New tornado siren to be placed in area where it will serve more than 8,300 residents

Ashland County commissioners gave their OK to replace the tornado siren located near Dale-Roy School at a cost of about $33,000.

Homeland Security and EMA Director Anne Strouth gave an update on the last tornado siren replacement for the year to commissioners on Thursday.

“The last siren is one of the older ones that we have and also one that has a lot of maintenance issues. And the repairs have been a lot," she said.

The new siren will be located near the white barn, and it will have a better range of coverage. The solar panels and battery are an improvement over previous installations as well, she said.

“We have a program that lets us know that in that area we can serve 8,338 people,” Strouth said. “And moving it over raises it up higher, where the one at Dale-Roy sits a little bit lower.”

Commissioners approved the $33,086.24 estimate from VASU Communications for the purchase and installation. Replacement will be sometime this fall.

Also on Thursday, commissioners held a public hearing about a proposed road dedication request for a new right-turn lane on Township Road 1902 at the Hillsdale Local Schools campus.

Commissioners accepted the proposal.

Maintenance duties were assigned to Mohican Township.

Hillsdale Superintendent Dr. Catherine Trevathan gave her support during the hearing.

Commissioners will meet 9 a.m. Thursday in the Commissioner’s Conference Room on the second floor of the County Office Building. The meetings are open to the public. They are livestreamed on the Ashland County Government Facebook page.