Hinckley Historical Society building impacted by high winds

HINCKLEY TWP. — The Hinckley fire, police and service department responded to a variety of incidents related to the windy weather over the weekend. During Tuesday's trustee meeting, Fire Chief Matt Payne said the township ended up with 11 calls for trees down and wires down from Friday through Sunday. "We had a mutual aid house fire, fully involved, in Brunswick, and then on our way back, we received two field fires ourselves, so Sunday turned out to be quite busy," he said. "Everybody — police, fire, service — put in a lot of time, and everybody worked together to get jobs done." Trustee Russ Paintiff said the high winds knocked down a tree by the historical society's building at 1634 Center Road. "When the tree came down, it snapped off the pole, and it ripped the wire out of the historical building," he said. The trustees passed a motion to hire J&B Electrical Contractors to repair the electrical at the historical society building at a cost not to exceed $4,000. "I've actually contacted an electrician, one that (Ohio) Edison recommended for what needs to be done," he said. "They have to replace the wire going up, the pole, the weather head and the meter box, which has the main breaker in for the building." The tree may have to come down, since it had a center split and was rotted, Paintiff said. He talked to Service Director Mike Behari about making a diagonal cut on the trunk of the tree, so the historical society can have a piece of it. "(Trustee) Cindy (Engleman) brought up a very good idea," he said. "If we end up taking it down, that we may, at the celebration this year, actually have a ceremony to replant a tree there." Behari said anyone who notices a downed tree should contact the police department. Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.