SNOW REMOVAL QUESTION … Delta resident Steven Inkrott addresses Village Council with a request to consider maintaining the parks for use during the winter months. (PHOTO BY REBECCA SCHWAN, STAFF)
By: Rebecca Schwan
The Delta Village Council will research options for snow removal and consider closing village parks during the winter months, following a request by a resident at the February 22 Council Meeting.
Steve Inkrott addressed the council to thank them for the exceptional job they did in keeping the village’s streets clean during the recent snowfall event. He also requested clarification regarding snow removal at Delta Municipal Park.
“My children attend Delta Schools, and the village park parking lot is used by parents who pick up their kids from the school,” Inkrott said. “It came to my attention that the parking lots at the parks do not get plowed during the winter time, but there seems to be confusion as to who is responsible for keeping the lot plowed for parents who are using it for child pick up.”
Inkrott suggested the village consider keeping the parking lots cleared of snow so that community members can enjoy the park during the winter months.
Village Administrator, Brad Peebles said there is no formal agreement with Pike-Delta-York School District, but the school transportation department has cleared the parking lot for people to use for child pick up and drop off.
“The agreement with the schools is a gentleman’s agreement for the past several years. The school transportation department plows areas for people to park,” Pebbles said. “We do not plow it. We have not plowed these parking lots for several years.”
Peebles said that while Wauseon and Archbold remove snow from their parks, most area communities do not. He said that he spoke with the Hylant Group, the village’s risk management firm, and their representatives recommended closing the parks during the winter months to mitigate risk.
“If we are going to open the parks, and make them accessible, we need to be prepared to plow and salt the sidewalks as well,” he said. “It’s something we will need to discuss further.”
Mayor Frank Wilton requested that the topic be referred to committee for further research and consideration.
Also at the meeting, a public hearing for Agricultural District renewal within Village Limits for parcel 34-061774-00.111 was held, with no comments made from meeting attendees. A council vote is required for the renewal on or before March 15.
Other Council actions include approval of:
- the February 1 meeting minutes
- invoice payments
- Ordinance 21-03 Third Reading:
An ordinance declaring unpaid income tax amounts as uncollectible and authorizing the tax administrator to remove them from village accounts. - Ordinance 21-04 Second Reading:
An ordinance directing the finance director to transfer funds from fund 208 (fire fund) to Fund 101 (general fund) - Ordinance 21-05 First Reading:
An ordinance authorizing the village administrator to dispose of certain real estate not needed for any municipal purpose.
Council closed the meeting with an executive session for personnel matters to interview council candidates. The Delta Village Council next meets at 5:30 p.m on Monday, March 1.
Rebecca can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com.
