Cheri Shaw pins a police badge on her son Noah Shaw after he is sworn in as an officer for the St. Clair Township Police Department. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
ST. CLAIR TOWNSHIP — Police Chief Brian McKenzie welcomed Noah Shaw as a new officer for the township during the trustees meeting Monday.
Shaw was sworn in by Judge Megan Bickerton. Following the swearing in, Shaw’s badge was pinned on him by his mother Cheri.
In addition to St. Clair Township police officers and his mother, Shaw’s sisters Olivia Shaw and Sarah Hinton, brother-in-law Jeremey Hinton, aunt and uncle Jodi and Paul Shaw and girlfriend Heaven Wulski attended the ceremony.
McKenzie noted that Shaw’s references all had great things to say about him and that he will be a good fit for the department.
Shaw is a 2022 graduate of Youngstown State University where he majored in kinesiology-sports science. Fitness also serves as one of his hobbies.
Calcutta Fire Chief Dave McCoy noted that the holidays are here and items such as extension cords, candles, decorations and even battery-operated Christmas lights can be fire hazards that the department has had to deal with before and wants to encourage everyone to use caution over the holidays and make sure smoke detectors are in place for early detection and that residents have changed the batteries in their detectors.
McCoy noted fire departments get calls every year for fires from Christmas trees, turkey fryers and more and he wants everyone to take proper precautions to have a safe holiday. If anyone has a question regarding holiday fire prevention or risks associated with the holidays, he encouraged checking out the Calcutta Fire Department Facebook page because they will be posting fire prevention tips all week.
Road Supervisor Scott Barrett requested the trustees approve $6,422 to purchase a new motor for the boom mower. Barrett noted it would be less costly to purchase a new motor than it would be to buy parts for the old one and they could keep the old one for spare parts. The request was approved.
Barrett also noted that the township does not have a leaf pick-up program and will not collect leaves, so residents are advised not to blow their leaves into the ditches.
The road department is doing clean up around the township and getting ready for winter.
The trustees approved a resolution to approve Gannett Fleming to provide engineering and plan development for the Midland Fredericktown Slip Project at a cost of $49,340.60 to be paid out of the local share of the OPWC grant in the amount of $750,000 that the township received for the project.
A resolution was also passed to nominate Mike Bahen of Liverpool Township to serve on the 9-1-1 Program Review Board.
New banners have arrived for Calcutta Park which will be installed by the road department employees.
Purchase orders in the amount of $40,637.78, a blanket certificate in the amount of $1,000 and bills totaling $111,191.85 were approved for payment.
The trustees approved revisions of two resolutions passed in May for the purchase of a new truck with a steel bed for the road department and the construction of a lean to at the township garage.
The township was notified that due to the United Auto Workers’ strike, the 2023 Ford F550 truck the township ordered would not be built and the order had been canceled. The township is now ordering a 2024 truck for an additional $1,660 in cost. The new cost will be $130,220, which will be paid for from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
The revision of the resolution authorizing ARPA funds to build the lean to was needed because of a reduction of $1,900 bringing the new total down to $23,350.
The township offices will be closed on Thursday for Thanksgiving.
The St. Clair Township Trustees meet every other Monday at the township administration building. The next regular meetings are scheduled for Dec. 4 and Dec. 18.
