ST. CLAIR TOWNSHIP — Officer John Shaughnessy, St. Clair Township Police Department, was giving approval during Monday’s meeting of the St. Clair Township Board of Trustees to attend a six-week K9 training program at the Vaness K9 Training Academy in Canton.

Once his training is complete, Shaughnessy will be K9 officer and handler for K9 Rebel, who was formerly with Officer Keith Hildebrandt.

During the meeting, the trustees also approved Chief Brian McKenzie’s request for the annual renewal of Lexipol for the police department. The renewal will run from March 1, 2025, through Feb. 28, 2026.

The trustees noted that McKenzie is currently in discussion with Chief John Lane, East Liverpool Police Department, regarding the dispatch contract between the departments. East Liverpool police dispatchers currently dispatch for St. Clair Township Police Department in addition to their own department and the East Liverpool Fire Department.

There was no one for public speaking and no old business to discuss.

For new business, the trustees approved a resolution for the OPERS Conversion Plan and contracts with Everbrite Sweeping Company and Grace Service Weed Control.

The OPERS Conversation is an annual approval which allows the township to pay employees in lieu of vacation time.

The Everbrite Sweeping contract is for street sweeping services in the township at a cost of $175 an hour, with the township providing a place to dump what they clean up and source of water for cleaning.

The Grace Service Weed Control contract is for a cost of $3,100, an increase over the 2024 price of $2,700, and will cover weed control along the guide rails on Annesley Road, Cannons Mill Road, Bell School Road, Old Fredericktown Road, McGuffey Drive, McCoy Avenue, Ashland Place, Christian Place, Grimms Bridge Road, Hill Avenue, Irish Ridge Road, Westfield Road and Rip Rap in ditch and hillside on Birch Road.

Board President Robert Swickard said he had the list of proposed roads for the 2025 chip and seal program, and they would be sent to Road Foreman Scott Barrett to look over before being sent to the county to be determined at the county chip and seal meeting scheduled for March 11. Swickard noted that the roads proposed were in the Glenmoor area.

Swickard also acknowledged Sheri Liebschner, artist, who has donated some of her watercolor paintings for a fundraiser and provided one to the township to hang in the administration building.

Swickard also said that with the St. Clair Big Lots closing, trustees would soon be having to hold a discussion on that and the impacts it would have.

Fiscal Officer Deborah Dawson said that she received the first invoice in the amount of $84,757.71 for the Midland Fredericktown Road slip repair and would forward that on to Ohio Works for payment.

The trustees approved payment for purchase orders totaling $32,418.89, blanket certificates totaling $30,011.31 and bills totaling $108,823.25.

Township offices will be closed on Feb. 17 in observance of President’s Day.

The St. Clair Township Board of Trustees meets every other Monday at 4 p.m. at the township administration building, 15442 Pugh Road, Calcutta. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 24.