Vol. XIV No. 1

Recycling Report

(5.01)	3.49		tons of various paper through the "ABITIBI Paper Retriever" program (program started in September 2008)
(4.4)	1.0		tons of aluminum cans
(22.1)	4.9		tons of bi-metal cans
(41.7)	9.2		tons of glass
(11.8)	2.6		tons of HDPE plastics
(9.5)	2.1		tons of PETE plastics
(94.1)	20.8		tons of newspapers
(15.0)	6.0		tons of scrap metal through the "dumpster" program
	25.0		tons of Yard Waste

Dumpster Days

Drop-Off Hours for Yard Waste!!

Compost & Wood Chips Available

Free compost and wood chips are available from the Township. If you are interested, contact John Szefcyk, Road Superintendent, at 988-5833.

Have a problem?  Complaint forms are available at the Township Hall, inside the white bulletin board, or may be downloaded from the Township’s website.

The Ronald McDonald House of Cleveland (RMH) is celebrating 30 years of caring and collaboration for kids and community. The mission of RMH is to support families whose children are receiving treatment at area medical centers by providing a homelike environment and essential resources and services.

You can help the families RMH serves by entering the “Home for Hope” raffle, which offers the chance to win “The Bradley II” home built by R. J. Perritt Homes. Visit the R.J. Perritt Homes website for a list of all 30 prizes to be raffled, as well as photos of the home’s construction as it progresses. “Rain Garden” storm water management system created to allow storm water to leave the site cleaner and at a slower rate.

The home is “Green Built” with state of the art NEOGBI certified features, including a “Straw Bail Wall”. Many local businesses have also contributed to the construction of this home.

As an added benefit to the community, R.J. Perritt Homes has teamed up with the Lorain County Joint Vocational School (LCJVS) under the supervision of master tradesmen to educate and provide some hands-on experience to construction students.

Amherst Township is planning to construct an extension of the existing walking path in the Amherst Township Park that will link the existing path to the Township’s Civil War era cemetery and the Workshop Players Theatre. This added length of trail way will improve outdoor recreational activities for the residents of Amherst Township and the surrounding area by facilitating access to the conserved natural area of the park, which is currently not accessible, including access for people with disabilities.

Planned additional lighting to the proposed extension will improve safety and accessibility for theater patrons, by allowing theater cast, crew members and patrons the option to access the township parking area through the trail linkage, thus allowing the Workshop Player Theatre to free up space at the theaters limited parking area. The freed up theater parking area will allow designation of reserve parking for people with disabilities, and will improve emergency service vehicles access to the theater.

Working in cooperation with the Funding Amherst Community Enhancement (F.A.C.E.) group, a non-profit organization chaired by Amherst Township resident Tom Hupman, and with grant writer Dr. Malcolm Peel, the township has applied for several grants. It is hoped that the successful grant awards will pay for the majority of this project’s costs and turn this dream into a reality. Cost estimates provided by the Lorain County Engineer’s Office for the proposed walkway, as well as resurfacing the parking lot and existing walkway, are $162,391.

The dark lines in the map below show the location of the new walking path. The existing walking path is located on the perimeter of the soccer and baseball fields. Upon completion there will be approximately 3/4-miles of walking paths in the Amherst Township Park.

F.A.C.E. Board of Directors: Tom Hupman, Richard Rice, Bill Poplar, Edie Tiller, Richard Barelka, and James Kantola.

Environmental Protection

With the coming of Spring, keep in mind that everyone has a stake in protecting and improving the environment in Amherst Township and the country. What each person can do, adds up to a large impact on healthier water. Start by using a few personal safeguards.

WHAT IS STORM WATER POLLUTION?

As Storm Water flows over driveways, lawns, and sidewalks, it picks up debris, chemicals, dirt, and other pollutants.

Storm Water can flow directly into a lake, stream, river, wetland, or coastal water. Anything that enters a Storm Sewer System is discharged untreated into the water bodies we use for swimming, fishing, and drinking water. Polluted runoff is the greatest threat to clean water!

By practicing healthy household habits, residents can keep common pollutants like pesticides, pet wastes, grass clippings, and automotive fluids off the ground and out of storm water.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? – STORMWATER

• Don’t over water your lawn.
• Use pesticides and fertilizers sparingly.
• Don’t dispose of household hazardous waste in sinks and toilets.
• Inspect your septic system every three years and have your tank pumped as necessary.
• Make sure rainwater from your property is properly traveling to the nearest storm drain or waterway.
• Compost or mulch yard wastes. Don’t leave it in the street or sweep it into storm drains or waterways such as streams or ditches.
• Cover piles of dirt or mulch used in landscaping projects.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? – SOLID WASTE REDUCTION

Visit the website for the Lorain County Solid Waste Department @ www.loraincounty.us/solidwaste for details on disposing of various waste items such as:

• Fluorescent Bulb & Ballast Recycling
• E-Scrap Recycling
• Household Hazard Waste Days
• Used Motor Oil Recycling
• Printer Cartridge Recycling Program
• Scrap Tire Disposal

Together we can make Amherst Township a Green and Clean Township!