It appears some slight changes are on the way for the Milton Township nuisance abatement ordinance.

Milton Township Supervisor Robert Benjamin said action could be taken as soon as the next board meeting on Dec. 20 to approve suggested changes by the zoning administrator.

The changes would make agricultural-related and legal hunting-related noises exempt from the ordinance.

As the ordinance is currently written, after a complaint is filed and notice is given to the offender, the nuisance must be removed within 14 days. The new proposed ordinance would call for the nuisance — whether it is noise, lights, smoke or odor — to be removed immediately.

The proposed changes were determined after two public forums at a packed Milton Township Hall in October and November.

“We had a packed room,” Benjamin said. “It was a lot of good discussion … I think the general consensus was the changes are not that bad. We wanted to get the feedback, and the process worked out well.”

The issue first arose after some noise complaints from township residents.

“We had gotten some complaints of loud noises at 2 a.m. and our current ordinance does not allow for immediately stopping those noises,” Benjamin said.

During the first public forum, the board presented examples of stricter noise ordinances from neighboring municipalities, but Benjamin said the consensus among the residents and board members was a tighter policy wasn’t needed.

Since becoming supervisor of Milton Township two years ago, Benjamin has been making an effort to get residents’ opinions on a variety of issues.

The township board will hold another public hearing Jan. 10 at 7 p.m., this time to discuss the budget and how tax dollars are spent,

“I’m just hoping to get more community involvement,” Benjamin said.

New Milton Twp. officials

In the November election Republican Don Kronewitter was elected the new township trustee, taking over for Dean Brazo.

Michael Layher, a Republican, won the township clerk race against Democrat Anita Studer. Layher takes over for Jacqueline Boggs who was recalled in August on accusations of holding meetings without notice and other improper behavior for a public official.