By Brett Milam
Editor
Dunkin’ Donuts is relocating to Eastgate, Gold Star Chili is being remodeled, and more were discussed at the Union Township Board of Trustees meeting on April 8.
In the first of two public hearings, the Board heard an improvements request for the remodeling of Gold Star Chili on 4620 Aicholtz Road.
Cory Wright, planning and zoning director, said Gold Star is going to add a new design on the exterior of the building and add additional square footage.
One of the items commented on from the zoning department is moving the dumpster to the back (it’s currently near the street) and providing an enclosure to improve the aesthetic.
Steve Schlagbaum, facilities project manager for Gold Star, explained that Gold Star is rebranding all of its stores through remodeling and expanding its menu to include burgers and shakes again. The extra menu items necessitate more equipment and thus, interior accomodation.
Part of the exterior update also includes introducing new awnings.
Schlagbaum said they also aren’t looking to fix the two pole signs just yet because of how expensive that cost is, around $15,000 to $17,000. The parking lot will be repaired and restriped, however.
John McGraw, township trustee, said their goal is to move toward monument signage, which is a trend at the moment. That’ll be something Gold Star can do down the road, though.
“We’re happy to see the investment being made here,” he added.
Trustees approved the zoning improvement request.
The next hearing regarding Dunkin Donuts’ new development request at 850 Eastgate North Drive, brought forth by the Gilligan Company.
Wright said it would be a 2,300 square foot building, with two points of access.
“It’s kind of a neat looking building, it’s a modern building,” he said.
Pat Gilligan, the applicant, said they operate 36 Dunkin’ Donuts currently and this is a new prototype building, with a double drive-through operation to allow for more traffic to go in and out.
He said they can fit almost 20 cars on site in the drive-through.
This is part of a relocation effort from the current location connected to the Shell Gas Station on Elick Lane.
Trustees approved the new development request.
In other news from the meeting …
Ken Geis, township administrator, explained that the township had originally estimated the 2021 Roadway Resurfacing project would be about $600,000, but the bid from John R. Jurgensen Company came in at $512,614.
However, Geis explained that on the purchase order, it’s still going to say $600,000 to allow for any contingencies and if there are other roads the township could do.
The township also received a $10,000 grant for the resurfacing of the tennis courts, with the total cost to do that project coming in at under $50,000. There is also talk of repurposing one of the courts as a pickleball court. Geis said they could get four courts in there in late spring and early summer.
Those tennis courts are located at Veteran’s Memorial Park, 906 Clough Pike.
Trustees also passed a resolution ordering vacation of a portion of Clepper Lane and petitioned for such action by the Clermont County Board of County Commissioners. Doing so frees up that portion of road from township records and would disperse it among adjacent property owners, Geis explained.
For the fire department, Geis said there is a purchase order for a bariatric cot, which is an ambulance cot for stability during bariatric patient transport, and it’s something he said isn’t available in the region.
“We see an increased need for that and when there’s a need, it’s an extreme need for that,” Geis said, adding it can be used for firstline service. “These things are made to be used every day.”
It would also be available for mutual aid in other parts of Clermont County and Hamilton County.
Stan Deimling, fire chief, explained in addition to the weight capacity, there’s also wider capacity; so, even ones where the weight isn’t an issue, there’s still a problem transporting them.
“It’s problematic when you put them on a standard cot now, even with the lower weight, where you turn a corner or something, you stand a chance of somebody rolling off the cot,” he said.
The Stryker power pro bariatric cot costs $18,700.
Geis also talked about the issue of Old Barg Salt Run Road, regarding a piece of pavement that’s been “under contention” as to whether it’s a road, a township road or a Ohio Department of Transportation road and right-of-way.
He said it’s not a township road for as long he’s been around.
There’s about 100-feet of road under contention. Geis said since there was never any classification of that part of the road, he said they asked the county about potentially classifying it as part of Barg Salt Run Road and making it township property.
ODOT does have control over 183-feet or right-of-way in front of the 100-feet of pavement, for which Geis asked about transferring that to the township to maintain. ODOT would agree to that if the township maintained the road.
To get that area up to speed, in terms of paving the road, would be under $20,000, Geis said.
McGraw said he thinks the township is obligated to help the residents in the area by maintaining the road, so they can get in and out of their homes, and they can get a fire truck or an ambulance down the road. And the cost seems “relatively affordable.”
He would like to see the township formally request ODOT to transfer the right-of-way to them, but keep it as a Barg Salt Run Road address.