News
April 19th Ohio EPA informational meeting
Wednesday April 19th there will be an informational meeting at the township hall, 17109 Avon Belden Road with the Ohio EPA regarding the approved permit for a tree farm.
The meeting will start at 6pm.
Below is the email from the EPA that was sent out to residents:
Good morning. Grafton Township residents and others have contacted Ohio EPA to express concern about a Quasar biosolid facility in Grafton Township. Multiple public meeting requests were sent to Ohio EPA. In response to these requests, Ohio EPA will host an information session Wednesday, April 19 at 6:00 – 8:30 pm regarding the plan approved for Quasar for a tree farm. The location of the meeting will be the Grafton Township Hall at 17109 State Route 83, Grafton, OH. The agenda for the meeting will include a presentation about the plan approved for a tree farm. After the presentation, a question-and-answer session will be held about the plan approved for a tree farm.
If you have questions about the format or the agenda of the information session, please contact Lisa Cochran, lisa.cochran@epa.ohio.gov. Thank you.
Lisa Cochran
Public Information Officer
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Public Interest Center – Northeast Office
614-644-2160
NOPEC Aggregations Meetings schedule
Over the next couple of weeks, eligible residents and small businesses will be receiving enrollment letters for NOPEC'S electric and/or gas aggregations. The images below contain additional information on the meetings, along with a list of dates and times for virtual and in-person informational presentations where questions can be addressed.
Info sessions for homeowners
Find out about the new operation and maintenance program for home sewage treatment systems (HSTS). The images below contain information on attending an info session with Lorain County Public Health.
November 8th Trustee meeting rescheduled
Since our regular scheduled meeting falls on voting day - we rescheduled the meeting for the following Tuesday, November 15th, at 6pm.
Historic Preservation Talk
On Saturday, November 12th, at 2:00 p.m., historic preservationist Kelsey Sizemore will speak to us about historic preservation & our one-room schoolhouse among other topics.
The program will be held at the Grafton Township hall, which is located at 17109 Avon Belden Road (State Route 83). Refreshments will be provided by the Belden Historical Society. We look forward to the presentation & to seeing you there.
Grafton Township Fall Flea Market
Please mark your calendars for the Grafton Township Fall Flea Market to be held on October 1st from 9am to 2pm. Where – right next to the fire station at 17109 Avon Belden Road. Whether you are hosting a sale or looking for treasure, join your neighbors on October 1st. For more information please visit:
https://www.facebook.com/events/437069758347789
Searchable Cemetery Records
Grafton Township is pleased to announce that Belden Cemetery burial information is digitally available on Grafton Township's Cemetery webpage:
https://www.graftontwp.us/belden-cemetery
There are options to search by name or to scroll through the available information.
If you have any questions or information to share about Belden Cemetery &/or individuals buried there, please contact the Cemetery Sexton at 440-370-0471
Electric & Natural Gas Aggregation with NOPEC
We partnered with NOPEC in 2015 on natural gas aggregation. In 2021 we partnered with them on electric aggregation. Previously, FirstEnergy / Ohio Edison / Energy Harbor was our electric aggregation partner.
Why NOPEC? They offer transparency with no-risk terms & conditions & no early termination fees. NOPEC is a non-profit organization who works to guard against unfair charges & policies & invests in member communities.
NOPEC worked closely with the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel Office negotiating a settlement with FirstEnergy Ohio utilities due to earnings that exceeded the “significant excessive earnings” test. That resulted in FirstEnergy Ohio agreeing to refund $306 million to its Ohio customers. It is the largest utility refund to customers in Ohio history. Consumers will receive an average of $85.71 in FirstEnergy utility refunds spread out over 4 years. NOPEC also worked with other consumer advocates to reduce a proposed natural gas transmission rate increase by Columbia Gas.
Unlike FirstEnergy, NOPEC is a non-profit organization whose board is composed of members from participating communities. Instead of pocketing profits, they reinvest in their member communities via grant opportunities, Wild Winter Lights at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, & other events. Their two primary grants are the Energized Community & Community Event Sponsorships grants.
Over the years we have used the Community Event Sponsorships grants to support the Grafton Township Fire Department’s pancake breakfasts, dumpster days, & Helping Hands Food Pantry. The Energized Community grant has been used primarily to transition from fluorescent lighting to LED lighting, which is more efficient & economical. It also has been used to insulate the road & maintenance garage.
In an unpredictable energy market, NOPEC is focused on consistently delivering market-competitive rates verses other retail options & price stability to flatten out dramatic price swings & minimize rate volatility for their customers. Additionally, NOPEC offers more pricing options than any other aggregator & the flexibility to move within the NOPEC options without fees or penalties so customers can choose the plan that works for them. For instance, some residents may be more comfortable on the monthly variable rate which is always 6% off Ohio Edison’s “Price to Compare” or $0.02 per mcf off the Columbia Gas rate. Residents can switch easily by calling NOPEC’s customer service line at 855-667-3201. NOPEC’s pricing won't always be the lowest at any given point in time. However, they are committed to delivering savings over time. They strive to deliver competitive pricing that is among the lowest 3% - 5% of current retail market prices as listed on the PUCO’s Apples-to-Apples price comparison website.
If you have any questions, please contact NOPEC’s Customer Care Center at
855-667-3201
Notes:
-
Residents can opt out or join at any time without penalty.
-
Some residents do not have natural gas service.
-
Residents with Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative are outside the service area for electric aggregation as members of cooperatives are not eligible.
Waterways & Cemetery Cleanup
Waterways
Please ensure waterways (e.g., ditches, creeks, etc.) on your property are not blocked by debris (natural or otherwise). It is important that water can flow. Blockages on one property can affect other properties including roads.
Cemetery Cleanup During Mowing Season
During the mowing season, grave decorations that are not affixed to monuments will be removed approximately two weeks after each holiday. This includes but is not limited to plant hooks, solar lights, plastic flowers, etc. An item located next to a head/footstone prevents the mowers from mowing over the stone, leads to weed whacking, & creates extra work. If there are decorations you would like to keep, please pick them up a week after the holiday. Easter decorations will be removed on or before May 15th.
Grafton Township News
January 2022 Edition
Grafton Township News – January 2022 Edition is now available!
Grafton Township friends: Please take a minute to sign up for Lorain County’s Emergency Notification System. Currently all land-lines are loaded, but you can register cell phones, work phones, or other numbers where you might want to receive a notification. You can choose the medium that should be used ( call, text, or SMS) and block any hours when you do not wish to be contacted. You can also choose to receive notifications that are sent to the entire county or pick certain areas only or both. (This may come in handy if you have relatives in other areas of the county).
Trustee's Meeting
The Board of Trustee’s regular meeting is scheduled for the second Tuesday of the month starting at 7pm at the town hall. Special meetings are held as needed.
Grafton Township News – March/April 2021 Edition
Hall Rentals
Our town hall is available to be rented. Please visit this link for information & photographs. For additional information, please call Bob Richards at 440-387-2498.