NEWEST HIRE … Nolan Short on left was introduced to Council by Village Administrator Alan Riegsecker at the February 22,2021 Council meeting. Short is a 2011 graduate of Stryker High School and looks forward to working with the village. (PHOTO BY REBECCA MILLER, STAFF)
By: Rebecca Miller
A big heads up to all who pay a bill to Stryker Utilities was shared by Village Clerk Beth Rediger at the February 22, 2021 Village Council meeting. Rediger said that it needs to get out there that if you want to pay online, just go to the website, www.villageofstryker.com.
She shared that whenever a bill can be paid online, there are companies that pay a lot of money to get their name to pop up at the top of the line so customers will think they are the right place to pay.
There have been a few customers who took that route and the biggest problem was that the company paid the bill on the 19th of the month and the shut off date is the 10th. It caused some confusion but was straightened out, Rediger said.
There is a credit/debit card fee, for paying at the Stryker website, of a percentage of your bill, usually $2 – $2.95, while paying through a different third party than the one that Stryker is using (Nexbillpay) can cost more.
Rediger explained there is nothing wrong with those companies, they are legit, but it might mean you bill gets paid late. She reiterated that the best way is to go directly to www.villageofstryker.com.
A Presentation was given during the meeting by Shane Simpson, a representative of Nationalgrid Renewables, about the Solar Field they are planning to put in Springfield Township sometime in the next five years.
Simpson had his office on the phone, in the person of Alyssa Vogt, out in Minnesota while he shared a print out power point with the council.
He explained that he has been working over the past three years to gather up contracts with land owners to place a 1500 acre solar field in Springfield Township. Stryker owns some land that they would like to lease for the field, thus the presentation.
They title themselves “Farmer Friendly Community Driven” and stressed the importance of helping the farmers, land owners, the village and even giving to a local non-profit from their Charitable Fund.
There will be a yearly fee paid to the land owners from the time they sign the contract until it is dismantled in 40 or 50 years.
The fee is $40 an acre until construction begins at which point it becomes $800 an acre. The village owns 34 acres in that area but spoke about only leasing the company 15 acres, so that they can develop the other acres with housing and roads in the future.
The benefits to the area which they shared are: it does not require additional services, so no pressure on local services or resources; no harmful pollutants or negative health impacts; on odor and minimal sound produced; no air or water emissions; let soils rest and lie fallow during project life; perennial plantings increase soil stability, improve infiltration, and help promote biodiversity; and reduces impacts from power generation as compared to more traditional power plants.
Council thanked Simpson and Vogt for the presentation and said they will discuss it further and get back to them.
Village Administrator Al Riegsecker introduced the village’s newest employee, Nolan Short, who has joined the crew. Short is a 2011 Graduate of Stryker. Council welcomed him.
Riegsecker reported that most of their time over the past few weeks has been spent in snow removal but it has gone well.
He met with Poggemeyer and they are applying for two grants for the village: one for the Water Tower and one for a Waterline for Johnson and Defiance Streets.
Police Chief Steve Schlosser congratulated Lt. JR Treace on his marriage to Savannah, performed on February 14 by Stryker Police Department Chaplain Nik Walborn.
He reported that Officer Jonathan Wood has accepted a full-time position with the Bryan Police and they wish him well. Officer Abraham Stottlemyer will be in the 2nd phase of his FTO training and Officers Chelsey Skiver and Daniel Bentancur attended Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement training. It was held at Maumee Police Department on February 8 and 9.
Between January 14 and February 15, 2021 there were eleven Traffic warnings, no traffic citations and three adult arrests, with 51 total reports.
In regular business, council voted to approve the minutes of the January 18 meeting, with one correction, and the Finance report as of February 12, 2021. Also approved were:
•Motion to pass 2021 Representation Agreement naming Attorney Ryan Thompson as special Village Solicitor for Tax Matters only
•Resolution #02-2021-1 Joint Solid Waste Management District Plan Update, with emergency suspension of readings
Mayor Joe Beck gave the list of 2021 Committees out to council, with one correction needed. He said he will fix that and get it back to them.
Council President Lee Armstrong asked about the records and Rediger said she is still working on them and hopes to hire a truck in the spring to get rid of the old ones. Council woman Kim Feehan welcomed Nolan Short and no other members had any business to discuss.
Rediger asked council to please consider the details of what they would like the new electronic sign to look like. She said she is in communication with Allen Industries concerning getting the sign.
Another company gave her a quote of around $18,000 for an electronic sign but Allen Industries wants more details of what is wanted before giving an estimate.
They would like to have it for putting out announcements that people miss when they are put online or on the water bills. The sign would be about the size of the wooden one in front of the Village Hall.
Rebecca can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com