Meeting Minutes: December 6, 2011
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS:
Council called to order by Mayor Amy Joseph on
Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 7:30 pm at the Rockford Village Hall.
Invocation was given by Gene Steiner
Pledge of Allegiance
Those present: Gehle, Steiner, Hodge, Pontsler, Searight, Heitkamp.
Also attending: Judy Koesters, Sgt. Stetler, Jeff Long, Chief May, Amy Kronenberger of the Daily Standard
Motion Steiner. Second Pontsler to accept Agenda as orders of the day. Gehle called for the question. Steiner = y, Pontsler = y, Gehle = y, Hodge = y, Searight = y, Heitkamp = y. Passed 6 yes.
Motion: Searight Second Gehle to accept the minutes from the
November 15, 2011 meeting as presented. Heitkamp called for the question. Searight = y, Gehle = y, Heitkamp = y, Steiner = y, Hodge = y, Pontsler = y. Passed 6 yes.
Visitors to Address Council:
Mayor’s Report and Correspondence:
Reminder that the waterline project has now started. Every now and then when lines are connected water will be shut off. This will be on going throughout the project.
Mr. Browning’s class is working on updating the Village web site. Should be up by the end of the week. Please check it out and give us some feedback and suggestions. www.rockfordohio.org
Motion to give Chamber gift certificates to Village employees for Christmas.
Motion Steiner. Second Gehle. Searight called for the question. Steiner = y, Gehle = y, Searight = y, Hodge = y, Pontsler = y, Heitkamp = y. Passed 6 yes.
Received two letters acknowledging our Resolution 09-11 opposing the state taking over our municipal income tax collections.
Village Administrator’s Report – Jeff Long
Regarding the waterline project – leaks will pop up while working and they will need to fix the lines. Fire flow will be very good once the project is complete. Currently working on First St to Main St. All drawings will be updated and we will have a good map of the Village. We have no records from 80-100 years ago when some of these lines were installed. This will be a vast improvement. We will be in very good shape with the infrastructure and will be open to new economic outlook.
Completion date for waterlines – June 2012 and August-September 2012 for paving.
We have been awarded the OPWC grant of $152,000 for pavement of streets once the waterline project is done. This information will be reviewed with the committee to figure out what streets will be done.
Have spoken with Mr. Puthoff regarding working together to get a Safe Route to School grant to finish Franklin St. to Buckeye St. Very competitive grant process. Along with this project there may be some storm sewer repair.
New truck on the way to Kalida to install salt spreader, plow, etc.
Committee Reports:
Finance Committee – Steve Gehle
Questions on bills – DP & L – 2 meters at the sewer plant. Cords and Christmas Lights ~ we set up the park with ground fault, weather proof boxes. Village employees spent to much time working on lights at the park. Next year we will do the spouting and roofs, but the ground work will need to be done by those involved with the Winterfest.
Motion Searight. Second Hodge to pay the bills as submitted by the
Fiscal Officer in the amount of $10,030.26. Gehle called for the question. Searight = y, Hodge = y, Gehle = y, Steiner = y, Pontsler = y, Heitkamp = y. Passed 6 yes.
Motion Gehle. Second Searight to accept the Mayors Court Pay in of $461. Pontsler called for the question. Gehle = y, Searight = y, Pontsler = y, Steiner = y, Hodge = y, Heitkamp = y, Passed 6 yes.
RESOLUTION 10-11
A RESOLUTION RETAINING THE SERVICES OF JUDY A KOESTERS AS SOLICITOR FOR THE VILLAGE OF ROCKFORD, OHIO FOR 2012, SETTING COMPENSATION AND ESTABLISHING RESPONSIBILITIES.
Motion Steiner. Second Pontsler. Searight called for the question. Steiner = y, Pontsler = y, Searight = y, Gehle = y, Hodge = y, Heitkamp = y. Passed 6 yes.
Upgrade to Central Dispatch Consol. Rockford portion $1626.68.
Thought this was already taken care of, but evidently not. After reviewing the information several issues came up about dividing the cost fairly, the title is a Fire Act Grant – maybe the Fire Departments should pay a bigger share, the terms and conditions suggest that if the funding does not come through, each department listed would be required to cover any excess costs. These are questions that need to be answered before moving forward. We will invite Chief Walters of Celina to come to the next meeting on December 20th and discuss these issues.
THE BUDGET – any questions. A lot of discussion regarding police budget, water and sewer rates and job duties, on call pay.
- ORDINANCE 04-11
AN ORDINANCE TO MAKE APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE CURRENT EXPENSES AND OTHER EXPENDITURES OF THE VILLAGE OF ROCKFORD, STATE OF OHIO, DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2012.
- 1st reading – 11/01/11
- 2nd reading – 11/15/11
- 3rd reading – 12/06/11
Motion Searight. Second Gehle. Hodge called the question. Searight = N, Gehle = y, Hodge = y, Steiner = N, Pontsler = y, Heitkamp = N. 3 yes, 3 no to
Mayor for vote – Mayor = N.
Steve went through the general fund budget and reviewed each line item that was cut. The part-time police hours cut to 16 hours per week. clean up day was cut because residents abused the program, street capital outlay was cut, the note to People Bank was originally going to be paid off this year will instead be paid off next year. Audit fees were reduced.
Ron feels we are overstaffed in the water/sewer department and would like a report of how many employees other villages have.
Mayor Joseph said it doesn’t matter what others are doing, we need to do what is right for Rockford.
Steve mentioned that we have been cutting into the carry over for the past 4 or 5 years and if that continues then we will have nothing.
Income tax and the local government funding continue to decline.
If we have a police emergency the Sheriff’s department is there for back up. If the water/sewer department has problems there is no back up.
Ron would like to review the facts and vote again at the next meeting.
Service Committee: Gary Hodge
Nothing at this time.
Safety Committee: Ron Searight
Safety Committee meeting scheduled for December 13th at 7 pm. Ron would like Lisa to find out if there is cost savings to having drug testing implemented.
Economic Development Committee: Eugene Steiner
Nothing at this time.
Public Utilities Committee: Greg Pontsler
ORDINANCE 05-11
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 50.06 , PAYMENT RESPONSIBILITY, OF CHAPTER 50 OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCE OF THE VILLAGE OF ROCKFORD, OHIO (VILLAGE WATERWORKS SYSTEM), AND ENACTING A UTILITY DEPOSIT TO BE PAID BY RENTERS AND LEASEHOLDERS OF PROPERTIES REQUESTING UTILITY SERVICE.
- 1ST reading – 11-15-11
- 2nd reading – 12-6-11
Rules Committee: Chris Heitkamp
Reviewed the employee handbook and have a couple of things to discuss.
Old Business
New Business
Ron requested that the rules committee review the information regarding private property.
Meeting adjourned 8:57 pm.
