Village of Edgerton Council Meeting Minutes
August 17, 2020 at 7:00 PM

  • Mayor Day called the meeting to order at 7:00PM with the Pledge of Allegiance
  • Y – Yes, N – No, A – Abstain, Abs – Absent
  • Roll Call:

Muehlfeld, Roger                         

Y

VanAusdale, Leslie

Y

Thiel, Dean

Y

Wallace, Chuck

Y

Gruver, Jason

Y

Karnes, Tom

Y

6 Members Present


Other Village Representatives Present:

  • Charles Butler – Solicitor
  • Denise Knecht – Fiscal Officer
  • Zachary Dohner – Village Administrator
  • Amanda Herman – Administrative Assistant

Media Present:

  • Cindy Thiel, The Edgerton Earth

Public Present:

  • John Engler
  • Motion to Approve Meeting Minutes from 08.03.20 :

Muehlfeld, Roger                         

Y

VanAusdale, Leslie

Y

Thiel, Dean

Y 2ND

Wallace, Chuck

Y

Gruver, Jason

Y MOTION

Karnes, Tom

Y

Motion passes 6-0

  • Motion to Approve Special Meeting Minutes from 08.10.20:

Muehlfeld, Roger                         

Y

VanAusdale, Leslie

Y 2ND

Thiel, Dean

Y

Wallace, Chuck

Y MOTION

Gruver, Jason

Y

Karnes, Tom

Y

Motion passes 6-0

Mayor Day opened the meeting by introducing John Engler. John came to Council almost a year ago to request approval and financial assistance to purchase and place a sign that would be viewed at each entrance into The Village of Edgerton. This sign would be in honor of Sherolee Kepler Huet, an Edgerton native that went on to become a NASA engineer. Engler commented that there have been delays on NASA’s part that has unfortunately drug the process out longer than he intended. John has been granted permission to use the Orion mission patch from Sherolee’s last mission. Once the signs are complete, Mr Engler would like to invite any friends and family of Sherolee to be part of a small ceremony. He has already spoken with a few media outlets that would like to be involved as well. Engler presented the sign to Council and was commended for making such a great gesture to celebrate Sherolee’s accomplishments. Mr Engler finished by stating that he would love to see any student follow in Mrs. Huet’s footsteps and know that they too can “reach for the stars.”

Finance Committee Meeting Update, Jason Gruver- Gruver began the update stating the 3 topics that were discussed at the Finance Meeting., the first being the Town Hall Debt Structure. The purchase of Town Hall was originally funded through the Electric Fund as an in house loan. This loan is severely back loaded, due to the Village’s financial status at the time of the sale. Refinancing now would allow for a lower interest rate and a leveled principal payment. Gruver mentioned current structures in the Village that need to be addressed including the water plant and water towers, as well as the Town Hall building itself that could be worked into the budget if the Village was not overburdened with a large TH3 debt payment.

The second topic referred to utility delinquent fees being adjusted from the current amount of 20% if not paid by noon the next business day after the 10th. Council agreed that the delinquent fee charge at 20% is a deterrent that hopefully encourages residents to pay utility bills on time. There is no interest in changing that amount at this time.

Lastly, Mr Gruver addressed the PSCA and how the $.01 “discount” for bills that were due on August 10th impacted Village residents. The Village under collected slightly over $49,000 based on kWH usage Village wide. Mr Day interjected that $22,000 of that will be recovered through the PSCA that is to be capped at $0.02884 for the next few months and $27,000 will be absorbed by the Village, as a way to soften the financial burden brought on by the coronavirus crisis and especially the hot summer weather that has impacted usage significantly. Day also stated the Council members need to ask themselves if they would entertain the idea of another month with a $.01 discount, or if they were comfortable moving on with the capped PSCA amount of $.02884.

Administrator Update, Zach Dohner:

  • SCADA- received 1st invoice for engineering, trying to set up meeting to review CAD drawings; will inform Council if interested in attending
  • OSMOSE- is in the area doing electric pole checks, there have been 11 so far that needed attention
  • DURAPATCHER- Street department hitting the streets pretty hard, going through a lot of emulsion working to repair the road
  • FALL TRASH- Republic will entertain 2nd large trash day @ Miller park; potentially October 3rd; will place notice in bills for residents
  • E-WASTE DAY- Earth Friendly Recyclers; on site behind Town Hall Saturday, September 27th from 8am-4pm to collect electronic waste

Mayor Day added that going forward Large Trash days will be more intense and restrictions will be put in place to cut down on the overage that was present at the last Large Trash day. There will also be certain measures taken to ensure that only Edgerton residents are making drop offs.

Fiscal Officer Update, Denise Knecht:

  • Credit Card Review July 16-August 15, 2020
  • Resolution 2020-009– for tax budget was signed by Vicki Grimm & filed with Williams County Auditor today (08.17.20)
  • Amended certificate of estimates resources approved by Williams County Auditor; revenue/expense lines now in place for budget for new  Local Coronavirus Relief Fund #210

Council Discussion:

MAYOR UPDATES-

Mayor Day gave a shout out to Village employees in the Water and Street Departments for stepping up multiple times in the last two weeks to tackle a couple of large unexpected projects.

Bob will be making a recommendation for a part-time police officer in executive session.

A public work day was mentioned, where areas/projects in the Village could be lined up and given attention by members in the community that are willing to volunteer.

Day also brought up another mulch day for Council members to finish up the mulching project that was started in the downtown park last week. Next Monday (08.24.20) is the tentative date with a start time of 5:30pm.

MOLES- Chuck Wallace wanted to know what is being done with the mole situation in the downtown park area. It appears that more tunnels have popped up and they are just being mowed over and not taken care of. Zach Dohner informed Council that he asked Colleen to contact Roger Muehlfeld to check prices at Edon Farmer’s Co-op. Muehlfeld believes that it will take at least 6 bags, and each bag is $42 so the Village would be looking at a cost of $250. VanAusdale inquired if this is a task that can be done once a year. Muehlfeld stated it should be done more often than once a year to keep the mole issue under control. The important thing to remember is that once the product is put down, it needs water to absorb it into the ground. Wallace believes that the Fire Department should be able to help with watering the grass for application of the product.

HULL ST- Sidewalks on Hull St are covered by button weeds. Residents have resorted to mowing due to the height of some of the weeds that were overtaking where the seed was planted. Day said the question is if this issue is Bryan Excavating’s responsibility to maintain or the residents. Jason Gruver believes it is the resident’s responsibility to maintain the property, however some may be cautious of what to do since the project was completed. Dohner would like to go over the punch list with Tom Lingvai at Bryan Excavating and Tim Bock at Poggemeyer Design Group, but has not received a call back from Mr Bock as of tonight’s meeting. Wallace also had concern about the piping that is laying at the corner of The Hicksville Bank on Hull St and would like to know what is going on in that area. Dohner responded that was where The Hicksville Bank’s irrigation system was located. A requisition for replacement was pushed through today and should be taken care of within 1-2 weeks by Fountain City Irrigation. It will be approximately a $2,000 cost to the Village. Zach will forward emails to answer any questions Council may have about the situation.

TREES- The question was asked if a tree was removed from the Village right-of-way and now the sidewalk has caved in, would that be the Village’s or the resident’s responsibility to repair. Dohner answered that as the Ordinance is written right now, it would be the property owner’s responsibility. Day said he would like to review the Ordinance and discuss sidewalks again. Schools would be prioritized first, then focus on the replacement of areas in need of repair.

WEEDS- Weeds that line the railway need to be taken care of. They are out of control said Wallace. Mayor Day has taken pictures and sent them on so he is currently waiting as it is obviously a very slow process but he would like to have something in writing allowing the Village to take care of the issue. Charles Butler questioned if Dale Mathys used to do the mowing and trimming and then billed the railroad. Denise Knecht remembered billing them only if there was a stopped train blocking the tracks. Certifying mowing charges to the Williams County Auditor is an option, but would not be paid in a timely manner. Day said he would like to have a positive connection with the railroad to get the weeded areas cleaned up and look respectable, especially when entering the Village limits.

OFFICE REMODEL- Tom Karnes inquired if the office remodel was moving forward yet. Mayor Day stated Mr Figgins is awaiting lead time for the glass that needs ordered and then he will be able to get the remodel on his schedule. Denise informed Council that she had conversation with Robert Steele to go over the internet/Ethernet part of the remodel to ensure all drops can be properly installed. There is a possibility that an electrician will still need to be hired to rework the electrical wiring.

LMI- Karnes asked where we stood with the LMI study. Dohner advised that he was informed by Dennis Miller at Maumee Valley Planning that the Village has received approval from the state to perform the study so we are good to move forward. After addresses are obtained, it will be a random selection on residents that receive the study. Karnes asked if there would be a targeted area or if it would be a Village wide approach. Mayor Day stated that there will be multiple targeted areas that will then allow expansion and not be limited to a specific location. Day again suggested hand delivering the study to residents to emphasize the importance of responding. The involvement of resident’s participation will be incredibly valuable.

SIDEWALKS- Karnes would like to know if sidewalks are put on hold. Day doesn’t feel it’s necessary to put them on hold. Perhaps trying a different engineer for a small project area would be an idea. Wallace added that if we are able to save money each year by leveling out the TH3 debt loan, we could earmark funds for building maintenance/repair as well as sidewalks.

PLAYGROUND- There are two playground equipment companies that are being looked at for replacement and new parts to add to the playgrounds. Day believes a community work day would be great to accomplish some repairs and painting to spruce up the parks and get them in compliance with the State.

WORK DAY- Karnes feels that if a community work day is going to take place there needs to be a ‘hit list’ that has specific projects that need attention in order to then know what materials and equipment is needed to accomplish each task. That would help eliminate chaos and confusion that day. Day stated it is ‘golden’ to have community assistance. Leslie VanAusdale thinks some of the projects that need to be complete may require a contractor to be hired. The Mayor replied that he has a retired contractor in mind that is willing to oversee and lead any projects necessary of a contractor’s expertise.

ZONING- Karnes is unsure why the zoning process is taking so long. As a member of the Planning Commission, it shouldn’t take 2 months to get a meeting scheduled for a business owner that inquired about a parcel split. Charles Butler informed Council he spoke with the gentleman today and he believes the zoning is suitable. Butler encouraged the business owner to speak with a lawyer. VanAusdale asked what should happen next, if a planning commission meeting should be put on the calendar. Karnes said he is frustrated with the slow process of getting a meeting scheduled. We should be bending over backwards to support the local businesses, because they will appreciate us going the extra mile. Butler suggested that in order to move forward, the building in question should be removed.

TREE COMMISSION- Jason Gruver has questions about the funds available for the tree commission and if there are any plans for tree removal/planting. Gruver was recently approached by a resident wondering about the status of a tree that was told would be removed on more than one occasion. Day responded that there is approximately $5,000 in the budget and they do have a list of trees needing to be removed. They are aware that there are a number of trees in the Village needing attention but the question remains of whose job each tree is to maintain. He also stated Troy does a great job trimming trees but there are certain situations that he is not trained for. Bob would like to get people involved that possess a knowledge of trees.

CARES FUND- After some previous discussion regarding the CARES funding, Jason would like to see local businesses that suffered COVID related hardships receive some help from the Village. Bob responded that he has been in contact with a few business owners to get detailed information until we know what is allowed in terms of spending. Leslie VanAusdale doesn’t understand how the State is not giving out information on how to spend the funds, but expects it to be allocated by October. Day made a comment that it has been said that the State is being “purposefully vague” but that won’t stop us from trying to find an avenue that is considered acceptable. Gruver commented that we need to move quickly as we’re running out of time to allocate the funds. VanAusdale questioned if a committee meeting should be held to brainstorm ideas based on the stipulations that have been released. Mayor Day said he’ll send an email out to Council with ideas to get the ball rolling.

DELINQUENT BILLS- The question was asked if we want to think about using small claims court to retrieve payment for unpaid utility bills as an alternative to collecting from the property owner. Do we also want to consider raising utility meter deposits? There have been mentions of asking landlords to raise their deposits as well, as an attempt to help protect themselves from being burdened with a tenant’s bill. Day said the biggest issue with small claims court is that there is no teeth in the game. If the Village were to win a settlement, it would then have to be enforced in the next step which would consist of compensating wages. Day feels the most important thing is to have a quicker communication with the landlord, whether it be by email, call, or text. This would hopefully eliminate a lot of issues associated with landlord’s discontent of not knowing when their renter is behind.

UTILITY METER DEPOSITS- Council members again discussed raising utility meter deposits. After researching surrounding communities deposit amounts, the suggested amounts are $150- electric only, no water; $200- if gas hook-up; $250- if all electric. VanAusdale asked if we should pass legislation and what the best option would be, a Resolution or an Ordinance? Mr Butler said an Ordinance would probably be the best idea. Resolutions are usually meant to serve as a one-time act, Ordinances tend to serve with an on-going purpose. Dohner informed Council that Amanda and Denise could prepare an Ordinance for a utility deposit increase to be presented at the next Council meeting for approval. Denise asked Council to ensure the increased amounts were acceptable. They obliged.

DELINQUENT FEES/SHUT-OFFS- Karnes asked what Council thought about reinstating late fees. Gruver commented that the Village has lost approximately $10,000-$11,000 revenue due to the suspension of collecting penalties and tag fees. The government has rescinded the electric shut off ban that was in place during the Coronavirus crisis, allowing penalties and tag fees to again be charged. Council agreed to make a motion that delinquent fees and shut offs could be reinstated with the next utility bill due date.

  • Motion to reinstitute late fees and the disconnect policy on utility bills due September 10th, 2020 :

Muehlfeld, Roger

Y 2nd

VanAusdale, Leslie

Y

Thiel, Dean

Y

Wallace, Chuck

Y

Gruver, Jason

Y MOTION

Karnes, Tom

Y

Motion passes 6-0

Leslie VanAusdale mentioned that she has finished the new Council person training. Council congratulated her efforts!

Dean Thiel commented that if the Village is going to hold large trash day at Miller Park, it should be confirmed with Republic Services that their trucks/dumpsters are not going to destroy the road that leads to the park.

Cindy Thiel said as a concerned citizen she would like to see a speed bump placed on Sacher St. There is a lot of speeding that takes place going back to the park and she would hate to see something bad happen.

Chuck Wallace asked if anyone knew if Mike Kimpel would be willing to set something up at the fall large trash day to collect scrap since the first one was so successful. Michael was able to make substantial donations to multiple organizations in Edgerton.

  • Motion to pay bills 08.17.20:

Muehlfeld, Roger

Y MOTION

VanAusdale, Leslie

Y

Thiel, Dean

Y

Wallace, Chuck

Y

Gruver, Jason

Y 2ND

Karnes, Tom

Y

Motion passes 6-0

  • Motion to enter into executive session for the employment and compensation of a public employee at 9:05 PM :

Muehlfeld, Roger

Y

VanAusdale, Leslie

Y

Thiel, Dean

Y

Wallace, Chuck

Y MOTION

Gruver, Jason

Y

Karnes, Tom

Y 2ND

Motion passes 6-0

  • Motion to exit executive session at 9:07 PM:

Muehlfeld, Roger

Y

VanAusdale, Leslie

Y 2ND

Thiel, Dean

Y

Wallace, Chuck

Y

Gruver, Jason

Y MOTION

Karnes, Tom

Y

Motion passes 6-0

Action taken after executive session:

Mayor Day presented a letter of recommendation to hire Ashley Eberly as a part-time police officer.

  • Motion to hire Ashlee Eberly as a part-time police officer effective August 17, 2020 at an hourly rate of $16.00:

Muehlfeld, Roger                         

Y

VanAusdale, Leslie

Y

Thiel, Dean

Y

Wallace, Chuck

Y MOTION

Gruver, Jason

Y

Karnes, Tom

Y 2ND

Motion passes 6-0

  • Motion to adjourn at 9:08 PM:

Muehlfeld, Roger

Y

VanAusdale, Leslie

Y

Thiel, Dean

Y MOTION

Wallace, Chuck

Y

Gruver, Jason

Y

Karnes, Tom

Y 2ND

Motion passes 6-0