Purchase of new truck gives township 8 plows for winter

Third time's a charm, at least for Perrysburg Township maintenance supervisor Kraig Gottfried, whose third request to buy a new dump and plow truck got the go ahead Wednesday.

Trustees at their regular meeting unanimously approved purchase of a 2013 vehicle from Stoops Freightliner in Dayton for $133,507, a request they had denied twice before because of concerns about tapping the general fund.

The new vehicle will replace the 1997 dump truck that has an array of gremlin-like problems, including lights that go on and off at whim and a screaming hydraulic issue, Mr. Gottfried has said.

He estimated for the board the costs of repairs, which included $2,850 to patch and paint the dump box, $6,417 to replace the hydraulic system, and $1,700 to replace the brakes. Labor to just diagnose what the electrical problem might be would be $102 an hour, he said.

Trustee Craig LaHote said he had hoped to defer purchase of a new vehicle for another year but agreed that the cost of repairs, which totaled almost $11,000 not including any electrical work, was prohibitive for a vehicle that is currently worth about $12,000.

Purchase of the new truck will give the township a fleet of eight plows for winter.

Christine Griffin, of Toledo, has been hired as the new police and fire dispatcher for Perrysburg Township. THE BLADE/REBECCA CONKLIN KLEIBOEMER Enlarge | Buy This Photo

In other matters, Police Chief Mark Hetrick introduced to trustees the township's new police and fire dispatcher, Christine Griffin, of Toledo. Her hiring was approved by a 3-0 vote.

"We were impressed ... with her enthusiasm for joining our township team," trustee Robert Mack said.

Ms. Griffin will begin employment Oct. 22 at $20.50 an hour.

In other business, trustees approved by 3-0 votes:

- The hiring of Andrew Vasick for part-time employment in the fire and EMS department for $18 an hour, and increased the department's blanket purchasing order for medical supplies by $5,000.

- Renewal of a contract with Code Red emergency communications network for $4,958.40.

- A blanket purchase order of $500 for the recreation department to build recycle bins for plastic containers.

Contact Rebecca Conklin Kleiboemer at rconklin@theblade.com or 419-356-8786.