SCHOOL SRO … Edon Mayor Duane Thiel reads Resolution 03-24 at their Village Council meeting Monday evening. The resolution is for a Memorandum of Use for Edon School’s to obtain a School Resource Officer. (PHOTO BY JENNA FRISBY / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
By: Jenna Frisby
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jenna@thevillagereporter.com
Edon Village Council held their regular meeting on Monday, July 15th in the conference room of their Village Office building located at 108 E Indiana Street. The meeting was called to order at 7:00pm and began with the pledge of allegiance.
Village Fiscal Officer Heidi Bidwell then took roll call for the meeting. Present at the meeting were: Mayor Duane Thiel, Fiscal Officer Heidi Bidwell, Administrator Chad Ordway, Solicitor Tom Thompson, council members Brian Shaffer, Dan Ankney, Lee Lawrence, Austin Thiel, Jeff Pease and David Loughborough, Chief of Police Tom Szymczak as well as area media.
Mayor Thiel then asked for a motion to approve their last meetings minute as presented before the council. Ankney motioned for the approval, Shaffer seconded the motion, and the rest of the council was in agreement.
Bidwell then presented the financial report and bills before the council and asked for a motion to approve them as presented. Loughborough motioned for the approval with Pease seconding and the rest of the council in agreement.
Bidwell then went over a paper that was passed to all council members in regard to Fraud Prevention that each of them must take before the deadline in mid-September.
The course consists of an eight-minute video they must watch and then they will receive a certificate that they have completed the course.
Szymczak then gave a police update to the council. Firstly, he informed the council that Austin Batt had resigned as he accepted another position which was closer to home for him, and which allowed him to drive his own issued cruiser.
Szymczak expressed that Batt was an incredible officer and he will always be welcomed back to serve the department if he ever wishes to.
Chief Szymczak then stated that the only other issue that has really arisen has been a resident complaint in regard to the traffic out by the ball diamond with summer ACME going on.
The issue the resident has is that with people parking on the east side, there is not always enough room for two cars to pass each other resulting in individuals pulling their car into the edge of the resident’s yard in order for the cars to pass each other.
Szymczak said that they have already addressed the initial issue of people parking on both sides, which made it a hazardous area.
So, the village posted no parking for the west side of the street, and since that posting they have had no issues with anyone not obliging.
Council then discussed that really, they only have two options: residents can understand that during busy seasons (like ACME tournaments) those driving may need to pull into the edge of the right of way on the frontside of their property, or the council can pass for the edging to be paved as a right of way, resulting in construction to the front of all those resident’s properties.
As of this time the council decided to continue to do what they have been doing in helping residents understand there are busy times. The police will also continue to patrol the area was they have been.
Szymczak lastly informed the council that the department has reserved the BB gun and Archery trailers as activities for Edon Days. He expressed his excitement to be able to bring these activities to the community for Edon Days.
Committee reports were then given in regard to the park, cemetery, finance, zoning, and a village administration and public works report.
The park has been busy lately according to Lawrence, which has been really nice to see. Council member Loughborough did mention that he noticed a few boards missing on one of the jungle gyms. Ordway was made aware and will work on getting a work order done for this.
Loughborough informed the council of the work that has continually been done on the cemetery property.
All reseeding has been completed at this time, all stumps have been removed and the lots look really good now with all that work complete.
Lawrence then covered that regarding a financial report, they were expecting to see a decline in revenue for the second half of the year. This was projected and is to be expected.
Ankney did not have anything at this time for zoning but did inform the council that going would be scheduling a meeting before their next council meeting, so he would have more to share at the next meeting.
Ordway finished the reports discussion informing the council that the fire hydrants are expected to be flushed coming up sometime in August so be on the lookout for that.
With no old business to discuss Mayor Thiel moved the meeting onto new business. The only new business item to discuss was for the first reading of Resolution 03-24 in which is a Memorandum of Use for Edon Schools to receive a SRO (School Resource Office).
With no other business to be brought before the council or matters to discuss, the council entered into an executive session after a motion from Lawrence which was seconded by Loughborough.
Executive session was entered at 7:22pm for the purpose of discussing personnel. No action was expected to take place.
Edon Village Council will hold their next meeting on Monday, August 19th, 2024 at 7:00pm in the conference room of their village office building.
