After agreeing to suspend the required three-reading rule, Edon Village Council eventually went on to approve a modified version of Ordinance 01-16 Permanent Appropriations during its regular monthly session held Tuesday, February 16, 2016 in Council Chambers. Mayor Duane Thiel called the meeting to order with Councilors Lee Lawrence, Andy Ledyard, Mike Lirot, Richard Chapin, Chip Hulbert, Gale Horn, Village Administrator Randy Mahlman, Fiscal Officer Heidi Bidwell, Village Attorney Tom Thompson, Police Chief Tom Szymczak and two guests in attendance.
Fiscal Officer Bidwell presented a breakdown of the proposed budget, offering additional information to general questions posed by councilors. The ensuing deliberation ~ with rules suspended to move forward and pass the appropriations ordinance ~ found no motion (to accept or reject) being entertained on the floor. In due course, knowing temporary appropriations would not last another month and permanent appropriations needed to be in place before April 1, further discussion resumed; Council first approved slight modifications to the initial Ordinance (moving $5,000 from Miscellaneous/Transfer to Park Salary ($4,000) and Park Benefits ($1,000) line item funds) before passing the budget by a 5-1 vote.
Appropriations totaling just over $1.284 million (up from $1.244 million appropriated in 2015) will fund the following Village Departments:
VILLAGE OF EDON
2016 PERMANENT APPROPRIATIONS
(2015 Budget/Actual Expenditures noted in parenthesis)
GENERAL FUND
•Police: $188,000 ($196,000 /$181,492 actual); includes salaries, benefits, contractual, operations & maintenance; capital outlay
•Street Lighting: $12,000 ($12,000/$11,613 actual)
•Williams County Health Department: $600 ($1,500/$575 actual)
•Park & Recreation: $13,000 ($14,600/$14,494 actual); includes salary, benefits, contractual, operations & maintenance
•Village Administrator: $22,000 ($23,550/$20,158 actual); includes salary (35%), benefits, operations & maintenance
•Transportation: $35,000 ($35,000/$27,199 actual); includes salary (25% Maintenance), benefits, contractual, operations & maintenance
•Storm Sewer: $5,000 ($5,000/$479 actual)
•Mayor: $5,400 ($8,000/$7,885 actual); includes salary, benefits, operations & maintenance
•Council: $7,500 ($7,500/$7,437 actual); includes salary, benefits, operations & maintenance
•Clerk: $27,700 ($28,400/$27,006 actual); includes salary (50%), benefits, operations & maintenance
•Land & Buildings: $28,000 ($27,000/$26,408 actual); includes operations & maintenance; Community Building: $10,000 ($10,000/$7,798 actual)
•Williams County Auditor: $1,500 ($1,500/$742 actual)
•State Examiner Fees: $zero ($9,000/$3,280 actual)
•Village Solicitor: $9,000 ($9,000/$6,820 actual)
•Economic Development: $1,312 ($1,312/$1,312 actual)
•Misc/Transfers: $29,010 ($57,498/$11,286 actual)
TOTAL General Fund: $395,022 ($446,860/$355,984 actual)
SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS
•Street: $49,375 ($47,483/$39,991 actual); includes salary (30% Maintenance), operations & maintenance
•State Highway: $10,521 ($9,577/$2,453 actual); includes contractual, operations & maintenance; capital outlay
•Motor Vehicle License Tax: $22,763 ($20,328/$zero actual)
•State Grant: $509 ($109; $zero actual)
•Law Enforcement Fund: $574 ($574/$zero actual)
TOTAL Special Revenue: $83,742 ($78,071/$42,444 actual)
CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND
•Capital Improvements: $126,088 ($130,234/$26,900 actual)
ENTERPRISE FUNDS
•Water: $217,067* ($150,776/$141,415 actual); includes salaries (25% Fiscal Officer; 25% Village Administrator; 10% Maintenance), benefits, contractual, operations & maintenance, *(total includes a $50,599 payment to OWDA Debt Service and $7,963 to the Water Tower Refurbishment Fund)
•Sanitation: $44,868 ($45,043/$41,844 actual)
•Sanitary Sewer: $417,945* ($393,546/$172,339 actual); includes salaries (40% Village Administrator; 25% Fiscal Officer; 30% Maintenance), benefits, contractual, operations & maintenance, *(total includes $4,045 payment to OWDA Debt Service)
•Utility Deposits: $220 ($220/$zero actual)
TOTAL Enterprise Funds: $680,100 ($589,585/$355,598 actual)
TOTAL ALL FUNDS: $1,284,952 ($1,244,750 /$780,926 actual)
Additionally that evening, Dr. John Granger, Superintendent at Edon Northwest Local Schools, was on hand to review and discuss the year-long agreement between the school, village and Edon Police Chief Tom Szymczak.
Initially arranged with former Superintendent Ed Ewers and Edon Village Council, Dr. Granger welcomed the “open door policy” to having a police presence in the school. “I was very excited about that when I came last January,” he shared. “Other places where I’ve [been] over the years, it’s worked out great having local police come in any time. We really appreciate [Council] allowing Tom to be available to us.”
The partnership created last year is not restrictive; Chief Szymczak is not directed to be in and out of the building during the week at any particular time. “There’s no expectation about how much time is spent ~ or not spent ~ [at the school],” noted Granger. “There may be weeks where he’s there a little longer; some weeks, he may not be there at all. When [Chief Szymczak] is there, he’s always your employee; if he’s paged out, he leaves and does what he has to do.”
“When going to the school, I signal out with Central,” added Chief Szymczak. “I let them know I’m there and how I can be reached through the office; essentially, I can be dispatched from the school. This ~ the office here ~ is first; but this [partnership] gives us [as a department] the ability to go in and out of the school; to be involved in a lot of what they do there.”
“I think [being at the school] has actually helped me to grow and learn some things ~ it’s always good to learn about kids, their trends and what they’re going through,” he concluded.
In addition to being a positive first “police experience” for the students, Chief Szymczak has also assisted the District with its A.L.I.C.E. Program (training for intruder attacks) as well as helping compile a ninety-two page Emergency Plan for the District; when needed, he can provide the school a great connection to the juvenile courts as well.
“The entire year I’ve been here, I’ve felt the relationship has been very good between the school and community,” said Dr. Granger. “We’ll do what we have to do to keep it going.”
“I think any time we can work with the school or have a presence there,” stated Councilor Chapin, “it’s a good thing.”
With subsequent questions addressed, Mayor Thiel thanked Dr. Granger for taking time to communicate once again the “no contract/hand shake” arrangement between the school and village. “It looks like it works,” he noted. “With kids knowing that [Chief Szymczak] is there, helps; there may not be nearly the problems because [of his presence].”
Andy and Mike] went up to talk with [the board] and I’m glad [Dr. Granger] came tonight to talk with us,” said Councilor Hulbert. “This way people will know a little more about what’s going on; it keeps the lines of communication open.”
In other business that evening, Council:
•Voted to suspend the three-reading rule to pass Resolution 01-16 Requesting Certification by the Williams County Auditor of Current Tax Valuation of Florence Township/Edon Village regarding Edon Cemetery Levy Renewal; this is the first step to having the five-year, one-half mill operating levy placed on the November 2016 Ballot.
•Approved applying for a twenty-year loan through OWDA (Ohio Water Development Authority) to finance the remaining balance on the Village’s new water treatment plant; estimated annual payment is $44,664. (Plant and engineering costs for the project total $960,000; $325,000 in Issue I Grant monies have already been received.)
•Agreed to apply for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) monies to help offset paving costs for Parkway Street and Sandy Lane (selection based on its high traffic, length and overall condition); Bell Engineering estimates the one and one-half inch asphalt overlay expenditure at $57,000. (The Village can request up to $28,000 to complete the 2017 project.)
•Heard Administrator Mahlman’s monthly report noting two service shut-offs had been repaired and that he’d presented Mayor Thiel’s Proclamation at a special gathering at Four County Career Center as part of Career and Technical Education Month. Additionally, he shared the Village is entering the second of three years for new signage compliance laws (safety and street signs in place by 2018); once up, signs should not have to be replaced unless they’re hit, run over or blown over and cracked.
•Heard Police Chief Szymczak’s comprehensive Service Log for January (including 161 calls for service; 24 complaints; 6 citations; 39 warnings; no accidents; 3 alarms; 1 arrest; 11 assists; 46 follow-ups ) and detailed monthly Vehicle Report (including $316.65 in total fuel costs). He also noted he had attended the Fifth Grade DARE Graduation Ceremony at Edon Elementary as well as an eight-hour Youth Mental Health/First Aid Training Session in Archbold; addressed were several mental health issues youth struggle with daily and how the same issues are being dealt with as adults (also attending were five representatives from Edon Schools).
•Postponed further discussion of Village Attorney Thompson’s submitted Rules of Council; councilors will review and assess for passage next month.
•Was informed efforts to arrange a meeting with the Park Board and Edon Summer Ball League organizers are ongoing; center to the discussion is upkeep of Walz Park ball fields and whether or not the Village should continue providing personnel and supplies (preparing and lining fields for games) or to have ESBL assume responsibility.
•Accepted the financial report, bills and minutes from the January 18, 2016 regular session as presented.
The next monthly meeting of Edon Village Council will be Monday, March 21, 2016 beginning at 7:00 p.m. in Village Chambers.
Lucinda Held-Faulhaber
May be reached at
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
