By unanimous vote, Boardman Trustees Larry Moliterno, Tom Costello and Brad Calhoun approved a resolution banning the tethering a family pets outdoors in an inhumane manner.
      By resolution, Trustees ordered that “No person shall negligently allow a dog to be tethered outdoors for a total of more than six hours in a 24-hour period and for not more than two consecutive hours without at least an hour between tetherings.”
      Township Administrator, Jason Loree, told Trustees that resolution is modeled after a bill currently before the Ohio House of Representatives, noting “It made a lot of sense to look into this.”
      Loree and Trustee Moliterno noted the resolution was prompted by concerns expressed by several resident, led by Marty Krompegel.
      “I have never had such an outreach,” Loree said of the residents’ concerns. Loree said the resolution had been approved by the township home-rule attorney.
      According to the resolution, pets cannot be tethered outside for more than six hours at a time “If a heat or cold advisory or a severe weather warning has been issued by the national weather service for the area in which the dog is kept or harbored.”
      The resolution will monitor the length of tethers (leashes), whether a dog touches a fence or crosses a property line, prohibits ‘choke-type’ collars, and mandates dogs be kept in sanitary conditions “that is free of an accumulation of feces or other waste, insect or rodent infestation,” or in places where there is a foul odor.
      The resolution defines tethers as “a rope, chain, cord, dog run or pulley, or similar restraint for holding an animal in place that allows a radius in which the animal can move about.”
      The resolution defines outdoors as “the dog is not being tethered inside a house or principal building. The term “outdoors” includes a dog tethered inside an accessory building, a porch (open or closed), a breezeway, a garage, and a carport.”
      Ten people in attendance at the meeting, applauded the move by the Trustees.
      Persons found guilty of not following guidelines can be fined, per day, up to $100.
      Road Superintendent Larry Wilson told Trustees due to mild winter weather to date, that he expects the township’s current supply of salt to last for the rest of the winter.
      Fire Chief Mark Pitzer said the fire department’s ladder truck has been returned from Florida and is back in service. The truck, purchased at a cost of nearly $1 million, two years ago, had broken down no less than four times. Repairs were completed at no cost to the township.
      Pitzer said his department’s $400,000 new engine truck is expected to be in service by the end of March. That truck will replace an engine truck that was totaled last year when it slid off an icy Shields Rd., near West Blvd. The replacement truck is being funded by an insurance claim.