RAISES … Holiday City mayor Pamela Clark (middle) and council member Shawn Clark (right), along with village administrator Blair Campbell (left), discuss the six percent pay increase given to village employees at the Holiday City Council Meeting on Thursday, December 18.
By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com
The Village of Holiday City employees will be receiving a pay raise in 2026 following approval by the village council at its monthly meeting on Thursday, December 18.
Mayor Pamela Clark made the recommendation of the ordinance to the council for a six percent pay raise for all village employees. It was the third and final reading of the ordinance.
Council member Jodie Faunce made a motion to approve the pay raise, with council member Brooke Knepper seconding it, and it passed by a 6-0 vote.
“Thank you so very much to our employees for all of your hard work,” said the mayor.
Council then approved an ordinance on a revised version of the 2025 annual appropriations.
Fiscal Officer Lauri TenEyck-Rupp said the ordinance increased the appropriations for the Electrical Fund of $900,000, which ought to take care of the village at the end of the year for expenses.
On the third and final reading, council approved the 2026 temporary annual appropriations, which were started in October. The temporary appropriations begin January 1, 2026, and go through December 31, 2026.
Ashley Epling, Executive Director of Williams County Economic Development (WEDCO), addressed the council regarding the recent enterprise zone agreement with Wieland Chase.
She requested approval from the council on behalf of Wieland Chase, who is looking for a 15-year, 100 percent tax abatement for its 17,000-square-foot expansion, where they hope to break ground in January.
“This is going to create over 43 new jobs and over $3.1 million dollars in new payroll, as well as the overall project being estimated at $28 million dollars,” said Epling.
She recently met with the North Central Local School Board of Education on Tuesday, December 16, which passed an addendum to accept the zoning agreement.
She also met with the Four County Board of Education, and they are also accepting the zoning agreement.
“Wieland Chase is doing a donation to both school districts in lieu of taxes,” Epling noted.
“What that means is because they’re getting a 100 percent tax abatement for 15 years, and this is how most of our property taxes go to funding schools.
“A lot of times when businesses do this, they’ll do a donation to the school as a thank you for allowing us these savings on the forefront.”
She also added, “The schools like it a lot of the time because when they collect property taxes through their millage, it’s usually earmarked for specific things.
“Whereas a business donates to them, for us to thank you for not having the property taxes, then they can do that, (and it) eventually (goes into) in their general fund, and it’s not allocated to specific things. So, the nice thing is, it’s revenue that the schools would not otherwise have.”
Epling is happy that Wieland Chase continues to remain both in Williams County and Holiday City.
Village Solicitor Damon Williams commented that the last time Wieland Chase had an enterprise zone agreement with Holiday City was in 2010.
He added that this latest zone agreement will benefit the Village of Holiday City and its economic development.
An ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into the enterprise zone agreement with Wieland Chase then followed. It was deemed an emergency measure, thus waiving the three required readings.
Council member Ryan Henricks made a motion to approve the ordinance, with council member Adam Knepper seconding it. The ordinance was approved by a 6-0 vote.
A resolution was passed authorizing Then and Now purchase orders for December 16 and 18, in which the village had to increase its appropriations by $900,000 to the electric fund.
This will enable TenEyck-Rupp to pay the December electric bill for both Chase Brass and municipal electric. The resolution then passed by a 6-0 vote.
Ten-Eyck Rupp also reported the village received $880,136.86 in revenue and spent $825,241.48 in expenses for November. She added that the yearly balance is now $5,918,927.79.
She also updated the council on the village’s audit report, which is still ongoing.
Village Administrator Blair Campbell reported he had contacted the Village of Montpelier about where they purchased their trees.
He said they got them from North Branch Nursery in Pemberville, Ohio. The trees, which are six feet or taller, cost between $150 and $200 per tree. The village is planning to plant trees soon.
An executive session was held to discuss property, with no action being taken. The next council meeting will be on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at 7 p.m.