ANNUAL REPORTS Fire … Chief Brian Fritsch shares the Annual Fire Department Report with the Montpelier Village Council. (PHOTO BY ANNA WOZNIAK, STAFF)
By: Anna Wozniak
The Montpelier Village Council meeting was called to order at 6 p.m. with a prayer and the pledge of allegiance.
Present were Councilors Heather Freese, Don Schlosser, Nathan Thompson, Melissa Ewers, Chris Kannel, and Kevin Motter.
Also present were Village Administrator Jason Rockey, Law Director Chris Walker, Clerk of Council Molly Collert, and presiding Mayor Yagelski.
After approving the agenda for the meeting, council approved the minutes of both the April 24 regular meeting and May 1 public hearing minutes of 2023.
After the March financial reports were accepted as presented, council heard annual reports by department representatives.
First up was fire department Chief Brian Fritsch. He detailed for council the issues that his department has tackled this year.
Chief among these issues are supply chain impacts, staff shortages, concerning the outside of the station and the Engine 67 frame repair and axle improvements.
Recent response times have been higher than expected due to staffing issues, which the department is trying to fix via recruitment.
Fritsch then brought up the need to start thinking about addressing the repair and maintenance of the Fire department bay doors and interior, as many things age approximately 50 years.
Council then looked over Fritsch’s Fire Department Productivity report procured through GIS before hearing from the next department.
Council thanked the County GIS representative before moving on.
The next to give their report was Director Kevin Sommer, who represented the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Last April the wastewater main processor went down, drawing attention to the obsolete system currently installed.
You can no longer find parts for this system, but luckily there were spare parts purchased when the equipment was installed.
To avoid future issues, the wastewater department is working to start the first stage of the system update completed this month.
Sommer then detailed the parameters of Resolution 1373, which relates to the second phase in the Scada System Update Project.
Council then heard details on how the lagoon is cleaned before the inspection details of the last year were shared.
Council asked Sommer what the wastewater department could use by way of support, and he replied that they could show continued support of needed updates despite skyrocketing prices.
The next to share their report was the supervisor of the Water Treatment Plant, Thane Apt.
Apt shared that they have passed all tests conducted on their water supply, and the department has not seen much change this year.
Within the next three years, Apt warns that the water treatment plant will need equipment replacements as old equipment goes out.
A lot of the equipment is expensive and delivery wait times are extraordinary at the moment, so keeping inflation in mind when analyzing the success of the water treatment plant’s success is key.
Sludge management is a huge consideration, as is the electrical grid. Labs will need to be replaced soon, and building maintenance has been a concern recently.
Village Administrator Rockey then recognized the Montpelier Electric Department for earning a Platinum RP3 Designation from APPA, scoring just three points below Diamond.
Council then commented on the good turn-out seen at the last meeting, thanking everyone for their participation in Mission Montpelier.
The bid for the 2023 Asphalt Program was awarded, an electrical barn roof was approved for installation, and the Scada System was approved to be updated.
Council then approved the income tax report and the administrator’s report, wherein Rockey detailed his recent market findings in resource industries, relating that many resources have seen upcharges throughout the market despite Montpelier’s relatively steady resource prices.
Montpelier is not unscathed by the Williams County shortage of affordable housing, and the effects this has on the availability of a labor force, hurting a lot of village industries.
The Montpelier Village Council then voted to enter executive session with no action to discuss public employee matters at 7:56 p.m.
Anna can be reached at anna@thevillagereporter.com