Trustees agree to house county rescue boat if delivered and transfer township vehicles to fire inventory

The Brimfield Board of Trustees said this week it would accept a county-owned rescue boat at the township fire station if the vessel arrives, and approved transferring township vehicles to the fire department inventory.

A fire department representative told trustees the county has purchased a new 16-foot, flat-bottom rescue boat designed for river rescues and that maintenance and insurance would be provided by the county. The boat would be housed at the township station; Brimfield would handle some overtime and training-call costs tied to fire-department response. Trustees expressed broad support, with one trustee instructing staff to "accept the boat when it shows up" and asking staff to work out station access and logistics with county personnel.

Separately, trustees debated whether to sell a 2019 Chevy Trax that is idle in township storage or transfer it for use by the fire department as a training vehicle. Fire leadership argued using the Trax for training could save mileage reimbursement and travel costs for trainees. The board amended the agenda to allow a vote on transferring parts and recreation vehicles to the fire inventory, then voted to transfer the vehicle to the fire department, moving it from the administration inventory to fire inventory.

Trustees discussed documenting in writing whether any future proceeds from a sale of transferred vehicles should be returned to the township general fund; they did not amend the transfer motion to add that requirement. The approved transfers and the acceptance of a donated county boat are logistical and inventory decisions; no purchase or long-term financial obligation for the township was approved at the meeting.