The Council of the Village of Woodsfield
August 3, 2026
The Council of the Village of Woodsfield met in Regular Session on August 3, 2026.
I. Roll Call:
Present: Council Members; Tom Kirkland, Bill Allen, Kim Schaber, Tiffany Ramsay, Rusty Atkinson, Mayor Carol Hehr, Fiscal Officer Lori Cunard, and Village Administrator Kevin Brooks.
Absent: Council member Alicia Gardner and Solicitor Ryan Regel.
II. Pending Meeting Minutes Approval:
Kim Schaber made the motion to accept the July 20, 2026 Council meeting minutes as written. Bill Allen second the motion. Alicia Gardner – absent. Motion passed 5-0.
III. Registered Visitors:
None
IV. Old Business:
None
V. Administrator Report:
Village Administrator, Kevin Brooks, met with Brian Harrigan, Water/Sewer Superintendent, this morning and he is advising Council to pass a motion to remove Allen Davis from probation and grant him his 6-month 3% wage increase. This was brought on from the last Council meeting where we removed another employee from probation and granted the 6-month wage increase. Removing an employee from probationary status is at the discretion of the superintendent and there were some issues with Mr. Davis, which is why his probation was not removed sooner. The issues have been addressed, and Mr. Harrigan agrees with removing Mr. Davis’s probationary status and going ahead with the 3% wage increase effective immediately. Bill Allen made a motion. Rusty Atkinson second the motion. Alicia Gardner – absent. Motion passed 5-0.
Kevin Brooks reported that they had the progress meeting for the Storm Sewer Separation and Water Washing Tank installation at the Water Treatment Plant. The projects are moving along however; we still do not have a schedule from the contractor for the Storm Sewer project, so we cannot advise when the downtown will be affected. The issue we are having is that M. O’Herron has been bought out so we have a brand-new construction crew. E. L. Robinson has asked for a construction schedule but still has not received one. We have stressed the importance of getting a schedule because when the downtown part of the project is being done it will be very disruptive to businesses, which is why we have requested it be done at night.
Kevin Brooks said we have our paving bid opening that is scheduled for Friday, August 14th. We currently have three plan holders, and they are Stouffer Paving, Parnell and Associates, and Shelley & Sands. Bill Allen asked if any of those are the ones who did paving in town last year and Kevin Brooks said Stouffer did last years paving.
VI. Fiscal Officer Report:
Lori Cunard, Fiscal Officer, reported that Cole Minder had his 10-year anniversary on August 1st and Lewis Hill will have his 15-year anniversary so they both will be receiving longevity.
Lori Cunard said the temporary budget is complete except for health insurance, and we won’t know next year’s health insurance cost until the end of August.
The bank reconciliation is completed and ready for Council signatures.
VII. Committee Chair/Council Reports:
Rusty Atkinson – Rusty Atkinson reported that he will be calling a Street Committee meeting soon once he finds a good day and time for everyone.
Kevin Brooks said they will be discussing signage and paving schedule for 2027.
Tiffany Ramsay – Tiffany Ramsay said the Property Maintenance Committee met this evening before the Council meeting. They had invited the Solicitor to attend because they were seeking more in-depth
guidance regarding some of the problematic properties they have been dealing with and how to move forward and making sure they are taking the proper steps. Tiffany Ramsay said the Solicitor will be writing up information that she will present to Council at the next meeting.
Kevin Brooks asked if a property on Eastern Avenue is on the list and Tiffany Ramsay said it is. Kim Schaber said the renters moved out about 2 months ago and left a lot of things behind, it is overgrown and the hedge is growing over the sidewalk. Tiffany Ramsay said they briefly talked about it at the Property Maintenance meeting tonight. Kevin Brooks said if the Police Department does a notification they can go in and clean it up but they can’t clean up until P.D. issues the notification.
Mayor Hehr said she has had some complaints from Council members not being able to hear because of visitors talking. She asked that people please refrain from talking until after the meeting is over.
Tiffany Ramsay reported that the Community Strong Committee is having their Main Street Live Concert on the lot next door on August 14th.
Kim Schaber – Kim Schaber said she would like to talk about sidewalks in town. She said there is $77,500 that has accrued in the Sidewalk Maintenance Fund. She said she understands the Sidewalk Replacement Program for residents however; they are not doing it because it is so expensive. She said she is getting ready to replace her own sidewalks in 4 sections and their estimate was $1,200.00 just for the 4 sections. Kim Schaber asked if there is a way that she could look for grants and use some of our funding as a match. She knows sidewalks are resident responsibility, but it is a safety concern. She said she saw a little boy get hurt because of a cracked sidewalk and she knows the owner will not do anything with the sidewalk. She said she knows she will not be able to get anything for this year, so she is looking into 2027. She asked if there is any regulations or objections to her trying to find grant funds and leveraging part of the $77,500 as a match.
Mayor Carol Hehr said about a month ago she met with a gentleman from the Mayor’s Partnership for Progress. She told him about the Main Street Park the Village is wanting to do and he told her they have technical support grants. Verdantas works closely with the Mayor’s Partnership for Progress and there is a possibility we could get money for technical support. She said Verdantas could look for grants, they would write them and it would not cost the Village anything depending on the amount. She said Verdantas can look for grants and they have more resources. Mayor Hehr said she would talk with the Mayor’s Partnership about sidewalk grants to see if she can get some information and, in the meantime, Kim Schaber can also be looking for grants.
Kevin Brooks said sidewalk grants are very scarce and usually the only money is through CDBG which is income restricted and/or going into partnership with the school. He said we have tried a few times, and the school does not seem to be interested. Mr. Brooks said the reason the Riesbeck project on St. Rt. 78 was approved is because it is technically not a sidewalk but a walking path to get people up off the highway. Mr. Brooks said hopefully we will be funded for a Phase II which would take the walking path to Airport Rd and possibly out further.
Mr. Brooks said Council can change the cap for the Sidewalk Program and possibly change the reimbursement amount to $1,000.00; it is Council’s decision. He said Council has control of the program so they can up the amount of the reimbursement if they want to.
Bill Allen asked if this is the fund that we decreased the amount going into the fund. Kevin Brooks said the Sidewalk Fund is funded through the customer service fee. The customer service fee funds multiple programs. We did re-align the distribution because some funds were being used more than others.
Kim Schaber said she has been spending a lot of time at the pool, and everyone is doing a really good job. She said she had never been out there and the concessions were depleted. She said the girls did suggest we get more signage of the rules to post inside the pool. Kim Schaber also said that the girls said it would be nice to find funds to be able to pay an adult to be at the pool because there are times the girls have to correct someone their own age that will argue with them.
Kevin Brooks said the pool will be closing during the week of August 17th. He said the first football game is August 21st so the school will need the concession stand prior to the 21st to get their inventory in the stand.
Mayor Hehr suggested Kim Schaber get with the Park Committee to talk about any suggestions for the pool, and they will report it back to Council.
Alicia Gardner –Absent.
Bill Allen – Bill Allen asked where we are as far as income tax collections because we have been behind. Kevin Brooks said we are $38,500.00 behind compared to last year at this time. He said we have not had the construction jobs in town that we have had in the past. But Mr. Brooks said the Storm Sewer Project will be ramping up, and we will have paving in town so we will collect from those. He said the sidewalk project near Reisbeck’s will be a $1.7 million job and it should start in 2027 so it will increase income tax.
Bill Allen reported that he has been receiving phone calls regarding e-bikes. He said it is getting dangerous and he reported a near accident to the Police Department the other night because they pulled out between two cars and one had a small child on the bike. Bill Allen thinks it would be a good idea to put a letter in with utility bills stating the laws. He said Martins Ferry put a letter in with their utility bills regarding e-bikes and it has helped. He said he has a copy of the letter so Mayor Hehr asked him if he would give it to Chief Corey Jones so he can look it over.
Kim Schaber said she has looked at our bikes and sidewalks ordinance, and it does state that e-bikes are only allowed on the sidewalks when the motors are not engaged, that is also a part of the Ohio Revised Code. She said she posted what the Ohio Revised Code and our Ordinance says about bikes/sidewalks on her Facebook page to inform people.
Tom Kirkland – Tom Kirkland would like to set up a Finance Committee Meeting. He will talk to everyone to get a day and time scheduled in the next week.
VIII: Solicitor’s Report:
Absent
IX: Mayor’s Report:
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to approve the payment of bills. Rusty Atkinson made the motion. Tiffany Ramsay second the motion. Tiffany Ramsay asked if the payment made to Rosen was the final bill. Lori Cunard stated it should be the final bill. Alicia Gardner – absent. Motion passed 5-0.
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to approve the Mayor’s Court Report, July 2026. Tom Kirkland made the motion. Bill Allen second the motion. Alicia Gardner – absent. Motion passed 5-0.
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to approve the Income Tax Report, July 2026. Tiffany Ramsay made the motion. Kim Schaber second the motion. Alicia Gardner – absent. Motion passed 5-0.
Mayor Hehr read a statement from USDA verifying the completion of a Compliance Review when receiving federal funding. The Compliance Reviews take place every 3 years for the life of the loan. The statement was signed by Council.
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to approve Resolution #2026-07, A Resolution Accepting the Amounts and Rates as Determined by the Budget Commission and Authorizing the Necessary Tax Levies and Certifying them to the County Auditor. Bill Allen made the motion. Rusty Atkinson second the motion. Alicia Gardner – absent. Motion passed 5-0.
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to approve Resolution 2026-05, A Resolution to Replace Resolution 2026-05 Regarding the Acknowledgment and Acceptance of the Donation of a Public Clock from the Egger Family and Declaring an Emergency. Kim Schaber made a motion. Tiffany Ramsay second the motion. Alicia Gardner – absent. Motion passed 5-0.
Mayor Hehr reported that the Mayor’s Partnership has granted the Village a $5,000.00 Technical Support Grant. Verdantas is going to write two grants, one will be the Appalachian grant and the other
will be the Muskingum Watershed grant at no cost to the Village. Mayor Hehr is asking for a motion to allow her to sign a participation and service agreement with the Mayor’s Partnership to write two
grants for the downtown park and any additional grants the Village may be eligible for. Tom Kirkland made the motion. Bill Allen second the motion. Alicia Gardner – absent. Motion passed 5-0.
Mayor Hehr said she will be attending the Small Communities, Big Impact session through Buckeye Hills on Wednesday.
Mayor Hehr wanted to address the complaints about the pool that were made at the last Council meeting. She spoke with Steve Eikleberry, Park Superintendent, and the lifeguards at the pool. Mayor Hehr asked them if there were ever days that there was no food whatsoever to sell, and the girls told her no. She said the only thing they are not selling is candy bars and it is because they are expensive and the kids don’t want to buy them. Mayor Hehr asked Steve Eikleberry to get a package or two and if they don’t sell, we can give them out at the Halloween parade. Mayor Hehr said as far as them not having money to get pizza, the girls said pizza and pretzels are ordered and paid for later. She also said that according to the girls, they have never closed early due to the moonlight swims. Mayor Hehr wanted everyone to know that she did check into the complaints made and hopefully the information she got was correct.
Kevin Brooks said for clarification, the pizza and pretzels are ordered and then the Fiscal Office is invoiced and pays for them.
X. Un-registered Visitors/Guests (each allotted 2 minutes):
Liz Coffey – Liz Coffey said she was doing some research, and it looks like there were grants offered for replacing galvanized and lead pipe from the shut-off to the tap. She was talking to some other folks who told her there was a survey sent a few years ago. She asked if this is something she could speak to someone about as to whether she could get access to grant funds. Kevin Brooks asked if she would leave her contact information for Mark Haralson, Water Treatment Plant.
Liz Coffey asked about the drainage ditches behind her home and if she is responsible for cleaning those out or if the Street Department in the Village is responsible. Kevin Brooks said generally speaking, we have an easement, but it is her property. He said he would have John Williams, Street Superintendent, come out and look at it and if there is something we can do we will.
Liz Coffey said she did not know that she was responsible for her sidewalks, but she has an amazing neighbor who has been sharing a lot of helpful information with her.
Liz Coffey asked about not having an adult present at all times at the pool and if there are any legal ramifications that she should be concerned about if someone is injured and no adult is present. Kevin Brooks replied that the staff at the pool are mostly high school kids, but all are certified and we cannot employ them without the certification. We also have the Park Superintendent who oversees the lifeguards and he is there frequently, but he does have responsibilities other than the pool so he may not be there as frequently as he would like to be. Mr. Brooks said the issue is that the pool does not make money, it operates at a loss, but the pool is for the community. The Park Committee would have to discuss whether they would want to take on an adult person for the summer at the pool, but they may have to look at increasing admission fees to do so.
Liz Coffey said she has noticed properties in the Village that do not look safe such as porches falling in, broken windows, roofs looking bad, etc. She asked who she should talk to when she notices a property that looks unsafe. Council replied that she should talk to the Property Maintenance Committee. Mayor Hehr said they have been working very hard on problem properties in the Village, but it has been very difficult.
Liz Coffey stated that she has talked with Council member Kim Schaber about ways to revitalize the Village of Woodsfield. She said she feels as if Woodsfield is a drive-thru town. People are just driving through to get to another destination. She suggested finding something that is unique to Woodsfield or Southeast Ohio to promote the Village.
Kim Schaber reported to Council that the Landbank approved 5 or 6 properties here in Woodsfield and some in the Beallsville area to be demolished.
Michelle Johnson – Michelle Johnson said she thinks the dilapidated properties should be a bigger concern. She understands that it is a process, but one property owner had already gotten a warning letter and was then given an extension which she feels he should not have gotten. She said the neighbor of the property owner had downspouts, gutter, and bricks from the chimney blow into their yard during the last storm that came through. She said there is now scaffolding sitting up in the back of the house which is dangerous for a kid. Tiffany Ramsay asked if they had reported it to anyone. She said if someone isn’t reporting the problem the Property Maintenance might not know.
Mayor Hehr said she has been on the Property Maintenance Committee since its beginning; she actually started the committee. They have done more this year than they have ever done, but their hands are tied. Kim Schaber said you can’t force people to spend money they do not have and property owners’ rights trump a Village’s right to come in and say clean up your house or we are tearing it down. Mayor Hehr said she has been told for the last 15 years that just because you think a house is dilapidated, the property owner may not think that way.
Michelle Johnson stated that Mr. Weber’s property was inspected and told it had to be cleaned up by a certain date. Mr. Weber did the work, and he came in with letters from the same inspector that said he had done the work and improved the property, and he was still told he had to clean up the inside. She said that if they could push Mr. Weber into cleaning up his property then why can’t they do that with other properties.
Mayor Hehr said if someone had reported the bricks and gutter falling then the Police probably could have done something. She said he was given an extension until October, and he may not start doing anything until September. Mayor Hehr said it is very hard and we cannot force someone to live the way we think they should live. Tom Kirkland said we cannot do anything about the high school either, County owns it and there are bricks falling off it all the time.
Kim Schaber said she understands the frustration. Tiffany Ramsay said they are equally frustrated. The last Council meeting was the first time she had reported the property close to her, and she would have reported whether she was a Council member or not.
XI. Adjourn:
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Rusty Atkinson made the motion. Tiffany Ramsay second the motion. Alicia Gardner – absent. Motion passed 5-0. The meeting was adjourned at 6:50 p.m.
ATTEST:
___________________________ ____________________________
Carol Hehr, Mayor Lori Cunard, Fiscal Officer