NEWEST APD PATROL OFFICER Aaron Young is sworn in by Mayor Brad Grime The hiring of Officer Young will bring the APD to fully staffed
By: Amy Wendt
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
amy@thevillagereporter.com
Archbold Village Council met at its temporary location, the Ruihley Park Scout Cabin, on Monday, November 6, 2023. Council members Kevin Morton, Kevin Eicher, Vaughn Bentz, Brad Short, Karla Ball, and Chad Kern were present.
In addition to council, Mayor Brad Grime, Village Administrator Donna Dettling, and Assistant Village Administrator Aaron Alt were also in attendance.
The first order of business was the approval of the Council Minutes from October 16, 2023, Bills & Payroll in the amount of $830,262.13, and the October 2023 financial statements.
The Archbold Police Department’s newest Patrol Officer, Aaron Young, was sworn in by Mayor Grime while several of his family members and friends in the public seating area looked on.
APD Police Chief Leo Wixom took a moment to thank council for approving the employment of Officer Young and noted that the filling of this position will bring the department to “fully staffed.”
“It’s kind of been an uphill battle to get people hired,” Wixom added. Moving on to a long list of legislative items, a third and final reading was heard on Ordinance 2023-42, a measure that provides for a 3% water rate increase effective the January 1, 2024 billing period (December 2023 consumption period).
Following the reading, the Ordinance was passed by council. Administrator Dettling noted that “residents using approximately 6,000 gallons (of water) a month would probably see a $29 increase per year.”
Also, following its third reading, Council passed Ordinance 2023-43 that provides for a 3% wastewater rate increase effective the January 1, 2024 billing period (December 2023 consumption period).
Councilor Bentz commented, “I don’t think we can say enough – when you look at the comparison charts you sent – that of all of the communities listed, Archbold is the lowest per resident for wastewater.”
Upon declaring an emergency, council approved Resolution 2023-50 that accepted Change Order #1 for the Archbold Municipal Building Project.
Dettling provided further details to council noting that the change order bumps the project cost up $110,083 leaving the new contract price at $1,488,900.83 for the Village Hall renovation.
Assistant VA Aaron Alt indicated that as a result of the plan review with the Wood County Building Department, changes must be made to the accessibility ramp walls, ramp handrails, planters, fire-rated glass doors, a fire-rated Utility Department window, and mop sink wall guard installation.
The increase also includes the addition of restroom toilet partitions which were not included in the original plan and hallway doors that needed to be updated.
Dettling added “Just so you know, Bulletin 2, which will be Change Order #2 for this project is in the works. There was quite a bit of electrical that needs to be redone because it wasn’t ‘speced’ to have to replace all of the electrical, but Wood County is requiring that we replace everything.”
“And there’s some structural things that will be in Change Order #2 so I’m just preparing you. I think we anticipated from the beginning if you recall this was a 1.6-million-dollar engineer estimate that included some contingencies and we knew that there would be some contingencies.”
Other legislation approved at Monday’s meeting included:
-Resolution 2023-48 accepting the bids for the purchase of Chemicals for use by the Water and Wastewater Departments in 2024.
-Resolution 2023-49 Accepting Change Order #1 for the Miscellaneous Street Resurfacing Project, Contract 1-2023. It was noted by the village administrator that as a result of the change order, the project will be decreased in the amount of $12,780.13 leaving the final contract price for that project at $369,089.87.
-Resolution 2023-51 Transferring Funds from the General Fund to the Cemetery Fund and Ordinance 2023-52 Amending Appropriation Ordinance No. 2023-03 were also approved following a declaration of emergency with Dettling clarifying that both pieces of legislation are housekeeping matters that must be addressed at the end of each year.
The October 18 Park Board minutes were presented to council for review and the mayor noted that construction has begun on the long-awaited splash pad.
Council also reviewed reports including the APD Hiring Report, the October 2023 APD Call Response Report, the October 2023 Fire & EMS Calls for Service Report, the October 2023 Street Department Labor & Fleet Report, and the October 2023 TTHM Result Report.
The October 2023 Income Tax Receipts report shows an increase of 15.64% in receipts with withholdings down 1.3% according to VA Dettling.
Mayor Grime noted that correspondence was received from Councilor Brad Short notifying council that he will be resigning his post effective January 1, 2024.
“I just want to say about my resignation letter – I don’t know if you all read it or not but I truly meant what I said in there,” Short began.
“It has been an honor to serve on village council. I’m certainly not leaving this position because of any hard feelings whatsoever.”
“I just feel – felt called to give the German Township Trustee position a try – and that’s it. It’s not personal in any way and it’s been a pleasure and I look forward to getting over to German Township and continuing our relationship between the village and council – the village council and the township,” shared Short of his departure.
As of the date of this writing, Short was running unopposed for a German Township Trustee vacancy. The next Archbold Village Council Meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 20, 2023, at 5:30 p.m.