SOUTHINGTON Gazebo funding meeting planned

A committee is raising money to build a gazebo at the park.
By MARY LEE THORNDIKE
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
SOUTHINGTON -- Township trustees announced that there will be a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the township building on development of Southington Community Park.
Don Strock, chairman of the park committee, has noted previously that his mother, Elda Strock, who passed away recently, donated the "seed money" for a gazebo in the park. Now the committee must raise additional money to build the gazebo.
One way it is doing this, Strock said, is by selling bricks at $40 each for the walk around the gazebo. Those who purchase bricks can then have names engraved on them in honor of loved ones. Applications will be available later from Strock to spell out what is to go on the bricks.
Also, Strock said, the committee is considering putting names on the backs of benches that will be built along the walks. Trustees granted Strock permission to allow Boy Scouts to build the benches as an Eagle Scout project.
Emergency runs: In other business at the trustees' recent meeting, Fire Chief Tom Strock reported that the department responded to 16 emergency medical runs during March, 14 traffic accidents, one structure fire and one brush fire.
Strock also said he has one laptop computer and needs another one, as well as up-to-date firehouse software for them. He noted that he would use one laptop on runs such as house fires to check for hazards and where to shut off the gas or oil.
Also Southington's fire chief and Champion's fire chief have different interpretations of Ohio Environmental Protection Agency's open burning regulations. Champion's chief has said open burning is banned, except for cooking. Chief Strock said open burning is permitted under certain other circumstances, too. Contractors, for instance, can get permits to burn certain debris.
Anyone who needs to burn brush or scrap wood should consult Chief Strock before burning. Also, open burning is allowed for cooking, he said.