Julie Brown, Special Writer
“It's really important that we acknowledge all the people” helping, said Christopher Stoecklein, Canton director of fire services. For those who made appointments, all now at least age 65, he urged them to show up no more than 10 minutes before their appointment, and for those without appointments to stay home.
Township Supervisor Anne Marie Graham-Hudak, at the Canton Board of Trustees meeting Feb. 23, thanked Wayne County Commissioner Melissa Daub for her help with the vaccination clinic. Canton appointments were made for inoculations Feb. 25-26.
In other business during the Feb. 23 meeting, trustees unanimously approved purchase of 10 Dell laptop computers at a cost of $22,840.40. The purchase will be paid using drug forfeiture funds.
Canton Director of Police Services Chad Baugh said the computers will provide a level of security in the department.
“It's based on the security of the computer. There's a lot of information that flows through” on Courts and Law Enforcement Management Information Systems, commonly called CLEMIS,” he said.
Trustees also heard a presentation on future landscape architecture in the township from Jade Smith, director of Municipal Services. He noted Canton will be mostly built up in about 10 years and outlined key components of using an outside firm for landscape architecture and its planning.
Cost savings likely will follow, Smith said.
Trustees also heard from Beth Meade, Canton Community Foundation president, and Laura Mortier, a township recreation specialist, about the Canton Cares Fund. Mortier chairs the advisory council and explained the fund was founded in 2017 and works with youth, veterans, and seniors, among others.
Mortier described an older woman in a home without running water, an impetus to form Canton Cares. Donors get tax breaks because it's through the foundation” that they give money, she explained.
The Police/Fire Awards are also presented through the foundation, and Mortier said she believes it matters “to have some sort of township representation on the board. It doesn't have to be me.”
Members of the board of trustees recently OK’d reappointments to the advisory council for the Canton Cares Fund which has also funded scholarships to youths who've worked as election inspectors, which Clerk Michael Siegrist said helped in recruiting help, especially when older adults have COVID-19 fears.
Meade said the goal had been to raise $46,000 a year. That has fallen short, but she showed financials including reserves of nearly $31,000.
“We feel this has been a really successful program,” she said.
Both Graham-Hudak and Trustee Steven Sneideman praised the presentation by Meade and Mortier. “I would like to look it over again,” agreed Trustee Kate Borninski, in requesting a copy.
