Meeting Minutes: May 18, 2021

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Meeting Minutes: May 18, 2021

Council called to order by Mayor Amy Joseph, Tuesday, May 18, 2021

at 7:30 pm also on Facebook live.

Invocation –    The Lord’s Prayer

Pledge of Allegiance

Those present:   Yoder, Young, Stephenson, Pontsler, Now, Heitkamp

Also attending:   Srgt. Stetler, Marge Gehle, Robbie Peel

Motion Yoder.   Second Stephenson to accept the agenda as orders of the day.

Heitkamp called for the question.   Yoder = y, Stephenson = y, Heitkamp = y, Young = y, Pontsler = y, Now = y.   Passed 6 yes.

Motion Young.  Second Stephenson to accept the minutes from the May 4, 2021 council meeting as presented.  Heitkamp called for the question.  Young = y, Stephenson = y, Heitkamp = y, Yoder = y, Pontsler = y, Now = y.  Passed 6 yes.

Visitors to Address Council:

Mayor’s Report and Correspondence: 

Mayor notes receipt and review of Mayors Court pay in,

bank reconciliation, and bank statement.

Rockford Community Days / Bicentennial Celebration

Thursday June 17 – Saturday June 19th.  Check out event information on the Facebook page – “Rockford Community Days”

Community Announcements and events:

Sunday – May 23rd – Parkway Graduation – Congrats Class of 2021.

Monday – May 31st –Veterans Memorial Dedication Ceremony /

                                    Memorial Day Remembrance – 11 am at

                                    Hedges Park

The Rockford Community is looking forward to honoring our Veterans on

Monday – May 31,2021 with the following services:

The public is invited to honor our fallen veterans at Riverside Cemetery at 10 am.

Flags will be placed on the grave markers, a 21 gun salute will be given, and TAPS will be played. 

The Memorial Day parade will begin at approximately 11 am (When the band arrives!) beginning at the Fire Station and travel north on Main street to the service at Hedges Park beside the Rockford American Legion.  This is the site where the new Veterans Memorial will be dedicated.  Dedication Ceremony Guest Speaker – Reed Shaffer.

Following the Dedication Ceremony, we are honored to have Joe Schmidt as our Guest Speaker for the Remembrance ceremony. 

The Rockford American Legion will be holding a chicken dinner fundraiser.

The cost will be $9 – Tickets are pre-sale only and are available at

Rockford American Legion, Barrys Family Market, and The Rockford Carryout.  Chicken dinners will be available for pick up at the drive thru service at the Rockford American Legion right after the service.

Tuesday – June 8th – Brush Pick up

Thursday / Friday / Saturday – June 17,18 & 19 –   Rockford Community Days / Bicentennial Celebration    —

And — Community Garage Sales

POW/MIA OHIO Wall will be on display during Rockford Community Days  · Thursday – June 17 at 4 PM — one day only event.

Celebrate our Bicentennial with Music, Food, Fireworks, Car Show, Tractor

Show, Parade, Rides, Games, Fellowship and much, much more!

FREE rides – sponsored by the Shanes Crossing Historical Society, Rockford Bicentennial and Belna Petroleum

Fireworks – Sponsored by The Fremont Company

More sponsorships coming in – Thank you Rockford and surrounding businesses for your support!

This event is planned by combined organizations for the Benefit of Shanes Park improvements.                           

Village Administrator’s Report – Aaron Temple

Park and Pickle Ball update –Waiting on some information to come up with a final estimate.   I will be meeting with Rec Board to see if they can help with funding.   Next 2 weeks busy at park – power washing buildings and cleaning gutters.  Pouring several small concrete pads and doing some painting.  Splash pad to open Memorial Day weekend.

Water meters – residential meters have been replaced.  2 businesses yet to get installed.

WWTP – adding a degreasing odor agent to the lift station to try to reduce odors that we experienced last summer.  Between the new aerators and this degreaser it seems to be helping so far. 

Purchased a different tractor to replace a 1996 Kabota tractor.  The old tractor will go up for sale.

Once park is completed for Community Days we will go back to subdivision and finish up the streetlights, street signs and start the sidewalk project to Columbia St.

Committee Reports

Finance Committee –  Shane Young  –

Motion Stephenson to pay bills as submitted  – $24,700.87   .  Second Pontsler.  Now called for the question.     Stephenson = y, Pontsler = y, Now = y, Yoder = y, Young = y, Heitkamp = y.  Passed 6 yes.

Motion Pontsler to accept Mayors Court pay in $772.   Second Stephenson.

Yoder called for the question.  Pontsler = y, Stephenson = y, Yoder = y,   Passed 6 yes.

  • Work in progress — petition to court on fund balance transfers
  • Finance Meeting – May 25 – 1 pm
  • Budget hearing – July 6 – 7 pm
  • Budget –  – to auditor July 15th.

.

Service Committee:   Greg Pontsler  –

Safety Committee:     Chris Heitkamp –  (Mr. President) – 

Economic Development Committee:  Brad Now –

Shanes Crossing Subdivision – Lots for sale – 20% discount/ build through – December 2021.    If interested contact Tammy Cheek at Homes at Ohio’s Edge Realty.     We will be looking at options of continuing the program and / or make changes in the coming months.   Costs of lumber has increased that will slow our progress for a time.

WRKD –  have been broadcasting the girls softball tournament.  Thankful for that.  Will be having a board meeting in June to review quotes for improvements.  Todd Henkle learning the board operations. 

Public Utilities Committee:   Luke Stephenson –   

Work in progress – Resolution for  Water Tower Fund –

Rules Committee:    Jessica Yoder –

Zoning report –

A.        Commercial Vehicles

1.         No commercial vehicles, including commercial tractors, trucks and buses, manufactured homes, and semi-trailers, shall be parked or stored on any property within a residential zoning district other than in a completely enclosed building, except those commercial vehicles conveying the necessary tools, materials, and equipment to a premises where labor using such tools, materials, and equipment is to be performed during the actual time of parking.  No automotive vehicles or trailers of any type without current license plates shall be parked or stored on any residential property other than in a completely enclosed building.

2.         No commercial vehicles, including commercial tractors, trucks, buses, manufactured homes, semi-trailers shall be parked on a public right-of-way for more than 10 hours.

B.        Non-Commercial Vehicles

No trailer, motor home, camper, recreational vehicle, boat, boat trailer, snowmobile, snowmobile trailer, all-terrain vehicle, aircraft, or motorcycle, nor any truck longer than ¾ ton, shall be parked on a public right-of-way for more than 12 hours.

Old Business:

Clean up of properties – several coming along — several have a ways to go.

New Business:

4 Council seats will be on the November ballot.   The deadline for petition at the Board of Elections is August 4th at 4 pm.

Meeting adjourned at   7:44 pm

_________________________                      _________________________

Mayor                                                              Fiscal officer.