NATUREWORKS GRANT … Village Administrator Dettling shares with Mayor Grime and council that because the NatureWorks grant application is due on June 1st she hoped to get Resolution 2023-23 passed during the May meeting. (PHOTO BY AMY WENDT / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
By: Amy Wendt
The Archbold Village Council met on May 15 for a brief meeting with a light agenda. Assistant Fire Chief Kyle Brodbeck was on hand to introduce the newest EMT/Firefighter of the Archbold Fire Department, Corinna Riley.
Brodbeck shared that the 2018 Archbold grad was chosen out of four internal applicants. It was also noted that Riley is just starting paramedic school. June 3 will be her first official day serving the village in her new position.
It was also noted that the EMT/Firefighter position vacancy was created when Jonah Stiriz gave up his full-time Paramedic position with AFD to accept the Assistant Fire Chief position at Napoleon Fire Department. Stiriz remains on AFD on a part-time basis.
Newly trained Paramedic and AFD crew member Jennifer Baer was then moved to Stiriz’s former slot which then opened up the EMT/Firefighter position that Riley was chosen to fill.
A Resolution (2023-23) authorizing an application for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources NatureWorks Grant Program was approved by Council after a suspension of the rules and declaring an emergency.
Village Administrator Donna Dettling further elaborated that because the NatureWorks grant application is due on June 1st and the Council will not meet again until June 5th, it would be ideal to get the resolution passed during the May meeting so the approved Resolution can accompany the grant paperwork.
If the village is awarded the NatureWorks grant, funds will be used to improve areas of Ruihley Park.
In department reports, council briefly discussed the Wastewater Phosphorus Biological Removal Project Update as submitted by the Wastewater Department.
It was noted that the whole team at the Wastewater Department worked on the project.
Dettling offered additional insight that the State of Ohio is currently conducting research in our area on phosphorus levels and it is unknown at this time if the State will lower the allowed phosphorus rates in the future.
“We’ve positioned ourselves so that hopefully there’s not going to be an issue with being able to meet them (the rates) regardless of what the State does with them, and this project is definitely helping that process,” continued Dettling.
In other business, council approved bills & payroll in the amount of $453,104.26, the April 2023 Financials, and the council minutes of May 1, 2023.
Council also reviewed the following reports: Park Board Minutes of April 26, 2023, Hiring Report EMT/Firefighter, Police Department Call Response for April 2023, Fire & EMS Calls for Service April 2023, Street Department Labor & Fleet Reports for April 2023, and Investment Earnings Report as of April 2023.
After all regular business was addressed, Councilor Karla Ball initiated the discussion about the types of community notifications that could be released via the LiveArchbold App.
Citing the May 15 unexpected closure of the Archbold Middle School due to a water line break, Batt inquired if Archbold Area School closure notifications should be something that the village consider posting on their app to notify those community members who aren’t signed up to receive the school text alerts.
Dettling stated that she could reach out to Superintendent Jayson Selgo and discuss the idea.
The LiveArchbold iPhone and Android app was rolled out by the village earlier in the year and currently has approximately 500 iPhone users and an unknown amount of Android users.
Mayor Brad Grime noted that ideally, the village would like to see 1,500 to 2000 app users to ensure members of the Archbold community are receiving timely updates from the village.
For more information about the Live Archbold App and to download it on your mobile device, you may search “Live Archbold” in Apple App Store for iPhone or in Google Play App Store for Android.
With nothing further, the meeting was adjourned. The next Archbold Village Council Meeting is slated for Monday, June 5, 2023, at 5:30 pm.
Amy can be reached at amy@thevillagereporter.com
