By: Daniel Cooley
The April 24 Edon village council meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by roll call. Five of the six council members, David Loughborough, Brook Morris, Brandon Thiel, Lee Lawrence and Dan Ankney, were in attendance.
In the first order of business, council approved the meeting minutes of the previous March meeting.
That was followed by council approving of the financial report by Heidi Bidwell. In communications, this Saturday, April 29, is village trash pickup.
Lawrence reported that the park board has kept the same officers they had last year and that the sidewalk in Walz Park is in the process of being repaired.
The old sidewalk is being taken out and replaced. Also, a wall, listing donations to the park is in the process of being installed, beginning with the foundation.
Loughborough reported that there are deep ruts in the cemetery in Edon and they are possibly looking at planking, to help take care of the problem.
Village administrator Chad Ordway said that the old Edon school is in the process of being demolished.
The windows to the building were recently taken out and asbestos has reportedly been removed.
Also, since the EPA requires it, Ordway reported that there will be backflow training in October.
Next, guests Dawn Fitzcharles and David Newcomer of the Williams County Port Authority, spoke at the council meeting. Fitzcharles started with a brief history of the organization.
The Port Authority, though formed in 2007, was dormant until 2021. Next, in a recent check of housing in Williams County, it was discovered that businesses are in need of 2,000 people and there is very little housing available to those potential employees. The county only had 11 housing units available in 2021.
As a result, the Williams County Port Authority has been very active in looking for available housing, complete with areas that already have utilities available.
Early reports by Fitzcharles show that there are currently two floor plans for housing. A one garage house has been secured on 333 South Monroe Street in Montpelier and a crawl space has been completed for a house on North Oak Street in Edgerton. Also, seven other addresses in the county have been secured by the Port Authority.
Also in the works is a 42-unit senior housing development that has been made available in Bryan. The proposed housing units are slated to go up on Fountain Grove Drive.
The proposed units will be one bedroom and two baths and will have everything provided for its residents.
A discussion took place with the Port Authority and council, regarding the soon to be demolished school property on West Indiana Avenue.
The property is owned by the Land Bank. Apparently, according to council members, the Land Bank said that it is up to the village to decide what to do with the property.
The Port Authority entertained the idea of looking into the availability of that property.
Currently, the Port Authority is looking to purchase two lots in Edon, on Buntiing Lane. Fitzcharles said the Port Authority is looking for a partnership with Edon.
Ordway stated that the village of Edon has taken an important step in that direction, by moving forward with the reinvestment process.
Also, council approved the waiving of tap fees on buildings that would come available in the Village of Edon.
With the Williams County Port Authority’s presentation complete, it was announced that the next council meeting will take place on May 15, with a joint meeting with township trustees.
Council then voted to adjourn the meeting.
Dan can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com