Council
Meeting Minutes
January
25, 2007
****
SPECIAL MEETING ****
Meeting called to order at 7:00 pm by Mayor
Mary Barber. Pledge of Allegiance was
recited.
Roll call: Robert
Ortman – Present
Warren Simpson – Present
Ed Vanek – Present
Vickie Carroll -
Present
Steve Reedy –
Present
Laura Clark –
Present
Mary Barber – Present
Aaron Reedy –
Present
Mary said this special meeting was called for
the purpose of discussing the future of the fire department’s control and the
contract between the Walnut Township Trustees and the Village.
Present were Walnut Township Trustees Sonny
Dupler and Ralph Zollinger. Township
Trustee Pauline Ety was also present.
Also present was Fire Chief Jim Hite, Jimmy Barber, Greg Grube, Jamie
Carroll, Kent Leitnaker, Donna Thompson and Michelle Shumaker.
Jim Hite said things have been going well
fiscally. He feels the shared control
between the Trustees & Council is working.
He would like to see the department get part-time crews now and
full-time in the future. Jim told the
Trustees that he didn’t think it was fair that Millersport Fire Department was
going to get 65% of the total levy income leaving Thurston with a shoestring
budget. He feels it’s a smack in the
face and wrong to leave the southern half of the township out. Jim said the
Vickie Carroll agreed with Mike. She doesn’t feel Thurston is being taken
seriously.
Jimmy Barber said the Thurston Fire Dept
wanted 40% of the levy income. The issue
arose regarding Millersport having part-time/full-time personnel for their
area, but leaves nothing for the lower half of the township. Ed Vanek said that Bobby Price from
Millersport Fire had said he didn’t need part-time help at Millersport to get a
crew out. Ed asked the trustees why they
were then wasting that money? The issue
also came up that Millersport Fire has not submitted a budget, though they’ve
been asked several times for one. The
Millersport Fire Chief had told the trustees he couldn’t do one. Several Council members said anyone could do
a budget, why couldn’t he? Why were the
Trustees caving in to Millersport Fire’s demands, leaving Thurston with so
little? Jamie Carroll said Thurston is
very careful how they spend their fire dollars, Millersport is not as
careful. Who is accounting for what they
spend?
After listening to those present, and trying
to explain why things were done the way they were, Sonny Dupler said the reason
they were present at tonight’s meeting is to discuss being 50/50 partners with
Thurston over the Fire Department.
Sonny said after the 65% given to Millersport
Fire, that would leave $311,500.
Trustees approved $138,710 to be given to Thurston Fire for their
budget. That leaves $172,790. Sonny said they would consider putting
$131,400 of that towards Thurston Fire in the form of paying part-time
personnel. That would leave $41,390 in
the “rainy-day fund”. They said the
part-time employees would be paid by Walnut Township Trustees, and the
volunteers would be paid out of the budget of Thurston Fire. Jim Hite said it should work.
Sonny asked what does the 50/50 mean to the
Council? Equipment? Property?
Mary Barber wants a fair 50/50 split if either party backs out. The 50% would be forfeited by the party who
wanted to back out of the contract, leaving total ownership to the party that
remains. All property, including the
building would be part of the agreement.
Mary warned that we would have to have our Solicitor review and advise
us in any agreement. Trustees said the
same.
Sonny asked if Thurston Fire wanted Medic 631
that Millersport Fire currently has. Jim
Hite said they’d have to look at it.
Council and trustees continued to discuss the
50/50 issue. Sonny said they will have
their Solicitor start a contract.
Thurston will then have their Solicitor review it.
Resident Donna Thompson asked the Trustees
why 65% of the levy monies is going to Millersport Fire. She said Thurston is just as important. Ralph said that they basically backed down,
caved in to Millersport Fire on the issue.
He couldn’t explain why.
Ed made a motion to adjourn. Robert second. Time is 8:43 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
_______________________________
Aaron L. Reedy, Clerk