The Council of the Village of Woodsfield
July 20, 2026
The Council of the Village of Woodsfield met in Regular Session on July 20, 2026.
I. Roll Call:
Present: Council Members; Tom Kirkland, Bill Allen, Kim Schaber, Tiffany Ramsay, Rusty Atkinson, Mayor Carol Hehr, Fiscal Officer Lori Cunard, Village Administrator Kevin Brooks and Solicitor Ryan Regel.
Absent: Council member Alicia Gardner.
II. Pending Meeting Minutes Approval:
Rusty Atkinson made the motion to accept the July 6, 2026 Council meeting minutes as written. Tiffany Ramsay second the motion. Alicia Gardner – absent. Motion passed 5-0.
III. Registered Visitors:
Rick Brown, Monroe Theatre – Mr. Brown said they are getting closer to opening day at the Monroe Theatre. He asked Council if the entertainer charter buses could park alongside the Theatre on East Court Street across from Subway, which is what they had done in the past. Mayor Hehr asked if anyone on Council objects to the buses being parked along the Theatre. No one on Council objected but Mr. Brooks asked that we get a show schedule so we know what will be going on and Mr. Brown said he would get one to the Village.
Rick Brown said on show days only, after 2-3:00 p.m. if the parking spaces directly in front of the Theatre could be dedicated as handicapped spaces. Bill Allen asked if that had to be in an Ordinance. Kevin Brooks said in order for it to be enforced there has to be a sign in the air, not just something on the ground. Mr. Brooks said we do not have portable signs, but if the Theatre would like to get portable signs, then they can put them up on show days, he does not see a problem with it. Mayor Hehr asked if Council was ok with the Theatre doing this and Council agreed.
Rick Brown said they didn’t think the Theatre project was going to allow it, but there is a backstage restroom in the project plans for entertainers. It had not been talked about until now but there is no connection in the back of the building for sewer. He said it would be at the back of the building at the end of the stage and would have to connect to the sewage system in the alley. Kevin Brooks said we would have to send Brian Harrigan, Water/Sewer Superintendent, out to see where the connection would have to be.
IV. Old Business:
None
V. Administrator Report:
Village Administrator, Kevin Brooks, asked for Executive Session to consult with legal Counsel at the end of the meeting and action may or may not be taken.
Kevin Brooks said Jesse Howard is currently an interim full-time employee for the Water/Sewer Department. He asked that he now be a regular full-time employee effective immediately, wages to stay the same. We have had one employee out on extended sick leave that is coming back, but we may have another employee leaving. Mr. Brooks asked for a motion to change the status of Jesse Howard to a regular full-time employee, and he will be used at the Water Plant, Wastewater Plant, and the Distribution crew. Tom Kirkland made the motion. Bill Allen second the motion. Alicia Gardner – absent. Motion passed 5-0.
Kevin Brooks reported that the Electric Department received notification from Doan Ford that the new truck we had ordered and budgeted for is in and can be picked up. The price for the truck is $57,974.00 and Lewis Hill, Electric Superintendent, will pick it up later this week. The truck was pre-approved by Council and part of the 2026 budget.
Kevin Brooks said the Park Department would like to increase the wages for Bryce Farrabee from $13.00/hr. to $15.00/hr. He is the part-time seasonal employee for the Park/Cemetery Departments and is doing a great job so we would like to give him an increase. Tiffany Ramsay made the motion to
increase wages for Bryce Farrabee, Park/Cemetery, from $13.00/hr. to $15.00/hr. Kim Schaber second the motion. Alicia Gardner – absent. Motion passed 5-0.
Kevin Brooks stated that Essie Wilson, Utility Clerk, probationary period is coming up. Mr. Brooks asked for a motion to remove her from probation and give her a 3% increase as of August 1 according to her employment agreement. Tom Kirkland made a motion. Rusty Atkinson second the motion. Alicia Gardner – absent. Motion passed 5-0.
VI. Fiscal Officer Report:
Lori Cunard said the Village received a grant from the Foundation for Appalachia of Ohio for the Cemetery in the amount of $3,039.00. It will be used for tree removal at the Cemetery.
Kevin Brooks said he would like to bring to Council’s attention that we have had some residents call and complain about brush piles. MCTV/Armstrong Cable have been trimming trees around their lines, and they have been leaving the brush. They are telling residents that the Village will pick it up and Mr. Brooks said that is not true. He talked with them today and asked them to pick up the brush that they left and to stop misinforming our residents of brush pick-up.
VII. Committee Chair/Council Reports:
Rusty Atkinson – Nothing to report.
Tiffany Ramsay – Tiffany Ramsay said the next Property Maintenance Committee meeting is scheduled for August 3rd at 4:30 p.m.
Kim Schaber – Nothing to report.
Alicia Gardner –Absent.
Bill Allen – Nothing to report.
Tom Kirkland – Nothing to report.
VIII: Solicitor’s Report:
Nothing to report.
IX: Mayor’s Report:
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to approve the payment of bills. Bill Allen made the motion. Tom Kirkland second the motion. Alicia Gardner – absent. Motion passed 5-0.
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to approve the Mayor’s Court Report, mid-July 2026. Tom Kirkland made the motion. Kim Schaber second the motion. Alicia Gardner – absent. Motion passed 5-0.
Mayor Hehr said she did submit the NatureWorks grant and we should find out in November whether or not we will be awarded it.
X. Un-registered Visitors/Guests (each allotted 2 minutes):
Michelle Johnson – Michelle Johnson said that at the Walking Trail there are signs posted stating no bicycles, skateboards, etc. She said that a lot of people walk at the Cemetery but the only signs she has seen posted there are “no dogs allowed.” She said there have been kids riding electric bikes at the Cemetery and she wants to know what the rules are at the Cemetery.
Mayor Hehr said the reason they posted the signs at the Walking Trail is because of older people. She said they felt older people would use the trail and so we didn’t want bikes or skateboards on the trail. She said she doesn’t think we have any rules at the Cemetery.
Kevin Brooks said this is a good point because he has noticed a lot of kids riding skateboards and bikes on the sidewalks in the downtown area. He said as people are coming in and out of stores
downtown, he is concerned someone is going to get hit. Mayor Hehr said they would talk to Chief Corey Jones about stopping the bikes and scooters on the sidewalks downtown.
Kevin Brooks said if Council is ok with it, they can have signs made up for the Cemetery. Mayor Hehr suggested they have a Cemetery Committee meeting to discuss what should be permitted and what should not be. Michelle Johsnon feels It is disrespectable to be using the Cemetery for bikes and skateboards. Kreg Robison said as someone who used to run, there aren’t a lot of safe areas in town to run, bike or skateboard.
Brent Dick – Brent Dick asked why now the Theatre is wanting the restroom added. He said we have already run into issues with the second water tap. He just wanted to say that they need to be careful, and he asked who was going to pay the cost because the grant funds the Theatre received should already be allocated. Brent Dick said they fought the Village when a second water tap was put in and now, they want a second sewer tap. He said he doesn’t want to see the alley torn up and he doesn’t feel the restroom would be necessary. Mayor Hehr said we will send Brian Harrigan, Water/Sewer Department, out to talk to them about it.
Debbie Gates – Debbie Gates asked how it is determined when the pool closes. She said there was one day when it was in the 90’s that the pool was closed because of limited staffing. She asked if it was considered to open with limited staff but then only allow less than capacity in the pool or even if shifts could have been done such as 12:00 – 3:00 p.m. and 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. Kevin Brooks said on that particular day we had zero lifeguards. She asked if it was due to call-offs or why no one could come in. Kevin Brooks said they all had previous scheduled appointments and all for the same day. He said there is not enough interest to carry extra lifeguards for situations like this.
Debbie Gates also said that they have a concession stand, but they never have anything. She said they were at the pool one day and the concession stand had nothing. She said they had no drinks and she was told they were not left money to order pizza, so they had no pizza. She realizes the pool is not there to make money, but it seems like it is not being run very well. She also said they got there at 3:00 p.m. and were told the pool is closing because there aren’t enough people. She feels that is a big reason why people in our community aren’t utilizing the pool because they don’t know when it’s going to be open and you can’t get snacks for your kids, so people are going elsewhere. She said she herself has been going elsewhere.
Mayor Hehr said she will have a discussion with Steve Eikleberry, Park Superintendent, because she has always said it doesn’t matter how many people are there if the hours are 12:00 – 6:00 p.m. then that is what the pool should be open no matter how many people are there, Bill Allen agreed.
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to go into Executive Session to consult with Legal Counsel. Tiffany Ramsay made the motion. Rusty Atkinson second the motion. Alicia Gardner – absent. Motion passed 5-0. Executive Session entered at 6:05 p.m.
Mayor Hehr called the meeting back into regular session. Regular Session entered at 6:30 p.m.
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to pass Ordinance #10-2026, An Ordinance Authorizing the Mayor of the Village of Woodsfield Ohio to Execute all Documents Necessary to Pay an Outstanding Invoice for the Repair of the Turbo Utilized in the Village of Woodfield Ohio’s Electric Generation System and Declaring an Emergency. Rusty Atkinson made the motion. Kim Schaber second the motion. Alicia Gardner – absent. Tom Kirkland – yes, Bill Allen – yes, Tiffany Ramsay – yes. Ordinance #10-2026 adopted.
XI. Adjourn:
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Rusty Atkinson made the motion. Tiffany Ramsay second the motion. Motion passed 6-0. The meeting was adjourned at 6:35p.m.
ATTEST:
___________________________ ____________________________
Carol Hehr, Mayor Lori Cunard, Fiscal Officer