C o n t i n u i n g To P r o u d l y S e r v e C a r r o l l C o u n t y S i n c e 1 8 3 1 $1.00
Thursday, August 22, 2019
freepressstandard.com
Sherrodsville Council discusses ambulance service By NANCY SCHAAR FPS Correspondent Sherrodsville Council unanimously agreed to receive free ambulance services from Regional Transit ambulance service owned by Joel Decker. Decker told council he will not charge any resident of Sherrodsville for emergency services during this time, until an agreement is reached with the vil-lage. Decker has sent a representative to several council meetings asking for them to approve his com-pany as the first ambulance to be called if there is a 911 call to the village. Currently, Bowerston is the first to be
called, then Smith Ambulance from Dover, then EMT Ambu-lance from Carrollton. Most calls for help today have a response time of about 45 to 50 minutes. Decker is asking for his company to lease the former building used for Sherrodsville EMS services. Decker proposed $1 a year for the lease. The Sherrodsville EMS squad is currently being disbanded and has not had any volunteers or answered any calls for help for a couple of years. Decker continues to ask council to give him the new squad that was received by the village 2 years ago with a FEMA grant. There is an older squad that Decker also wants to claim. He also asked for all the emergency training
gear and any squad related items, from bandages to other equipment. Village solicitor J. J. Ong and council members have told Decker’s representatives that he has sent to meetings that as a private company, the village is not allowed to give him the new squad. Mon-day was the first time Decker has actually attended a meeting of council. Decker lives in South Car-olina. Since the unit was purchased with FEMA grant funds the village is not permitted to sell it. The vil-lage can only donate it to another government entity or another village department. Ong said at the last meeting that Decker has repeatedly been told he is not getting the new squad and he con-tinues to think he is.
Council member Mike Booth again told Decker Monday night the village cannot and will not give him the new squad. And again, Booth explained why. Decker replied by saying he was certified by FEMA. But that didn’t change the law, according to Ong. Decker said his private company is IRS approved and have received their 501c3 status, so it is non-profit. But Decker also explained that his bus will be used to transport patients from area nursing homes to doctor or hospital appointments. Council again questioned who will answer calls in Sherrodsville when you are out on a transport. Decker replied, “Hopefully volunteers”. “I hope to help the community. I am
here to help. We want to provide service to the village. We will have a bus at Orange Township. So we have one on that side of the tracks and one here. We will keep our headquarters here and give the village income tax,” state Decker. Decker announced to council that he had agreements with both Orange Township trustees and Monroe Township trustees. “They signed it this morning,” said Decker referring to the agreement with Monroe trustees. The Free Press Standard questioned Decker about the Monroe Township agreement. A township trustee did attend county commissioners meeting on
See COUNCIL, PG. 3
Submitted Photo
Cedar Valley Cloggers entertain visitors with their energetic dances during the Great Trail Festival, held in Malvern. The group performs daily Aug. 24-25 and Aug. 31 and Sept. 1-2.
Great Trail Festival offers fun for two weekends
By NANCY SCHAAR FPS Correspondent
The Great Trail Festival is ready for another fun year for visitors. The festival will take place Saturday, Aug. 24 and Sunday, Aug. 25. The second weekend will include Labor Day. Dates are Saturday, Aug. 31, Sunday, Sept. 1 and Monday, Sept. 2. The festival grounds are located on state Route 43 near Malvern. Events begin each day at 10 a.m. and continues through 5 p.m. daily. Flag raising is held each day at 11 a.m. The five-day festival is located in a wooded area with plenty of buffalo grazing in the field nearby. Visitors can take a step backwards in time as the French and Indian era are re-created near the Great Indian Trail.
Featured are 18th century marketplaces with handmade items from that time period. Included are fine leatherwork, hand wrought pottery, fragrant herbals and florals and primitive folk art. Also available are fancy spinning, weaving, quilting, basketry, old fashioned soap making, candle making, woodworking, wood carvers, instrument makers, flint knappers, silversmiths, blacksmiths, and much more. Smell the wood smoke from open fires, taste many homemade treats such as ham and bean soup, johnnycake, buffalo burgers, Indian fry bread, hot apple dumplings, funnel cakes, copper kettle popcorn, roasted almonds, homemade nut rolls and pumpkin rolls, buffalo trail bologna, homemade ice cream and many more goodies. Across an old foot bridge visitors will find the Buckskin Rendezvous for fur trappers and blanket traders. Visitors
will find not only open campfire and the life from the 1700’s but there are also teepee lodges. The canon fires throughout the day. Activities are continuous throughout the festival. Also included are clog dancing, show fiddlers, and Scottish Pipers, complete with impressive kilt uniforms. On Monday, Sept. 2, the State of Ohio Tomahawk Throwing Championship is held at 1 p.m. The competition is held each year to name a state champion in an adult category and a youth category. Admission for adults is $6, youth are $4 and children under 10 are free. Acres of free parking are available and bus tours are welcome. Group rates are also available. No pets are permitted on the festival grounds. For information, call at 330-7949100 or www.greattrailfestival.com.
FPS Photo / Don Rutledge
A real first day of school for Carrollton kindergarteners
Tuesday, Aug. 20, was literally the first day of school for several kindergarteners. Charlee Omaits and Austin Newsome are shown in the above photo getting acquainted with Maggie Mapes, a substitute teacher, during a kindergarten assessment Tuesday at Carrollton elementary school. Charlee, who just turned six years of age Aug. 5, is a daughter of Ryan and Sarah Omaits of the Mechanicstown area and Austin, age 5, is a son of Andrew and Ember Newsome of the Carrollton area.
Commissioners informed of health project By NANCY SCHAAR FPS Correspondent Amy Campbell from the Carroll County General Health District informed county commissioners that they are seeking funding to do the 2019 Carroll County Community Health Assessment. “It is our responsibility to do an assessment every three years. We did one in 2013 and one in 2016 so it’s due now,” said Campbell. The grant that funded the specific project no longer exists so alternative funding is needed, according to Campbell. One company that provides that service was contacted and gave a quote of $54,000. Campbell contacted a second company called Center for Marketing and their charge is $16,000 for the same project but youth information is not provided. The company would charge an additional $4,000 to include
more inside
the youth survey. Director of Nursing Kelly Engelhart told commissioners that $13,500 was pledged from area sponsors, such as a community foundation and Aultman Hospital. Commissioner Jeff Ohler said commissioners certainly have an interest in this project. He asked them to return before the deadline of Aug. 31 for the program. Ohler said if more donations are needed perhaps they can help with a small amount. In other business commissioners: - LEARNED that the auditor’s office hours will be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sept. 11 and 12, due to informal hearings. - APPOINTED Sean Smith, Jeff Ohler and Rachel Rinkes to the Multi County Juvenile Attention System through December 31, 2024. - AGREED to send a letter of support for a grant application for Fox Township Volunteer Fire Department in order to purchase a new engine.
classified pg.11
- SIGNED a contract with 1st Choice Energy for diesel fuel for county vehicles through July 31, 2020. - APPROVED a lease with Com Doc for 60 months for a new photo copier for the commissioner’s office. -LEARNED the Carroll County Airport Authority Board had received funding the second part of a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration for Phase II of the wildlife fence project. - APPROVED right of way permits for Ohio Power for portions of Citrus Road and Avalon Road. - RECEIVED the dog pound report for Aug. 4-10 with seven impounded, six adopted out, zero redeemed, zero destroyed, four citations for no license and no citations for running at large. - ALSO received the dog pound report for Aug. 11-17 with five impounded, four adopted out, three redeemed, none destroyed, no citations for having no license and one citation for running at large.
obits pg. 4
FPS Photo / Nancy Schaar
Grand Marshalls for the Dellroy Festival Parade were Tzak Rainsberg and Kim Locker.
Dellroy Festival Parade is a winner with 50+ entries By NANCY SCHAAR FPS Correspondent Lots of kids took home a lot of candy from the Dellroy Festival Parade held Thursday, Aug. 15. With more than 50 entries in the pa-
opinion pg. 4
rade, there were lots of goodies being tossed their way. Grand Marshalls for the parade this year were Tzak Rainsberg and Kim Locker, both recovering from serious
sports pg. 8
See PARADE, PG. 2