The Copley Township Board of Trustees at its Jan. 28 meeting issued a proclamation to honor the actions of two young men who alerted homeowners about a garage fire and called 9-1-1.

Their actions greatly reduced property loss from the Jan. 6 fire and possibly saved the home’s residents from injury or death, said Fire Chief Michael Benson.

David and Jason Borchik, sons of Copley High School Assistant Principal Jim Borchik and Linda Borchik, were passing the home of Robert and Ilona Stroup when they noticed a fire in the garage. The Borchiks used a cell phone to call emergency services and went to the door to alert the Stroups.

David Borchik, a Copley High School student, received a copy of the proclamation at the meeting. His brother Jason, a cadet at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., had returned to school and was unable to attend the meeting.

In other business, the trustees took the next steps in rebuilding a bell tower at the top of town hall and installing an elevator in the building. Service Director Mark Mitchell told trustees the feasibility studies for both projects are complete. The engineering consultant completing the studies said the bell tower could be reinstalled over the entrance to town hall, Mitchell said. Construction of the tower would include installing new rafters and new rafter supports and installing a precast concrete bell tower base that would be weighted to place the new bell tower’s entire weight on the thicker front walls. Trustees approved spending $1,800 for construction drawings for the project.

Mitchell also gave trustees a ballpark figure for installing an elevator at town hall. The $110,000 estimate included the shaft, elevator car and all mechanics of the elevator. The feasibility study offered three possible locations in the building, and trustees favored placing the elevator in the front entrance of the building. They approved $3,900 for construction drawings for the project.

Mitchell reported on the township’s free snowplowing service for senior citizens. He said the township now has eight residents registered for the program. Senior citizens using the Lifeline emergency medical alert system are eligible for the program.

Trustees also heard a presentation from the Copley Skatepark Committee, which would like to build a skateboard park in Copley. The committee representative said they had begun to research the feasibility, possible locations and cost.

Police Chief Michael Mier told trustees he had received $4,000 from two anonymous donations that his department would like to use to purchase body shields for the police department. The shields are used when officers enter a room without knowing whether a shooter is present and in school or office building situations where there may be an active shooter. The trustees approved the purchase.

In other business, the board:

• approved adjusting the salary rates for part-time and contractual firefighter/medics to put them on par with Bath Township firefighter/medics working at Stony Hill Station;
• approved training for police officer Mike Wheeland;
• approved issuing annual purchase orders for the fire department;
• agreed to purchase an Intoxilyzer 5000 EN, a breath alcohol testing instrument, for the police department at a cost of $5,195, including a two-year warranty;
• approved a one-year leave of absence for part-time firefighter/medic Christopher Fultz, who has taken a full-time position in another state;
• approved paying $284 to the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers for a one-year license; and
• approved the purchase of furniture and a resource center for the dispatch center at a cost of $12,761.

The board’s next regular meeting will be Feb. 11 at 8 p.m. at the Copley Township offices, 1540 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road.