- Council President Lance Bowsher called the meeting to order at 5:30PM with the Pledge of Allegiance.
- Y – Yes, N – No, A – Abstain, Abs – Absent
- Roll Call:
|
Blinzler, Sharon |
Y |
|
Gruver, Jason |
Y |
|
Bowsher, Lance |
Y |
|
VanAusdale, Leslie |
Y |
|
Wallace, Chuck |
Absent |
|
Wampler, Pam |
Y |
5 Members Present
Other Village Representatives Present:
- Denise Knecht- Fiscal Officer; Dawn Fitzcharles- Village Administrator; Amanda Knecht- Administrative Assistant; Scott Blue- Fire Chief
Media Present:
- Cindy Thiel- The Edgerton Earth, Brianna Balogh- The Village Reporter, John Fryman- The Bryan Times
Public Present:
- Brian Bowsher, Jeremy Wright, Troy Nihart
- Motion to Approve Meeting Minutes from 11.19.25:
|
Blinzler, Sharon |
Y |
|
Gruver, Jason |
Y MOTION |
|
Bowsher, Lance |
Y |
|
VanAusdale, Leslie |
Y |
|
Wallace, Chuck |
Absent |
|
Wampler, Pam |
Y 2ND |
Motion PASSES 5-0
Jeremy Wright, Northwest Lineman College Certification: We would like to honor Jeremy Wright who has completed all 4 modules of the Northwest Lineman College Lineworker Certification Program. This is a significant accomplishment and a benefit to the Village as we continue to invest in a highly trained and safety focused electric department. Lance Bowsher added a thank you to Troy Nihart as Jeremy’s mentor- it is a lot of extra effort and time put into making this happen.
Administrator Update by Dawn Fitzcharles:
- Due to inclement weather, Lighted Santa Parade was cancelled but Santa is not going to miss Edgerton; he will be at The Studio from 11am-1pm and will be escorted by the Edgerton Fire Department; this event will be put on by Mainstreet Edgerton
- Mayor scheduled Park Board meeting for December 10, 2025 at 5:30pm
- Received confirmation from OHIO EPA that our Edgerton composting facility on County Road 5 has been renewed and registered as a Class 4 composting site so we can continue to accept yard waste and agricultural plant material
- 2026 License to Operate for our Public Water System valid through January 31, 2027
- Going in to new term limits, we are going to be quoting replacements for the Council laptops; do you like what you have or should we look into something else? Members reported what they have works just fine.
Chuck Wallace entered at 5:36pm.
Fiscal Officer Update by Denise Knecht:
- November 2025 financials completed and ready for signatures
- 2025 unclaimed funds $264.02; all utility refunds not cashed
- TH3 loan 12/1/2025 interest payment of $1,389.50 was made, this leaves a principal balance of $185,266.37; 2 principal payments are remaining to be paid in June of 2026 and 2027.
- Dawn added that she is working to put committee meeting schedule together for next year and would like to have a discussion of what the goal is for the town hall facility as well as the needs in the Fire Department; this will allow us to start moving in a direction to be prepared for when we have to replace a fire truck.
Police Department employment status: Kelly Kunesh has completed his probationary period as a Sergeant and is eligible for removal from probation. He has recently attended some supervision courses and is continuing to learn his role as a supervisor. Fitzcharles commented that Kelly is great to work with; he communicates well which allows us to work together.
- Motion to reclassify Kelly Kunesh from probationary full-time Police Sergeant to regular full-time Sergeant effective 12.01.25:
|
Blinzler, Sharon |
Y |
|
Gruver, Jason |
Y 2ND |
|
Bowsher, Lance |
Y |
|
VanAusdale, Leslie |
Y MOTION |
|
Wallace, Chuck |
Y |
|
Wampler, Pam |
Y |
Motion PASSES 6-0
Police Department employment status: Shaun Murphy started in the junior firefighter program. Murphy graduated HS in 2024. Since then he has completed training levels of VFF, FF1 and FF2. His extremely strong work ethic has served us well during our record-breaking number of runs this year. He is eligible as of 12.01.25 to be removed from probation.
- Motion to reclassify Shaun Murphy from probationary volunteer firefighter to regular volunteer firefighter:
|
Blinzler, Sharon |
Y |
|
Gruver, Jason |
Y MOTION |
|
Bowsher, Lance |
Y |
|
VanAusdale, Leslie |
Y |
|
Wallace, Chuck |
Y |
|
Wampler, Pam |
Y 2ND |
Motion PASSES 6-0
2026 PERMANENT APPROPRIATIONS: This will be the second reading of the 2026 annual appropriations as presented to you earlier this evening, as well as in the Finance Committee meetings and Wage and Compensation meetings.
VILLAGE OF EDGERTON ORDINANCE NO 1161 (2nd Reading)
AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE PERMANENT APPROPRIATIONS FOR YEAR 2026
- Motion to give second reading to Ordinance No 1161:
|
Blinzler, Sharon |
Y |
|
Gruver, Jason |
Y |
|
Bowsher, Lance |
Y MOTION |
|
VanAusdale, Leslie |
Y |
|
Wallace, Chuck |
Y |
|
Wampler, Pam |
Y 2ND |
Motion PASSES 6-0
2026 WAGES & SALARIES: This will be the second reading of the annual wage ordinance. Every year Council passes and establishes this ordinance that authorizes the wage scale for employees in each position. Exhibit A is the wage scale, done every year, and discussed at wage and compensation meetings. There is an addition to the bottom of the Exhibit for the HSA Village match. Exhibit B provides the proposed changes to the wage and compensation plan where it is outlined if an employee successfully completes a certification program. This year the changes are raised from $1.00 to $1.50 an hour; also establishes the pay schedule for how volunteer firefighters and part-time/auxiliary police are paid as well.
VILLAGE OF EDGERTON ORDINANCE NO 1162 (Second Reading)
AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE SALARIES AND WAGES FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF THE VILLAGE OF EDGERTON
- Motion to give second reading to Ordinance No 1162:
|
Blinzler, Sharon |
Y |
|
Gruver, Jason |
Y |
|
Bowsher, Lance |
Y |
|
VanAusdale, Leslie |
Y 2ND |
|
Wallace, Chuck |
Y |
|
Wampler, Pam |
Y MOTION |
Motion PASSES 6-0
2026 Housekeeping Supplement: Each year we review budget appropriations and make housekeeping adjustments. Many of the items listed in the ordinance are based on the status of specific unfinished projects that are being carried over. Most of the funds that are being decreased now will be included in the budget appropriations in 2026 for project completion. The measures before you consist of decreasing/increasing annual appropriations for various funds. Decreasing/increasing estimated revenues is a task to be completed through the Williams County Budget Commission.
As we close out 2025 we have made our best guesses, but we are obligated to reduce any appropriations that will not be used before the end of the year. This includes multiple funds; what is presented in front of you is actually decrease in approximately 2.55 million in unused appropriations. There is a small increase in in the general fund for capital needs which is moving funds for a transaction we expected to be completed in 2026 but will be completed and billed before the end of 2025.
Fire fund has a budget neutral transfer from capital to vehicle maintenance to align spending with the actual costs with some repairs we had completed for several different entitieis.
We are decreasing estimated revenues through the county, that’s not a measure that goes through council it goes through the budget commission at the county. We are decreasing revenues at about 1.7 million; same numbers based on projects we didn’t complete in 2025.
Gruver asked about capital increase – Dawn replied that is for the ODOT project. We are in stage 2 of design, ROW, acquisition. Our timeline for this stage of the project was anticipated to be completed in 2026 but it was completed at the end of 2025.
VILLAGE OF EDGERTON ORDINANCE NO 1163
AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR A SUPPLEMENT TO THE 2025 ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS
- Motion to pass and adopt to Ordinance No 1163:
|
Blinzler, Sharon |
Y |
|
Gruver, Jason |
Y MOTION |
|
Bowsher, Lance |
Y |
|
VanAusdale, Leslie |
Y 2ND |
|
Wallace, Chuck |
Y |
|
Wampler, Pam |
Y |
Motion PASSES 6-0
- Motion to pay bills 12.03.25:
|
Blinzler, Sharon |
Y |
|
Gruver, Jason |
Y |
|
Bowsher, Lance |
Y |
|
VanAusdale, Leslie |
Y MOTION |
|
Wallace, Chuck |
Y |
|
Wampler, Pam |
Y 2ND |
Motion PASSES 6-0
Council Discussion:
Jason Gruver wants to commend the multiple departments working through the snow over the weekend and still working on things today. They work a lot of hours to get it taken care of, Sharon added they really did a good job and liked Dawn’s public statement on Facebook.
Dawn added that we can all agree that we are in a much better place than we were in 10-15 years ago. Our crew is top-notch and on it at all times. We have people that take the responsibility of their positions very serious and they do a great job.
- Motion to adjourn at PM:
|
Blinzler, Sharon |
Y |
|
Gruver, Jason |
Y |
|
Bowsher, Lance |
Y |
|
VanAusdale, Leslie |
Y MOTION |
|
Wallace, Chuck |
Y |
|
Wampler, Pam |
Y 2ND |
Motion PASSES 6-0