Acting on the advice of Village Administrator Brad Peebles, the Delta Village Council passed a resolution 6-0 to support a study to determine the feasibility of creating a joint fire district that would serve Eastern Fulton County. Passing the resolution, according to Mr. Peebles, would show the Fulton County Commissioners Delta’s commitment to the project.
The study, which would be conducted by the Ohio Fire Chiefs Association, could take up to six months to complete and cost between $12,000 and $20,000. “We’ve had some initial conversations with the County Commissioners about the possibility of funding that study,” said Mr. Peebles. “Once we get the confirmed proposal for the Fire Chiefs Association we’ll take that to the Commissioners with a request for assistance to facilitate that study.”
Several other communities could possibly be joining Delta in the study including the Village of Swanton and the Townships of Amboy, Pike, Royalton, Swancreek and York. The level of service required by the separate jurisdictions and the costs associated with that service would be included in the study. Mr. Peebles also said number of jurisdictions needed to move forward with a joint fire district could be as low as two and the deadline to be included is December 16, 2016. The entire process, if it comes to fruition, has been estimated to take two to three years.
The next meeting on this issue is scheduled for January 12, 2017.
Other resolutions that were passed included one to support the concept of a regional water system that has been brought forward by the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments. The system would provide uniform costs and cooperation for all communities involved. The resolution is non-binding for the Village.
Another resolution was passed in its third reading that allows Palmer Energy to represent Delta in the Northwest Ohio Aggregation Coalition for the purpose of bidding aggregated electrical power needs for residential customers.
A third reading of an ordinance making appropriations for the Village’s 2017 annual budget of $12.3 million was approved as was the second reading of an ordinance awarding the contract for residential refuse and garbage collection and disposal to Archbold Refuse Service. A related ordinance increasing the costs of refuse collection tags to Delta residents also passed.
Donald Johnson, who recently retired from the Water Treatment plant, has been hired by the Village as a consultant to help train his replacement, Dustin Cass. The contract runs for three months and he will only work when it is deemed necessary. Mr. Johnson will be paid $34 per hour.
The next scheduled Village council meeting is December 19, 2016 at 7:00 pm in Memorial Hall.
Bill O’Connell may be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com