MILLBURY — Stores and restaurants are short staffed and government entities can be added to that list.
There were 10 burials in a recent week at the Lake Township Cemetery, and staff there — minus one person — struggled to keep up, said Trustee Richard Welling.
“We’re short on people,” Welling said. “We need to get some more people in here somehow.”
Police Chief Mark Hummer, who is also the township administrator, said they have ran newspaper ads, tried a hiring website and posted on social media.
“We’re no different than every other industry right now,” he said. “We will continue to beat the bushes and try to get qualified candidates. That’s all we can do.”
After last week’s trustees meeting, Hummer said that the township is in need of a cemetery worker, a full-time groundskeeper and two police officers.
“It’s everywhere,” he said.
Hummer added that the staff shortage will not impact township services.
“No, we won’t let it. We’ll work through it,” he said. “We’ll share the work. We’ve been through tornadoes and the pandemic, we’ve been through everything. We’ll get it figured out.”
In other business, Hummer introduced new police officer Jonathan Schmidlin, a former Walbridge police officer.
Another Walbridge officer, Jeremy Salaz, has decided to stay with the village force, Hummer said. Salaz and Schmidlin were hired earlier in the month by the township.
Trustee Chairman Ken Gilsdorf was absent.
Also at the meeting, the board:
• Heard a complaint about lights in the Crosswoods subdivision. Some are on during the day and others seems to be in disrepair. Hummer said he would alert Toledo Edison.
• Approved estimated revenues for 2023 of $4.1 million.
• Approved spending $9,955 to Fire Apparatus Service Technicians LLC, Florida, for bumper-to-bumper inspections and repairs on two fire units. The specialized-use equipment are used for truck fires and grass fires, said fire Chief Bruce Moritz.
• Accepted a Priority One EMS Grant of $710 from the Ohio Department of Public Safety. Moritz said it’s funded through seatbelt fines. The department usually receives $3,000 more than this, he added.
• Voted to pay $1,136 to P&R Communications, Dayton, for eight batteries used by the fire department in portable radios.
• Accepted the resignation of Bob Tober, a part-time EMS employee.
• Appointed Steve Poiry to the board of zoning appeals for a five-year term.
• Heard an update on the blocked crossings around the township from resident Marvin Burns. He said that the situation had been improving, but crossings are now back to 20-40 hours a week blocked.
• Heard June department reports. Police made four arrests and issued eight citations. Fire and EMS had 121 runs, which include three fire and 101 EMS runs; 83% of the runs are EMS. The cemetery had 16 burials and three cremations. Zoning collected $750 and issued seven permits.
• Changed the next meeting from Aug. 2 to Aug. 3 due to the primary election.
