The Council of the Village of Woodsfield
June 1, 2026
The Council of the Village of Woodsfield met in Regular Session on June 1, 2026.
I. Oath of Office:
Rusty Atkinson, newly appointed Council member serving the remainder of Matt Schaber’s term through December 31, 2027 was sworn in by Mayor Carol Hehr.
II. Roll Call:
Present: Council Members; Tom Kirkland, Bill Allen, Alicia Gardner, Kim Schaber, Tiffany Ramsay, Rusty Atkinson, Mayor Carol Hehr, Fiscal Officer Lori Cunard, Village Administrator Kevin Brooks, and Solicitor Ryan Regel.
III. Pending Meeting Minutes Approval:
Tiffany Ramsay made the motion to accept the May 18, 2026 Council meeting minutes as written. Bill Allen second the motion. Rusty Atkinson – abstain. Motion passed 5-0.
IV. Registered Visitors:
None
V. Old Business:
All-Call – Mayor Hehr has been in contact with One Call Now. There are several different plans, but the Village is going to go with an unlimited plan with a cost of around $1,900.00 per year. Mayor Hehr said nothing will change except that it will be an automated voice instead of Mayor Hehr’s voice on the all-call. It will be in effect sometime this week.
Senior rate for the Pool – Mayor Hehr asked what the Committee decided to do about a senior rate at the pool. Bill Allen said they had not decided anything. Kevin Brooks said Steve Eikleberry, Park Superintendent, called around and most other pools in the area give a $2.00 discount for ages 65 and older. Bill Allen made a motion to approve a senior rate, 65 and older, of $3.00 admission to the pool for the 2026 season. Alicia Gardner second the motion. Motion passed 6-0.
Kevin Brooks said no one was in favor of the idea of not charging or giving a discount to someone who is just at the pool to babysit. He said they have discussed it and feel it would be a huge hassle and a distraction for the lifeguards.
Kevin Brooks said there has been an issue in the past at the pool with smoking and vaping on the property. He said they have implemented a zero-tolerance policy this year and it will be enforced. He said there will be no warning, the first time you will be dismissed for the day and the second time you will be dismissed for the remainder of the season. He also said this includes the outside area surrounding the pool because that is still Village property.
VI. Administrator Report:
Village Administrator, Kevin Brooks, asked for a motion to accept the resignation of Tyler Spence, Water Treatment Plant Operator, effective June 12, 2026. Tom Kirkland made the motion. Alicia Gardner second the motion. Motion passed 6-0.
Kevin Brooks asked for a motion to hire Mark Haralson as interim Water Treatment Plant Operator, wage to be negotiated, effective June 15, 2026. Tom Kirkland made the motion. Rusty Atkinson second the motion. Kevin Brooks said we are currently working with staff to obtain additional licensure. We are going to have to advertise and hire someone, but we have a little bit of time to do so now. Mayor Hehr said we owe Mr. Haralson a big thank you for helping the Village out. Motion passed 6-0.
Kevin Brooks said John Williams and Regan Rucker are approaching their one-year anniversary and will be scheduled for a 3% wage increase. He is asking for a motion to approve a 3% wage increase for John Williams and Regan Rucker on their one-year anniversary. Bill Allen made the motion. Tom Kirkland second the motion. Motion passed 6-0.
Kevin Brooks asked for a motion to hire Dale Stewart for mowing as seasonal part-time at the Cemetery and Parks effective immediately. Tiffany Ramsay made the motion. Tom Kirkland second the motion. Motion passed 6-0. Mayor Hehr said we may be hiring another person as well.
Kevin Brooks said 2-3 months ago we had discussed raising utility rates. The last increase that had been put into effect happened in March 2026 and there is nothing else on the docket. We do not anticipate any shortfall in electric at this point, however, we need to remember as we get closer to the voltage conversion project, we may have to adjust rates to account for our portion of that project. He is asking the Utility Committee to get together and decide what we are going to do with the Water and Sewer rates moving forward.
The dumpsters were delivered this morning and are almost full already. The Police Department is monitoring them for any illegal dumping.
Kevin Brooks said there was a brief discussion at the last Council meeting regarding infrastructure and the need to do certain projects. He said he is uncomfortable with that conversation because it is extremely misleading and not accurate.
Kevin Brooks gave a list of infrastructure improvements made since 2019 to all of Council members. He would like to go through the list and correct the perception that the Village has not done a whole lot.
Mr. Brooks said the Electric Department did a substation rebuild in 2019, traded out three diesel converters sporadically since 2019, had Farabee in to do fabricating and maintenance to the existing converters because parts are no longer available, a turbo repair on the big diesel, random pole maintenance, system mapping with CT Consultants in 2020, and have obligated Verdantas for the voltage conversion design.
Mr. Brooks said in the Water/Sewer Department the Phase I Storm Separation Project was done between 2019 and 2020. We extended and replaced the waterline on Fairground Rd. and completed a Dam study at Rubel Lake between 2019 and 2020. There were hydrant replacements in 2022, and a water plant upgrade in 2023. We are in the middle of Phase II of the Storm Separation Project. The wash tanks have been replaced at the Water Treatment Plant and lift station upgrades at the Fairground.
Kevin Brooks said in the Park Department new playground equipment was purchased in 2019 and 2020 by a NatureWorks grant. The restrooms were put in at City Park and fencing around the basketball court. The exercise equipment was bought and put in at the walking trail and the walking trail itself was completed. There has been new furniture, pumps, and significant concrete and leak repair done at the pool. We also resurfaced the tennis courts.
Kevin Brooks said in the Street Department a paving repair job was done in front of Rite-Aid and chip and sealed some alleys. In 2022 paving of Jones Court and some other alleys was done, Airport Rd. was paved in 2024, in 2025 alleys throughout the downtown were paved, and in 2026 we are set to pave 7 streets.
Mr. Brooks said the downtown project was done in 2020-2021 that included storm, water, sewer lines, as well as sidewalks and street paving.
Mr. Brooks said in 2019 there was significant work done at the Cemetery that included cleaning up and repairs on the front of the mausoleum and landscaping. We are also looking at doing more paving on the unpaved section in the Cemetery.
Kevin Brooks said the walking path and sidewalks on St. Rt. 78 in front of Riesbeck’s is a pending project that will be started the second half of 2027.
Kevin Brooks said we also have acquired and sold some property over the last 7 years. The Forshey lot to the South of the Municipal building was purchased in 2020, we acquired the Brown Center on a 15-year lease in 2025, the Christman lot on Main Street was purchased in 2024 and the EMS Building was sold in 2025.
Kevin Brooks said there has been a significant amount of infrastructure done in the last 7 years in the amount of around $13,477,000.00, and we will continue to try and get where we need to be. He said he doesn’t know that you ever get completely done. He said we are going to apply for another $450,000.00 to do more street paving in 2027 which should get us caught up.
Kevin Brooks said there is also a debt schedule included with Council packets to show Council the debt that was taken on to do some of the projects. When we did the Phase I Storm Separation Project the vast majority of that money was from a 30-year no interest loan.
Kevin Brooks did want to point out that we were not very good at promoting when projects were being done. Our position was always to get the project done; it didn’t matter who did it but just to
make sure it was done. Maybe now we will take a different approach and document what is being done so people will understand that we are addressing needs in the Village.
Bill Allen asked if this was all public information and Kevin Brooks said yes and he hopes everyone shares it with as many people as they can.
Kim Schaber said with all due respect, when she brought up the Municipal Complex at the last meeting and also referred to infrastructure, at no point did she say there was no infrastructure worth moving forward. She also did not say to stop moving forward with the Municipal Complex, if you consult the notes, she requested that we look at it again and focus on what the priority was, which was the Police Department. She did not insinuate that nothing had been done on infrastructure and she is not going to say anything else about that. She also said that for the last 2 years she has been asking why the Village does not promote the good work it’s doing and yet, before she came to the meeting tonight having asked and been told at the last meeting that Lori Cunard would talk to Daniel Denbow about getting the website updated, nothing has been done yet again.
Kim Schaber said the Infrastructure Improvement List given to Council this evening would be the perfect thing to put on the website which gives no information on projects being done other than the downtown square which was done a number of years ago.
Kim Schaber said to set the record straight, she is not putting down infrastructure, the thing she was pointing to was that while we sit doing nothing on the Municipal Complex why don’t we stop focusing on the Complex and focus on the Police Department.
Kim Schaber said the whole idea of the Infrastructure Improvement List was to refute the idea that she had said no progress was being made on infrastructure. Kevin Brooks said that is totally wrong and Kim Schaber asked where the discussion came from when she was the one who brought up infrastructure at the last meeting.
Mayor Carol Hehr said she and Kevin Brooks have had the discussion several times in regard to making it known what infrastructure improvements have been made. It did not come from what Kim Schaber said at the last meeting but from residents out there who have commented that nothing is being done in the Village. Kim Schaber said that Kevin Brooks said it was brought up at the last meeting and she was the one who brought up infrastructure. She said that if people do not know about all of the infrastructure improvements it is because of the lack of information the Village gives its residents. Mayor Hehr said we are going to move on from this subject.
VII. Fiscal Officer Report:
Lori Cunard said the bank statement is reconciled and asked for Council signatures.
Lori Cunard said Chris Kerby will be in the Fiscal Office on the 25th of June to start the budget process.
Kevin Brooks suggested the Finance Committee get together for a meeting to discuss what to do about pay increases for 2027.
VIII. Committee Chair/Council Reports:
Tom Kirkland – Tom Kirkland said he will get a Utility Committee and Finance Committee set up in the next few weeks.
Bill Allen – Nothing to report.
Alicia Gardner – Nothing to report.
Kim Schaber – Kim Schaber would like to inquire on whether or not Lori Cunard has talked to Daniel Denbow and when he is going to update the website. Lori Cunard said she did speak to him and he has updated the minutes but as far as the pictures are concerned, she has no idea when they will be completed.
Tiffany Ramsay – Tiffany Ramsay said the Property Maintenance Committee met this evening and they had one resident attend the meeting. They talked about progress that has been made on his property and what his plan is moving forward. The resident said there will be improvements by the end
of the year. Tiffany Ramsay said there are still a few more residents they would like to have come in for the next meeting. She said they would like to send a letter to one of the residents on their list who has made some improvements to give some positive reinforcements.
The dumpsters are in the lot next to the MunicipalBuilding this week for clean-up week.
Tiffany Ramsay would also like to commend the Police Department for all the work they have done on Property Maintenance. She said they have issued 33 warnings on grass and trash with 6 citations issued.
Rusty Atkinson – Nothing to report.
IX: Solicitor’s Report:
Solicitor Ryan Regel said he would like to call for Executive Session at the end of the meeting to discuss the sale/lease of property.
X: Mayor’s Report:
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to approve the payment of bills. Tiffany Ramsay made the motion. Tom Kirkland second the motion. Motion passed 6-0.
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to approve the Mayor’s Court Report, May 2026. Bill Allen made the motion. Tiffany Ramsay second the motion. Motion passed 6-0.
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to approve the Income Tax Report, May 2026. Tom Kirkland made the motion. Bill Allen second the motion. Kevin Brooks said we are still tracking well behind 2025 but with the projects in the Village he is hoping it will pick back up. Motion passed 6-0.
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to approve Ordinance #08–2026, An Ordinance Establishing Chapter 343 of the Codified Ordinances of the Village of Woodsfield, Ohio, Titled “Low-Speed Vehicles, Under-Speed Vehicles, Utility Vehicles and Mini-Trucks, by its Second Reading. Bill Allen made the motion. Tom Kirkland second the motion. Alicia Gardner – yes, Kim Schaber – yes, Tiffany Ramsay – yes, Rusty Atkinson – yes. Motion passed 6-0.
Mayor Hehr said she was invited to attend a ceremony at the St. Sylvester School. They did a challenge in regard to fitness and nutrition. Mayor Hehr was asked to give certificates to the top 5 students that went over and beyond the other students. Mayor Hehr had T-shirts made at M.A.C.O and made certificates for the 5 kids from the Village of Woodsfield.
Mayor Hehr talked with the Park Committee about the Pickle Ball Court. She had a person who uses the Pickle Ball Court and the Tennis Court approach her and they feel we need a permanent Pickle Ball Court. With the permission of the Park Committee, they are going to have two Pickle Ball Courts and one Tennis Court. She said it can always be reversed later if need be. She said the cost of the Pickle Ball net is $1,400.00 plus shipping.
Mayor Hehr said since we have decided not to put a fence up around the City Park, she is asking for suggestions to apply for a NatureWorks grant. It is due July 1st and if no one has any suggestions she is probably going to write the grant for furniture at the Downtown Park.
Kevin Brooks said for Alumni weekend the Fair Board is going to loan us some tables and chairs to set up at the Downtown Park. He said he thinks the furniture would be a reasonable request.
Mayor Hehr said they do have plans for the Downtown Park. She said she does not want grass in the park because every time they mow, they will have to move the furniture. The plans that Verdantas did is for stamped cement and around the park will be trees and shrubs. Kevin Brooks said it will be expensive, but we are trying to find some funding source to offset the cost. Mayor Hehr said she is also asking for donations because it is a community park, it will benefit everyone.
XI. Un-registered Visitors/Guests (each allotted 2 minutes):
None
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to go into Executive Session for the sale/lease of property. Tom Kirkland made the motion. Tiffany Ramsay second the motion. Motion passed 6-0. Executive Session entered at 6:15 p.m.
Mayor Hehr called the meeting back to Regular Session at 6:18 p.m.
XII. Adjourn:
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Alicia Gardner made the motion. Bill Allen second. Motion passed 6-0. The meeting was adjourned at 6:20 p.m.
ATTEST:
___________________________ ____________________________
Carol Hehr, Mayor Lori Cunard, Fiscal Officer