Dear Editor and Perry Township residents:

Another special Perry Township Board Meeting was called for June 19 to approve the payment of bills in progress, as their checks had been signed by our late fiscal officer. After approving the payments, the trustees went onto other issues.

Among these, the trustees gave our part-time hire, Jerry Tuttle, a dollar an hour or about 9 percent raise, bringing his pay to $12.50 an hour. Mr. Tuttle maintains the cemeteries and mows the township’s and some private lots in New Martinsburg. I gave my opinion that the recent raise for our part-time employee who mows the roads was excessive for our small rural township and requested that the pay rate be reconsidered next year. I noted the total compensation that includes the township’s 14 percent payment for OPERS retirement as well as the $18 hourly rate was over $20 an hour. I informed that I had emailed some townships in Franklin County requesting their pay scale for part-time cemetery and road employees with replies generally within the $10 to $13 range.

The trustees said that the $18 an hour rate is justified as the employee uses a tractor with both an arm and a bush hog, cutting twice as much in one sweep. Also, they don’t have to pay a tree trimming company, as this is done when he mows. Trustee Dusty Smith brought up the fence property line issue on Fishback Road, informing that the other property owner is responsible for one half of the fence. The trustees agreed to view this fence situation before the next meeting and then get together with the county prosecutor about it.

Janet Anderson

Perry Township resident