PHOTO BY BRENNA WHITE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
CANDY BLAST … The Stryker Village Council discusses the fall festival and the successful “candy blast cannon.”
By: Brenna White
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
The Stryker Village Council met for its regular session on Monday, November 24, 2025, to discuss open council seats, legislation, and the successful Fall Festival held earlier in the month. The council meeting was held directly after the November Finance Committee meeting.
After opening with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance led by guest Ricardo Avila, a roll was held. In attendance: Mayor Joe Beck, Village Administrator Alan Riegsecker, Fiscal Officer Beth Rediger, Council President Vicki Cameron, Dave Benner, Sean Ingram, Dusty Potter, and Nick Wlasiuk.
Council first approved the regular meeting minutes from October 27, 2025. The finance report, dated November 21, 2025, was reviewed and accepted.
Rediger provided figures that reported that the village’s income was higher than its expenses. The October Finance Meeting Minutes were additionally approved.
Mayor Beck once again announced two open council seats for the Village of Stryker. Applicants interested must submit a letter of interest by December 1, 2025. The sitting council will then make a decision, with the accepted candidates starting their terms as of January 1, 2025.
“If the people do have an interest in filling the empty two seats, please send a letter of interest by December 1st,” affirmed Beck.
While five separate legislation pieces were presented on the agenda for voting, the council moved to table three due to needing more information.
“We are still waiting for some items to come in on the health insurance side,” continued Beck, “right now, there is a significant increase, potentially, to what we currently pay per month as a village for insurance.”
The fiscal officer is waiting for one more health insurance claim to be submitted before passing their final motions. This included Ordinance 2025-02 (2026 Payroll Ordinance), Ordinance 2025-03 (Permanent Annual Appropriations), and the final ruling to renew their ongoing insurance with Medical Mutual.
A renewal contract was approved with the village solicitor. No changes were noted to the prior contract, which is renewed annually.
A resolution was passed pertaining to a cybersecurity policy to comply with the new ORC updates. The motion establishes guidelines for access control, system security, data protection, and required training.
It applies to all elected officials, employees, contractors, vendors, and third parties handling village technology. Employee training is mandated to be completed by June 30, 2026.
The Stryker Police Department submitted its monthly report to the council. Chief Steven Mendez expressed gratitude to resident Devon Hendricks, who purchased and donated several high-quality flashlights to the department.
Saturday, December 13, 2025, marks the “Shop with a Cop,” or Cops & Kids Christmas Program. The yearly program sponsors students from grades K-12 for a day of fun and shopping at Walmart.
Administrator Riegsecker noted that the utility truck used for leaf collection had a major motor repair needed, and leaf pickup will be delayed for a week.
While the original cutoff was scheduled for December 1, 2025, the village will be extending the date to continue pickup throughout the rest of the week.
He also stated that the village office building had been experiencing serious settling issues, with many large cracks forming within the walls, and they will be seeking advice from an engineer or contractor in the future.
Potter continued with an overview of the successful Fall Fest held on November 1, 2025. He stated that while expenses continue to rise, he unfortunately had to cut some fan-favorites, such as the helicopter rides.
However, his crew remained hard at work to fill the gap and engineered a “candy blast cannon” that shot anywhere from 150 to 200 pounds of candy from a 60-foot elevated crane.
The event remained well attended, with many local food trucks making an appearance. Marketed as a largely free event, free activities such as bounce houses, face paint, and putt-putt golf were available for the public to enjoy.
“I will say that the event is getting more expensive every year,” admitted Potter. “We really have to take a look at the money and start deciding if we need to start scaling back because of how expensive everything is getting. I think that goes with anything in today’s world. We had a really good turnout, and the event speaks for itself.”
While expenses stay on the rise, it was evident that Potter and his crew remained dedicated to creating a family-friendly, fun event for all Stryker residents and neighboring communities to enjoy.
The Stryker Village Council adjourned at 6:33 p.m.