DUKE CENTER — At Wednesday’s monthly meeting, Chairman Eric Barton announced that he is ending the long-standing agreement that Otto Township had with adjacent municipalities to share equipment when it comes to road maintenance and other projects.
Barton explained that this discontinuation of service was due to “insurance liability.” He did not specify if this would prohibit the township’s employees from using their garbage truck — their largest piece of equipment — for collecting refuse from outside the township. Manpower and hand tools will still be available to travel and help in other areas, with the expected reciprocity.
The recently agreed upon dissolution of the Otto-Eldred Joint Police Force is being finalized by solicitors of both areas. The tentative division of assets has Otto paying $27,000 to Eldred, keeping the police cruiser, and evenly splitting any ongoing legal expenses. The three supervisors unanimously agreed to pay Eldred an additional $5,000, enabling them to keep the second vehicle. The supervisors agreed in March to form, fund and maintain their own Otto Township Police Department.
By a 2-1 vote, the supervisors agreed to purchase a used roller from Bradco Equipment Co. for $32,000. CJ Kaluza was the “no” vote, wanting to shop around for a less expensive one.
The closure of the purchase of the Armstrong building will be April 29, with the township ready to make improvements and modifications to better accommodate its soon-to-be-formed police department and offices and meeting rooms.
In other business, Hoffman Landscaping will begin this week to install new fencing and repair old fencing in Otto Recreation Park at a cost of $4,000. Berming and ditching of township roads, with other seasonal maintenance, is ongoing, with Kansas Branch and Moody Hollow prioritized. It was agreed that there will be implemented a system to better monitor the placement, usage, and finances of the three dozen dumpsters the township is utilizing. Kaluza will contact and compare other government and commercial dumpster users to gain a perspective for better efficiency.
Noah Jordan, representing the newly-formed O-E Hometown Days organization, announced that it will be replacing Old Home Days with a toned-down weekend of fun and frolic on July 27-29. It is hoped that, despite lacking the main attraction of the spectacular fireworks show, both residents and non-residents will participate in either or both the work and fun of this family-oriented event.
The annual township garage sale will be held on Saturday, June 11, followed conveniently by the annual junk pick-up day, Monday, June 13.
