Your trustees

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Taking care of business

Overseeing the business of Washington Township is in the hands of  Trustees Steve Kimes, Paul DelPuppo, Mort DeHoff, and Clerk Jimmy Jones.  From left above are Jones, DeHoff, Kimes and DelPuppo.

Steve Kimes, of 15811 Cenfield St. N.E., can be reached at (330) 821 0588.

Paul Del Puppo lives at 8701 Byrd Ave. N.E. and can be reached at (330) 823 1791.

Mort DeHoff, of 16227 Bowman Rd., Homeworth, has been a trustee since 1980.  He can be reached at (330) 823 1455.

Jimmy Jones lives at 13110 Easton St. N.E. and can be reached at 821 0568.

Grassroots government

"Township government is the most basic there is," said  Kimes,.  "It is grassroots."

Kimes said that while the population has remained stable over the years, different problems have evolved.

"The number of people in the township has remained relatively constant at about 4,800, but households are smaller and there are more dwellings, move pavement and  more drainage problems," he said.

Powers set by law 

DelPuppo was quickly initiated to the fact that "What trustees can do is set by state law.  We have no power to make laws. They told us 'do your roads, cemeteries, parks and the fire department. That's all you can do.'"

Whatever the problems and whatever the powers, DeHoff said township government "provides our constituents a better handle on how to get to us. We are easy to reach and I think you get a better response."

He said that over the years, townships are "facing more sophisticated problems, more demands," but there has not been a corresponding increase in the power of the township to do anything.  Even though trustees remain accessible, "A lot of people don't care about something until it happens to them."

Using resources well

Jones said trustees "are limited in what they can do. They have to make do with the resources they have. I think they handle the money well. They don't spend it foolishly."

People supportive

Despite problems and lack of power, DeHoff said "People are very supportive. We haven't lost a levy.  The people here are very supportive. I think that is because they feel we have done a decent job of spending their money."

Roads, ditches and rights of way are the central concerns of township government, Kimes said.

DeHoff said the Washington Township road program has eliminated almost all the dirt roads in the township. "There is less than one mile of unpaved road left.  Every street that has someone living on it has been paved."

Preventing problems

DeHoff also said the township maintains an equipment replacement schedule that heads off increasing maintenance costs as equipment ages.  "We replace equipment in a timely manner and we don't ask for much."

Kimes believes trustees enjoy support at the ballot box at levy time "because we are frugal," and DelPuppo agrees.  He said Kimes has earned the nickname "Squeaky" and DeHoff  is called "Uptight,"  Kimes said he treats township finances "like my own checkbook."

DeHoff believes the greatest portion of township officials' time will be the "continuing need to work with the subdivision - Alliance - as it seeks expansion."

A 'bedroom community'

According to Kimes, most residents want their township "to stay a bedroom community" and  to maintain "the quality of life they have become accustomed to."

DeHoff said "The less development, the better we can do with our money.  If we can protect the integrity of the township then I think we are doing our job, and by that I mean maintaining a certain amount of agricultural land."

Keeping a finger on the pulse of the township is done in various ways, not only in person, but at the meetings.  "We have a public speaks session at first, and at the end we say 'does anybody else have anything?' We give them every opportunity."

'They keep us on our toes'

Sometimes simple questions like "Why did you buy a caterpillar? That's the most expensive brand there is" need complicated answers about judging the reliability or service, or previous experience, or guarantees, but "They keep us on our toes," DeHoff said.