Dear Editor and Perry Township residents:

At the April 9 board meeting, our Perry Township Trustees addressed several concerns brought up by residents. A New Martinsburg property owner requested that a dead end alley off of Cross Road be cut down in the middle and ideally asphalted like the other alleys in the burg or graveled. The trustees agreed to cut the center out and gravel the alley. Instead of using the new truck for the work, the trustees will pay Jay Cockrill Concrete do the graveling. The project will be done within this week, weather permitting.

Two property owners on Barrett Road brought up an issue of many years about water flooding their properties whenever there is a significant amount of rain. The water drains from a field across Barrett Road onto their properties causing a general mess and flooding in a garage and crawl space. The residents reported that the 12 inch drain pipe on the other side of the road cannot handle all the water, and where the water does come out there is not a ditch line so the water just comes across the road. They requested that something be done with the ditch line across the road in order to divert the water to the newly reinstalled culvert and nearby creek. Trustee Dusty Smith informed that he had talked to the county engineers about the situation that very day and the county thought that if they dig out the ditch on one side of the road they should also do it on the other side. Smith explained that the county does not like to change stuff and the drain must have been put there for a purpose. The trustees informed that this part of Barrett Road is scheduled for paving during the summer, and Trustee Tom Chreachbaum stated that they will have the county look at the situation and go from there. Smith told the property owners that it will be a slow process.

Trustee Dick Wilson brought up a concern of a property owner on Washington-New Martinsburg Road. An abandoned roads runs on one side of his property to Barrett Road, once crossing a now nonexistent bridge across Walnut Creek. In searching records the property owner believes the road was last used in 1938. He requested that the trustees pass a motion declaring the road officially not used and unmaintained so that the county commissioners can follow through with the closing. The trustees passed such a motion.

Among other business the trustees approved the purchase of a 54-inch John Deer mower to be used for the cemeteries and the township’s and some private lots in New Martinsburg. The mower is being purchased from JD equipment for the price of $5,245 with trade-in.

Janet Anderson

Perry Township resident