Meeting Minutes: October 5,2021
Council called to order by Mayor Amy Joseph, Tuesday, October 5, 2021
at 7:30 pm.
Invocation – The Lord’s Prayer
Pledge of Allegiance
Those present: Yoder, Searight, Stephenson, Now, Heitkamp
Pontsler – absent
Also attending: Srgt Stetler, Marge Gehle, Bret Peel, and Sydney from the Daily Standard.
Motion Searight. Second Yoder to accept the agenda as orders of the day.
Stephenson called for the question. Searight = y, Yoder = y, Stephenson = y, Now = y, Heitkamp = y. Passed 5 yes
Motion Stephenson. Second Heitkamp to accept the minutes from the September 7, 2021 council meeting as presented. Now called for the question. Stephenson = y, Heitkamp = y, Now = y, Yoder = y, Searight = y. Passed 5 yes.
Visitors to Address Council:
Mayor’s Report and Correspondence:
The State of Ohio – Proclamation
As a result of the Federal Census of Two Thousand Twenty for the State of Ohio and the various political subdivisions having been officially made known to me, I, Frank LaRose, Secretary of State of the State of Ohio, complying with the provisions of Section 703.06 of the Revised Code of the State of Ohio, do hereby make proclamation that the municipality of Rockford, in Mercer County, Ohio according to the Federal Census of Two Thousand Twenty has a population of 1,051.
Community Announcements and events:
Tuesday – October 12th – Brush Pick up
Lions club – Chicken Dinner fundraiser for Parkway 8th grade – Washington DC Trip – Saturday – October 16th.
Chamber Fall Fest and Rockford Trick or Treat – Saturday – October 30th – more details coming but here is the timeline — save the date !
10 am- Opening Ceremony – Rockford American Legion beside the fire house
10-2 pm Main Street business promotions / vendor market / food
2 – 4 pm The Ohio Village Muffins @ Shanes Park – Vintage baseball Club
5 – 6:30 pm Trick or Treat in the Village –
7 pm – Costume Judging and food at the Fire House –
Business Decorating Contest — Vote on the Chamber Facebook page by November 1st.
Tuesday – November 2nd – General Election
Tuesday – November 9th – Brush pick up
Thursday and Friday – November 25 & 26th — Thanksgiving – Village office closed.
Village Administrator’s Report – Aaron Temple
Village purchased a new truck with utility bed and plow was installed.
Subdivision – working on sidewalks to connect to Columbia Street. Street lights in and working.
Been working on trimming trees near stop signs last several days.
WWTP – ordered 3 more odor diffusers — water at the finish to the river is very good and way above EPA standards. With good quality water comes other problems such as algae and weeds – working with engineering on this.
Have not received any information on water tower grant.
With the chip and seal company near we decided to try to chip and seal less traveled roads to see how it works. Major cost savings rather than total reconstruction. Oak and Race streets were done and sections of Vine and Clay. In about a month once the tar hardens we will clean up loose stone. We will evaluate this over the next year and see if this is something we want to continue.
Mercer County Economic contacted us — they have a licensed company wanting to open a medicinal cannabis store. Are we interested? Economic Development committee to discuss. No meeting date set.
Committee Reports
Finance Committee: Ron Searight
Motion Stephenson– to pay bills as submitted – $ 45,548.22
Second Yoder. Heitkamp called for the question. Stephenson = y, Yoder = y, Heitkamp = y, Searight = y , Now = y. Passed 5 yes.
Motion Yoder to approve the monthly financial reports. Second Heitkamp. Stephenson called for the question. Yoder = y, Heitkamp = y , Stephenson = y, Searight = y, Now = y passed 5 yes.
Cash Summary by Fund, Appropriations report, Revenue Report,
Budget vs Actual activity report, Bank reconciliation and comparison report for the water, sewer, and income tax.
Motion Stephenson to approve supplemental appropriations to date. Second Yoder. Now called for the question. Stephenson = y, Yoder= y, Now = y, Searight = y, Heitkamp = y . Passed 5 yes.
Motion Heitkamp to approve additional purchase order and 4th quarter blanket certificates. Second Stephenson. Now called for the question. Heitkamp = y, Stephenson = y, Now = y, Yoder = y, Searight = y. Passed 5 yes.
RESOLUTION 06-21
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TRANSFER OF FUNDS FROM ACCOUNTS THAT ARE NO LONGER ACTIVE TO THE WATER FUND AND TO THE SEWER FUND AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
1ST READING – 09/07/2021
2nd reading – 10/05/2021
Service Committee: Greg Pontsler – absent
Mowing service is completed for this year. We will evaluate this process to see if it will continue into next year.
Safety Committee: Chris Heitkamp – (Mr. President) –
Jordan Belna will be contacting the Village in regards to fire hydrants if he hasn’t already.
Economic Development Committee: Brad Now –
Shanes Crossing Subdivision – 7 Lots left for sale – contact Tammy Cheek with Homes at Ohio’s Edge Realty.
Infrastructure payments – paid 17 of 60 — balance $114,550.09 at this time and payoff date is 04/01/2025.
Land – 3 more payments of $21,206 – will be paid off after January 2024 payment.
Once these payments are done money left over will be seed money to begin the next phase of infrastruce.
WRKD – station balance $7900 doing good. Still need to send invoices for the Fall Sports underwriting.
Public Utilities Committee: Luke Stephenson –
Have heard nothing from State or County regarding water tower grant. Should hear something in the next month.
Rules Committee: Jessica Yoder –
Committee discussed but wants input from rest of council. The committee feels this is unnecessary at this time.
RESOLUTION 02-21
A RESOLUTION SETTING FORTH THE VILLAGE’S POSITION ON MANDATES FOR THE USE OF FACE COVERINGS, SOCIAL DISTANCING AND VACCINATIONS IN RELATION TO THE CORONAVIRUS; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
Now – against for a variety of reasons – things change. People will do what they want anyway no matter what we try to regulate.
Searight – agrees with Now and Heitkamp too.
The resolution is dead.
Old Business:
Cell phone issues in the village. Advise is to create letters from residents to cell phone carriers of poor service in this area. AT & T, Verizon, Sprint.
Lisa will start a letter for review and we can decide if we want residents to stop by for a copy of the letter or do a community petition.
The opioid settlement – we have filed the proper paperwork and haven’t heard anything more. It may be awhile.
What can be done with abandon houses — can be condemned ? What is actually abandon since most of the taxes are being paid but no one living in them. Several are rental properties that are not rented out at this time. Rob Belna would have the authority to condemn properties. Most of the property maintenance not being done is just pure lazy. We have 3 on the list to take care of next week.
Budget 2022 — have a meeting to review and get Ron up to speed. Set meeting for October 13th at 7 pm.
Bus stop building at Shanes Park — ready to begin building !
Free Little Library was moved from the pavilion to the shelter house? The reason is weddings —
Cleaning people at the park buildings doing a good job.
New Business:
Meeting adjourned 8:19 pm
_________________________ _________________________ Mayor Fiscal office
