Meeting Minutes (1-4-2022)

The Council of the Village of Woodsfield

January 4, 2022

The Council of the Village of Woodsfield met in Regular Session on January 4, 2022.

I. Council Members Take Oath of Office and Elect Council President:

Council Members elected to serve from January 2022 to December 2026, Dale English, Anthony McDaniel, Jamie Hill, and Carol Hehr, were sworn in by Mayor Ricer.

Councilman Anthony McDaniel nominated Dale English as President of Council. Tom Kirkland second. A unanimous vote of “yes” was taken, with one member (D. Ray Hughes) being absent. Mr. English accepted the nomination for President of Woodsfield Village Council.

II. Roll Call:

Present: Council Members; Dale English, Tom Kirkland, Anthony McDaniel, Jamie Hill, Carol Hehr, Mayor Mike Ricer, Village Administrator Kevin Brooks, and Fiscal Officer Lori Cunard.

Absent: D. Ray Hughes

III. Pending Meeting Minutes Approval:

Councilman Jamie Hill made a motion to accept the December 20, 2021 meeting minutes. Dale English second, Anthony McDaniel – Abstain, D. Ray Hughes – absent. Motion passed 4-0.

IV. Registered Visitors/Guest: (Registered visitors were done before roll call)

Tyler Spence – Mayor Ricer introduced Tyler Spence. Mr. Spence is a new employee with the Village of Woodsfield. He will be working at the Water Plant as a Water Treatment Plant Operator. Mr. Spence thanked Council for the opportunity of working with the Village, he will be starting on January 10^th. Council welcomed Mr. Spence to the Village and thanked him for coming in.

Mayor Ricer then let Council know that Jesse Lewis will be starting in the Electric Department as a Laborer. Mr. Lewis was unable to attend this evening because he is utilizing his vacation time from his previous employer, he will be starting on January 24^th.

Uriah Wilson – Uriah Wilson attended to ask Council if they had made any kind of decision on his re-zoning request for 328 S. Main Street. He let Council know that he had decided the location was not big enough to use as a morning meeting spot for he and his crew. Village Administrator Kevin Brooks updated Councilman Anthony McDaniel of the request due to him being absent at the previous meeting. Anthony McDaniel then asked Kevin Brooks what the next step is. Mr. Brooks replied that if Council wants to move forward with the request that all adjoining residents would have to be notified of the request by mail and a public hearing would be set, generally 15 minutes before a Council meeting to give residents a chance to voice their concerns. A request can be made for the property owner to submit a detailed plan for the parcel, then Council would decide on whether they want to re-zone the parcel or not. Council agreed that the request would move forward.

V. Old Business:

Mayor Ricer talked about the trash laying around town which had been talked about at a previous meeting. He said starting tomorrow he will be writing letters to the property owners that have trash laying out giving them 5 days to get it cleaned up. Village Administrator Kevin Brooks spoke up to say that if it is not cleaned up in 5 days then the Village will clean it up and there will be a significant charge. Carla Wobschall of the Monroe County Beacon asked if the Village had a standard service for trash pick-up to which the reply was no, residents can contract with who they want. Mr. Brooks also replied that due to a small number of haulers in the area it would be hard to make a competitive or practical bid for an exclusive hauler for the Village.

Councilwoman Carol Hehr asked if we have an Ordinance regarding residents parking in their yards. There are residents in the Village who have been parking in their yard and driving on the sidewalk. It is causing mud and ice to accumulate on the sidewalk and you have walk out into the street to get away from it. Mr. Brooks said that we do have an Ordinance and Mayor Ricer said he would send Chief Corey Jones out to talk to the residents about this issue.

VI. Administrator Report:

Village Administrator Kevin Brooks asked for a motion to hire Jesse Lewis as a Laborer for the Electric Department @ $13.00 to start on January 24, 2022. Jamie Hill made the motion. Carol Hehr second. D. Ray Hughes – absent. Motion passed 5-0.

Village Administrator Kevin Brooks asked for a motion to hire Tyler Spence as a Water Treatment Plant Operator for the Water Plant @ $52,000 annually to start on January 10, 2022. Dale English made the motion. Tom Kirkland second. D. Ray Hughes – absent. Motion passed 5-0.

Mr. Brooks stated that in packets is a report from E. L. Robinson. This report was requested as an addition to the report Council received about a month ago. Also in packets there is a resolution with E.

L. Robinson that will authorize them to continue applying for funding for Storm Sewer Separation Projects throughout the Village.

Mr. Brooks then brought up the situation at the Monroe County Jail of the illegal, improper discharge into the sanitary sewer system. This situation has been going on since 2016, when the new jail was built. It has come to Mr. Brooks attention that the Monroe County Commissioners have no intentions of correcting the issue any time soon. Mr. Brooks stated that we went to the Commissioners a year ago, when the new group took office, and requested action be taken and we be updated. It has been a year and we have not been updated at all other than them saying they don’t have the money to fix the issue but yet they spent $300,000 on a building at the Industrial Park and they have spent thousand of dollars to buy a boat and machine guns for the sheriff’s department. It appears that they have money to spend, but not on what they are lawfully and obligated to spend it on in terms of their discharge system. Mr. Brooks is asking Council what they want to do regarding the situation. Councilwoman Carol Hehr asked if E. L. Robinson was working on the project proposal. Mr. Brooks said yes but the project cost has went from $160,000 to $370,000 because the Commissioners keep putting it off. Councilman Anthony McDaniel asked what our options are and Mr. Brooks replied to take them off the system, it is our right to do so and maybe that is the message we need to send. Anthony McDaniel asked what kind of time frame we should give them and Mr. Brooks said 30 days but we don’t have to give them any notice. Mayor Ricer spoke up and said to go to the Commissioners and let them know we are giving them 30 days to have the issue fixed. Council President Dale English spoke up and said to call the Commissioners and get on the agenda for the Commissioners meeting, have our legal counsel draft a letter giving them 30 days to have the problem fixed or they will be shut-off from the system and present the letter to them at the meeting. Councilwoman Carol Hehr spoke up and said that she did not think that 30 days was enough time. Kevin Brooks said that he sees the county spending money on things that are not as important as fixing the discharge problem and they have yet to communicate with us for any plans on fixing the problem. Council agreed that legal counsel would be contacted to get a letter drafted to the Commissioners so that it can be taken to them on Monday. Councilwoman Carol Hehr again said that she agrees with having a letter drafted but feels 30 days is not enough time and suggested giving them 60 days. Kevin Brooks said that he would not have a problem giving them more than 30 days but we were told a year ago that the County had the extra funds and the problem would be taken care of at that time and it hasn’t been taken care of and there has been no communication at all. Mr. Brooks main issues are that the County is spending money on other things rather than fixing an illegal and unlawful discharge situation and the lack of communication. Councilwoman Carol Hehr asked what the letter would say, are we going to ask them to have the project done in 30 days or to have the project started in 30 days?? Councilman Anthony McDaniel suggested giving them 30 days to at least have a set start date and completion date of the project. Kevin Brooks said that he would meet with Solicitor Kristy Rothenbuhler and ask her to draft a letter to the Commissioners but due to illness he didn’t know if the letter can be done for Monday. Mr. Brooks said he would review the letter and make sure Council can review the letter too before it is taken to the Commissioners. Councilman Anthony McDaniel would like to see the letter done as soon as possible, preferably by Monday. Kevin Brooks said that he would contact Kristy Rothenbuhler and see how soon it can be done.

Kevin Brooks let Council know that the Village received the first royalty check from Gulfport today in the amount of $120,685.00.

VII. Fiscal Officer Report:

Lori Cunard stated that there was no special meeting needed with Council before year-end. The last minute bills coming in were paid and there was nothing that needed urgent attention.

VIII. Committee Chair/Council Reports:

Dale English – Councilman Dale English stated that the truck was purchased for the Cemetery and the old truck is for sale. Kevin Brooks stated that an ad was put in the paper for sealed bids on the truck until January 14^th. He also discussed with Rich McConnell, Cemetery Sexton, that the proceeds from the sale of the old truck will be used to purchase seat covers, floor mats and other accessories for the new truck and any other proceeds left will be re-invested back to the Brague Endowment Cemetery Account.

Tom Kirkland – Nothing to report

Anthony McDaniel – Councilman Anthony McDaniel wished everyone Happy New Year and was glad to be back after being absent due to work the last couple Council meetings.

Jamie Hill – Councilman Jamie Hill reported on the sign on the East end of town that had been damaged. He talked to Casey Bott and he said he would design and pay for a new sign. Jamie Hill said he would ask him to come to Council to talk about it. Jamie Hill also reported that a drain on Holiday

Ave. needed work done due to flooding when there is a lot of rain. Kevin Brooks said that the drain has been cleaned numerous times, but he would see what can be done about it.

Carol Hehr – Councilwoman Carol Hehr reported that there are internet signs on utility poles that need to come down because we do have an ordinance regarding that. Kevin Brooks stated that the Light Plant is aware of it but they were working on Christmas decorations, and they are also stripping down poles getting them ready to paint due to the downtown ODOT Project but he will have the guys take the internet signs down. Carol Hehr also stated that she feels we need to communicate to the public about what our expectations are when doing festivities in the Village and on Village property. Kevin Brooks spoke up to say that he really thinks we need to have a user agreement to relieve the Village of liability, that they have insurance, and that they have asked permission to use City Park or whatever it may be. Mr. Brooks suggested putting some reminders and FAQ’s on the website regarding the use of Village property. Council all agreed they are not trying to deter anyone, but the main thing is the public needs to communicate with them if they are wanting to use Village property for an event.

Mayor Ricer asked Village Administrator Kevin Brooks how much was collected on Building Permits for 2021. Mr. Brooks replied that he believed we did around 24 permits, but he would get the exact number and let Council know.

Ray Hughes – Absent

IX. Solicitor’s Report:

None

X. Mayor’s Report:

The Mayor reported that Officer Jacob McNerney has successfully completed his probationary period as of December 20, 2021. He has demonstrated good leadership skills, a good work ethic, and integrity while performing his job as a Police Officer for the Village. Mayor Ricer asked for a motion to remove Officer Jacob McNerney from probationary status and move him to Step 2 on the wage scale @ $15.97/hr. Tom Kirkland made the motion. Dale English second. D. Ray Hughes – absent. Motion passed 5-0.

The Mayor asked for a motion to approve the payment of bills. Anthony McDaniel made the motion. Carol Hehr second. D. Ray Hughes – absent. Motion passed 5-0.

Chief Corey Jones had a Police report that the Mayor presented to Council. The Mayor asked for a motion to approve the Police Report, 2021. Jamie Hill made the motion. Anthony McDaniel second. D. Ray Hughes – absent. Motion passed 5-0.

The Mayor asked for a motion to approve the Mayor’s Court Report for December, 2021. Anthony McDaniel made the motion. Dale English second. D. Ray Hughes – absent. Motion passed 5-0.

The Mayor asked for a motion to approve the Income Tax Report for December, 2021. Carol Hehr made the motion. Tom Kirkland second. D. Ray Hughes – absent. Motion passed 5-0.

The Mayor asked for a motion to suspend the rules and pass, by its third reading as an emergency, Ordinance #03-2021, An Ordinance to Increase Water and Sewer Rate to Consumers. The Ordinance is being passed as an emergency due to increasing the rates on the January 2022 billing cycle. Carol Hehr made the motion. Tom Kirkland second. Motion passed 5-0. Carol Hehr – yes, Tom Kirkland – yes, Dale English – yes, Anthony McDaniel – yes, Jamie Hill – yes, Carol Hehr – yes, D. Ray Hughes – absent. The Mayor then asked for a motion to pass and adopt Ordinance #03-2021. Anthony McDaniel made the motion. Tom Kirkland second. Motion passed 5-0. Anthony McDaniel – yes, Tom Kirkland – yes, Dale English – yes, Jamie Hill – yes, Carol Hehr – yes, D. Ray Hughes – absent. Ordinance #03-2021 adopted.

The Mayor asked for a motion to pass Ordinance #05-2021, Providing for Amending and Revising Specific Line-Items in the Appropiations of Expenditures for the Village of Woodsfield for the Calendar Year 2021 and Declaring an Emergency. Let it be noted: A motion to suspend the three-reading rule and pass this ordinance as an emergency measure was made, seconded and passed with 5 affirmative votes. Tom Kirkland made the motion. Carol Hehr second. Motion passed 5-0. Tom Kirkland – yes, Carol Hehr – yes, Dale English – yes, Anthony McDaniel – yes, Jamie Hill – yes, D. Ray Hughes – absent. The Mayor asked for a motion to suspend the three reading rule as an emergency and pass Ordinance #05-2021. Anthony McDaniel made the motion. Tom Kirkland second. Motion passed 5-0. Anthony McDaniel – yes, Tom Kirkland – yes, Dale English – yes, Jamie Hill – yes, Carol Hehr – yes, D. Ray Hughes – absent.

The Mayor then asked for a motion to pass and adopt Ordinance #05-2021. Dale English made the motion. Carol Hehr second. Motion passed 5-0. Dale English – yes, Carol Hehr – yes, Tom Kirkland – yes, Anthony McDaniel – yes, Jamie Hill – yes, D. Ray Hughes – absent. Ordinance #05-2021 adopted.

The Mayor asked for a motion to pass Resolution #2022-01, Authorizing Bob Allen with E. L. Robinson to submit with USDA Rural Development Application via the RD Apply Online Application System for the Village of Woodsfield. Jamie Hill made the motion. Carol Hehr second. D. Ray Hughes – absent. Motion passed 5-0. Kevin Brooks asked Fiscal Officer Lori Cunard to please send Bob Allen a signed copy of the Resolution tomorrow morning.

XI. Un-Registered Visitors:

None

XII. Adjourn:

Councilman Jamie Hill made the motion to Adjourn from Session. Carol Hehr second the motion. D. Ray Hughes – absent. Motion passed 5-0. Meeting adjourned at 6:56 p.m.

ATTEST:

___________________________ ____________________________

Michael E. Ricer, Mayor Lori Cunard, Fiscal Officer