VILLAGE BUSINESS … The Blakeslee municipal building serves as the meeting location for Village Council, which met November 4 to discuss Christmas parade preparations, seasonal maintenance and ongoing village projects. PHOTO BY REBECCA STALNAKER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
By: Rebecca Stalnaker
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
BLAKESLEE — With the holiday season approaching, Blakeslee Village Council continued preparations for its annual Christmas parade while addressing seasonal maintenance, mowing arrangements and ongoing village concerns during its regular meeting Wednesday, November 4.
Present were Mayor Eric Jenkins, Council President Shelly Cox, council members Robert Mohre, Linda Muehlfeld, Virgil Green, Nick Reed and Brad Dahl, and Fiscal Officer Courtny Osborn.
The village’s Christmas parade is scheduled for Sunday, December 13, with lineup beginning at 5:30 p.m. and the parade beginning at 6 p.m.
Arrangements for musical entertainment and food offerings remained under discussion. Participation by the Edgerton High School band remained uncertain after a representative indicated the group was too busy to attend. A council member offered to make an additional inquiry.
Food preparations also remained tentative, including possible participation by the Knights of Columbus.
Holiday preparations extended to decorations throughout the village. Members discussed inspecting Christmas lights, replacing bulbs as needed and coordinating installation. Council also considered removing veterans banners after Veterans Day to accommodate Christmas decorations, noting that existing brackets could interfere with installation.
The discussion followed positive reports about the village’s recent Halloween celebration. Council members described the event as well attended, with families and children enjoying the festivities. Members praised the chili served during the celebration and noted interest among children in additional games and activities.
In other business, council continued discussing arrangements for mowing the steep hillsides maintained by the village during the 2027 season.
The village is seeking a replacement for Lane Brandt, who will not be returning to perform the work next year. A prospective worker has been testing the work to determine whether he would be interested in taking on the responsibility.
Council members acknowledged the challenges associated with maintaining the steep slopes, including the physical demands, difficulty maintaining proper footing and potential safety hazards.
The village paid $2,190 for mowing services during the previous season, which covered work performed from April through October. Members reviewed the cost in relation to the difficulty of the work and the challenge of finding individuals willing to take on the responsibility.
Council also considered how a replacement mowing contract could be handled, including bringing a proposed agreement before council for approval and comparing proposals if multiple individuals express interest. Members discussed the possibility of allowing a future contractor to receive payment periodically rather than in a single annual payment.
No replacement contract was approved during the meeting.
Councilman Brad Dahl reported that the former Village Hall flag had been properly retired during an October 12 ceremony at the American Legion.
Dahl also discussed contacting Dennis Miller of Maumee Valley Planning regarding potential assistance with the village underpass and a speed sign.
Council received an update on an ongoing abandoned-vehicle matter previously discussed in October. Fiscal Officer Courtny Osborn said she understood that Police Chief Randy Mohre had issued a citation following earlier notices. Members discussed the time that could be required for the matter to proceed through the enforcement process.
Additional maintenance discussions included electrical work performed at the village. Osborn confirmed that a $150 invoice from Craig Vogel Electric had been processed for two service visits involving an electrical system inspection and relay replacement.
Osborn presented the financial report, listing receipts totaling $2,117.95 and payments of $2,937.11. Council also approved the minutes from its October 7 regular meeting.
The next regular meeting of Blakeslee Village Council is scheduled for Wednesday, December 2, at 6 p.m.