Village of Thurston

Council Meeting Minutes

November 10, 2005

 

Meeting called to order at 7:30 pm by Mayor Mary Barber.  Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 

 

Roll call:          Robert Ortman – Present

Roger Aubery – Present

Warren Simpson – Present

Ed Vanek - Present

Kevin Ety – Present

Rita Leiendecker - Present

Mary Barber – Present

Aaron Reedy – Present

 

Mary asked if any visitors wanted to speak.  No one did.

 

Rita made a motion to approve the October 2005 minutes.  Warren second.  All yea.

 

Roger made a motion to approve the November 3, 2005 special meeting minutes.  Robert second.  All yea.

 

Rita made a motion to approve the October 2005 financial statement.  Kevin second.  All yea.

 

Robert made a motion to waive the three-reading rule and declare an emergency for Resolution #2005-23 – A Resolution declaring the lack of need for maintaining the policy department levy, the repealing of such levy, and the declaration of an emergency.  Kevin second.  All yea.

 

Warren made a motion to adopt Resolution #2005-23 – A Resolution declaring the lack of need for maintaining the policy department levy, the repealing of such levy, and the declaration of an emergency.    Rita second.  All yea.

 

Ordinance 2005-24 – An Ordinance amending ordinance 9-24-89 by increasing tapping fees for water service and the declaration of an emergency was brought up.  Kevin made a motion to table the Ordinance for further discussion.  Roger second.  All yea.

 

Second reading for Ordinance #2005-22, An Ordinance Declaring the Salary Disbursement Schedule for the Position of Village Secretary.

 

 

Report from Fire Chief – Chief Mike King passed out his report (attached).  Mike said the new Rules & Regulations were passed out last night and they will followed to a “T”.  He said everyone got copies of the SOG’s.  Mike said that Thursday night during the tornado warning, the sirens went off and 10 to 15 residents came to the firehouse for shelter.  He said the firehouse is not a shelter, and normally no one would be there.  They would normally split the trucks up if a tornado would actually be coming.  Rita said a shelter area needed to be designated in case of an emergency.  Mary said the Municipal Building basement is good – also possibly the basement at the Methodist Church.

 

Mike said there is a volunteer on the department who paid $5300 of his own money for paramedic class.  Mike would like to reimburse him $2,000.  Ed asked how long he’d been on the department.  Mike said about two and a half years.  He spends a lot of time at the station and goes on a lot of runs.  He runs with Millersport very little, and is getting no reimbursement from them.  Mike said he’s very valuable to the department.  Council discussed the matter. 

 

Kevin made a motion to reimburse John Layton $2,000 for paramedic training pending his signature on a form stating that he will state with the department.  Roger second.  All yea.

 

Mike said he has an application for a grant to reimburse the department for any training for the prior year.  Mike also said he would have the department certification list to Mary by Wednesday.

 

Report from the Service Committee:  Robert said they met on November second and Mary, Ed, Kevin and Terry Prather was present.  Terry and Josh Prather would like the Village to abandon the alley property behind their homes.  Josh wants to install a jungle gym.  Robert said they would have to consider access for services.  That closure would affect everyone along that alley.  Council discussed.  Most council members were negative about the request and would want to look into it more.

 

Report from the Safety Committee:  Rita wasn’t present, but the others met at the fire house (Ed, Kevin, Mary and Bob).  They sat through the air monitor safety program.  The four also got several opinions from the volunteers who were present about the current state of the department.

 

Ed made a motion to go into Executive Session to discuss fire department personnel issues.  Kevin second.  All yea.  Council just wants Mike King in the chambers.  Time is 8:07 p.m.

 

At 8:18 p.m., Ed made a motion to come out of Executive Session.  Kevin second.  All yea.

 

Mary announced that Mike King has turned in his resignation as Fire Chief and wishes to go back to his previous position as Assistant Chief.  Ed made a motion to accept Mike King’s resignation and position change.  Rita second.  Roll call vote:

           

            Roger – No

            Ed – Yes

            Kevin – Yes

            Rita – Yes

            Warren – No

            Robert – Yes

 

Report from the Finance Committee:  Didn’t meet.  Aaron said they must meet on December 12th @ 7:30 to discuss some issues.

 

Report from the Rules Committee:  Didn’t meet. 

 

Report from the Regional Planning Representative:  Robert said there was nothing that concerned the Village.

 

Old Business – Robert asked if Congrove was still going to do the roofing work on the First Street Building.  Someone will check with him.

 

New Business  - Jamie Carroll asked if he could trim the tree right next to the sidewalk.  Everyone agreed it was okay.

 

Council reviewed the ice/snow removal contract from Walnut Township Trustees.  Robert made a motion to accept the contract for $1,500 from the Walnut Township Trustees for Ice/Snow Removal.  Roger second.  All yea.

 

Council discussed the open position for the Walnut Creek Sewer District board that we be open when JoAnn Hite’s term expires on December 31, 2005.  The position will be posted at the Post Office and Village office.  Interested persons should attend the December meeting of Council.

Roger said we need to get a wheelchair ramp into the municipal building.  Council discussed.  Several people will look into getting quotes/ideas.

 

Mary congratulated the four council members who were recently voted back on the Council; Ed Vanek, Rita Leiendecker, Roger Aubery and Warren Simpson.

 

Michelle Shumaker said that David White services was out to check the furnace in the village office and lasered the exhaust.  It isn’t venting properly.  He said we need a liner for the chimney, and it’s not safe without one.  He won’t service the furnace without a liner.  Michelle said they will provide a quote.  Bob Black said he also would get a quote.

 

Jamie asked if Council was going to take applications for the Chief’s position.  Mary said the position has just become vacant and nothing has been discussed yet.

 

Roger made a motion to adjourn.  Ed second.  All yea.  The time is 8:37 p.m.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

 

_______________________________

Aaron L. Reedy, Clerk