LEWIS CENTER — This week, some of the railroad crossings in Orange Township will be closed to replace railroad ties on the tracks.
In a press release issued Aug. 13 by Delaware County Engineer Chris Bauserman, the following information was updated: “Safety Services & Supply (out of Allen Co.) will be now be closing and replacing railroad ties in the following tracks: Aug. 18 to Aug. 20: Cheshire and Shanahan roads railroad crossings; Aug. 19 to Aug. 20: Orange and Lewis Center roads railroad crossing on opposite days; Aug. 19 to Aug. 20: Franklin Street railroad crossing.”
In October, there will be a public hearing before the Public Utility Commission of Ohio to determine whether to permanently close the Franklin Street railroad crossing. The Orange Township Board of Trustees are working with its legal counsel and the railroad to reach a settlement prior to that hearing.
The Delaware County Engineer’s Office has a continuing project on Home Road, which is closed between Perry Road and U.S. Route 23 for road widening. The project began a month ago and should be wrapped up by Nov. 12.
“Please note that between Perry Road and U.S. Rt. 23, Home Road will only have westbound traffic, eastbound traffic will follow detour signs,” the release said.
In other township news, at a special meeting on July 23, the Orange Township Board of Trustees approved a fire and EMS renewal levy that will appear on the Nov. 2 General Election ballot. Trustees Ben Grumbles and Ryan Rivers voted in favor, and Trustee Deborah Taranto was absent.
The rate of the tax levy is 7 mills, which is $0.70 for each one hundred dollars of tax valuation, the same rate as the existing tax levy. The term of the tax is for three years, to be levied beginning in 2022 and collected starting in 2023.
According to the meeting minutes, “The purpose of the tax is as follows: providing and maintaining fire apparatus, appliances, buildings or sites therefor, or sources of water supply and materials therefor, or the establishment and maintenance of lines of fire-alarm telegraph, or the payment of firefighting companies or permanent, part-time, or volunteer firefighting, emergency medical service, administrative, or communications personnel to operate the same, including the payment of any employer contributions required for such personnel under section 145.48 or 742.34 of the Ohio Revised Code, or the purchase of ambulance equipment, or the provision of ambulance, paramedic, or other emergency medical services operated by a fire department or firefighting company, said purposes being authorized by R.C.§5705.19(I).”
“The Fire Department carries out fire inspections of both new and existing buildings and conduct fire safety education,” said the Orange Township website. “There are two fire stations staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with firefighters and paramedics to provide fire and EMS services in fire and emergency situations.”
The fire stations are at 7307 S. Old State Road, Lewis Center, and 7700 Gooding Blvd., Delaware.
