Every three years, the Ohio Township Association Risk Management Authority sends a risk consultant to inspect member townships’ facilities and interview officials to review liability issues and recommend ways liability risk can be reduced.

Brookfield Township trustees invited the consultant to conduct his latest round of interviews at a public meeting.

Trustee Dan Suttles said he appreciated sitting in with Mike Charback to learn what OTARMA’s concerns are and how the trustees can aid the department heads.

“I don’t want to put it all on our department heads,” he said. 

Suttles added that he learned a lot from the session on Oct. 15.

Charback, risk consultant with KLA Risk Consultants, the company hired by OTARMA, the township’s insurance provider, said OTARMA uses the premiums paid by member townships to pay claims and represent the townships in cases of legal action.

“OTARMA doesn’t expect to make money,” he said. “Unlike a company like Allstate or State Farm, one of the big for-profit companies, when they pay a claim, they pay a claim with their money. OTARMA pays a claim with your dollars.”

Charback prepares a report based on his inspections that recommend things the township can so to limit its liability

“It’s not a directive,” he said of the recommendations. If the township does not act on a recommendation, “We won’t disallow a claim.”

“They want you to be forward thinking, get some of this stuff done, be cordial to me and receptive and move forward on some of these recommendations,” Charback said of OTARMA.

Charback questioned Police Chief Aaron Kasiewicz and Fire Capt. Nick Cresanto on policies, training, hiring practices, staffing, vehicles, equipment and maintenance issues.

Charback stressed to officials that they document anytime they make an inspection and hold a training session.

Charback said he would make the following recommendations:

  • Offer Hepatitis B vaccines to police and fire employees, although the employees don’t have to get them.
  • Obtain the driving records of all township employees who drive for their jobs annually, a recommendation first made in 2016.
  • Establish a township policy setting driver acceptability standards, a recommendation first made in 2016.
  • Train all employees and elected officials annually on the township’s sexual harassment policy. “This is something new,” Charback said, noting that OTARMA will pay for the training.
  • Expand use of “hold harmless” clauses in contracts with hired companies, a recommendation first made in 2022.
  • Require renters of township buildings to secure liquor liability insurance policies if they plan to serve alcohol, and sign contracts with “hold harmless” clauses.
  • Inspect playground equipment monthly, or more frequently during peak use seasons, a recommendation first issued in 2016.
  • Conduct safety inspections of township buildings annually.
  • Place first-aid kits in township work trucks.
  • Cap acetylene welding and oxygen tanks when not in use and install a divider between the tanks when they are on a welding cart.
  • Post public hours in the cemetery, a recommendation first made in 2019.
  • Inspect township roads and road signs monthly, a recommendation first made in 2016.
  • Install side and back barriers around the tall bleachers at Brookfield Township Community Park, a recommendation first made in 2019.
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