Meeting Minutes (8-7-23)
The Council of the Village of Woodsfield
August 7, 2023
The Council of the Village of Woodsfield met in Regular Session on August 7, 2023.
I. Roll Call:
Present: Council Members; Dale English, Tom Kirkland, Anthony McDaniel, Leann Harper, Tiffany Ramsay, Matt Schaber, Mayor Carol Hehr, Fiscal Officer Lori Cunard, and Village Administrator Kevin Brooks.
Absent: Solicitor Ryan Regel
II. Pending Meeting Minutes Approval:
Dale English made the motion to accept the July 17, 2023 meeting minutes. Tiffany Ramsay second. Motion passed 6-0.
III. Registered Visitors/Guest:
None
IV. Old Business:
DORA – Solicitor Ryan Regel does have the DORA application prepared. The next step is to have a Public Hearing. The Public Hearing has to be held 30 – 60 days after publication of the notice. The notice has to be published for 2 consecutive weeks. Mayor Hehr asked Kreg Robison, MC Beacon, if he could publish the notice in the paper this week, Thursday, August 10th and Thursday, August 17th. The Public Hearing will be held on Monday, September 18th at 5:00 p.m.. After the Public Hearing we will approve the DORA application and it will be sent to the Division of Liquor Control for approval of a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, an Ordinance will be adopted, and we will be good to go. Village Administrator, Kevin Brooks asked Chief Corey Jones to verify with the 4 establishments that they are still participating in the DORA.
V. Administrator Report:
Village Administrator Kevin Brooks reported that the downtown punch list items are being worked on. There was a lot of concrete poured downtown today; Church Street is done, Sycamore is done, and they started closing in the islands. There is still no word on when the green arrows will be in for the traffic signals. There was another outage with the box at McDonald’s, we need to get that box replaced with one from downtown. Mayor Hehr said she has had lots of compliments, all of them good. Kevin Brooks said we should be getting the rest of the benches for downtown; they are supposed to be ready this afternoon. We will get them picked up and have them placed soon.
Kevin Brooks reported that we are down 2 employees in the Street Department due to medical leave. This only leaves one employee, but we will wait a few months to see how things are going and closer to winter months before doing anything. The plan is to have everyone back and operational by October 1. Mr. Brooks said if we have to move some guys around from other departments, we will do that and we will not put the burden on one department.
Kevin Brooks reported that we are hiring in the Water Department. The Committee has met numerous times and has come to a unanimous consensus. The Committee is recommending the hiring of Dustin Kirkland as Water Operator in training effective August 8, 2023 at a rate of $13.00/hr. Dustin Kirkland will be up for review at 6 months and 1 year and licensure requirement after 1 year. On the recommendation of the Committee, Dale English made a motion to approve the hiring of Dustin Kirkland as Water Operator in training effective August 8, 2023 at a rate of $13.00/hr. Anthony McDaniel second. Tom Kirkland – abstain. Leann Harper – no. Leann Harper spoke up to say that she would like to voice her opinion and does not agree with the decision to hire Dustin Kirkland. She does not agree to re-hire someone who has already been employed with the Village no matter who it is and does not agree with hiring a family member. Kevin Brooks said that the committee took into consideration and discussed all of her concerns, but they wanted to hire the best candidate for the position, and they felt Dustin Kirkland was that person. Mayor Hehr said that our nepotism policy is only when hiring a family member within the same department. Leann Harper said she understands that, but she still disagrees with the decision. Kevin Brooks assured her that her concerns were discussed, they
had a lengthy discussion about it but the committee feels they chose the best candidate for the job position. Motion passed 4-1.
VI. Fiscal Officer Report:
Fiscal Officer Lori Cunard reported that the Auditor, James Bates, will be in tomorrow to complete more of the audit.
Lori Cunard said there is a Resolution in Council packets regarding the establishment of a Utility Deposit Fund. Kevin Brooks asked her to explain it in more detail for Council members. She explained it is being done to be more accountable for the utility’s funds and ensure we are properly accounting for the funds.
Lori Cunard asked for Council approval to pay off the loan at Citizens National Bank for the Ford F-450 in the amount of $2,816.53 from the Street Department Fund. Anthony McDaniel made a motion to pay off the Citizens National Bank loan for the Ford F-450 in the amount of $2,816.53 from the Street Department. Tom Kirkland second. Motion passed 6-0.
Lori Cunard said she would like a meeting with department heads to discuss next year’s budget. Kevin Brooks said he would organize it for this coming Monday morning staff meeting. In a few weeks the Fiscal Office will be meeting with Chris Kerby to start looking into next year’s budget.
VII. Committee Chair/Council Reports:
Dale English – Nothing to report.
Tom Kirkland – Nothing to report.
Anthony McDaniel – Nothing to report.
Leann Harper – Nothing to report.
Tiffany Ramsay – Nothing to report.
Matt Schaber – Matt Schaber said he gave everyone a flyer from Rhonda Koslik who is a member of the Public Participation Committee. The flyer contains ideas for the skins for the controller boxes. Matt Schaber reported that no one attended the meeting or called him regarding ideas for the boxes. Matt Schaber reported that the magnetic skins from M.A.C.O. are about $10/sq. ft. He stated that other businesses he checked with have comparable pricing so he would like to stay local and go with M.A.C.O. Mayor Hehr asked if that price includes the print on the skins and it does. Matt Schaber said he will be meeting with Leann Harper and deciding on a final design and get the price per side. Anthony McDaniel asked where Mrs. Koslik had got her ideas from, and Matt Schaber said people had gone to her with the ideas. Kevin Brooks said he thinks we are missing an opportunity to partner with the school art program and come up with something more artistic for the boxes. He thinks it would be a good community-based project and he thinks the kids would enjoy it. Mayor Hehr would like to leave one box and open it up to the community because there are a lot of talented artists in the community. Mayor Hehr also stated that the Community Strong Committee is not involved in this project. Matt Schaber said it was interpreted that they were involved because of how the meeting was advertised. Anthony McDaniel said he agrees with reaching out to the school, he said there are 16 sides between the 4 boxes so if local artists would like to get involved that is fine too. Matt Schaber did say that M.A.C.O. said they would not be able to do the skins until mid-September. Anthony McDaniel asked if we will expect the school or artists to incur the costs of coming up with a design and Kevin Brooks said no, we will cover the costs. Mayor Hehr asked Matt Schaber if he is going to come up with the criteria and who will be judging and making the decisions. Matt Schaber said yes, he would. Anthony McDaniel said he would be happy to help with it.
VIII: Solicitor’s Report:
Solicitor Ryan Regel is absent.
Mayor Hehr said at the last Council meeting we passed the Resolution for the Police Department Levy to go on the ballot and it has been delivered to the Board of Elections. Mayor Hehr asked Chief Jones to write up a paragraph regarding the levy which stated that they are seeking a 3-mil levy on the November 2023 ballot. Funds generated from the levy will be utilized to maintain police department operations and for purchasing and maintaining police vehicles and other equipment used directly in the operation of the police department. Chief Jones wanted Council to know how much the department appreciates Council allowing them to put the levy on the ballot. It is crucial to the department and the Village. Chief
Jones stated that even in small towns such as ours, crime is at all-time highs and the employment of qualified officers willing to fill the positions is at all-time lows. He stated that a part of this levy will be used for the retention of our officers, to keep the good officers we have, they are very pro-active and the crime rate in the Village reflects what a good job they are doing. We also want to make sure we have up to date, reliable equipment for the operations of the department. Mayor Hehr stated that we are very fortunate to have the officers we have, and we appreciate what they do.
IX: Mayor’s Report:
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to approve the payment of bills. Leann Harper made the motion. Matt Schaber second. Motion passed 6-0.
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to approve the Mayor’s Court report, July 2023. Anthony McDaniel made the motion. Tom Kirkland second. Motion passed 6-0.
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to approve the Income Tax Report, July 2023. Dale English made the motion. Leann Harper second. Motion passed 6-0.
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to pass Resolution #2023-07, A Resolution to Create a Utility Deposit Fund 5781 for the Village of Woodsfield and Declaring it an Emergency. Anthony McDaniel made the motion. Matt Schaber second. Motion passed 6-0.
Mayor Hehr would like to thank Andy Copley, Street Superintendent, and the Street Department for putting down the base for the gazebo at the walking trail. She said it should be delivered soon. They also put up another piece of exercise equipment and a picnic table.
Mayor Hehr said it was talked about at the last staff meeting regarding how the guys in all departments respond so quickly whenever they are called out during the night or on weekends and she really appreciates them.
Anthony McDaniel asked if anyone had ever thought about measuring out the walking trail and putting in distance markers. Kevin Brooks said we had talked about a counter and found one but had not done anything about it, but he said putting in distance markers should be easy to do. Mr. Brooks asked if they wanted the markers at tenths or quarters of a mile and Anthony McDaniel replied tenths. He said he has been going up to the trail and has been very surprised by the amount of people using it. Mr. Brooks also asked if everyone thought it would still be a good idea to put a counter up there and everyone agreed. Leann Harper said she had an individual make a suggestion to her to get a weatherproof box and a sign in sheet stating you were there. Mayor Hehr said she is looking for a grant to do a storybook trail. She said at different parts of the trail there would be a book that kids would read as they go around.
Kevin Brooks asked if the meeting on Monday, September 4th, Labor Day is going to be changed to Tuesday, September 5th. Mayor Hehr said she would need a motion to change the meeting date. Tiffany Ramsay made a motion to change the Council meeting from Monday, September 4th, 2023 to Tuesday, September 5th, 2023. Matt Schaber second. Motion passed 6-0.
Kevin Brooks said Ryan Regel wrote up a new lease agreement for the BMV. The new lease agreement states that they will still be paying the same monthly rent as always but will be paying all utilities and the lease will be effective as of September 1 and runs through 2025. Mayor Hehr asked for a motion for the new BMV Lease Agreement beginning September 1, 2023 through 2025. Tom Kirkland made the motion. Leann Harper second. Motion passed 6-0.
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to vacate the following alleys: South Fourth St.-(5) alleys, alley east side of Buckio’s Addition running between E. Marietta St. and Church St., alley north side of Parry and Lude Addition. Anthony McDaniel made the motion. Leann Harper second. A Public Hearing was held at 5:00 p.m. today before the meeting, no one attended and there were no comments. The Council
meeting was held open for 15 minutes for comments and there were no comments received at that time either. Motion passed 6-0.
X. Un-registered Visitors:
None
XII. Adjourn:
The Mayor asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Leann Harper made the motion. Dale English second. Motion passed 6-0. The meeting was adjourned at 6:05 p.m.
ATTEST:
___________________________ ____________________________
Carol Hehr, Mayor Lori Cunard, Fiscal Officer