WEATHERSFIELD Trustees OK copy contract

A trustee may still ask for a ruling on a possible Sunshine Law violation.
MINERAL RIDGE -- Weathersfield Township trustees have approved a five-year contract with a copying company by a 2-1 vote.
Trustee John Vogel, however, questioned whether two trustees had earlier violated Ohio's Sunshine Law when they reconsidered a current contract for copying.
Vogel voted against the contract with ComDocInc., Girard, on Tuesday.
Under the previous contract, ComDoc had a four-year pact to provide and maintain copiers for the township at a rate of $296 a month. The company suggested that because there was one copier that was malfunctioning frequently, the township should consider an upgrade to newer technology and new copiers.
Under the new contract, all three copiers will be replaced. Two are used at the township building, and one is used at the Mineral Ridge Fire Station.
Trustees approved a one-week trial of the new copiers last month.
Solicitor: No violation
Vogel asked to have the ComDoc contract tabled, but his motion died for lack of a second. He asked to have the issue removed from the agenda, and said he wanted a written comment from the law director whether the legislation is legal or if it had been "poisoned" because he had claimed that Trustees Fred Bobovnyk and James Stoddard had met together without public notice, which is contrary to the state's open-meeting law, and decided to go with the ComDoc offer.
A memo was put out Feb. 1 by Bobovnyk to trustees to authorize township administrator Dave Pugh to proceed with a new contract with ComDoc.
Township solicitor William Roux said then and repeated Tuesday that there was no violation of the Sunshine Law. Bobovnyk said previously there was no pre-arranged meeting of the two trustees to discuss the matter and no action had been taken.
Vogel said he may refer the matter to the Ohio Attorney General's Office for consideration or may go to the county prosecutor. He said that if he went to the prosecutor, he would have to secure an attorney and that he would be entitled to reimbursement for the attorney's fees, which would cost the township money.
Drainage upgrade
In other business:
U Bobovnyk announced there will be no spring cleanup this year.
U The township received word that the Trumbull County Planning Commission has rejected a request to vacate St. Mary's Drive at the end, after trustees had approved a resolution for the vacation. Atty. William Roux, solicitor, said the county has jurisdiction over the matter.
U Trustees approved using LightGov Co. for any online auctions of Weathersfield Township property, with Vogel voting no. The contract will cost $300 plus a 6 percent commission on any sales made for the township. Vogel said he finds no substantial benefit in using LightGov.
U Trustees designated $18,715 in township matching funds for the state Issue 2 project for Oakview Drive drainage upgrade. The total project cost will be $60,000. Pugh said, but the township's match will include $9,000 in in-kind services reducing the cash outlay to just over $9,000.