NEWS PLAIN TOWNSHIP. A Message from the Board of Trustees. Township Meetings. In this Issue...

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1 PLAIN TOWNSHIP NEWS ISSUE 4 WINTER A Message from the Board of Trustees Pamela S. Bossart, Trustee Louis P. Giavasis, Trustee Albert P. Leno II, Trustee Claude W. Shriver II, Fiscal Officer Deputy Harry Haines and Ollie Township Meetings Board of Trustees 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month - 7:00 pm Zoning Board of Appeals 1st Wednesday of the month - 7:00 pm Zoning Commission Wednesday in 2nd full week of the month - 7:00 pm In this Issue... Fire Safety Tips Park Programs Recycling Information Road Reminders Zoning News Historical Society Water Conservation Fiscal Officer Information Yard Waste & Christmas Tree Recycling The Board of Trustees is pleased to introduce our Plain Township K9 team: Ollie and Deputy Harry Haines. Ollie, whose real name is Oliver, is a three-year old German Shepherd. He has received specialized training in many areas, including searching for missing persons, chasing suspects, patrolling and tracking. Ollie s handler, Harry Haines, has been a deputy since Deputy Haines is in the U.S. Army and recently returned from serving a oneyear tour of duty in Iraq. On November 17, 2006, Deputy Haines and Ollie completed a 10-week training session jointly held by the Canton Police Department and the Summit County Sheriff s Department. Training received ranged from obedience classes to the tracking of people and of explosive devices. We are confident that our K9 team, Ollie and Deputy Harry Haines, will provide valuable service to the residents of Plain Township. CAUTION Please use extra caution at the intersection of 20th and Lakeside NW. A new four-way stop has been installed.

2 Fire & Safety News Turkey Fryer Safety State Fire Marshal Stephen K. Woltz is reminding Ohioans to read the directions and exercise caution when using turkey fryers during the holiday season. Other safety tips from the State Fire Marshal include: Keep the fryer in view when it is on and keep it away from buildings and structures such as garages, carports and decks. Never leave the fryer unattended. Place the fryer outside when in use. Don t put it in a garage or carport. To avoid burns, make sure meat is thawed and lower it into the hot oil slowly. Follow directions closely to make sure your fryer is operating properly. Make sure you use the proper amount of oil. Too much oil could make it spill over when you add the turkey. Keep a close eye on the temperature. If the fryer begins to smoke, turn it off. The sides, handles and pot lid become dangerously hot when the fryer is in use. Stay clear of the fryer to prevent burns and use pot holders when moving the lid or touching the handles. Website Check out our website for all the latest information! Agendas will now be posted on our website on the day of the Board of Trustees meeting. The website also has current information on Township departments, programs, and much more. Make sure the fryer is clean of any old grease, especially on the outside so that will not catch fire. Keep an ABC multi-purpose dry chemical fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire. Water and grease are a dangerous combination and could cause hot grease to splatter. Prevent Cooking Fires Fire Marshal Woltz also emphasizes the following kitchen safety reminders: Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, broiling, or boiling food. If you must leave the room, even for a short period of time, turn off the stove. When you are simmering, baking or roasting food, check it regularly, stay in the home and use a timer to remind you. If you have young children, use the stove s back burners whenever possible. Have a safety zone and keep children and pets at least three feet away from the stove. When you cook, wear clothing with tight-fitting sleeves. Keep potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper and plastic bags, towels and anything else that can burn, away from your stovetop. Clean up food and grease from burners and stovetops. Always have a fire extinguisher available. House Numbers Available Being able to find your residence or business is critical to aiding safety professionals in responding to an emergency. Residents can obtain signs with a blue metal background and Name: Phone: Address: City: Zip: Number on sign: House Numbering Order Form Direction of numbers on sign: Horizontal Vertical Proceeds benefit the Plain Township Fire/ Medics Association large reflective numbers to aid in locating addresses. To order, send the order form and a $14 check to: Plain Township Paramedics, 3625 Middlebranch NE, Canton, OH Please call with any questions. Aluminum Cans for Burned Children (ACBC) ACBC helps child burn victims and their families by providing the following: special protective clothing not covered by insurance non-medical items such as pets and toys lost in fires bicycles that help children exercise their injured bodies transportation to outpatient treatments Many special events for child burn victims are also funded by ACBC. Your contribution of aluminum cans at the Fire Stations is greatly appreciated. 2

3 Parks & Recreation Park Reservations For your convenience, some changes have been made to the schedule for park reservations: Effective January 2, 2007, the Alpine Park shelter may be reserved for dates up to one year in advance (Example: On July 1, 2007, the park shelters may be reserved for any date through July 1, 2008). Beginning December 1, 2006, the Diamond Community Room may be reserved for any date through April 1, 2007, and on January 2, 2007, the room may be reserved through December 31, Diamond Community Room is located in the indoor soccer building at 2782 Diamond St. NE. It has a maximum capacity of 46 people. There are six round tables with chairs, a microwave, refrigerator, and sink. There is a refundable $25.00 deposit for using the room. Alpine Park is located at Alpine and Pinetree NE, and has two open shelters which can be reserved. The park also has a walking track, playground area, and basketball, tennis and volleyball courts. Call to make reservations for the Alpine Park shelters and the Diamond Community Room. Indoor Soccer Indoor Soccer for the second session begins January 29. Registration will be January 2 through 21, We will only be registering for teams to play in the U-10, U-12, U-14, High School, Adult Coed and Men s Open Divisions. For team application forms, contact the Parks and Recreation Department or download from the website: Winter Programs Check out our schedule of Winter Programs on Pages 4 & 5. Thank you to those who completed our Senior Program Survey. We hope you will like the new programs! Following is the registration policy for park programs: Fees: All fees are due at time of registration. Checks should be made payable to Plain Township Trustees. Mail to 2600 Easton St. NE, Canton, Ohio 44721, or bring in to the Parks and Recreation office at 2782 Diamond St. NE, Canton, Ohio Registration for all programs must be turned in five days prior to the starting date. Cancellation Policy: If the program does not have the required class minimum registered 72 hours prior to the start of the program, the session will be cancelled. Participants will be notified if a class is cancelled. Refund Policy: If the Parks & Recreation Department cancels a program, each participant will receive a full refund. If a participant wishes to cancel enrollment in a program, it must be made 5 days prior to the starting date of the program. Participants may receive full credit toward another program at a later date. Should a participant wish to receive reimbursement, a check can be issued minus $5.00 to cover administrative costs. Exception: There will be no refunds for athletic programs after the registration deadline (soccer, volleyball, etc.) Self-service recycling is available for Stark County residents every day from dawn to dusk at the following three Plain Township sites: Diamond Park, 2782 Diamond NE - (west parking lot) Taft & Day School grounds (on Salway NW) K-Mart, 3801 Harmont NE Separate recyclables as follows; bins are provided for each: Newspapers/ magazines Plastics (#1 & #2)/ glass Food boxes Aluminum/steel Flat corrugated cardboard Please call Stark County Recycling at for more detailed information or with any questions about this recycling program. For information on the disposal of items not listed above, please call the Solid Waste Management District at

4 Parks & Recreation Winter Programs To register for any of the programs on pages 4 and 5, please call Pre-School/Family Programs Messy Hands "Messy Hands" is a craft class designed to get children and adults creating together using clay, paint and common household items. Create fun works of art, while spending quality time with your youngster. All art projects will be new! Please dress children in old clothes, we promise to get messy. Location: Community Room Session 1: January 22 - February 26, 2007 Mondays: 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Session 2: March 5 - April 2, 2007 Ages: 2-5 Minimum 4/Maximum 15 Fee: $25.00/session Squeaky Sneakers Our open gym program is for the active preschooler. We have ball, hula hoops, slides, mats, parachutes, and more. This is a great time to run off all that extra energy, meet other families, and play with your child. Parent or guardian must accompany and interact with their little ones. Sneakers are required. Location: Community Room Session 1: January 17 - February 14, 2007 Wednesdays: 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Session 2: February 21 - March 21, 2007 Ages: 2-5 Minimum 4/No maximum Fee: $25.00/session or $5.00/class Mini Mozart's Make Saturday morning a musical day of singing, dancing, and playing instruments. You and your child will have the opportunity to participate in musically fun activities that will further your child's understanding and development. Enjoy teachable moments, laughter, and bonding. Location: Community Room Session 1: January 20 - February 10,2007 Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Session 2: February 24 - March 17, 2007 Ages: 2-5 Minimum 4/Maximum 8 Fee: $20.00/session Kid Concoctions Come and concoct some of the most popular Kid Concoctions from the best selling Children's arts and crafts book of all time, The Ultimate Book of Kid Concoctions. We will be making wonderful and wacky projects that you can take home with you. Kid Concoctions teach the basics of art and science, and rely heavily on parent-child interaction. Location: Community Room Session 1: January 20 - February 10, 2007 Saturdays: 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Session 2: February 24 - March 17, 2007 Ages: 2-5 Minimum 4/Maximum 15 Fee: $30.00/session Wee Science Sampler Come and enjoy an afternoon of fun and learning with your child. We will do simple science projects through famous nursery rhymes, the five senses, and a pirate theme. Discover what Jack and Jill took up the hill or how a pirate walks a plank. Don't miss out. Call and reserve your spot today, space will be limited. Location: Community Room Session 1: January 20, January 27, February 3, 2007 Saturdays: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Session 2: February 10, February 17, February 24, 2007 Ages: 2-5 Session 3: March 3, March 10, March 17, 2007 Fee: $15.00/session Minimum 4/Maximum 10 Note: Each session includes the following: (Nursery Rhymes, Five Senses, Pirates). (Continued on page 5) 4

5 Parks & Recreation Winter Programs (Continued from page 4) Nature Class The natural world is filled with small wonders, big changes, and many lessons. Bring your young nature lover and go at your own pace for a fun-filled morning of nature crafts and theme related activities. Stations will be designed to incorporate literature, math and science skills. Location: To be announced Thursdays: 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. January 25, February 22, 2007 Ages: 2-5 Minimum 4/Maximum 12 Fee: To be announced Senior Programs Walking Club Come enjoy a walk on the field inside Diamond Sports Complex. Walk fast, slow or however you wish. Twelve laps around the indoor field equal one mile. For an even tougher challenge, walk upstairs to the Mezzanine, then across and down to equal one lap. To help keep the field clean, please bring separate walking shoes that can be worn while inside. Location: Indoor sports field Tuesdays: 9:00a.m. - 10:30a.m. Thursdays: 9:00a.m. - 10:30a.m. January 16, March 29, 2007 Fee: Free No minimum/no maximum Movie Club Enjoy a matinee movie with friends at the Community Room Cinema, located inside Diamond Sports Complex. You will determine the movies shown each week by voting for your favorites from the past or present. Bring a beverage of your choice, we will provide the popcorn and movie. Location: Community Room Fridays: 3:00p.m. - 6:00p.m. January 26, March 30, 2007 Fee: $2.00/movie Minimum 4/Maximum 20 Bocce Ball Come play inside at Diamond Sports Complex. This is a fun and safe way to get low impact exercise while getting through the cold winter months. You can sign up as a team of four or as an individual. Teams will play three games while competing to get closest to the pallino. Location: Indoor sports field Tuesdays: 11:00a.m. - 12:30p.m. January 30, March 20, 2007 Fee: $10.00/session Minimum 8/Maximum 24 Baking Club Bring your favorite recipe and pastry. This 90 minute social affair will get you acquainted with fellow residents of Plain Township and their favorite baking desserts. Copies of the recipes will be made weekly, and then given to each participant. Coffee will also be offered. Location: Community Room Tuesdays: 12:00p.m. - 1:30p.m. January 23, March 27, 2007 Fee: $2.00/baking day Minimum 4/Maximum 20 Pre-registration and payment are required for all programs except Squeaky Sneakers. To register, call Parks and Recreation at

6 Historical Society The Plain Township Historical Society would like to wish everyone a Happy Holiday Season. We would also like to thank you for your help in collecting old pictures and memorabilia of Plain Township. Meetings are held the third Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Plain Township Hall, located at 2600 Easton Street NE. Meetings are open to the public. There will be no general meeting held in December. Come join us in January for an exciting new year! January 15th a program on Myers Lake Speaker Richard Haldi. February 19th our Annual Meeting. A dinner meeting is planned, with the location to be announced at a later date. For more information, please contact us: Tom Judy Dawn Road Department Street Designation Changes Please note changes for street maintenance made by the Stark County Engineer on the following streets in Plain Township: Applegrove St. NE from Market to Middlebranch will now be maintained by the Stark County Engineer ( ) The following streets will now be maintained by the Plain Township Road Department ( ): 20th Street NW from Whipple to Lakeside Lakeside Ave. NW from 17th to Fulton Diamond St. NE from Market to Middlebranch Parking Snow Ban Please remember that no parking is allowed on the paved surface of posted streets when there is more than two inches of snow on the ground. Several Township roadways will be posted this year with no parking signs. The ban will be strongly enforced. We also request that residents on unposted streets be courteous in moving their cars so that plowing can be done in a timely manner. Winter Reminders Please note the following additional winter reminders: Please do not put trash cans in the roadway when it snows. Remember to stay at least 50 feet back from salt trucks so that your vehicle is not damaged by salt spreaders. This also is helpful when at an intersection as the salt truck may have to back up. If you are too close, your vehicle may not be visible to the driver through the mirrors. Portable basketball hoops must be removed from the township right-of-way. We apologize for snow blocking driveways and cul-desacs; however, at times this is unavoidable. If snow plows knock down your mailbox, please call us. After the snowfall has ended, mailboxes will be repaired as time allows, in the order requests were received. Main roads throughout the Township are salted and plowed first; then the secondary roads. Trucks are assigned to specific areas and no area has priority over any other. If your yard or driveway apron is damaged from snow plows, please call us and your name will be put on a list for repairs in the spring. Zoning Information Since the cold weather has set in, most outdoor construction has been put on hold. Now is a great time to remember that the Zoning Department does not just handle zoning permits, but we also do an array of permits, including Certificate of Conformance Permits. A Certificate of Conformance Permit is required prior to anyone occupying a building in a Business, Office, or Industrial District. A NEW permit is required for any change in: Business use Change of ownership Change of tenant Applications can be picked up and filled out in our office, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Once the application is filled out, the Plain Township Fire Department will inspect the property. A permit will be issued once the appropriate buildings have finalized all inspections. A Certificate of Conformance Permit costs $25.00 and is valid for the life of the business, as long as the business use, owner or tenant does not change. 6

7 10 Ways to Conserve Water at Home Don t use the toilet as a wastebasket or trash can. Every time you flush unnecessarily, five to seven gallons of water is wasted. Check for hidden water leaks. Read the house water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a leak. Install water-saving shower heads and low-flow faucet aerators. Your local hardware or plumbing supply store has inexpensive water-saving shower heads or restrictors that are easy to install. Also, limit your showers. A long, hot shower can use five to ten gallons every unneeded minute. Also, all household faucets should be fit with aerators. This is one of the best home water conservation methods there is and is very low in cost. Turn off the water after you wet your toothbrush. There is no need to keep the water running while brushing your teeth. Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator. Use your dishwasher and clothes washer for full loads only. Try to avoid the permanent press cycle, which uses and added 5 gallons for the extra rinse. For partial loads, adjust the water level to match the size of load. Don t let the faucet run while you clean vegetables. Just rinse them in a stoppered sink or a pan of clean water. Minimize the use of garbage disposal units. They require a lot of water to operate properly. Consider a compost pile. Check faucet and pipes for leaks. A large leak can waste hundreds of gallons of water a day. Insulate your water pipes. This can be done inexpensively with pre-slit foam pipe insulation. Fiscal Officer On December 15, 2005, Ohio Legislature changed the title of all Township Clerks. Elected officials holding this position have now become Fiscal Officers. It was felt that the term Clerk sounded too clerical and was not sufficiently dignified, official or fiscal. The title of Fiscal Officer is more in line with responsibilities of the position. In July of this year, the Plain Township Board of Trustees entered into an agreement to purchase property on Schneider Street NE with plans to use it as a Township park and for recreational purposes. This transaction was completed on August 31, 2006, at a total cost of $1,263, The project was funded with a cash payment of $263, from the General Fund with Estate Tax funds and through issuance of Real Estate Acquisition Bonds, Series 2006, totaling $1,000,000 with Key Bank. The Bonds will mature on June 1 and December 1 for five years beginning in The Bonds bear an interest rate of 4.65% per year with no penalty for early repayment. Plain Township is setting aside in a special fund money received from the State for Estate Tax (or inheritance tax) for the loan repayments. In 2006, $536, was received from the State of Ohio for Estate Tax. The Township has also received over $347,000 in interest income in the General Fund that will help with development of the land. The interest income is a total cumulative amount of total interest in funds that include fire, road and police, but do not include Motor Vehicle License Tax and Gasoline Tax Funds. I would like for the residents of Plain Township to know this project is being funded by revenue other than real estate taxes. Claude Skip Shriver II, Fiscal Officer Jo Ellen Reikowski, Finance Director 7

8 Contact List Elected Officials Trustees Fiscal Officer/Finance County Commissioners Fire and Rescue Fire Administration Emergency Calls 911 History Historical Society Parks/Recreation Township Parks Diamond Comm. Rm Shelters (Alpine Park) Community Soccer Holly Hills Baseball Plain Local Baseball Plain Local Softball Midget Football PLAIN TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES 2600 Easton Street NE, Canton, OH Administration: Finance: Fire/Rescue: Parks/Rec: Road: Sheriff: Zoning: PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #277 CANTON, OH Police Stark County Sheriff Real Estate Records County Auditor Recycling Stark Co. Recycling Solid Waste District or visit our website for an directory Website: Road/Storm Sewer Maintenance County Roads State Roads Township Roads I-77 Project ROADWISE Schools Canton City North Canton Plain Local Admin Plain Bus Garage Sanitary Sewers Sanitary Engineering Septic Systems/Water Wells County Health Dept Voter Registration/Information Board of Elections Water Service Canton Water North Canton Water Zoning/Building Permits Township Zoning County Building Yard Waste & Christmas Trees Fire Station #4 (2855 Easton St. NE) will be open between December 2 and January 13 on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The site will then be closed for the rest of the winter season, and reopen on March 19. The site accepts yard waste and Christmas trees. Plastic bags are unacceptable. Warstler Brothers Landscaping (4125 Salway Ave. NW) will close on December 16 for the winter, and reopen on March 15. 8