Meeting Minutes: August 20, 2013

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Meeting Minutes: August 20, 2013

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS:

Council called to order by Mayor Amy Joseph on

Tuesday, August 20, 2013 at 7:30 pm at the Rockford Village Hall.

Invocation was given by Gene Steiner

Pledge of Allegiance

Those present: Steiner, Pontsler, Searight, Heitkamp

Gehle – absent, Blossom – absent

Also attending:   Sergeant Stetler, Jeff Long, Amy K. – Daily Standard,

Mr. & Mrs. Dr. Osborn

Motion  Steiner.  Second Searight to accept the agenda as orders of the day.

Pontslet called for the question.   Steiner = y, Searight = y, Pontsler, Heitkamp = y.  Passed 4 yes.

Motion: Searight.  Second Pontsler to accept the minutes from the

August 6, 2013  council meetings as presented. Heitkamp called for the question.   

Searight = y, Pontsler = y, Heitkamp = y, Steiner = y,   Passed 4 yes.

Visitors to Address Council:

Mrs. Osborn has personal property on the North St. lot that the Village purchased.  She is requesting until October 1st to have everything cleaned up.   Jeff stated that we would give her the additional time.  We have sympathy for what she is going through but sometimes closure is for the best.  The Village is willing to help with the process if needed. 

Mayor’s Report and Correspondence:

Village Administrator’s Report – Jeff Long

RESOLUTION 07-13

A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF ROCKFORD, OHIO, DEEMING IT NECESSARY TO MAKE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SIDEWALKS IN THE VILLAGE OF ROCKFORD WEST STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. 

This resolution will be brought up at the next council meeting for approval.  The sidewalk will go down West St. to 33 and on the other side of 33 to meet the existing sidewalk to Dollar General.  A crosswalk will be painted across 33.

This project includes 5 properties.   We will continue with prelimary work getting trees down and to be ready for the October opening of Dollar General.

Along with this the State has been working on a traffic study.  We are working to get the speed reduced from 50 mph to 35 mph in the Dollar General area.

Thank you to the Historical Society.  They have donated aluminum posts that will be used to hang our Rockford Corporation markers.  The signs will be on each end of 118 and each end of 33 at the corporation limit.  We will be contacting oops for utility markings. 

Paving and striping done.  Final cost on the project came in at $3,000 below expectation.   We have the revenues to make the payments.  We made a lot of improvements with this project.

Steiner to Jeff:  to check on the park grants for Mercer County to see if we qualify for any of the funds.

Jeff states we are lucky to have community organizations that help us do projects that benefit the village.

Committee Reports

Finance Committee – Ron Searight

Motion Pontsler to pay the bills in the amount of $3809.01,   Second Heitkamp, Steiner called for the question.  Pontsler = y, Steiner = y,  Heitkamp = y. Searight = y,   Passed 4 yes.

Motion Steiner.  Second Pontsler to accept the Mayors Court pay in of $850.00.

Heitkamp called for the question.  Steiner = y, Pontsler = y, Steiner = y. Searight = y.  Passed 4 yes.

Motion Searight.  Second Heitkamp to sign the Peoples Bank Agreement for Deposit of Public Funds to August 2015.  Steiner called for the question.  Searight = y, Heitkamp = y, Steiner = y, Pontsler = y.  Passed 4 yes.

Finance Committee meeting schedule for September 10th at 7 pm.  All department heads are asked to attend.

General Fund report.  General fund 2008  had a beginning balance of $159,430.60.  The General fund 2013 beginning balance $111,703.78.  As you can see we over the last 6 years we have reduced our general fund by 30%.  Our carry over is slowly declining. 

Service Committee:           Greg Pontsler

West St. property update:  Certified letter has been mailed.  We have not had a response.  We will take the next step which may include issuing a warrant if the letter does not get answered.

Safety Committee: Chris Heitkamp

Economic Development Committee:   Eugene Steiner

Gene asked Jeff to go along with him to talk to some businesses that have interest in Rockford.

Public Utilities Committee:          Steve Gehle – absent

Report by Jeff:  We are still working with the engineering firm and the EPA on the Wastewater treatment plant improvements.  We want to make the right, affordable decisions to complete and be in compliance with the EPA recommendations.  This will take place over a 2 year period.  Once these improvements are done, we should be good for 20 years.

Rules Committee:  Peggy Blossom – absent

Old Business

There are still signs that need replaced and trees that need trimmed so the signs are visable.  Along with this information there will be 20 trees that the village will be removing.  There will be approx. 5 trees that will be contracted for removal.

We will be renting a stump grinder with the consideration of possible future purchase.  We could rent the stump grinder out to village residents to help re-coup the funds.

Residents wanting to install their own new sidewalks are welcome to do that.  We only require a permit and that they be installed according to village ordinance. 

New Business

Meeting adjourned 8:05