Village of Edgerton Council Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, June 5, 2024 at 5:30 PM

  • Mayor Day called the meeting to order at 5:30PM with the Pledge of Allegiance and Prayer.
  • 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; Ken Jacob – Police Chief

Media Present:

  • Jenna Frisby – The Village Reporter; Cindy Thiel – The Edgerton Earth; The Bryan Times

Public Present:

  • Brad Stark, Robert Adkins, Karissa Merillat

 

  • Motion to Approve Meeting Minutes from 05.01.24:
Blinzler, Sharon                                         Y
Gruver, Jason Y MOTION
Bowsher, Lance Abstain
VanAusdale, Leslie Y 2
Wallace, Chuck Absent
Wampler, Pam Y

Motion PASSES 5-0

Summer Intern– Dawn Fitzcharles introduced Karissa Merillat, the summer intern for the Village this year. Karissa has been working with us for a couple of weeks now and is doing a great job. She’s completed many painting projects and been able to sit in on multiple meetings. Fitzcharles stated our internship program is being sought after by students looking to work.

Mayor Update by Robert Day:

  • Senior Community work day – another successful year working with graduating seniors
  • “Free Little Library” between Day’s Carpet & Studio 34, 24/7 access
  • Community Group from Indiana that paints houses, looking at painting 2-3 houses in Edgerton free of charge
  • Townwide Garage Sales June 6-8
  • Edgerton Metals Brownfield remediation surveys out for public suggestions of what to do with the property
  • HS Track team competed at State last week and want to commend them for their achievements & success representing Edgerton, Great job!

Administrator Update by Dawn Fitzcharles:

  • CRA Committee met this morning (6/5) & approved a tax abatement application @ 104 Knox Lane where a new home will be constructed
  • Ready to start 2025 budget talks & preparation
  • Oak St project slated to begin June 15 if all goes well
  • Met with landscape architect for Edgerton Metals property in attempt to generate potential renderings with ideas

Fiscal Officer Update by Denise Knecht:

  • Credit card review 04.16.24-05.15.24
  • May 2024 financials are completed, operating in June
  • Closing in on the end of the audit; waiting for final review June 30
  • Received RITA retainer refund for 2023 tax collections, only paid 1.08% for collections; based on amount of taxes collected through all communities, performs as a consortium of local governments that created a not for profit

Police Chief Update by Ken Jacob:

  • New patrol car currently being outfitted and graphics being applied
  • Body cam order has been placed, waiting for those to arrive
  • Received Lexipol plaque for reaching gold standard
  • Ashlyn completed the academy and is ready to come on full-time

ODD Brownfield payment: We need to accept the revenue from the ODD and issue the payment invoice to August Mack for the Edgerton Metals Brownfield remediation project. We receive reports and invoices, submit to ODD, ODD signs off on transaction and sends the money, we then pay August Mack.

  • Motion to approve revenue receipt from Ohio Department of Development and issue payment for invoice #81703 to August Mack Environmental in the amount of $615,576.31 for the Edgerton Metals Brownfield Remediation Project (Edgerton Revitalization DEV-2022-193553) for project invoices through April 14, 2024:
Blinzler, Sharon                                         Y
Gruver, Jason Y
Bowsher, Lance Y MOTION
VanAusdale, Leslie Y
Wallace, Chuck Absent
Wampler, Pam Y 2

Motion PASSES5-0

  • Motion to pay bills 06.05.24:
Blinzler, Sharon                                         Y 2
Gruver, Jason Y MOTION
Bowsher, Lance Y
VanAusdale, Leslie Y
Wallace, Chuck Absent
Wampler, Pam Y

Motion PASSES 5-0

CRA Housing Council vacancy: The vacant position on this board is filled by Council vote. It was previously filled by Kermit Riehle as Edgerton Local School representative. Fitzcharles is recommending incoming superintendent Ben Wilhelm to fill the position. To date, this board has approved 4 applications for tax abatement. 3 of the 4 properties are completed.

  • Motion to appoint School Superintendent, Ben Wilhelm to the Community Reinvestment Housing Council:
Blinzler, Sharon Y
Gruver, Jason Y
Bowsher, Lance Y MOTION
VanAusdale, Leslie Y 2
Wallace, Chuck Absent
Wampler, Pam Y

Motion PASSES 5-0

Junior FF resignation: Matthew Sinclair submitted his letter of resignation dated 4.12.24. After graduations he plans to move out of town so he will not be able to participate in the program.

  • Motion to accept resignation of Junior FF Matthew Sinclar effective 04.12.24:
Blinzler, Sharon                                         Y 2
Gruver, Jason Y MOTION
Bowsher, Lance Y
VanAusdale, Leslie Y
Wallace, Chuck Absent
Wampler, Pam Y

Motion PASSES 5-0

FF employment status: Shaun graduated from High School and has been moved from a Junior FF to a Volunteer FF. Adkins added Murphy has done a good job and the program is doing what it was meant to. Murphy will start attending training for Firefighter 1. Shaun would like to make a career out of it so he’s not sure how long we will have him but it will be for a while yet to gain more training.

  • Motion to change employment status of Shaun Murphy from Junior FF to Volunteer FF effective 06.01.24:
Blinzler, Sharon                                         Y
Gruver, Jason Y MOTION
Bowsher, Lance Y
VanAusdale, Leslie Y
Wallace, Chuck Absent
Wampler, Pam Y 2

Motion PASSES 5-0

Achievement: Robert Adkins and Brad Stark have both successfully completed requirements for Firefighter 2 certification. We are very appreciative on that and want to give recognition for that achievement.

Employment probation removal: Kelly has completed a six-month probationary period. He has taken Ashlyn under his wing and been serving as a mentor so that’s great. He’s been a great addition to the department.

  • Motion to change employment status of Kelly Kunesh from probationary full-time patrolman to regular full-time patrolman effective 06.05.24:
Blinzler, Sharon                                         Y 2
Gruver, Jason Y
Bowsher, Lance Y MOTION
VanAusdale, Leslie Y
Wallace, Chuck Absent
Wampler, Pam Y

Motion PASSES 5-0

PD full-time employment status: Ashlyn Figy is currently on as part-time officer; Figy has successfully completed her schooling and became OPOTA certified. This will fill the 4th full-time position.

  • Motion to approve employment status change of Ashlyn Figy from part-time patrolman to probationary full-time patrolman effective 6.3.24:
Blinzler, Sharon                                         Y
Gruver, Jason Y MOTION
Bowsher, Lance Y
VanAusdale, Leslie Y
Wallace, Chuck Absent
Wampler, Pam Y 2

Motion PASSES 5-0

Tax amounts & rates Resolution: This is an annual tax levy that will provide $75,000 to the general fund and $46,000 to the fire fund. Passing this resolution now will allow Denise to certify to the County auditor early and have it all taken care of.

VILLAGE OF EDGERTON RESOLUTION NO 2024-010
A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE AMOUNTS AND RATES AS DETERMINED BY THE BUDGET COMMISSION AND AUTHORIZING THE NECESSARY TAX LEVIES AND CERTIFYING THEM TO THE COUNTY AUDITOR

  • Motion to pass and adopt Resolution No 2024-010:
Blinzler, Sharon                                         Y
Gruver, Jason Y 2
Bowsher, Lance Y
VanAusdale, Leslie Y MOTION
Wallace, Chuck Absent
Wampler, Pam Y

Motion PASSES 5-0

Council Discussion:

Gruver questioned how it was going with the Arborist. Dawn informed Council it was going well and the plan is to release information at the next Tree Commission meeting. Brian Fritsch at the Williams County Engineers office will put the information into an excel spreadsheet and will send that over to us. It’s pretty cool all the information we’ve been able to gather. There is a total of 686 trees the Village is responsible for and there is probably 40 to go.

VanAusdale inquired if there has been any movement or information found out on the Town Hall parking lot. Dawn has solicited an engineer; preliminary estimates are coming in at 180-190k. There is a hope that it could be completed early next spring. Fitzcharles has reached out to Maumee Valley to look for some potential funding for public facilities.

  • Motion to enter into executive session for the acquisition of property at 5:59PM:
Blinzler, Sharon                                         Y
Gruver, Jason Y 2
Bowsher, Lance Y MOTION
VanAusdale, Leslie Y
Wallace, Chuck Absent
Wampler, Pam Y

Motion PASSES 5-0

Council Member Blinzler exited at 6:15pm.

  • Motion to exit executive session 6:20PM:
Blinzler, Sharon                                         Absent
Gruver, Jason Y
Bowsher, Lance Y
VanAusdale, Leslie Y
Wallace, Chuck Absent
Wampler, Pam Y

Motion PASSES 4-0

No action taken after executive session.

  • Motion to adjourn at 6:20PM:
Blinzler, Sharon                                         Absent
Gruver, Jason Y 2
Bowsher, Lance Y
VanAusdale, Leslie Y MOTION
Wallace, Chuck Absent
Wampler, Pam Y

Motion PASSES 4-0