Council Meeting Minutes January 7, 2019

by | Jan 7, 2019 | Council Minutes

Village of Edgerton Council Meeting Minutes
Monday, January 7, 2019 @7:00PM

  • Mayor Bowsher 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

Thiel, Dean

Y

Day, Robert

Y

Wallace, Chuck

ABSENT

Gruver, Jason

Y

Perry, Jackie

Y

 

  • Other Village Representatives present
  • Charles Butler – Solicitor
  • Denise Knecht – Fiscal Officer
  • Zachary Dohner – Village Administrator
  • Shawn Clifton – Income Tax Clerk
  • Media
  • Lucas Bechtol, Bryan Times
  • Jeremy Scott, Village Reporter
  • Public
  • Matt Davis, AICP with WEDCO
  • Motion to Approve Meeting Minutes from 12.17.18:

Muehlfeld, Roger                                  

Y

Thiel, Dean

Y   Motion

Day, Robert

Y

Wallace, Chuck

Absent

Gruver, Jason

Y   Second

Perry, Jackie

Abstain

 

  • Election of 2019 President Pro Tempore of Edgerton Village Council:

Councilman Bob Day nominated Jason Gruver for 2019 Council President Pro Tempore.   Jackie Perry seconded.  Dean Thiel motioned to close nominations.  Mayor Bowsher asked Councilman Gruver if he would accept the position of 2019 Council President Pro Tempore.  Gruver said yes.  Gruver was named 2019 Council President Pro Tempore.  Motion of acceptance was taken.

  • Motion to Approve Jason Gruver 2019 Council President Pro Tempore:

Muehlfeld, Roger                                  

Y

Thiel, Dean

Y

Day, Robert

Y   Motion

Wallace, Chuck

Absent

Gruver, Jason

Y

Perry, Jackie

Y   Second

 

            Chuck Wallace:  entered at 7:03pm

            Mayor Bowsher:  introduced Matt Davis from WEDCO to give a presentation

            Matt Davis:   shared the following:

  • Williams County Economic Development assists businesses large and small with helping to find locations for their businesses, utilities, and grants or loans that they might qualify for.
  • WEDCO held a Manufacturing Day showcasing the great opportunities in Ohio with 400 students from 5 counties in attendance.
  • Williams County Job Fair with 35 employers present and 170 students in attendance.
  • Matt stated that they have two employees at WEDCO.
  • Matt informed Council that there is free advertisement for property on the WEDCO website.
  • Matt also informed Council that there has been some interest in the old Edgerton Metals building.
  • Williams County has completed a housing study and there is a housing shortage.

Strategies to Encourage Housing Strategies

  • Tax abatements for developers and homebuyers
  • Ease of entitlement process (zoning, permits, planning, etc.)
  • Development sites with infrastructure and directly connected and/or within ½ mile walk of parking and green space, and or entertainment
  • Downtown revitalization
  • Continue to use land bank to reduce blight
  • Matt Davis: then opened up the floor for questions.
  • Chuck Wallace: asked what we could do to keep people working in Ohio.
  • Matt Davis: stated that being this close to Indiana we use their workforce and they use ours.  Matt also stated that some communities are deciding to put up buildings so that if a business wants to locate in their community, the business has speed to market with a certified site and the capacity needed immediately.  Matt commented that buildings could be rented pretty easily.
  • Mayor Bowsher: thanked Matt for coming and giving the presentation
  • Motion to Approve 2019 Committee Assignments: Copy Provided to Council

Muehlfeld, Roger                                  

Y

Thiel, Dean

Y   Second

Day, Robert

Y  

Wallace, Chuck

Y

Gruver, Jason

Y  

Perry, Jackie

Y   Motion

 

  • Motion to approve the following Board Members to the Volunteer Firefighters’ Dependents Fund Board (elected annually):
    • Lance Bowsher, Mayor and Chairperson
    • Denise Knecht, Fiscal Officer and Secretary
    • Scott Blue, Fire Chief
    • Chad Schlie, Assistant Fire Chief
    • Mike Krill, Community Member

Muehlfeld, Roger                                  

Y

Thiel, Dean

Y

Day, Robert

Y   Second

Wallace, Chuck

Y

Gruver, Jason

Y   Motion

Perry, Jackie

Y

 

Administrator Discussion:

Zach Dohner:   informed Council that the crack sealing at Miller Park tennis and basketball courts was completed.  

Zach then reported that the heavy duty load that will be coming through Edgerton will leave Texas on January 9, 2019.  He had a picture of the heavy load.  It weighs 536,000 lbs., has 24 axels and will be coming from Texas a 35 mph. 

Zach and Mayor Bowsher met with a Representative from Larry’s Lock and Safe.  Zach stated the fob access control system was quoted for 50 fobs at a cost of $19,000.00 for administrative offices, police & gym.  This has a three year warranty.  Labor and materials are included in the quote.

Zach reported that he spoke with Sid at Poggemeyer about the Asset Management and he is wrapping up the water portion with the capital recommendations.  Zach stated that he did tell Sid the Village was getting worried and Sid said the plan was about ready for final discussion.  Bob Day stated he felt with the money that was paid upfront the time frame in getting this phase done is unacceptable.  Bob Day stated that Poggemeyer has had this since October 2018 and that not having this completed holds the Village up on things.  Zach informed Council that the rest of the phases shouldn’t take this long.  Jackie Perry suggested that the Village might give Poggemeyer a deadline to have this phase completed.  Jackie asked if Poggemeyer was going to take care of any fines that might be associated with not having this phase completed on time.

Fiscal Officer Discussion: 

Denise Knecht:  reported that Poggemeyer requested 2018 year end financials to complete that portion of the Asset Management.  Denise will email the signed financials.

Council Discussion:

Jackie Perry: asked about the Hull St. Project and where it stands.  Jackie also asked if we had everything we need for going out for bid.  Zach will check the deadline and also request a bid package from Poggemeyer.

Jason Gruver:  stated that he was glad to have Jackie back from her surgery.  Jason also asked about the six trees that the Village contracted for removal and was told by Zach that four had been completed.  The tree removal service needed a different kind of equipment to remove the other two due to size.  The tree service will come back and finish the other two trees when the other equipment is available.

Chuck Wallace:  asked if the Edgerton Recreation could use the training room on Sunday, January 13, 2019 for choosing of teams.

Denise Knecht:  said she didn’t see a problem with using the training room as long as no one else was using it.  Chuck said if it is being used they could use the council room. 

Chuck Wallace:  stated that the ballfields at Gerhart have big lips on them that need to be taken off.  Chuck asked Zach if the Village employees could assist in fixing the fields before it freezes.

Mayor Bowsher:  stated that spraying cannot be done on the Gerhart fields. 

Chuck Wallace:  stated that very little can be done on the fields.  Chuck stated that Edgerton Recreation would like to move the Minor and Major League fields to Miller Park.  Chuck said most of the fencing at Gerhart is good and can be moved to Miller Park.  Edgerton Recreation would like to put the baseball fields where the soccer field is currently located at Miller Park and move the soccer field to Gerhart and continue to have the youth football field at Gerhart.  Chuck stated that Edgerton Recreation would have an engineer do a drawing to make sure everything would fit at Miller Park.  Chuck said it would be a two to three year process to get this done.

Mayor Bowsher:   stated that Edgerton Recreation needs to have a plan and do it the right way.

Bob Day:  stated it wouldn’t hurt to look into it. 

Jason Gruver: asked if soccer had been approached about this.

Chuck Wallace:  told Jason that it had just come up at the Edgerton Recreation meeting just previous to the Council meeting so they had not been approached about it yet. 

Bob Day:  suggested that if the minor and major league fields move to Miller Park the Village could possibly use one of the fenced in areas for a dog park a Gerhart. 

Mayor Bowsher:  stated under the stipulation that people bringing their dog to the park clean up after their animal.

Dean Thiel: asked that if the minor and major fields are moved to Miller Park is Edgerton Recreation thinking about having another road added to access the park.

Bob Day:  asked about where the Village was with the Jim Walker drainage issue.

Zach Dohner:  wants to test all the new equipment down at Jim’s house with a demo from the  company the Village purchased the equipment from.

Mayor Bowsher:  stated that we would have to start digging but no one knows where to start.

Bob Day:   stated that he was under the impression that the catch basin was the problem.

Jason Gruver:  responded saying he feels that the catch basin and the drainage issue are all related.

Zach Dohner:  stated that he wants to utilize our equipment, and see what is actually causing these issues.

Jackie Perry:  suggested we get quotes to outsource the job.

Bob Day:  asked that someone contact Mr. Walker to let him know where this issue stands.

Bob Day:  stated that Ted Hill came to him with a utility billing issue regarding the account at one of his rental properties.  Bob said that Ted told him he wanted the bill taken out of his name and it didn’t happen until two days later.  Bob sent him to see Zach as per Zach’s request and the next thing you know we were speaking to our lawyer.  Bob stated that he didn’t feel like people who are invested in our community should be penalized.

Zach Dohner:  stated that he was prepared to offer Ted a refund of a two day average which was together around $10.00.  Zach was willing to offer the Village to pay $20.00.  This average combined around $10.00 was from several years of utilities.

Charles Butler:  stated that the Village wants to be careful when telling one person they don’t have to pay their bill.

Denise Knecht:  informed Council of the delinquent process with shut off tags being sent on the 15th of the month.  If someone fails to pay by the 20th their power is shut off unless they call with a reasonable payment arrangement.

Zach Dohner:  stated he done his best to reason with Ted but once Ted threatened legality, Zach had no choice but to cut conversations with Ted and contact Charles Butler.  The Village was willing to work with Ted on the two days he was concerned about.

Bob Day:  stated that when people are invested in our community they should not be punished. 

Denise Knecht:  stated that we try to work with renter/homeowners as much as possible when allowing extensions beyond the shut off date.

Bob Day:  stated again that he didn’t feel like people who are invested in our community should be punished.

Jason Gruver:  posed the question, how do you propose we receive payment if we don’t hold landowners responsible?

Bob Day:  said he wants people to invest in the Village.

Mayor Bowsher:  stated that when bills are not paid we all pay for them.

Jackie Perry:  stated that this is standard practice among local communities to collect from landlords when the renter does not pay their final bill.

Bob Day:  asked to make sure he had this all correct, when a tenant moves in they have to put the utility bill in their name.  He also asked how much deposits are.

Denise Knecht:  explained for a home that has natural gas and electric the deposit is $140.00 and for a total electric home the deposit is $180.00.  Denise explained that by the time the customer receives a shut off tag they are almost ready to receive the next month’s bill so the meter deposit doesn’t always cover their final bill.

Bob Day:  asked if we had any type of brochure we can hand out to customers.

Denise Knecht:  said we used to have a handmade booklet that Shawn used to make on the computer but we don’t do it any longer due to internet accessibility.

  • Motion to pay bills 01.07.19:

Muehlfeld, Roger                                  

Y   Motion

Thiel, Dean

Y

Day, Robert

Y

Wallace, Chuck

Y   Second

Gruver, Jason

Y

Perry, Jackie

Y

 

Bob Day:  requested an executive session to discuss real property.

Shawn Clifton:  exited at 8:17pm

  • Motion to enter into executive session for the Purchase of Real Property at 8:19pm:

Muehlfeld, Roger

Y

Thiel, Dean

Y   Second

Day, Robert

Y   Motion

Wallace, Chuck

Y

Gruver, Jason

Y

Perry, Jackie

Y

 

  • Motion to exit executive session at 8:29PM:

Muehlfeld, Roger                                  

Y   Motion

Thiel, Dean

Y

Day, Robert

Y

Wallace, Chuck

Y

Gruver, Jason

Y   Second

Perry, Jackie

Y

 

No Action Taken

  • Motion to adjourn at 8:32PM:

Muehlfeld, Roger                                  

Y

Thiel, Dean

Y

Day, Robert

Y   Motion

Wallace, Chuck

Y

Gruver, Jason

Y

Perry, Jackie

Y   Second