Village of Thurston

Council Meeting Minutes

July 10, 2003

 

 

Meeting called to order at 7:00 pm by Mayor Hite.  Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

 

Roll call:          Robert Ortman – Present

Nona Buskirk – Present

Roger Aubery – Present

Warren Simpson – Present

JT Hilliard – Present

Josh Prather – Present

JoAnn Hite – Present

Aaron Reedy – Present

 

 

Rochelle Hanson was present requesting gravel for the alley next to her house.  Roger said we need to get someone who will do it for us; citing problems with carriers in the past.  Josh suggested Powers Equipment.  He said 10 tons would be around $300.  JoAnn said other alleys needed gravel, too.  Josh will have Powers Equipment contact Lowell.  Rochelle said she was told she had to cut down a tree.  JoAnn said it might be a problem for a truck to get through their alley.  Lowell said it should be okay.

 

Roger made a motion to get gravel for alley’s, accepting the lowest of three bids.  Josh second.  All yeah.

 

Terry & Tammy Prather were present.  JoAnn told them the Village filed for a grant for the work on Long Street.  She said it looked good, but she hasn’t heard anything official yet.

 

Tammy said they’ve talked to an attorney.  The attorney didn’t understand how Owen Keller could have sold off lots without the Village accepting the Long Street extension.  She wanted to know how private property could be in the middle of public property.  Josh asked if the issue ever went to Regional Planning.  Robert said no.

 

Tammy she didn’t understand why the Village Council didn’t just take the “below-land” ground for drainage along Long Street extension (eminent domain).  She said her attorney estimated it would cost about $3,000 for that to happen, and doesn’t affect property above the ground.  JT said he knows the cheapest way to drain Long Street will just be to tap in to what Owen Keller has there.  JoAnn said she wants to get drains up there on Long Street.

 

Tammy asked that since the land is part of Long Street, who is responsible for the water and sewer lines, in case of upgrade or repair?  JoAnn said it is Owen Keller’s responsibility; he ran those lines from the Village lines.

 

Tammy said that Owen Keller had to change the name of the street since it wasn’t donated to the Village.  She complained that the addresses there are “Long Street”.  She also complained that Mr. Keller has that 1-foot strip of land along the extension to keep people from building in the field.

 

Terry Prather said the Keller Trailer Court sign was changed to Whitsal Construction sign.  He said it’s on Village property.  Josh made a motion to have Aaron write them a letter giving them 30 days to remove the sign, or the Village will remove it.  Nona second.  Warren voted Nay, all others yea.

 

Terry said that since the time Long Street has been paved, there’s a big crack in it by Wilson Street.  He knows there’s a one-year warranty on it, so it should be fixed.  Josh said he would call about it.

 

Tammy said that the trucks and backhoes that have been driving on the newly-paved section of Long Street for building and basement-pouring, the gravel she paid to put in has been messed up.  She also said the pavement is starting to crumble.

 

Tammy said the Trailer Park is only supposed to have one main entrance.  She asked if they are allowed a maintenance entrance.  No one knew.  JoAnn said she knows they have to have a way in and a way out.

 

JT asked if there had been any laws passed restricting trailers in the Village.  Roger said yes, depending on its size.  Roger said a single is a motor home, not a trailer.  JoAnn said Glen Roy Schneider’s double-wide is legal.

 

JT made a motion to approve the June 2003 minutes.  Roger second.  All yea.

 

Nona said there should be something done about the kids riding in the fire trucks.  JT said it was the Junior Firefighters, and there’s nothing we can do about it.  Robert asked if there was a minimum age.  JT said he didn’t think there was a set age.  Nona said they could get hurt.  JT sarcastically said you can’t regulate Mike Jackson, because he’s the fire chief. 

 

JT made a motion to approve the June 2003 financial statement.  Robert second.  All yea.

 

Roger made a motion to waive the 3-reading rule and declare an emergency for Ordinance # 2003-15.  Josh second.  All yea.


Josh asked where Chief Mike Jackson was.  Aaron said he called earlier and said he would be absent due to an emergency at work.  Mike said he would have the 2003 pool water information to us by this weekend.  Nona asked about last year’s information.  Aaron said Mike Jackson told him that Mike King was responsible for that, and he didn’t keep good records, and couldn’t get anything together.  JT said Mike King did keep records, because JT did all the records for last year.  JoAnn asked JT where they were.  He said he gave them to Mike King.  JoAnn said she had called Mike King, and she’ll call him again. 

 

JT made a motion to adopt Resolution # 2003-15, A Resolution Authorizing the Transfer of Funds and the Declaration of an Emergency.  Roger second.  All yeah.

 

JoAnn said she got a letter from somebody about the pool water, and she put ten dollars in with it.  She said somebody took a hose to her house to fill it, so JoAnn accepted the ten dollars and put it in the water fund.  JoAnn said somebody took a hose down to Stoneburner and left it there.  JoAnn collected the water for that.  She said if there was anybody else that didn’t pay, she didn’t know about it. 

 

Roger made a motion to adopt Resolution # 2003-16, A Resolution Authorizing the Release of Mortgage on Myrtle I. Guisinger Home Located at 8171 Maple St., Thurston Ohio.  Nona second.  JT voted Nay, Josh abstained, all others yeah.

 

Nona made a motion to accept the Fiscal Year 2004 budget figures.  Roger second.  All yeah.

 

JoAnn said on 6/13, they picked up 2 new fire extinguishers from Lowe’s.

 

JoAnn said on 6/25, they renewed the General Fund and Water Fund CD’s.

 

JoAnn said we sent a letter to Fairfield County to try to get them to purchase weather radios for the Municipal Building and Fire Dept.

 

JoAnn asked if anyone else got pricing on exterminator services.  No one had.  We received three bids for services:

            Orkin               $2,400

            Wells               $1,800

            R. Homes        $1,287

 

She said all three companies told her we have an infestation.  Josh said that R. Homes should have been spraying more often for mosquitoes.  Lowell said you can’t spray in the rain.  JoAnn said we should ask the museum to help pay for the exterminator fees.  She referred to a “Letter to the Editor” from Roger Parson in the Beacon that scolded the Village for not doing something sooner.  JT said Roger should keep his mouth shut if he wants to work with Council; don’t make us look bad.

 

JT said we should call Orkin and give them our lowest bid price.  He was sure he would match.  Aaron warned that it wouldn’t be ethical.  JoAnn said we didn’t have time to mess around.  JT said R. Homes doesn’t show up when he’s supposed to, why expect him to do this project right?  Why should Council give him another chance for the money?

 

Roger made a motion to accept the bid from Orkin.  Josh second.

            Roger – Yeah

            Robert – Yeah

            Josh – Yeah

            Warren – No

            JT – No

            Nona – No

 

JT made a motion to accept the bid from Wells.  There was no second.  Motion dropped.

 

Warren made a motion to accept the bid from R. Homes & Business.  Nona second.

Roger – No

            Robert – No

            Josh – No

            Warren – Yeah

            JT – No

            Nona – Yeah

 

It was decided that the Mayor should have broken the tie on the first motion.  Everyone agreed.  Back to the original motion:

 

Roger made a motion to accept the bid from Orkin.  Josh second.

            Roger – Yeah

            Robert – Yeah

            Josh – Yeah

            Warren – No

            JT – No

            Nona – No

 

JoAnn broke the tie by voting Yeah, we will go with Orkin.  JT said he will be here if they schedule a time.  JoAnn said they she had been told that Powder Beetles were eating through our wood.

 

JoAnn said we got a check for $37,711.50 from the Walnut Township Trustees for the first half of the fire contract on 6/27/03.

 

JoAnn said that the PAW program had been here the previous week, and they did a good job.  They got lots of good comments.  Playground equipment and fire hydrants look good.  Lowell and JT are still working on barriers for the parking lot.  JT said there was a problem with the slide on the playground.  It needs a “diamond plate” installed to make it stronger.  Right now it is just stainless steel.  Tammy Prather said to check Howards Metal.  JT said he would call about it.

 

JoAnn brought up that there was an issue with the fence installed in front of Joshua Prather’s house.  Josh said it’s in the easement.  Joann said Village Solicitor Jeff Feyko suggested asking Josh to move the fence back.  If he doesn’t, bring in ME Companies to see if he’s in the road.

 

Josh said it’s only there to keep people from driving in his yard.  If Council ever wants to broaden the street, or do other improvements, he will move it.  He said this is only happening because Owen Keller wants it out.  Josh wanted to know why the fence is such a problem.  He said it’s not in the road, it’s in the easement; there’s no reason to move it. 

 

JoAnn asked if it got hit, who were they going to sue.  She said the Village.  Josh said they can’t sue over something in the easement.  Tammy asked where the public sides are.  She said it’s the property owner’s responsibility, not the Village’s.  Josh said this was a petty issue, and we shouldn’t be wasting our time on it.  JoAnn said she’d call the insurance woman and see what she says.

 

Aaron read the letter from Ray Klingbeil from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, regarding the Floodplain Management program.  He extended the time for the Village to submit their processes, forms, and ordinance until July, 21, 2003.  Discussion ensued regarding the difficulty of the content and time required to process things.  JT made a motion to send the information all to Jeff Feyko so he can review it and make suggestions.  Josh second.  All yeah.

 

 

JoAnn asked if there was any new business.  JoAnn had Aaron read a letter from the District 17 Integrating Committee.  It said we could apply for 2 (Issue 2) projects.  Applications have to be in by October 3, 2003.  JoAnn said the streets need paved, and we need to do the Third Street improvements.

 

JoAnn said she got a letter from Nextel in her name.  Aaron said the last bill came in his name.  JT said he doesn’t want Mike to have the Nextel phone, but he can use the one in the fire truck.  He said it should be out of the Village’s name.  Josh said Mike should be able to keep the Nextel phone, and that he can understand why he should have one.  JT said Mike just wants somebody to pay his bill, and that he doesn’t need it.  Discussion ensued.

 

Nona made a motion to cancel the Nextel phone as of the next billing date, and Aaron give Mike notice.  JT second.  Josh voted Nay, all others voted yeah.

 

JoAnn asked if anybody wanted to talk about anything.  JT said the street building is a mess.  He asked if all the stuff up there is Village property.  JoAnn said some of it belongs to her and Lowell.  JT would like to fix the building up.  He said we should start using it as a street building.  JT said he would like to have a cleaning committee.

 

JT made a motion to create a public cleaning committee for the Village.  Robert second. 

Robert – Yeah

            Nona – No

            Josh – Yeah

            Roger – Yeah

            Warren – No

            JT – Yeah

 

JT wants to put out a notice that says whoever is interested in being a part of the committee, call the Village office.  Aaron will do that.

 

Nona asked when the Safety Committee could meet with Mike Jackson.  Warren has a limited schedule.  They planned a meeting for Monday, July 14th at 7:00 a.m.  Robert said he would call Mike Jackson.

 

Josh made a motion to pay bills and adjourn.  JT second.  All yea.  The time is 8:30 p.m.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

 

_______________________________

Aaron L. Reedy, Clerk