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Weathersfield administrator plans to retire
By Mary Smith
MINERAL RIDGE
David Pugh, Weathersfield Township’s administrator, zoning inspector and road-department superintendent, has tendered his resignation for retirement purposes, effective June 1, 2013.
Pugh will continue to work until Jan. 31, 2013, to use up remaining sick days and vacation time.
Weathersfield trustees moved to accept his resignation Tuesday.
Pugh, who has been with the township since the mid-1980s, is also a former trustee.
Trustees on Tuesday initiated a program called the Heaton Initiative, a coordinated effort to restore property values and make progress to eliminate or to get restored about 10 houses causing blight in the neighborhood.
The Heaton neighorhood, also known as Heaton Chute, is between North Road and state Route 169. It is north of Niles and borders Howland on the north on DeForest Road.
Trustee chairman Steve Gerberry said trustees passed a resolution declaring the initiative to show that they intend to try to work on blight in the community, with about 10 houses that are in need of repair, one of which already has been tagged for demolition.
The plan includes trying to revitalize the business district along Route 169 and attempting to address septic and drainage issues for the estimated 100 homes and small businesses in the area.
Gerberry said the area does not have sewer lines, so residents have septic systems, and there are drainage problems with ditches. Trustees plan to work with other county, state and federal agencies to find solutions to the neighborhood’s problems. “We’re trying to get the neighborhood back to what it used to be,” Gerberry said.
Trustees also formally accepted Donna as a full-time police dog. Part-time Patrolman David Blosser, who raises dogs, has donated both Donna and the current part-time police dog, Vito, to the department.
A donation of $1,000 for the police department and the canine unit was accepted from All American USA Taxi of Warren. Trustees moved to participate in the shared service of the Roadway Use and Maintenance Agreement (RUMA) coordinator with the Trumbull County Engineer’s Office. The coordinator will coordinate, monitor and administer the effects and needed repairs to roadways of all horizontal drilling and fracking of gas wells within the township.
The township has adopted the same standards for repair of roadways after use by companies drilling wells as the county.
The township is joining with other participating townships and municipalities to pay half of the coordinator’s salary, and the county will pay the rest. Estimates are that it will cost the township $1,743.81 a year.
That cost may be reduced if Niles and McDonald, which are located in the township, agree to participate. Then, they also would pay a share of the costs.