Sheriff's office asks commissioners to clear safety risk at Coit Road training site; Lakeside Sand & Gravel offers free grading and parking work

A representative of the Portage County Sheriff's Office told the Board of Commissioners on June 5 that standing water and an overgrown embankment beside the county training center on Coit Road create a safety hazard and limit safe parking and vehicle maneuvering.

The sheriff's representative said Lakeside Sand & Gravel volunteered at no cost to remove overgrowth, expand an informal parking area, grade the slope and install warning signs; the company also offered to make the water feature more visible for public safety and to support possible training by the Portage County dive team.

Why it matters: County staff said the maintenance and grading would reduce liability and improve access during multi‑agency training. The site sits adjacent to Lakeside Sand & Gravel property, and the sheriff's office said a shared drive and large equipment operating in a s‑curve on Coit Road create a collision and pedestrian risk.

County staff asked for plans and a site diagram before authorizing work. The sheriff's office speaker requested coordination with county engineering staff to ensure the proposed grading would not interfere with any plant infrastructure; an engineer present asked for a diagram and said staff would review and turn it around quickly.

At the meeting the sheriff's presenter said Lakeside Sand & Gravel was "willing to, at no cost, fix the make the parking area bigger, dig up the berm along Coit Road just on our property, make the parking lot better" and remove overgrown trees and foliage.

Next steps: The sheriff's office was directed to send an email with a site diagram and a summary of the proposed work; county engineers will review the plan. Commissioners indicated staff would prepare a brief resolution to authorize review and return the item to the agenda the following week for formal action if reviews are clear.