? Would staff to go
[18:16] that late in the month?
>> Yep.
[18:17] » Does that mess up any of the department
heads have that late in the month?
[18:22] » To see if there's anything that
>> we have to have a mountain rates, but
[18:26] not till 10:31. So for if something were
to happen,
[18:30] » we'd have to meet if something had
happened on that date, we'd have to
[18:34] meet.
>> Thank you.
[18:38] » Thanks.
>> But I'm good with the 27th also. Yeah,
[18:42] we don't have anything on our
>> Usually it's September, but the county
[18:47] um got a extension on the mountain
rates, so we won't even have them till
[18:50] October 1st.
[18:55] » Okay.
>> All right. So, I move to move our
[19:02] October regular trustee meeting from
October
[19:08] the 13th to October the 27th at 7 p.m.
Is that also a CIC meeting month?
[19:16] » I don't have it on there.
>> The CIC meeting month
[19:22] » probably or was CC CIC this month and we
just didn't do it? that.
[19:28] » Okay.
>> So, we'll have a CIC meeting at
[19:35] 7 and then we'll go immediately
following into the trustee meeting.
[19:42] Will you notify the CIC members, please,
Mr. Goins? Great.
[19:46] » At this point, do we have business to
come before the CIC or not?
[19:52] » I think so. If we don't have business, I
don't I think we've met the required
[19:56] number of times this year, haven't we?
Per the bylaws, I think we're
[20:01] » I think it's just one.
>> We've already met once.
[20:04] » Yeah.
>> So, I don't I think if there's nothing
[20:07] if there's no business need, I would say
let's not meet.
[20:13] » But if there is, then we can certainly
the closer we get to it, we could
[20:17] certainly make them aware of it.
>> Call the meeting if we need to.
[20:20] » Yes. You know, we can. So, as of right
now, there's not a meeting, but we could
[20:23] always call a meeting.
>> Thank you for doing that.
[20:30] » I have a first. We need a second.
>> I second.
[20:34] » Okay.
>> Trusty Birding.
[20:38] » Yes.
>> Trusty Makabe.
[20:39] » Yes.
>> Trusty Harkcom.
[20:40] » Yes.
>> Okay. That motion is approved. We'll
[20:44] move on to our next item for discussion,
dispensaries.
[20:49] So, in the past, we've brought up at the
last meeting a discussion about whether
[20:53] we would want to lift the ban or not,
and I was wondering if you guys have
[20:56] given any further thoughts to that. Um,
we did do some research, Chuck and I
[21:01] did, and we looked at some surrounding
communities. So
[21:07] we looked at Hamilton and they have they
have allowed I guess this year in July
[21:14] they repealed the prohibition adopted
new dispensary regulations. Um they you
[21:19] they listed as a conditional use in
their B2 district and they do the me
[21:25] medical marijuana and the adult use and
then they also listed as a specific use
[21:30] in their business plan unit development
district both. And there's certain
[21:35] criteria, you know, certain distances
away from schools, child care
[21:39] facilities, churches,
one mile away from another dispensary.
[21:44] It can't be adjacent to residential
districts, can't be in a historic
[21:48] district.
Um, there's landscaping requirements.
[21:52] And then they have certain definitions
that they they have a lot of definitions
[21:56] in their code. And then we looked at the
city of Fairfield. So, the city of
[22:02] Fairfield allows it as a permitted use
in their C3 district and C3A district,
[22:11] which is their business districts. And
then the SE, I forgot to look up what SE
[22:16] is, but it's like permitted use with
standards and then there are certain
[22:20] standards that it has to meet. So that's
their retail facilities, but then they
[22:26] also allow cultivation and processing,
testing laboratories, cultivation
[22:31] facilities,
[22:35] level one, level two, marijuana
processor, medical. So those are all
[22:40] permitted uses in their um M2 district,
which is industrial. So and then there's
[22:47] also certain conditions um that they
have to meet for that.
[22:53] And then where I used to work, Sims
Township, they did it as a conditional
[22:56] use and they allowed it in their retail
district and um there's certain
[23:03] requirements that you have to meet and
they only but the one big difference is
[23:08] they only allow one. So they restricted
it to one cannabis retail unit and then
[23:15] there's certain conditions, certain
setbacks.
[23:19] um have certain acreage requirements.
And then we looked at
[23:24] » I'm sorry that the other two the two
cities
[23:27] » permitted it
>> didn't have a number cap.
[23:30] » No, they don't have a number cap.
>> Meet the requirements and and they've
[23:35] set the requirements. So if you meet the
requirements, they can't stop it.
[23:37] » Right. Right.
>> Sims Township is a township, right?
[23:42] » Yes.
>> Only one
[23:44] » one.
>> What's the population of Sims?
[23:46] » 15,000.
>> 15,000. How many square miles are they
[23:48] having? You remember?
>> 20 20 square miles.
[23:54] » Twice as big as we are.
>> Okay. I didn't mean to interrupt you.
[23:59] » So then I also looked at Sycamore
Township and they have they allow it and
[24:04] they're as a conditional use and then
there's certain requirements that are
[24:08] attached to it like buffer boundaries,
streetscapes, they have sign standards.
[24:13] The biggest difference there is they um
make you do a development agreement
[24:17] through the CIC, their Sycamore Township
CIC, and then they also restrict it to
[24:23] where there shall not be a canis
cannabis dispensary within three miles
[24:27] of another cannabis dispensary. So, and
I think when I talked to Greg, he said
[24:33] that they was it a cap like there
couldn't be any more than two, right?
[24:36] Because of the distance requirements,
the way they set it up geographically
[24:41] limited that way.
[24:44] So, very similar to Sims, but they
capped it at two basically.
[24:50] So,
>> Liberty,
[24:52] » I did not look at Liberty. Um, I don't
know. Does Liberty
[24:56] » Township?
>> No, Madison doesn't allow it.
[24:58] » Township.
>> I don't think you're there.
[25:02] » Westchester
administrator. They do not allow canvas.
[25:09] » I don't think Liberty does either, do
they? I didn't speak to them.
[25:12] » Fairfield Township doesn't either
currently,
[25:18] » so
>> I haven't changed my mind on where I
[25:21] stand on this.
[25:25] » Well, it's not a hill I'm willing to die
on. I just think if we're looking at
[25:29] other revenue sources and we have
residents that are
[25:34] going to be going to Hamilton, they're
going to be going to Fairfield,
[25:37] they're going to be buying their
product, they're going to stay at home
[25:40] and on their computer order it online
and go pick it up in Hamilton or into
[25:45] Fairfield and they're going to bring it
back and use it.
[25:49] So, it doesn't eliminate whether we have
any kind of police issue or emergency
[25:55] response issues. Um, so I just think,
you know, if
[26:01] » you mean any more than we would from
them going to Hamilton or Fairfield and
[26:04] getting it or somebody in Hamilton or
Fairfield getting it and driving through
[26:08] our township,
you don't I mean I I don't know the
[26:11] statistics on it either, but
>> So I apologize, Trusty Mackey. I wasn't
[26:17] following your question.
>> Well, you were saying it it won't affect
[26:21] our police and fire any more than it
would if they go somewhere else and get
[26:25] it, right? Is that what your point was?
Correct. I would suspect that it
[26:28] wouldn't cause any more issues
>> with them using it.
[26:32] » Make it a little easier for them to get
it maybe. And again, I didn't mean to
[26:36] interrupt you, but how how is the money
they promised us? How is that money
[26:41] collected?
>> It's the fee that they pay the state of
[26:46] Ohio.
>> All right. It's a sales tax. So, it's
[26:48] just like any other fee that gets
collected.
[26:50] » Six and a half%.
>> No, it's more than that. It's 36%. And
[26:55] then we get a certain percentage of that
36%.
[26:59] » Or is it 10% and then we get 36% of the
10%.
[27:03] » I think that's what it is. It's 10% and
then you get that.
[27:06] » That would still have to be a mighty
large business for us to get a $100,000
[27:11] a year or more
out of the
[27:16] out of the 3% if we get three or three
and a half% of the sales tax. That's
[27:20] just that would be a big number,
wouldn't it? Well, I mean, you know,
[27:25] depends on how expensive marijuana is. I
don't I don't have that idea.
[27:29] » I don't know that answer.
>> So,
[27:32] I I don't know if a prescription or you
go and buy something and it's $100,
[27:37] » you'd only get three and a half $3.50
off of it.
[27:41] » I don't know. But I
>> But if they do that
[27:44] » every other week for a year, one person
like again, I don't have these answers.
[27:50] I was basing my opinion off of what
Monroe was collecting and what other
[27:56] townships were collecting. And I think,
and if I remember right, I think the
[28:00] figure was like either four or $600,000
>> in between. Yeah.
[28:04] » A year that they were collecting.
>> 450 to 600 is what this company projects
[28:08] to give to us or
>> collect
[28:10] » collect for township.
>> Yep.
[28:13] » And pay to us. Maybe we need as many of
those as we can get then.
[28:18] » Is that a motion?
>> A lot of money. No, it's not.
[28:21] Anonymous. Can we find out who who in
Fairfield Township is buying it? Have
[28:24] you Let me ask you this. Have you
>> Have you heard Do has anybody in the
[28:29] township called you and said, "You need
to push this. We need to get this done."
[28:34] » Zero people have asked me.
>> Well, that's I was wondering about that
[28:36] because the same with me. A couple of
people that I brought it up and I told
[28:40] them where I stood and they said, "We
agree with you." And I'm like, "Okay."
[28:43] But it was just a couple people. I just
>> Yeah. I mean, nobody's asked me. We were
[28:47] for months and months we've been talking
about how to generate revenue.
[28:52] » This is one way to generate revenue
>> without increasing taxes.
[28:57] » Great.
>> So that's just my opinion. Like I said,
[29:02] it's not a hill I'm willing to die on.
No one has come to me and say, "Hey, I
[29:06] want you to pass this." Well, other than
the person from the company that called
[29:10] » wanted to start his business here,
>> the one started the business called and
[29:13] asked. Yeah, that's
>> I said, "Hey, I'll have a conversation.
[29:16] I'm not promising anything." So,
>> yeah, that's that's normally who wants
[29:19] it. Who's going to profit from
>> Okay. Thank you.
[29:24] » Yeah. Trusty Harkam weigh in.
>> I'm interested in listening to arguments
[29:29] and hearing more, but at this point in
time, I'm not really feeling compelled
[29:32] to move forward with this. I might in
the future, but but not now. Okay.
[29:37] » But I'm open to hearing more.
>> So, may I ask who you would like to hear
[29:42] from? Do
>> you want to hear from these these
[29:47] elected officials in these communities
directly or you want
[29:50] » I could reach out to them if I so
choose.
[29:52] » You want to talk to other townships at a
large township event, other Butler
[29:56] County townships? Again, like if you say
no and Trusty M, you say no, it's no and
[30:02] let's move on to something else. I'm
just trying to open our minds up to
[30:07] other possible revenue sources.
>> I say no.
[30:12] And you're a not right now.
>> I'm a not right now. Maybe later.
[30:15] » I don't care that. That's fine. So, but
are you a yes now?
[30:20] » Am I a yes? If we put it to a vote
tonight, I would say yes
[30:25] » because of the money.
Yeah, it it
[30:30] you know people always ask me
like about integrity and do you do the
[30:36] right thing when people aren't looking
but also do you do the right thing when
[30:42] people are looking even if it's not a
popular opinion
[30:45] » difficult is it
>> so I think this is what this would be if
[30:51] it's not causing our police chief any
headaches and it's not causing our fire
[30:54] chief any headaches
>> and the people of Fairfield Township,
[30:59] the residents of Fairfield Township have
that legal
[31:04] um hobby that they have and they're
using and they're they're using anyway.
[31:11] And if it can become a revenue source
for us and it could be regulated, it may
[31:16] and there's no I have no scientific
data, but it may cut down on some of the
[31:21] illegal purchases and what have you in
our community that are maybe or may not
[31:27] be happening because now they could just
buy it legally and not worry about
[31:32] buying it from someone in their car in
the Walmart parking lot.
[31:37] You know, could that even help?
So, I don't know. I don't I those are
[31:42] all answers I don't know. But I do know
other communities don't have the the
[31:47] issues of of
higher violence because this is out
[31:52] there or higher crime because this is
out there and they are bringing
[31:57] significant revenue on a legal
currently legal activity.
[32:04] Like I don't drink any beer. I don't
drink any alcohol. But I'm okay with us
[32:09] having liquor stores and the state
recovering some money from that and then
[32:14] communities getting money from that. The
casinos, I don't gamble, but the state
[32:19] of Ohio is raking in money with the
casinos and allegedly it's going to the
[32:25] schools.
Allegedly.
[32:29] But we are I mean this this
dispensary person would guarantee us a
[32:35] certain amount of money
and I don't again I don't we haven't had
[32:40] any kind of document that says what that
amount is as far as we they're
[32:45] guaranteed but again it's it's a revenue
generator. It's something that our
[32:50] safety services don't have an issue with
and
[32:55] people in our community are using a
their legal
[33:01] right to use. So
>> you're just assuming that or do you know
[33:05] that for a fact?
>> Do I know that for a fact? What?
[33:07] » That there people in our community
driving to Hamilton to make their
[33:11] purchase?
>> Well, no. I don't even know if the one
[33:13] in Hamilton's opened up yet, but
>> or Fairfield, wherever. I don't think
[33:16] that's I don't I don't know that open
yet.
[33:18] » How about get the information from the
from the business and see what kind of
[33:23] guarantee he'll give us
>> from the business that's approaching us
[33:28] to have a disc.
>> Yes.
[33:29] » Ask them what
>> how much
[33:31] » financial guarantee.
>> Okay.
[33:32] » So we don't have this 4 to 600,000
number.
[33:37] » So nail it down a little bit more.
>> I'm I want to know the minimum amount
[33:40] they're going to guarantee us.
>> Okay. That's fair.
[33:44] » Then I'll say no. But that's okay. At
least I have some more information.
[33:48] » Well, when we stop communicating,
>> yes,
[33:50] » we don't move forward. So,
>> nothing wrong with that
[33:53] » again. And I respect both of your
opinions. And if both of you were no,
[33:56] I'm okay with that. I'm just saying that
>> you're you're a yes and I'm okay with
[34:02] that.
>> I'm just keeping things open. So, thank
[34:05] you both very much.
>> Okay. Next item.
[34:10] » Flock cameras. So, we recently received
a letter um asking us to end our
[34:16] contract with Flock and so I just wanted
to know what you all thought about that.
[34:20] » We received a letter from a resident,
correct?
[34:23] » Yes.
>> We didn't receive a letter from anybody
[34:25] in our police department to stop.
>> No.
[34:28] » Okay.
>> Making sure.
[34:32] » So, um I asked um Chief Jabbali to
provide some information which he
[34:37] graciously did. So, could you just maybe
summarize some of the information that
[34:42] you provided?
>> Well, I have a lot of notes. I'll try to
[34:45] uh summarize it as much as possible.
And I'm just going to read them off
[34:51] because there's a lot of them actually.
Automated license plate readers or flock
[34:55] are used by neighborhood homeowners
associations and by businesses and law
[35:00] enforcement.
It relates to crime solving and
[35:03] prevention. Cameras identify and catalog
objective vehicle details such as make,
[35:08] model, color, and license plate. Alerts
can be instantly sent to police if a
[35:13] vehicle is linked to an active
investigation or a hot list, for
[35:16] example, stolen vehicles, wanted
suspects.
[35:20] As it relates to missing persons, the
tracking capabilities, the system
[35:23] quickly locating vehicles connected to
Amber Alerts, silver alerts, and
[35:28] endangered children.
As it relates to custom retention
[35:32] schedule, recently Flock uh suggested
only a 7-day retention period. We're we
[35:39] we are going to keep powers at 30 uh for
the following reasons. Uh while recently
[35:46] flock recommends 7 days retention, we
have found that numerous crimes were
[35:50] reported after 7 days
as the crimes are not found by the
[35:55] complainants, complainants were out of
town when the incident occurred or the
[35:58] complainants failed to notify us for
some unknown reason.
[36:03] I'm also providing information taken
from our website. Information collected
[36:07] by Flock
includes license plate numbers, vehicle
[36:12] make, model, color, and body style, date
and time of the detection, camera
[36:17] location, direction of travel,
information not collected by flock
[36:22] cameras. The system does not utilize
facial recognition technology.
[36:27] It does not take frontal pictures of the
vehicles. It only takes uh pictures of
[36:32] the back of the vehicle. Hopefully, it
catches a plate. Sometimes it doesn't.
[36:37] Sometimes it catches a partial plate.
Identify drivers or passengers or
[36:42] collect personal personally identifiable
information such as race, race,
[36:46] ethnicity, religion,
political affiliation, or other
[36:50] protected characteristics beyond the
vehicle and license plate information
[36:54] captured in the public view on public
streets. The system is not used for
[36:59] traffic enforcement such as speed
enforcement or traffic light
[37:02] enforcement.
As it relates to data and security
[37:06] retention, all data collected through
Flock is securely encrypted during
[37:10] transmission and storage. Information is
retained in accordance with departmental
[37:15] policy and applicable law unless
preserved for a criminal investigation
[37:20] or another authorized law enforcement
purpose. Flock data is automatically
[37:24] deleted after the department's
established retention retention period
[37:29] of 30 days. As it relates to policy and
authorized use, access to flock data is
[37:36] restricted to trained and authorized
personnel and is permitted only for
[37:40] legitimate law enforcement and public
safety purposes. All searches and system
[37:45] activity are electronically logged and
subject to auditing and supervisory
[37:50] review to ensure compliance with
departmental policy. Information
[37:54] obtained through Glock
system is used solely to support public
[37:59] safety, criminal investigations, the
recovery of stolen vehicles, the
[38:03] location of missing or endangered
persons, and other lawful public safety
[38:08] functions. Here are just a few examples
of our successes using Flock. School bus
[38:13] with children traveling on bypass 4
observed a male masturbating in a moving
[38:17] vehicle. The bus camera only caught a
glimpse of a blue sedan. Investigators
[38:24] used flock to further their
investigation, identified the suspect,
[38:28] and file charges for indecent exposure.
Multiple children on the bus observed
[38:32] him and were exposed to seeing his
genitalia.
[38:36] A male was observed masturbating inside
the Barnes & Noble bookstore. Subsequent
[38:40] to a thorough followup, his rental
vehicle without estate plates
[38:46] was located by flock. Suspect was
charged and arrested.
[38:51] Bank robbery at our group was solved via
flock. We have solved numerous hit and
[38:56] run crashes, including the death of a
Hispanic female riding her ebike and a
[39:00] pedestrian hit and run occurring at
Prristen and Roill Cemetery.
[39:05] The majority of our retail thefts are
solved via flock. We have assisted other
[39:10] agencies in locating critically missing
persons. Uh we have a hot list. Our
[39:15] patrol officers have made countless
arrest following up on warrants, stolen
[39:19] vehicles uh and vehicles use in numerous
crimes in our municipality or other
[39:24] communities. Last week,
excuse me. The technology allowed our
[39:29] detectives to locate a reporting missing
person. A family member had not heard
[39:35] from the other family member and the
kids were left behind. Following an
[39:38] investigation, the vehicle showed as
having been on the west side of
[39:41] Montgomery County in the Englewood
Clayton area. Now having an idea of
[39:46] where the vehicle had been, deputies in
that area kept an eye out and the next
[39:51] day or so found the vehicle at a store,
gas station, uh, business. Uh, Flock
[39:57] simply got the detectives and deputies
in the right area
[40:02] to look for the vehicle until they found
it. Recent alerts resulted in officers
[40:06] locating multiple individuals with
outstanding warrants. One of those cases
[40:10] with a driver charged for driving under
suspension. Flock alert helped officers
[40:14] located a stolen vehicle after it
entered a township. The driver was
[40:18] charged with multiple offenses and a
subsequent investigation provided
[40:21] additional leads connecting the vehicle
and its occupants to other recent theft
[40:25] offense investigations.
It also assisted in a significant theft
[40:30] investigation involving approximately
34,000
[40:33] in rental equipment stolen from the
Fairfield Township Home Depot. Although
[40:38] surve surveillance video, I'm sorry,
surveillance v video did not provide
[40:42] sufficient leads for a vehicle plate.
The detectives used vehicle information
[40:46] to identify the rental truck. The
investigation showed the vehicle
[40:50] traveled to Detroit, Michigan the same
evening and later linked the same
[40:55] vehicle sim similar theft in Columbus.
Uh proactive virtual fence uh as it
[41:03] relates to that they can instantly ping
law enforcement when a flag vehicle
[41:07] connected to an active Amber Alert or
local hot list enters a monitor area.
[41:12] The mere presence of FL cameras can
deter criminals from targeting
[41:16] neighborhoods.
Flock systems operate on a ruling
[41:19] database. Data is not sold and is not
automatically deleted in 30 days. The
[41:24] camera do not use facial recognition,
nor do they monitor live streams instead
[41:28] of capturing instead capturing still
images only when a vehicle is present.
[41:34] Individual agencies control their own
data and sharing permissions. Flock does
[41:38] not sell this information and access by
federal entity entities is not
[41:43] automatic. private private users such as
home associations, homeowner
[41:48] associations cannot access law
enforcement database. The Electronic
[41:53] Frontier Foundation, EFF,
sites in its 2025 review that out of 12
[42:00] million searches across 3,900 law
enforcement agencies, only 48%
[42:08] of agencies described specific incidents
that warranted investigation and
[42:12] response. in essence a administrative
review. That doesn't necessarily mean
[42:17] that uh personnel were found um to have
violated policy. It just means that it
[42:23] warranted a review. 48% of 12 million
searches. It's not a pattern that
[42:30] reflects negatively on how the system
operates across thousands of
[42:33] jurisdictions.
Agencies with strict enforceable
[42:37] policies do not encounter these issues.
Technology abuse occurs in the private
[42:41] and public sectors depending on a
technology. These abuses are dealt with
[42:45] criminally or administratively
as it relates to case law. Carpenter
[42:51] versus US and Chatry versus US. Please
note the following. License plate
[42:57] readers and settler location tracking
are legally distinct. Courts have
[43:02] consistently ruled that automated
license plate readers flocks
[43:06] are not mass surveillance. In the same
vein as carpenter and chatri
[43:12] flock captured captures point in time
public records whereas cell phone data
[43:17] constitute highly invasive continuous
tracking of a person's private life.
[43:22] Safeguards and oversight are built into
the system. role-based access controls,
[43:27] audit logs, retention limits, and
case-based research are designed to
[43:31] constrain use, support lawful
investigations, and balance public
[43:35] safety benefits with civil liberties
protection.
[43:39] Uh, as it relates to public expectation
of privacy, exterior vehicle movements.
[43:43] The fourth amendment does not protect a
person's movements in public spaces or
[43:48] the exterior of their vehicles.
Capturing an image of a license plate on
[43:51] a public road is not a search.
Unlike settler tracking and both
[43:57] carpenter and uh ch chatri which ruled
on geoence warrants, the supreme court
[44:02] focus on continuous intimate tracking of
a person's location. License plate
[44:07] readers do not track individuals but
photograph point in time locations of
[44:12] public facing vehicles.
As it relates to flock system and data
[44:17] ownership, searchable, not retrospective
tracking, flock safety are not used to
[44:25] constantly map an individual's life.
Instead, law enforcement searches them
[44:30] retrospectively using specific objective
data like a partial plate or a full
[44:34] plate or a vehicle description during an
investigation. Commercial restrictions.
[44:39] Under Ohio law, private companies like
Flock System are prohibited from
[44:43] commercially selling flock data. In
contractual agreements with law
[44:48] enforcement, flock enforces strict
limitations prohibiting the sale of or
[44:54] monetization of sensitive law
enforcement data.
[44:58] Unlike cell phone tower dumps, which
sweep up personal tracking data for
[45:03] thousands of innocent bystanders, Flock
operates by sending hot lists. Courts
[45:08] have also uniformly held that there is
no reasonable expectation of privacy on
[45:12] public roadways. The vast majority of
images captured by Flock are not used
[45:16] for any investigation and are
permanently deleted at regular intervals
[45:19] without ever having
[45:23] been accessed.
Today we received a public records
[45:27] request. Uh we have a link that ties
into our internet and you can get any
[45:34] kind of information that you uh desire
other than an active investigation. We
[45:39] cannot reveal that information. It
includes if you go to our website
[45:44] audit reports, usage reports, contracts,
policies, other related documents
[45:49] provided with any necessary redactions
made in accordance with the Ohio Public
[45:52] Records Act. And again, our redactions
are limited to confidential law
[45:57] enforcement investigatory records. You
may have heard the term clear before and
[46:02] other information that could identify
individuals, officers, license plates,
[46:06] vehicles, or other protected uh types.
What's in our uh synopsis of what's on
[46:13] our
uh website? flock safety technology, how
[46:18] the system works, information collected,
data, security and retention, and it's
[46:22] got a myriad of
paragraphs that um are under these
[46:28] headings, privacy and authorized use,
additional resources.
[46:32] Uh as far as who's what's detected,
license plates, and vehicles, it is the
[46:37] rear. It does not take frontal pictures.
Uh, no facial recognition. Uh, people,
[46:43] gender, race. Data is used for law
enforcement purposes only. Data is owned
[46:48] by Fairfield Township Police Department.
Never uh sold to third parties, uh,
[46:55] immigration enforcement, traffic
enforcement,
[46:58] harassing,
harassment or intimidation, usage,
[47:04] basolium protected class, all
prohibited. All those all those things
[47:08] you're reading now on our website.
>> Yes, they are.
[47:12] » Okay. So, anybody who wants to see that
can go there and get it,
[47:15] » right?
>> Yes. All you have to do is uh go to our
[47:18] website, go to the police department,
and you can find uh flock camera system.
[47:23] I just looked it up today. Uh it would
have 30 days and uh 13 cameras. Uh we
[47:34] have looked at 330,000. Well, the
cameras have taken 330,666
[47:42] during the last 30 days. This is
outdated by about a week. 1838
[47:49] uh were total hits
and uh 122
[47:55] total user search sessions over the last
30 days. Our policy is listed there.
[48:02] When conducting investigative queries
into a flock database, a requester is
[48:07] required to enter either a case number.
Uh when available, a CAD run number or
[48:13] label the search investigation with
additional specificity. When a case or
[48:18] number have yet to be established,
uh I did also a search of
[48:26] the types of all fences that have been
searched.
[48:30] Uh, as you can well imagine with all the
retail
[48:34] um department stores that we have,
lararseny and theft offenses
[48:39] 115 for 26%.
Wanted persons arrest warrant fugitive
[48:45] 113 25%.
Missing endangered persons runaways
[48:51] 21.7%.
Motor vehicle theft 7.2
[48:57] hit and run 6.3. assaults 2%. It all it
runs down uh we have welfare checks,
[49:05] welfare checks, driving under the
influence
[49:10] and that's all again part of the uh
website
[49:18] and I apologize for taking so much time
but I had one shot and
[49:22] » thought I'd go ahead.
>> That's over.
[49:25] » Thank you. I appreciate that.
And that's basically it. Uh if you have
[49:30] any questions, uh the main thing also to
remember which I know has been brought
[49:34] up before that there have been police
officers who have abused the system. It
[49:39] has happened. Uh that number is minutia
compared to how many lawfully do it.
[49:45] What I want you to consider is that
really the only agencies in a
[49:50] municipality, whether it's a city, a
county, or a township, that do internal
[49:54] investigations significantly are police
departments. Uh we clean the trash out
[50:00] and someone would be fired for abusing
uh that system. So, you've seen officers
[50:07] not locally
that have uh
[50:12] that that that have uh access their
girlfriends,
[50:16] current or ex-wives or both. Uh on
flock, as far as I can tell, everyone's
[50:23] been fired.
And any technology has
[50:27] uh its ups and downs. Uh in essence,
when you log in, it's like a
[50:31] fingerprint.
uh they are tied to a case and without
[50:36] this technology we would be hardressed
to be as successful as we have been.
[50:43] » Thank you.
>> So just to be clear there's been no
[50:49] Fairfield Township officers invest even
investigated for illegal or improper use
[50:54] of the flock system.
>> No none whatsoever. And when we issue
[50:58] out the policy, uh, they have to review
the policy and sign off on the policy.
[51:02] So, and it's on the our policies on our
not our website, but on on the internet
[51:08] and they can review it all the time and
it's there.
[51:12] » And all of our neighboring communities
are continuing its use.
[51:18] » Yes, they are. None have stopped.
[51:24] So, we would not be a safe haven for
criminals in Fairfield Township if we
[51:28] were to get you rid of it.
>> That's one or rejections.
[51:32] » Yeah.
>> Yes.
[51:38] » Are there any other questions for the
police chief about cameras?
[51:44] » Thank you for providing all that
information for the public and now they
[51:47] can view it on on our meetings. If they
have any questions, they can reach out
[51:52] to the police department.
>> Yes. Okay.
[51:54] » Thank you.
>> Great. Thank you. Okay. Our final item
[51:57] for board discussion, item E, it's the
country country music festival. Miss Le
[52:03] Pensy.
>> Um, recently we found out last week that
[52:06] we were that the music festival was
being moved from the VA to the fair the
[52:11] fairgrounds. So, we've not been
contacted by anyone, but we just wanted
[52:16] to make you guys aware and um that we
should probably start planning for our
[52:22] eventual
uh participation in the event.
[52:28] » So, could you go in a little bit more
detail about what you mean by our
[52:32] participation in the event, our
requested participation?
[52:36] » Well, no one's really
>> No one's really requested us and no and
[52:40] we're not required to do it. It's a
special event. It's a special event
[52:44] that's being put on
>> by
[52:46] » in the open field,
>> the fair board
[52:49] » just just by the city of Hamilton,
>> right? It's
[52:52] » all the roads are in Hamilton or
all the roads are in Hamilton.
[52:57] » So, the traffic's going to be in
Hamilton.
[53:00] All of that,
>> but there's going to be traffic coming
[53:02] from everywhere. But anyway,
>> well, I I might have told you, but we
[53:06] can set up the U DUI stand on Route 4
and we'll just take them off,
[53:16] » make some money.
>> Well, more or less. So, this event is
[53:18] happening approximately 11 months from
now.
[53:23] No official from the fair board, from
the county, from the prosecutor's
[53:28] office, from the sheriff's department or
anything has officially reached out to
[53:32] me or to the administrator or the
physical officer about host or you
[53:39] hosting this event. And so to my
understanding by watching the news
[53:43] conference and I was able to read theou,
thank you channel 5. I'm sure you're
[53:49] watching. But they they posted the theou
or the contract online and I read it.
[53:55] Nowhere in the document is it mentioned
that Fairfield Township will be
[53:58] responsible for anything or be asked to
provide anything. Nothing in that
[54:02] document right now. So as as far as I'm
concerned, it is the city of Hamilton
[54:07] and the fair board. It's their event.
Now is it taking place inside of our
[54:13] borders? Yes.
But but it's their event and they're
[54:18] responsible for everything associated
with it. Now, if they start asking for
[54:22] our help with resources, then we can
have those conversations about
[54:28] maybe our employees work directly for
them or what have you off duty, those
[54:33] types of questions. But as far as I'm
concerned, no one has reached out to me
[54:37] or this board
>> collectively. I did receive a phone
[54:41] call, right,
>> the Friday shortly before the press
[54:44] release or before the presser that they
did.
[54:47] » Um, and they advised me that that was
happening,
[54:49] » right? But they have not asked us
formally to
[54:52] » enter any kind of contracts or provide
any kind of services.
[54:55] » Nope.
>> So, as far as I'm concerned, it's their
[54:58] event. It's happening. If they ask for
help, then that's a conversation to have
[55:02] later.
>> Have they asked the fire chief or the
[55:05] police chief? I
>> I have no working knowledge of that.
[55:11] They asked me if I wanted to participate
in a meeting two Fridays ago. I was on
[55:15] vacation and I said no and they said
that that was fine, but nothing else was
[55:19] exchanged.
[55:23] » I agree with you on the stairs.
We're not hosting. We're not sponsoring.
[55:32] And I don't I don't think I don't think
I know we don't have the staff to cover
[55:36] it. So,
>> right. But if they if the event itself
[55:42] » hires our personnel on offduty type
situations,
[55:47] » no nothing to do with that.
>> We that's beyond our control.
[55:50] » Right. Right.
>> As long as it doesn't take our our staff
[55:53] off of their regular schedules,
>> right?
[55:56] » Because they can make a whole lot more
money off duty.
[55:59] » Right. So more or less this conversation
was to take place to inform the public
[56:04] that we have not entered in any kind of
agreement. No, no one from the fair
[56:09] board has called to us say, "Hey, we
need your help doing this event." And so
[56:13] as far as this board is concerned
officially, we have had no notification
[56:17] that they want any of us to participate
in this event. And if that does happen,
[56:22] we will bring it up in a meeting and
we'll have discussions about it
[56:24] publicly. But as of right now,
everyone from the township should go to
[56:29] the event and have a good time,
>> right?
[56:33] » Be careful driving up Route 4. Set up
the block blockade,
[56:38] » the DUI checkpoint. So, I just wanted to
be clear. There's been some confusion.
[56:42] People that live near me have asked me,
"What do you know about that?" I'm like,
[56:46] "Thanks for telling me because I didn't
even know it was even going on." So, I
[56:50] just want to make that clear.
>> I mean, I do like country music, but I
[56:53] will not be attendant.
I may attend. I don't know.
[56:58] » Could be.
>> Might be fun. So, should we not
[57:01] participate in any kind of meetings
whatsoever until they contact us? Like,
[57:05] is that your official stance or
>> I think we need to be proactive and know
[57:09] what they're doing. I think we need to
understand what they're doing so that if
[57:13] there is something that comes up that
impacts the township that we're not
[57:16] caught off guard and it might be that we
aren't asked to do anything except in
[57:21] like a capacity where our officers could
be hired on their own accord. That's one
[57:25] thing but I think it would behoove us to
pay attention to what they're doing and
[57:29] get involved.
>> I agree with Trusty Harkimire. we should
[57:32] at least know what's happening since it
is happening within our borders and and
[57:37] to be part if we're invited to
discussions by all means go and and be
[57:41] part of those meetings. But if they go
to make an ask of Fairfield Township, no
[57:46] promises can be made to say, "Okay,
well, I'll take that to the trustees and
[57:50] we'll have that discussion."
>> Okay.
[57:52] » But yeah, I think it's a good idea to be
informed about what's going on in case
[57:55] they try
>> without obligation. Yes. And I I would
[57:58] like to know of any of those meetings
because I'm you know I might be able to
[58:02] squeeze that meeting in so I can get
there
[58:04] » as long as it's not on the 13th.
>> Yes. Okay.
[58:07] » Then one of you have to go.
>> All right.
[58:09] » Well, we had scheduled a meeting
tomorrow with uh Westchester Township
[58:13] about like what have they learned? What
should we know? What should be we we be
[58:18] aware of? So it's tomorrow at 1 if you
would like to attend.
[58:21] » I'll cancel that.
I'm interested in learning what the best
[58:25] practices are and maybe some things that
needed to be changed or improved because
[58:29] I don't want to go into this blind.
>> Why Why did Westchester get rid of it?
[58:34] » These are all things that we're going to
>> You know the answer. Go ahead. Put it on
[58:38] the record.
>> People can read the headlines. I don't
[58:40] need to repeat it.
[58:46] » Okay. Any other
any other business under discussion?
[58:53] Okay, we'll move on to communication.
Does anybody need to take a break?
[58:58] Everybody good? I'm fine for a minute.
Okay.
[59:02] » All right. Uh, this is the portion of
the meeting where you, the residents of
[59:05] Fairfield Township, are invited to share
your thoughts with the board. Please
[59:09] know that this time has been set aside
from the board to listen to you. Your
[59:13] comments are valued and will be taken
into careful consideration.
[59:17] The board will not engage in dialogue at
this time. Presentations are limited to
[59:23] three minutes each. We have two people
that uh signed up this evening. The
[59:28] first is Jason Pervian. Got it right
that time?
[59:32] » All right.
>> Fourth fourth fourth times the charm.
[59:36] Jason,
please uh state your name and your
[59:40] address for the record, please.
>> Yep. Jason Piance, 3606 Milicanin Road.
[59:45] There's a lot on the agenda tonight. I
only have three minutes, so I'm not
[59:48] really going to get into much detail on
any of them.
[59:50] » I'm not I'm having trouble hearing you.
Is the microphone on?
[59:53] » Yeah.
>> Is that better?
[59:55] » Yes, that's better.
>> All right. Um, yeah, the country music
[1:00:00] festival. I understand that was dropped
on everybody's lap, surprised. Uh, which
[1:00:06] I think it could be great long term. Um,
I think everything you guys said up here
[1:00:11] is a lot of the concerns that most
people have. Um,
[1:00:16] I hope this goes off well, but we'll
see. Um,
[1:00:22] as far and I definitely hope that you
guys stay in touch with them and kind of
[1:00:26] steer the ship and don't just sit back
and and
[1:00:30] let them dec whoever them is. Let them
decide how what kind of involvement they
[1:00:35] want us to have as a community. U,
there's going to be a lot of traffic
[1:00:39] driving through the township. So, I
think that definitely needs to be
[1:00:43] addressed.
um the sidewalk policy that you guys
[1:00:48] will be talking about later on. I
understand that we need to have
[1:00:51] something on the books to keep our
community in good standing. Um I just
[1:00:55] ask that you do the same for roadways.
Um specifically
[1:01:00] um was it Anchor Drive and Albert's Way
in front of Walmart and Kohl's. I know
[1:01:05] that is not a road that the township
takes care of the development that owns
[1:01:09] that area, but that road is
not fun to drive on. So, if you guys
[1:01:16] understandably so hold citizens
accountable for the condition of their
[1:01:19] sidewalk, please hold those developers
to the same con
[1:01:24] um going to vote on the data centers
later on for a six-month mortorium. I
[1:01:29] think that's an easy yes. Um, I did send
you guys um,
[1:01:35] a bunch of ideas for a supplement for
data centers. I just wanted to know if
[1:01:41] you guys had any questions on that.
Anything that I could elaborate on,
[1:01:46] obviously not here right now, but just
at a later time, you know, if you guys
[1:01:50] have any questions, please let me know.
Um, for dispensaries, you said you
[1:01:54] haven't had anybody ask you to pass
this. Well, here I am. Please enact or
[1:02:00] in the moratorum. Um I get drug tested
at work. I can't partake. Um but for all
[1:02:07] the reasons you um had mentioned Trusty
Birding.
[1:02:11] Um I don't think we should be the moral
police, right? It's legal in Ohio. This
[1:02:18] is a easy source of revenue for the
township. You guys recently passed two
[1:02:24] $5 fees for us to renew our license
plate.
[1:02:28] If we're to that point where you guys
need to have two $5 fees every time we
[1:02:33] renew our plates, I think $500,000 a
year in tax revenue is a no-brainer.
[1:02:40] Um,
and flock um
[1:02:46] I've been up here multiple times.
Um,
[1:02:51] I sent an email asking uh for a sit
down, stopped up and see if we'd be able
[1:02:56] to talk. Um I don't have any reason to
believe that Fairfield Township is
[1:03:02] abusing this. That's not my concern with
flock. Um
[1:03:06] the the number that you gave about 48%
um of that 12 million that's 58,000.
[1:03:13] That's still a very large number.
Um and since the last time I was up
[1:03:19] here, um Oxford did vote to end Flock's
contract. So, we do have a neighbor that
[1:03:25] has voted to end the contract and that
ended immediately. Columbus paused
[1:03:29] Flock. Hamilton County last week paused
Flock. Um, in Wisconsin, Shbboan moved
[1:03:36] to cancel Flock after Flock uh
approached them trying to sell them 5
[1:03:40] years of speed and traffic data taken by
Shabboan's Flock cameras. Now, we're
[1:03:47] told from Flock that they cancel or that
they delete all of their photos after 30
[1:03:52] days.
But they just tried to sell Shboan 5
[1:03:56] years worth of data.
30 days doesn't equal five years.
[1:04:02] » That the last five years or the next
five years?
[1:04:04] » The past five years.
Um
[1:04:09] so that was well and I saw a quote
today. I hadn't been able to to confirm
[1:04:14] it, but uh the Lebanon mayor said he
wants to um cancel the 20 cameras that
[1:04:21] they have. Um and his quote was the
standard is not whether or not the tool
[1:04:25] is useful, it's whether or not you can
be told the truth about what it does.
[1:04:30] And I I don't know about you guys, but
from the information that Flock has put
[1:04:34] out for what truly happens with Flock
system and not just Flock. Please, if
[1:04:40] and when you cancel Flock, do not
replace it with any other ALPR system.
[1:04:46] I think that's a misnomer anyway.
They're not they're not just reading
[1:04:49] license plates. They're taking much more
information than that. If this was an AL
[1:04:53] just an ALPR system that was able to
read flag
[1:04:58] and give information back if a if a car
was wanted, that's that's one thing. But
[1:05:03] this is logging much more information
than that. So I'm sure my three minutes
[1:05:07] is well up. But
>> thank you very much. I appreciate you.
[1:05:15] Okay. Uh the second person to sign up is
uh Michael Combmes.
[1:05:22] Mr. Combmes, if you come up and state
your name and address for the record,
[1:05:26] please.
[1:05:30] » Michael Combmes, 3025 Foxhound Drive.
>> Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.
[1:05:37] This your meetings are always
interesting. Joe, you should become a
[1:05:41] comedian.
Uh but uh I'm still doing the followup
[1:05:46] on our conversation at the last meeting
about the parking issues with commercial
[1:05:51] vehicles in our residential areas. Uh I
spoke to Mr. Goowens a couple times.
[1:05:58] He's on top of it as usual. Uh but you
still have
[1:06:05] um
paperwork in front of you guys that you
[1:06:08] haven't attended to where you can pass
this law, get it in front of the chief
[1:06:15] so that we can contact these people. For
example, like the people in my
[1:06:20] neighborhood,
uh Chuck has been out. Uh if you try to
[1:06:24] get a fire truck through there, it's not
happening. Number one. Number two, uh
[1:06:29] they have notified them and they just
ignored it. So it's not like they take
[1:06:33] their parking as a serious issue.
Um so
[1:06:40] this law would make it easier for our
police chief number one to reach out to
[1:06:47] them. I'm not expecting them to go out
and start towing everything, but at
[1:06:52] least reach out to these people and say,
"This is what we need. next time I come
[1:06:56] back then we have to take more action.
Uh you guys have that in front of you.
[1:07:00] All you have to do is pass it. Um it's
not been attended to in the last few
[1:07:05] meetings and I'm going to continue to
come to every meeting and listen to you
[1:07:10] guys about everything. Once again, this
gentleman talks about flock. I don't
[1:07:16] disagree with your flock. I mean, if I
come up missing and you can run my plate
[1:07:21] and tell my wife where I'm at, go ahead.
Uh but uh to save kids,
[1:07:28] criminals,
we see it all. We we we're in Fairfell
[1:07:33] Township, our nice little community, but
Hamilton's right next door. Okay, I can
[1:07:38] drive through Hamilton right now and
lock my doors and put my weapon away and
[1:07:44] say go back home. But we have a lot of
that around here. So, but once again,
[1:07:50] the parking issue has if you guys will
get it on the table and get it done so
[1:07:56] that our police chief and our zoning
commissioner can do what they need to
[1:08:02] do. Right now, it's a joke. They send
notices out. I believe there was a
[1:08:07] letter sent out. Uh
they throw it in the trash. Half of them
[1:08:13] can't read English. So, you put it on
their equipment. They go out, rip it up,
[1:08:17] throw it away. Good luck. Okay. until
the until the fire chief has to try to
[1:08:23] get a vehicle through there because the
house down from them is on fire and they
[1:08:28] can't get equipment through, then it's
going to be a bad situation. So, please
[1:08:33] get that on the table and get it passed
so that we can
[1:08:38] start being proactive. Please.
>> Thank you, Mr. I know that we are
[1:08:43] right now looking into how we enforce
that. Is that what we're doing right to
[1:08:50] see who how we would collect fines and
things like that? It we are working on
[1:08:53] it. It just hasn't been So, we have all
that.
[1:08:56] » I mean, a great example is the city of
Fairfield.
[1:08:59] » Okay. Their law director has it there
and
[1:09:03] uh they do a good job at it. I mean, I I
had an office in Fairfield. the zoning
[1:09:10] commission, you know, even if you have a
weird sign out in front of your office
[1:09:14] that's not the right color and the
shape, they come and find you and they
[1:09:18] take it away. And
>> but this is a safety issue. This isn't
[1:09:23] just a
>> It is something that we're working on.
[1:09:26] We just have to make sure everything is
>> all the eyes are dotted and the tees are
[1:09:30] crossed before we
>> I appreciate that. And I'll see you next
[1:09:33] month then.
>> Sounds great. Come on back. Bring some
[1:09:35] friends.
>> It's the 27th. Next month.
[1:09:37] » 27th. Yeah. Early Joe, I know.
I'm going to call you personally on the
[1:09:41] 13th.
>> Good luck with that.
[1:09:47] » Okay. Uh thank you for part
participating in that. Our next item is
[1:09:52] the consent agenda. All items under the
consent agenda are considered by the
[1:09:56] board of trustees to be routine and will
be enacted with one motion. Any trustee
[1:10:02] may remove an item from the consent
agenda by request. No second is required
[1:10:07] for the removal of an item. Items
removed for separal separate discussion
[1:10:12] will be considered after the motion to
approve the consent agenda.
[1:10:17] As at this time I enter I will entertain
a motion to adopt the consent agenda.
[1:10:22] » So moved.
>> Second.
[1:10:26] » Any questions or comments? Uh I would
just uh for the people that haven't
[1:10:30] looked at the agenda, I would just uh
say that one of the one of the consent
[1:10:35] agenda items is the resignation of
another police officer.
[1:10:41] We lost several recently and we're
losing another one.
[1:10:48] Want to point that out.
[1:10:52] » Thank you. Uh Miss Schultz, will you
call the role, please?
[1:10:54] » Trusty Harkim.
>> Yes.
[1:10:55] » Trusty Makabe. Yes. Trusty Birding.
>> Yes. And that agenda item is passed. We
[1:11:01] have we have the
fiscal officer's report.
[1:11:05] » Yes. I have a list here of balances. So
our checking account balance is almost 3
[1:11:10] million. Our medical balance is 80,000.
Our FSA balance is 7,000. Jed revenue
[1:11:16] received year-to- date for Hamilton
524,000.
[1:11:19] For Fairfield 134,000.
Our ICS investment account is at 9
[1:11:24] million. and we have a new investment
brokerage account at almost 4 million.
[1:11:29] Um, interest earned in August was 22,000
on one account and 15,000 on the other.
[1:11:34] EMS billing receipts to date 584,000
revenue to date 13 million revenue
[1:11:40] budgeted 20 expenditures to date 14
million appropriations for 2026 23
[1:11:46] million payments made in August a
million. Our total fund balances
[1:11:51] currently is a little over 15 million.
I can't think of anything else.
[1:11:56] » Any questions for Miss Schultz?
>> We got our second half.
[1:12:02] » Not yet.
>> Any idea when?
[1:12:06] » No. At Metro Park, we got our first
um 75% so it should I would think it'd
[1:12:12] be any time now.
>> We just paid our taxes, so I bet it's
[1:12:17] not going to be till the end of
September.
[1:12:19] » You You paid your taxes?
>> Yeah, I did.
[1:12:22] » Good job.
Okay. Well, that goes to Madison
[1:12:25] Township. So,
>> help us.
[1:12:32] » Is that And I'm I may be lost, but is
that report in in the packet?
[1:12:36] » It usually is.
>> No, I didn't. We didn't make a copy of
[1:12:39] it. We emailed it out on Thursday. I can
send you another copy.
[1:12:42] » That's okay.
[1:12:45] Any other questions for Miss Schultz?
>> May we have the administrator's report?
[1:12:50] Miss Ley?
So, we have a motion. A motion to
[1:12:53] approve the building permit fee for the
fire station remodel in the amount of
[1:12:57] $22,379.84
cents, which will be made payable to the
[1:13:01] Butler County Building Department, which
will be paid from the fire fund 2111.
[1:13:08] » Motion to approve.
>> Second.
[1:13:12] » Any questions or comments?
>> That was that amount included in the
[1:13:17] total amount? No. And Butler County is
not going to wave this for us.
[1:13:22] » I did ask. I have not received a
response yet.
[1:13:25] » Just don't pay them until they respond.
>> Well, yeah. Well, obviously we won't cut
[1:13:29] the check, but
>> Okay.
[1:13:31] » But but I need you to approve something
so that we can
[1:13:36] take a check there to pick up our
building permit.
[1:13:42] » Trusty Birding.
>> Yes.
[1:13:43] » Trusty Harkimire.
>> Yes.
[1:13:44] » Trusty Makabe.
>> Yes.
[1:13:46] » That motion is adopted. maybe have the
first resolution.
[1:13:49] » Resolution number 26-80 is a resolution
authorizing pay rates for part-time
[1:13:54] employees of the fire department. So,
this is a holdover from last month, uh,
[1:13:57] we had a question about the pay rate,
which we resolved. It's a $22
[1:14:02] rate for medics. So, we're just asking
all medics to be paid that $22. And also
[1:14:07] at the last meeting,
excuse me, one of the board members
[1:14:11] asked that we make it go retroactive
back to April when we originally passed
[1:14:16] it last year. So we did include a
whereas clause in that. So basically
[1:14:21] this just sets the rate and if you
happen to be an EMT and then you become
[1:14:26] a medic in between, you're automatically
bumped up.
[1:14:31] » Any idea what it's going to cost us to
go back to April? Uh, I think it was 50
[1:14:35] cents for the one person.
>> Total 50 cent or
[1:14:39] » Well, total 50 cents per hour. So, I
don't know. I haven't done the math yet.
[1:14:42] And then wasn't there a second person?
>> It was well under $1,000 total.
[1:14:45] » Okay.
>> Two people.
[1:14:47] » So, I think, right, two people.
>> Motion to adopt.
[1:14:54] Second. Any further questions or
comments?
[1:14:59] » Miss Ch, should we call the role,
please?
[1:15:01] » Trusty Makabe.
>> Yes.
[1:15:02] » Trusty Birdie.
>> Yes. Trusty Harkimire.
[1:15:04] » Yes.
>> And that uh resolution is adopted. May
[1:15:07] we have the next resolution, please?
>> Resolution 26-84 is a resolution
[1:15:12] approving the 2025 streetlight
assessments. Mot.
[1:15:17] » Second.
>> Any questions or comments?
[1:15:22] Miss Schultz, will you call the role,
please?
[1:15:24] » Trusty Makabe,
>> yes.
[1:15:25] » Trusty Harkimire,
>> yes.
[1:15:26] » Trusty Birding,
>> yes. And that resolution is adopted. May
[1:15:29] we have the next resolution? Resolution
26-85 is a resolution imposing a
[1:15:35] six-month data center moratorum for
Fairfield Township.
[1:15:39] » Motion to adopt.
>> Second. Any questions or comments?
[1:15:44] » I don't think anyone's actively looking
at us for a data center, but just sort
[1:15:48] of preempts it, I guess.
>> Yeah.
[1:15:51] » So, let's This will allow us to some
time to gather information about it if
[1:15:58] need be.
>> Yep. True. And then will you put this on
[1:16:02] the um agenda for February
27?
[1:16:09] That would be
>> six months.
[1:16:10] » Five months, right?
>> Add it to add it to that calendar that
[1:16:14] we
>> so we can revisit it. Okay.
[1:16:16] » In case we need to
>> put it on March.
[1:16:18] » Okay.
>> We'll discuss in February.
[1:16:22] » Okay.
>> Okay. Uh Miss Schultz, we recall the
[1:16:25] role, please.
>> Trusty Makabe.
[1:16:27] » Yes.
>> Trusty Birding.
[1:16:28] » Yes.
>> Trusty Harkimire. Yes,
[1:16:30] » that resolution is adopted. May we have
the next resolution?
[1:16:33] » Resolution number 26-86 is a resolution
adopting a township sidewalk policy for
[1:16:39] Fairfield Township. So, this is our
first reading with an option to adopt.
[1:16:43] Um, we discussed this
twice now, I guess, at our last couple
[1:16:48] meetings about the sidewalk policy, but
basically anytime we go out for a
[1:16:53] roadway project, like paving project
that we consider, we're going to look at
[1:16:58] the curbs, the gutters, the sidewalks,
and then since it's within the rideway,
[1:17:03] but it's also the responsibility of the
homeowner. um we'll uh make sure that we
[1:17:08] send a notice to the resident um letting
them know that they have to replace the
[1:17:13] sidewalk if it's a certain if it meets
the parameters as specified in our
[1:17:16] policy.
>> So when I was looking through this just
[1:17:21] briefly, it talks about multi-use youth
use paths.
[1:17:27] Could that be considered
on property driveways on property
[1:17:33] streets as Mr. provance was talking
about. Is that something that would fer
[1:17:38] that or should we keep this as a first
read and add that type of language that
[1:17:43] we could enforce because I agree with
them back by Kohl's and Walmart. Those
[1:17:49] are constantly.
>> I'd rather have a separate policy for
[1:17:53] that actually if we can get one because
I agree and we've been on them for
[1:17:57] years. Um, I was driving over there a
few days ago and the section that they
[1:18:02] repaved isn't bad, but if you go up a
little bit further, there's big holes
[1:18:06] developing, too. So, I like where you're
going, but I'm wondering if we can just
[1:18:10] develop a private road policy to really
address that.
[1:18:14] » Yeah, we're we're a lot more limited
with respect to our enforcement on
[1:18:17] private roadways than we are sidewalks
the way what a township can regulate.
[1:18:21] So, I mean that I would suggest that be
a separate policy because your your
[1:18:25] limitations are are a lot greater with
respect to roadways than they are
[1:18:28] sidewalks.
>> Okay. Maybe we can look into that. And
[1:18:31] in the meantime, if we could reach out
to those property owners again because
[1:18:35] um the part they fixed is great, but the
part they didn't fix is
[1:18:42] pretty bad.
>> Yeah. I drove through there this week. I
[1:18:46] saw a Volkswagen inside one of the
potholes.
[1:18:48] » I think so. I saw some kids fishing.
[1:18:54] So, um, is there a request to adopt this
resolution at tonight's meeting?
[1:19:01] » Okay, we'll have it on for a second read
adoption in October.
[1:19:08] » Second read and a vote on it.
>> Yes. Thank you. Uh, can we have the next
[1:19:14] resolution, please? Resolution number
26-87 is a resolution authorizing the
[1:19:19] township administrator to sign an
agreement with MS Consultants to provide
[1:19:24] professional services for rideaway
acquisition services to construct
[1:19:28] sidewalks and pedestrian crossings along
Morris Road and Princeton Road to
[1:19:32] improve safety at Fairfield East
Elementary School.
[1:19:36] So, we started this process a couple
years ago about getting sidewalks on
[1:19:42] Princeton and Morris Road to make it
more safe for the kids to get to school.
[1:19:48] So part of ODOT's requirements is that
the township must enter into an
[1:19:54] agreement with these consultants to
provide um appraisal appraisal services
[1:20:01] for these pieces of parcel or partials
that we've identified that we will need
[1:20:05] for the process whether it's a temporary
take or a permanent take. So we do not
[1:20:10] pay for these services but we have to
enter into the contract with a
[1:20:15] consultant to provide the service. I
know it sounds crazy, but that's just
[1:20:19] ODOT's policy. So, yes, we have to sign
this agreement, but no, we don't owe
[1:20:25] anything because ODOT already has it
factored into their budgeting process,
[1:20:29] the payment of that service to the
consultants separately.
[1:20:33] » How many parcels is this?
>> That I don't know. Do you have know off
[1:20:37] your off top of your head, Chuck?
>> So, why don't we know? Why don't we
[1:20:43] know?
>> Let's see if it's in the agreement.
[1:20:55] I think there there's only one or two
partials that's going to have permanent
[1:20:59] takes, but there's yeah, I don't know
the number of uh parcels related to the
[1:21:04] temporary access agreements.
[1:21:09] If I could get that for you.
>> I was going to say we have the plans
[1:21:14] that we could pull up, right? And we
could send it to them.
[1:21:18] » Is it right here?
>> Does it say it? Does it identify it?
[1:21:22] » It says one partial, two partial, one
partial. Looks like 12
[1:21:27] total.
>> There you go. 12 parcels.
[1:21:31] » How much are we taking on each parcel?
>> Around.
[1:21:37] Is this the numbers? 360 for those four.
2500 for that one. Looks like it's in
[1:21:43] the agreement how much we're taking for
a total 12,870.
[1:21:47] » I think he means acreage. Like
>> Oh, acreage. Yeah. How many feet are we
[1:21:50] taking?
>> Yeah. I don't know that that's in there.
[1:21:53] » We're taking property down Princeton
Road. On which side of the road? On the
[1:21:58] north side.
>> Yeah.
[1:22:00] » Um north side.
>> South side. I thought Princeton.
[1:22:03] » I think it's the north side.
>> Well, I think it's both, isn't it?
[1:22:06] » So there there's suffici there's going
to be no permanent takes on Prince,
[1:22:10] » right? It's on Morris that we're doing.
And it's in the school's property is
[1:22:13] where we do have to do a permanent take.
>> Right.
[1:22:15] » On the school's property.
>> On the school's property. So I think
[1:22:17] it's
>> where we want them to go. Right. To the
[1:22:19] school.
>> Yes.
[1:22:22] » Well, that's right. It's
>> property on more
[1:22:24] » northwest side.
>> Fairfield City School District.
[1:22:29] » Yeah.
>> We're having to take that. They're not
[1:22:34] giving it to us.
>> They haven't gotten that far yet. But
[1:22:37] » that we're going to pay $12,000.
We are not going to pay it. ODOT is of
[1:22:43] my state taxes. ODOT is going to pay it.
>> We're going to go to pay 17,000.
[1:22:48] » We're going to go to take one property.
We're going to hire somebody to tell us
[1:22:52] how much of the school property we is
worth when we take it.
[1:22:58] » Is this a requirement or a law?
>> It's a requirement but from ODOT. It's
[1:23:02] part of their school
>> school safety program.
[1:23:07] » Yeah. Well, and I've voiced my concerns
about this before. Uh, when we started
[1:23:12] this process, it sound like a good idea
to get kids across from Weathered Oaks
[1:23:16] to North School, and now we're going all
the way down to Jayfield on the north
[1:23:20] side of Princeton Road and coming up and
crossing a major intersection
[1:23:25] to try to get them to school. I have
large concerns about that.
[1:23:30] » So, I don't know how many of them are
doing it now. to East Elementary.
[1:23:34] » I'm sorry, East Elementary, which is
south of there, just to get our
[1:23:38] directions straight.
>> I I don't know how many people are doing
[1:23:42] it now
in the ditch that we're trying to help
[1:23:48] them get there in a safe way.
But I have I have a lot of concern about
[1:23:54] that. And the last time it came up at
this board, it was our our part portion
[1:24:01] was like $750,000, right?
>> No, it's two. It's no more than 250,000,
[1:24:08] right? We we have went back and looked
at that.
[1:24:10] » Oh, well, that's that's a number that
was presented.
[1:24:12] » Yeah,
I think I might have confused it with
[1:24:16] the paving.
>> Well,
[1:24:18] » like our paving project.
>> I'm still confused. So,
[1:24:21] » be unconfused because it's 250. I I'm
still 200. We're going to spend 250. And
[1:24:26] what percentage is that? Is that 25%. I
mean, what how much is the statement on
[1:24:31] my money for this, too?
>> It's 8020, Chuck. Right. Something to
[1:24:36] that effect. It's either 9010 or 8020.
>> Didn't fall on a hard percentage. Uh,
[1:24:40] but we pushed them to
>> the cap that they were willing to get to
[1:24:45] a couple times. We're we're we're going
to we we're going to be partners to a
[1:24:49] million dollars with a sidewalk that I
wouldn't walk on and I wouldn't want my
[1:24:54] kids walking on. And I don't see how
that makes this school safer to get to.
[1:25:04] » So, it does make it safer that kids that
do walk to school or parents that do
[1:25:09] walk their children to school won't be
doing it in ditches. We'll be dealing
[1:25:13] sidewalks that connect the sidewalks
that connect the crosswalks that
[1:25:17] connects to the school buildings that
eventually will connect, if I'm not
[1:25:21] mistaken, is going to connect
>> to the sidewalk near Bridgewwater to get
[1:25:26] » family safe to Bridgewwater to Target
and all those items
[1:25:31] » or from uh the other subdivision over to
Bridgewwater and down
[1:25:35] » yes
>> to the school.
[1:25:36] » Yes,
>> I understand all that, but I just I
[1:25:39] can't believe it's going to be a road to
nowhere. It's going to be a sidewalk to
[1:25:43] nowhere.
>> That's my opinion. And I I understand
[1:25:47] that you guys will probably feel
differently.
[1:25:49] » And what we what we don't know, what we
can't predict is what happens
[1:25:54] um in November should uh school levy not
pass if they start eliminating more
[1:26:00] busing. Will will more families start
using sidewalks? Will they adjust their
[1:26:08] um their start and and and start time
start and stop times? Um and is that
[1:26:16] going to be during hight traffic times?
And so if
[1:26:21] one child doesn't get hit by a car, I'm
willing to pay $250,000.
[1:26:26] » I I am too
under those situations.
[1:26:29] » I don't I don't think it's going to be
something unused. And in fact, even
[1:26:32] though it says safe routes to school,
it's al also going to be safe routes to
[1:26:37] our playgrounds, safe routes to our our
veterans memorial, to our parks, to
[1:26:44] Bridgewater Falls.
>> We're not putting any any sidewalks up
[1:26:47] here though.
>> Well, eventually I think it's coming up
[1:26:49] connecting
connecting families up to north to North
[1:26:53] Elementary as well.
>> That's in this program, too. I don't
[1:26:56] think it's in this.
>> Not in this one, but that's that's
[1:26:58] eventually the I think, you know, for
future sometime out in the future, but
[1:27:03] » eventually it's it's connecting families
to the YMCA. It's connecting them to
[1:27:08] Bridgewater
>> and eventually over to Walmart because
[1:27:11] there's sidewalks all the way that way
>> across the bypass.
[1:27:15] » There's a crosswalk with the I know
>> traffic light.
[1:27:17] » I couldn't believe that either. They
made us do that.
[1:27:20] » Yeah.
>> Like we we don't want people crossing
[1:27:22] that road now. It's bad enough in a car
much less on a bicycle or
[1:27:33] » I hear what you're saying.
>> Yes.
[1:27:34] » Okay. I appreciate it.
>> Sure.
[1:27:36] » I mean, if they wanted to put a bike
path over there um where it would be a
[1:27:41] multi-use and and go somewhere, I could
almost understand that.
[1:27:46] » Almost.
>> Okay.
[1:27:48] » But that would be a different program.
That wouldn't be the
[1:27:52] » same route to school. Let's drag our
kids down a sidewalk to school.
[1:27:56] » Well, I mean, originally it was it was
proposed as kids also riding their bike
[1:28:02] to school. So, that's why it's safe
route to school and not safe walk to
[1:28:05] school.
>> And again, I I I was in favor of that
[1:28:07] when it was weathered oaks across across
Morris Road, but as it got expanded,
[1:28:14] um,
not so much.
[1:28:17] Well, also
people that are off of Jayfield
[1:28:23] used to be North Elementary students.
Now some of them are south elementary
[1:28:30] stu sorry east elementary students.
And so that's the route they'll be
[1:28:36] taking instead of going to Morris.
>> I think Mr. Goens um in light of our
[1:28:45] comprehensive plan, doesn't this kind of
help with the piece, the puzzle piece
[1:28:50] for walkability on the township and some
of the other things that we looked at
[1:28:55] with that?
>> Yeah, this was uh one of the areas that
[1:28:59] were targeted early on. I mean, it's a
fairly
[1:29:03] critical piece as far as the large
largescale uh pedestrian connectivity
[1:29:08] plan. Yeah, it was highly ranked on the
comprehensive plan.
[1:29:14] » So, the they're going to come out of uh
Weathered Oaks. Are they going to turn
[1:29:18] right and go down to the light and cross
or are they going to
[1:29:22] » I think there's cross real quickly.
>> There's a cross.
[1:29:25] » There's a cross walk at Weathered Oaks
over to across the street to go to East
[1:29:32] the rapid flashing
>> lights. Great.
[1:29:36] » Now, the frogger music will be playing.
>> Maybe a medium, a speed bump or
[1:29:40] something.
[1:29:44] » Okay. So, we have not had a first or a
second yet. So, I move to adopt
[1:29:48] resolution 26-87.
[1:29:53] Is there a second?
>> Second.
[1:29:56] » Any further discussion, questions,
comments?
[1:30:01] Miss Schultz, will you have the call the
role, please?
[1:30:03] » Trusty Birding.
>> Yes. Yes. Trusty Harkimire. Yes.
[1:30:05] » Trusty Makabe.
>> No.
[1:30:07] » And that uh resolution is adopted. May
we have resolution uh the next
[1:30:12] resolution, please.
>> Resolution number 26-88 is a resolution
[1:30:16] authorizing the administrator to enter
into an agreement with MNJ Properties,
[1:30:21] Inc. to repair sections of curb on Red
Coat Drive and Betsy Ross Drive at a
[1:30:26] price not to exceed $17,335,
which will be paid from the gas tax
[1:30:31] fund.
So I think Jeff handed out some pictures
[1:30:35] where we have significant curb
deterioration in this neighborhood. This
[1:30:40] neighborhood was built in the n in 1971
just for future thoughts. Um, you can
[1:30:48] see that
what
[1:31:00] » driveway is a corner block.
[1:31:10] While we were out there looking at that
one
[1:31:14] or two streets over
[1:31:20] the same situ
[1:31:38] that's a pretty big price for The curve
>> it's actually
[1:31:43] » how many how many feet is it?
>> 1932
[1:31:49] ft.
[1:32:03] It's more than just these two pictures.
We're going to do
[1:32:06] What else are we doing?
We doing the whole curb.
[1:32:11] » It's sections of curve. There's more
sections like that. I didn't want to
[1:32:14] print all the off.
>> Right. I wouldn't want you to either,
[1:32:18] but
>> we just wanted you to see that there's
[1:32:22] significant deterioration of curbs that
have already
[1:32:26] these subdivisions. We've we have a lot
of subdivisions that were built in the
[1:32:29] 70s. You'd be surprised.
>> I've been doing I won't be surprised.
[1:32:33] » I've been doing the research.
come in 67,6
[1:32:41] » what do we paid those streets
>> you know
[1:32:43] » to my knowledge we to my knowledge I
haven't found anywhere where we have yet
[1:32:48] » we seal coat them what
>> I don't think we
[1:32:52] » still looks black
>> it's been black matted
[1:32:56] » okay blackmatted
>> so on this one I don't know which one it
[1:33:00] is
that help
[1:33:04] What's it say at the top? Does it say
Betsy Ross
[1:33:08] » or red coat?
>> Says Jeff Bennett at
[1:33:13] » Betsy Ross.
>> I don't know.
[1:33:16] » It's up highlighted in yellow at top.
>> Oh, right on. Oh, yeah. There it is.
[1:33:19] » The very first thing on the page.
>> So, the driveway, are they going to fix
[1:33:24] their driveway while we're in there?
Maybe.
[1:33:27] » You know what I mean? It's got a big
crack in it. So, this this would be part
[1:33:31] of our sidewalk policy, right?
There's a huge crack.
[1:33:36] » Wait, would it be part of our sidewalk?
Because it says apron.
[1:33:39] » Well, yeah,
>> apron would be.
[1:33:40] » Yeah, the apron would be.
>> We're not fixing that. That doesn't mean
[1:33:44] he's dealt with stuff like that before
>> the owner.
[1:33:52] » Well, I just wondered because like I
said, it
[1:33:56] will be eventually
[1:34:01] » Yeah. But once you adopt the policy,
then we'll
[1:34:09] » So I mean, but back to that point, it's
a crack. It's not so deteriorated that
[1:34:15] it needs to be replaced.
>> That's But you can see the lift in it.
[1:34:19] So you This would be something that the
township would be
[1:34:22] » if it's more than a 3/4 inch.
>> I can't tell from this, but I'd say it
[1:34:27] probably is. But anyway, I I I just
wondered. We're not doing it. We're just
[1:34:33] doing the curve.
>> Yeah.
[1:34:35] » Right.
>> He's got a nice stand of grass going
[1:34:39] there. Is he sure he wants us to clean
that up?
[1:34:43] » Okay. I move to adopt resolution 26-88.
>> Second.
[1:34:48] » Any further discussion or questions?
>> Gas tax fund has enough money in it.
[1:34:53] » Yes, I looked.
>> Miss Schultz, could you call the role,
[1:34:57] please?
>> I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
[1:34:58] » That's okay.
>> Hold on.
[1:34:59] » Did you get more than one bid?
>> Uh, no. It's our typical guy that we
[1:35:03] use. He's usually the lowest. He's been
the lowest for a while.
[1:35:07] » So, the answer is no. We didn't get
>> No, I didn't get any more bids than
[1:35:10] that. Just It's just who we typically
use.
[1:35:12] » It's under the threshold that requires
us to get multiple bids.
[1:35:16] » But when we use him before, we we got
bids, right?
[1:35:19] » Yes. In the past,
>> I recognize the name. I know he does
[1:35:23] good work.
[1:35:28] Miss Schultz, will you call the role,
please?
[1:35:30] » Trusty Birding,
>> yes.
[1:35:31] » Trusty Harkimire, yes.
>> Trusty Makabe,
[1:35:33] » yes.
>> That resolution is adopted. May we have
[1:35:36] the last resolution, please?
>> Resolution number 26-89 is a resolution
[1:35:41] approving change order number one for
the 2026 paving program from Barrett
[1:35:45] Paving and the amount not to exceed
$37,91.
[1:35:54] Second, Mr. Pency, can you elaborate?
>> So, what happened there is we um during
[1:36:01] the paving, we had included Jamie Drive
on the paving list and at the same time,
[1:36:07] Nikki Court
was paved from the new section that was
[1:36:13] added. And so, it left this
very small one lot piece that was
[1:36:19] originally included in Shaw Estates. And
we just went ahead when they were paving
[1:36:25] since that section was paved and Jamie
was paved. We went ahead and paved that
[1:36:28] that small area. We originally told that
we were going to have enough money in
[1:36:32] contingencies to cover it, but it looks
like it went over by $3791.
[1:36:38] So, hence tonight why I ask you to
approve it.
[1:36:43] » Any further questions or comments?
>> Miss Schultz, will you call the role?
[1:36:47] » Trusty Makabe?
>> Yes.
[1:36:49] » Trusty Birding?
>> Yes.
[1:36:50] » Trusty Harker?
>> Yes. And that resolution is adopted.
[1:36:54] Committee reports, Tusty Makabe.
>> Um, we have not met this this month yet.
[1:36:59] It'll be next week, but it's been
cancelled. So,
[1:37:02] » okay.
>> Uh, I think there's an information
[1:37:05] session tomorrow evening about the North
Hamilton cross.
[1:37:09] » Thursday evening, is it?
>> Thursday evening.
[1:37:11] » Yes. The 10th.
>> Yeah, the 10th. Okay. 5 to 7
[1:37:14] » at the fairgrounds.
>> At the fairgrounds.
[1:37:16] » In Hamilton.
>> In Hamilton. At the fairgrounds.
[1:37:18] » In the Hamilton building.
>> Yes. In
[1:37:21] Not in Fairfield Township at the fair.
Okay.
[1:37:24] All right. Anything else?
>> That's it.
[1:37:27] » All right. Great. Uh, Trusty Harkimire,
EMA,
[1:37:32] » EMA met today. Um, they discussed a lot
of the usual um exercises and uh
[1:37:38] different things that they worked on.
Um, of note, it was confirmed that that
[1:37:43] uh EF1 tornado did hit Riley Morgan and
went into Hamilton County. Um it was
[1:37:50] about 11.3 miles and at its widest 500
yards. So that's pretty big. Um the
[1:37:57] August 11th storms, there is actually
federal funding available for disaster
[1:38:02] recovery and also some small business
administration monies available for
[1:38:05] that. I don't think Fairfield Township
really had too much of an impact on
[1:38:09] that, but it was just interesting. I
think that that was such a kind of big
[1:38:14] big thing that went through there. Um
they did some work on the foam takeback
[1:38:19] program. I don't know that that's
something that we really have anything
[1:38:22] to do with. Okay. Um
of note too, and this does impact us
[1:38:28] directly. The per capita rate um there
was a spreadsheet that I passed out
[1:38:33] about a year ago. we put it with this
with the uh resolution, but it said that
[1:38:38] we were going to have our the 2025 per
capita was 55 and the 2026 per capita
[1:38:46] was going up to 60. And so um this year
it looks like we're going to be paying
[1:38:53] $14,019.
[1:38:56] Um whereas last year, and that's just
the price increase, it was $12,850.
[1:39:02] So, just as an FYI, it's not a huge
amount, but I just wanted to bring that
[1:39:07] up so that uh so that we would be aware
that that that is going up a little bit
[1:39:11] there. Um, we do get a lot of value from
the EMA. They're pretty much there
[1:39:16] standing at the ready in case something
happens. Um, they were called into a
[1:39:22] number of different situations
uh within the last few months where they
[1:39:26] were absolutely helpful with that. So,
that's all I have there. and on to okay
[1:39:33] that meeting will be held we did not
have meetings in uh
[1:39:38] let's see July or August because the
break however they did sponsor that much
[1:39:43] in common gathering and this time it was
down at the airport I did go and attend
[1:39:47] that was pretty interesting to hear
about airport operations and to hear
[1:39:51] about what they're going to be doing at
CVG they're doing some remodeling uh so
[1:39:55] you can expect that at the airport in
the next year or two it'll be a little
[1:39:58] bit different when you go through there
But uh that was rather rather
[1:40:02] informative. Um so really nothing about
that to report but there is a meeting on
[1:40:07] Thursday of this week and it is open to
the public. People can come down and you
[1:40:10] can listen. It's um it's kind of
interesting. It's the Ohio Kentucky
[1:40:14] Indiana Board of Regional Transportation
and it's the group that deals with
[1:40:17] freight uh with bridges, roads um like
safe routes to school. There's just all
[1:40:24] things transportation, buses, the metro,
um the Butler County bus system, all of
[1:40:29] that. It kind of goes through there.
It's sort of the federal the the funding
[1:40:33] place where the money goes and then it's
dispersed across the region and it's
[1:40:36] actually an award-winning organization.
If you'd like to learn more, go to
[1:40:40] okii.org and you can look at all of the
really cool. They have all kinds of
[1:40:44] tools and lots of really neat things
that just talks about all things
[1:40:48] transportation. So, it's a pretty good
What I really like about it is that it's
[1:40:51] comprised of people from across the
entire region. So, there's people there
[1:40:55] from Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, um the
whole tri-state area, and we all kind of
[1:41:01] get together and we find out what's
going on and things get done. So, check
[1:41:05] it out. okii.org.
And, uh, Clout, nothing to report there.
[1:41:10] We have a meeting coming up next month.
>> Great. Any questions for Trusty Hooker?
[1:41:15] » Is OKi, they have a live stream where
people could watch it from home?
[1:41:18] » They do not live stream it, but um, like
I said, it's it is open to the public.
[1:41:23] Um there's kind of like a section in the
middle where the board members sit and
[1:41:27] then there's another whole section of
chairs and people can come down and
[1:41:30] watch.
>> So that hasn't changed since I was on
[1:41:33] there for eight years or so.
>> Yep. Still that way.
[1:41:37] » I just wondered because in today's world
you would think as big an organization
[1:41:41] as that is that that would be something
you might suggest to them live stream
[1:41:46] something where they can people can see
it even if they even if you're working
[1:41:50] you could see it later on that type of
thing. They did do it during COVID, but
[1:41:54] that was for other reasons. None of us
were going to the meetings.
[1:41:59] » And did emergency manage did they say
why they're raising them?
[1:42:03] » That was just the it was the agreement
that they came up with because their
[1:42:07] costs are going up and so they kind of
came in with the 55 and then it went to
[1:42:11] the 60. They really do run things on on
a shoestring. I will say that um the um
[1:42:19] director
um the board had given him a three three
[1:42:24] and three raise. So three for cost of
living and then three for the other
[1:42:28] stuff. And he came in today and said you
know what we didn't budget for that so I
[1:42:32] can't take that raise. So what we
budgeted for was a two and two. So he
[1:42:37] said he'll take the two and two raise
which I thought was kind of honorable on
[1:42:41] his part. So he um they really do try to
do a good job over there and they do run
[1:42:46] their operations very lean.
>> What is the budget?
[1:42:50] » I don't have that off the top of my
head, but you could definitely reach out
[1:42:53] to Director Bowlan. I think he's going
to be at the Butler County Township
[1:42:56] Association dinner on Thursday night if
you wanted to have some further
[1:43:00] conversations with him.
>> And is he the only employee they have?
[1:43:05] » No, there's two two three others. I
think they just No, three others. But
[1:43:09] they did just someone just uh took
another job elsewhere
[1:43:14] rather lean. But oh and those meetings
too are open to the public. Um you can
[1:43:19] come in, listen to them, all that good
stuff.
[1:43:22] » And where do they have those at?
>> Over right over there at Ninecom by the
[1:43:26] uh board of elections.
>> Right here in Fairfield Township. Well,
[1:43:30] just on the edge of Fairfield Township
in the city of Hamilton.
[1:43:34] » They're almost cool enough to be in
Fairfield Township, but not quite. used
[1:43:38] to be the downhill.
>> True.
[1:43:43] » Okay. Um, board member comments. Trusty
Makabe.
[1:43:47] » I just like to welcome our fire.
[1:43:52] » Trusty Harkimire.
>> Anything on the calendar
[1:43:56] other than we need to add for next uh
March that we're going to talk about the
[1:44:01] moratorum. But is there anything else on
here for
[1:44:03] » the what Shelley mentioned before was
the amounts and rates? We'll do that in
[1:44:07] October.
It moves around a little bit sometimes.
[1:44:11] » They're what
>> does that move around sometimes?
[1:44:13] » Well, it's always September unless they
get an extension, then it's October.
[1:44:18] » Why did they get an extension?
>> I think from the um calculation of the
[1:44:22] new homestead and stuff that's going on
at the state. So, the state extended
[1:44:26] their time, which extended the county
time, which extends our time, but they
[1:44:31] said we'd have the information by
October 1st and need it approved and
[1:44:34] back by October 31st. extend the time
the property owners have to pay their
[1:44:38] » No, sorry.
>> We had an extension this year. It was
[1:44:43] like two weeks.
>> Really?
[1:44:44] » Yeah. Normally, it's due at the
beginning of August and this year it
[1:44:47] wasn't due till the 19th.
>> I paid mine early so I didn't know.
[1:44:52] » I've written in my book October 26 for
the rates. Is that
[1:44:56] » that two years ago it was October again.
It was October due to an extension and
[1:45:02] last year I forgot it and it was
October, but technically it should be
[1:45:05] September.
>> Maybe October of 26 is what I wrote, not
[1:45:09] October 26th.
>> Oh yeah, maybe possible.
[1:45:12] » We should keep it on September because
it technically should be September.
[1:45:16] » Okay.
[1:45:19] » Anything else?
>> Yeah, there it is.
[1:45:20] » Because I missed it last year.
>> Okay. Um Oh, every time I drive by the
[1:45:24] park, those pickle ball courts are
filled with people playing. So, do we
[1:45:29] take reservations then or
>> payment?
[1:45:32] » We should raise the fee.
>> Yeah, I think we should double the fee.
[1:45:35] I think we could.
>> Yeah, that that's all I have. Um,
[1:45:42] announcements. Uh, the regular trustee
meeting is Tuesday, October 27th, 2026
[1:45:47] at 7 p.m. The agenda does say the 13th,
but we did change it at tonight's
[1:45:52] meeting to be the 27th.
Uh, we have no executive session
[1:45:56] scheduled. So at this time I move to
adjourn.
[1:46:01] Is there a second or would you like to
stay here?
[1:46:03] » Right. Second.
>> Miss Schultz, you call the role, please.
[1:46:07] » Trusty Bing,
>> yes.
[1:46:08] » Trusty Harkim,
>> yes.
[1:46:09] » Trusty Makabe,
>> yes.
[1:46:11] » And that motion passes. We adjourn at
8:46. Thank you all for