LORI CUNARD
October 6, 2023
Meeting Minutes (9-18-23)
The Council of the Village of Woodsfield
September 18, 2023
The Council of the Village of Woodsfield met in Regular Session on September 18, 2023.
I. Roll Call:
Present: Council Members; Dale English, Tom Kirkland, Leann Harper, Tiffany Ramsay, Mayor Carol Hehr, Fiscal Officer Lori Cunard, Village Administrator Kevin Brooks, and Solicitor Ryan Regel.
Absent: Council members Anthony McDaniel and Matt Schaber.
II. Pending Meeting Minutes Approval:
Tiffany Ramsay made the motion to accept the September 5, 2023 meeting minutes with corrections. Leann Harper second. Absent – Anthony McDaniel and Matt Schaber. Motion passed 4-0.
III. Registered Visitors/Guest:
None
IV. Old Business:
DORA – Public Hearing was called to order at 5:15 p.m. for the DORA application. No one attended and there were no comments. Dale English made a motion to close the Public Hearing at 5:30 p.m. Tom Kirkland second. Absent – Anthony McDaniel and Matt Schaber. Motion passed 4-0. Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to approve the DORA application. Dale English made the motion. Tom Kirkland second. Absent – Anthony McDaniel and Matt Schaber. Motion passed 4-0.
V. Administrator Report:
Village Administrator Kevin Brooks stated that Seth Alleman, Electric Department, has met his probationary period. He is eligible for a 3% increase in wages effective September 25, 2023. Tom Kirkland made a motion to approve a 3% wage increase effective September 25, 2023 for Seth Alleman. Tiffany Ramsay second. Absent – Anthony McDaniel and Matt Schaber. Motion passed 4-0.
VI. Fiscal Officer Report:
Fiscal Officer Lori Cunard reported that the Village received a rebate check from Anthem in the amount of $5,961.89 for health plan premiums paid in 2022. The rebate was received due to the Village having low medical costs for the year 2022. Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to use the rebate to be applied to the Village plan’s future premiums, which can help lower the cost to Village employees. Leann made the motion. Tiffany second. Absent – Anthony McDaniel and Matt Schaber. Motion passed 4-0.
VII. Committee Chair/Council Reports:
Dale English – Nothing to report.
Tom Kirkland – Tom Kirkland reported that the Finance Committee was held before Council meeting to discuss the Police Department and the shortage of officers. The recommendation was to have a shift differential for officers who work Monday – Friday, 12:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. and/or Saturday, 12:00 a.m – Monday 12:00 a.m. This covers overnight hours and weekend hours. The shift differential will be $1.50/hr. and this is Police Department Policy only, it will be added to their job specific policies for theduration of 2023. Mayor Hehr asked for a motion for the Finance Committees recommendation to pay the Police Department Officers a shift differential of $1.50/hr. when working overnight and weekend shifts. Leann Harper made the motion. Tom Kirkland second. Absent – Anthony McDaniel and Matt Schaber. Motion passed 4-0. Kevin Brooks asked, just to be clear, if that includes Chief Corey Jones, Tom Kirkland stated that Chief Jones is included in the shift differential.
Anthony McDaniel – Absent.
Leann Harper – Nothing to report.
Tiffany Ramsay – Nothing to report.
Matt Schaber – Absent.
VIII: Solicitor’s Report:
Nothing to report.
IX: Mayor’s Report:
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to approve the payment of bills. Leann Harper made the motion. Tiffany Ramsay second. Absent – Anthony McDaniel and Matt Schaber. Motion passed 4-0.
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to approve the Mayor’s Court report, mid-September 2023. Dale English made the motion. Leann Harper second. Absent – Anthony McDaniel and Matt Schaber. Motion passed 4-0.
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to approve Resolution 2023-08, A Resolution Accepting the Amounts and Rates as Determined by the Budget Commission and Certifying them to the County Auditor. Leann Harper made the motion. Tiffany Ramsay second. Absent – Anthony McDaniel and Matt Schaber. Motion passed 4-0.
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to pass Ordinance #11-2023, an Ordinance Providing for Amending and Revising Specific Line-Items in the Appropriations of Expenditures for the Village of Woodsfield for the Calendar Year 2023 and Declaring an Emergency. Tom Kirkland made the motion. Leann Harper second. Dale English – yes, Tiffany Ramsay – yes. Absent – Anthony McDaniel and Matt Schaber. Motion passed 4-0.
Mayor Hehr then asked for a motion to suspend the rules and pass Ordinance #11-2023 by its second reading, declaring an emergency. Dale English made the motion. Tiffany Ramsay second. Tom Kirkland – yes, Leann Harper – yes. Absent – Anthony McDaniel and Matt Schaber. Motion passed 4-0.
Mayor Hehr asked for a motion to pass Ordinance #11-2023 by its third reading, declaring it an emergency, and adopt. Leann Harper made the motion. Tiffany Ramsay second. Dale English – yes, Tom Kirkland – yes. Absent – Anthony McDaniel and Matt Schaber. Motion passed 4-0. Ordinance #11-2023 adopted.
Mayor Hehr stated that she submitted the Monroe County Community Foundation Grant for $2,500.00 and that would be for the Story Trail Project. The grant would cover the cost of 8 frames for the books, she will have to find money to purchase the rest.
Mayor Hehr stated that she has a request from Stephen Carpenter, Street Department, for FMLA for 12-weeks. This is unpaid leave, but he would stay on the group insurance plan, the premium would stay the same for him and the Village. Tom Kirkland made a motion to approve FMLA for Stephen Carpenter for 12-weeks. Tiffany Ramsay second. Absent – Anthony McDaniel and Matt Schaber. Kevin Brooks stated that this was at Stephen Carpenter’s request, he will be going to unpaid status. There was an offer of donations of leave time to him, but he declined the offer. Motion passed 4-0.
X. Un-registered Visitors:
None
Kreg Robison, MC Beacon, asked how long it would take to have DORA approved. Solicitor Ryan Regel explained that DORA has been created but now it has to go before the Liquor License Agency for approval, so it is up to the Agency. Mr. Robison also questioned how many full-time officers the Village now has. Kevin Brooks said the Village has 4 full-time officers.
XII. Adjourn:
The Mayor asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Leann Harper made the motion. Tom Kirkland second. Absent – Anthnoy McDaniel and Matt Schaber. Motion passed 4-0. The meeting was adjourned at 5:41 p.m.
ATTEST:
___________________________ ____________________________
Carol Hehr, Mayor Lori Cunard, Fiscal Officer