By T.J. Hug
The Village Reporter
April McMillen, Fiscal Officer for the Village of Pioneer, was awarded the prestigious Certified Municipal Clerk designation at the towns December Regular meeting.
Wauseon’s Clerk of Council Meg Murphy was on hand to present McMillen with the honor. Several other area Fiscal Officers also gathered in Pioneer to show their support for the woman of the hour. Among them were Dianne Collins, Tresasurer for the Village of Hicksville, Lauri Rupp, Treasurer for Holiday City, Becky Semer, Montpelier’s Clerk of Council, Beth Rediger, Treasurer for the Village of Stryker, and Kim Grime, Fiscal Officer for the Village of West Unity.
In order to obtain the designation, awarded by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC), McMillen had to attend extensive educational programs, conferences, and regional meetings for the organization.
Working on several committees for the Ohio Municipal Clerks Association (OMCA) also qualified McMillen for the award. She has served as the chair of the group’s scholarship committee, and is currently an OMCA board member, as well as being on their Membership and Fundraising Committees.
In existence since 1970, the Certified Municipal Clerk designation is awarded to 111 clerks throughout the state of Ohio. With 681 villages and 251 cities in the state , earning this award is quite an accomplishment.
Ed Kidston, Mayor of Pioneer, expressed great pride in his Fiscal Officer’s accomplishment.
“She’s been here for a few, and we’re happy with our choice.” Kidston remarked, before adding, “So don’t any of you other towns try and take her.”
Kidston also displayed concern over another topic at the meeting. After reading about a recent study on the poverty level of Williams County, he had a question for Pioneer Police Chief Timothy Livengood.
“Do we have any homeless people in Pioneer?”
Citing his own naivety, Kidston was shocked by the numbers he had seen in the study regarding poor and homelessness. His concern was that there were people living in his village searching for shelter. Chief Livengood put his mind at ease, though.
“To my knowledge, there is no one without a home living in Pioneer.” Livengood responded.
He did, however, point out that transients will occasionally pass through the town. When answering calls about the issue, the Pioneer Police Department directs such people to area Ministerial Organizations. Local churches then provide food and temporary shelter for those in need.
The Council approved two contracts during the session as well. Village Solicitor Tom Thompson saw his contract renewed for 2015. He will offer legal counsel to the village at a rate of $110 an hour.
Bell Engineering will also awarded a contract from the council. The firm will begin renovation work on First Street, a project the village has been working hard to realize for several months. Bell will be receiving $29,750 from the village for their work.
The council concluded the meeting without entering into Executive Session.
T.J. Hug can be reached at
publisher@thevillagereporter.com