LAUDED GOODBYE Rachel Garcia was given the warmest of goodbyes at the last Stryker Village Council meeting on December 11 2023 her final one as a village council member
By: Anna Wozniak
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
anna@thevillagereporter.com
Stryker Village Council met on December 11, 2023 at 6 p.m. for their monthly meeting, starting first with a prayer and the pledge of allegiance.
Councilors Dusty Potter, Sean Ingram, Rachel Garcia, Vicki Cameron, Dave Benner, and Nick Wlasuik were joined by Mayor Joey Beck, Fiscal Officer Beth Rediger, Village Administrator Alan Riegsecker, Village Solicitor Kevin Whitlock, and Stryker Police Chief Steven Mendez.
Their first order of business was to approve the minutes of their November 20, 2023 meeting, before they moved on to the financial report through December 8, 2023.
Discussion was then held on what to do with the memorial wall idea, with a general consensus being reached with regards to the organization of the wall.
It was after the memorial wall discussion that the Stryker Village Council moved on to legislative actions, where they passed four ordinances.
Ordinance 2023-03 allowed for permanent appropriations for 2024 for current expenses and projected expenditures, with the total budget amount coming in at $1,408,673.44.
Ordinance 2023-04 repeals Ordinance 2022-08, and redefines the salaries, fringe benefits, and duties of elected, appointed, and hourly village employees for 2024.
Ordinance 2023-05 added ordinances to the village’s codified ordinances, and Ordinance 2023-6 approved appropriations to balance out fiscal 2023.
The village administrator shared that the waterline project should start by December 18th and is expected to take up to two weeks to complete.
Leaf pick-up is over for the year, but the compost dumpster is available until January 1st for residents that have organic waste.
A grant application has been submitted for the water tower project, and the grant determination is expected to be shared sometime in the early spring.
The fiscal officer shared that the Williams County Port Authority (WCPA) has begun building at 504 West Curtis Street and said that the rezoning of the other two Stryker lots purchased by the WCPA was approved as well. Mrs. Rediger also shared that the village currently has 34 military banners.
Chief Mendez shared that properties not connected to village utilities are being looked at for a program that partners with the landbank to demolish the out of commission buildings.
Three private residences have already been referred to the program, and properties can be signed up until springtime.
Discussion was then held on the recent streetlight dysfunction seen by the village, with the village administrator urging residents to report any malfunctions to the village so that the lights may be marked for repair.
It was then the mayor turned to Rachel Garcia and thanked her for the impact made by her time spent as a council member for the Village of Stryker.
Garcia thanked council for the opportunity, and Mayor Beck thanked her again for her wonderful “opinions and help” before council adjourned at 6:47 p.m.