Teamsters will represent road department

NEW SPRINGFIELD -- The township road department has been recognized as a Teamsters bargaining unit by Springfield Township trustees.
The two-man road department has been fighting for union recognition for more than three years. The department consists of road superintendent Richard Kennedy and assistant Eric Mace.
Trustee Chairman Jim Holleran said Wednesday that the next step is to begin contract discussions with the men.
Kennedy and Mace said they needed a union to protect their jobs in the politicized atmosphere of Springfield Township.
In other business:
UTrustees approved spending $7,596 to send up to six members of the township fire department to the Fire Department Instructor's Course in Indianapolis.
UHolleran agreed to determine what Walter McKinney's status is on the township recycling department. McKinney had resigned as full-time recycling coordinator but said he had never resigned the part-time recycling coordinator post he held.
UGerald Guterba took his seat as the newest trustee. Guterba is a fifth-generation farmer in the township. He has worked as a bus driver for the Springfield Local Schools for 29 years, serves on the Mahoning County Vocation School Agriculture Department advisory board, and has been on the Mount Olivet Church Council for 14 years.