By: Anna Wozniak
The Fayette Village Council meeting began at 6 p.m. with a prayer and the pledge of allegiance. Council members in attendance were Suzette Boesger; Kim Priestap; David Wheeler; Bryan Stambaugh; Rodney Kessler; and Mayor David Borer.
A motion to approve council minutes for January 11th, 2023 was moved by Boesger and seconded by Kessler. The motion was then unanimously carried.
A motion to approve the Public Works/ Finance Committee meeting was made by Wheeler, seconded by Stambaugh, and then unanimously approved.
The Safety Committee meeting minutes for February 1st were unanimously approved by a motion moved by Stambaugh and seconded by Priestap.
The Government Affairs Committee meeting minutes for February 1st were unanimously approved by a motion moved by Wheeler and seconded by Kessler.
A motion to approve the Special Council meeting minutes was made by Stambaugh, seconded by Priestap, and carried unanimously by the Council.
The visitors wishing to address the council included the Garden Club, Lions Club and Karen King, from Fulton County CDC.
The Garden Club shared their desire to begin pricing this year’s sidewalk planters and updated the council on the discussion of what fundraising events the club will be hosting this year.
The Fayette Lions Club will be discussing the details of a “shred-day” where residents would be able to come shortly after tax season with their confidential documents so that they may be properly disposed of.
They are also trying to set up a Farmer’s Market for Saturday mornings.
Karen King expressed excitement about the CDC’s upcoming meetings and events. Of these were the speaking event featuring Jim Hoops, as well as the CDC’s 150th Committee meeting- which will be February 23rd, 2023, 6:30 p.m., at 305 S. Maple Street.
Brenda Shoemaker and Ric Beals were sent down to Sandusky to attend an event called “Downtown Revitalization – Forty Steps to a Dynamic Downtown.”
The event was hosted by the Great Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP) and organized by Fayette’s GLCAP representative Roberta Streiffert.
Shoemaker spoke passionately about the tips and information that were learned from speaker Lori Vincent, CEO of Accelerations by Design in Cedar Park, Texas, and multiple-time author of books on economic development.
Shoemaker and Beals made sure to exchange contact information with the former Director of Economic Development of Texas, and are hopeful that Vincent and the Fayette GLCAP members can work together to better the community’s future.
The mayor’s report included details of his nights spent at Fayette Library, hosting community events.
Among these are knitting and crocheting night, as well as a cupcake decorating war for tweens (5th-8th grades) February 17th starting at 6:30 p.m.
For more information regarding these events please contact the Normal Memorial Library at (419) 237-2115.
The mayor then shared details about the 96.1 Heart Radio-a-thon, Breakfast on the Farm (June 24th; 9 a.m.-1 p.m.), and a February 24th field trip for 3rd-6th graders to meet Abraham Lincoln.
The Fayette Legion Auxiliary is having a Baked Potato Dinner on Sunday, February 19th, from 11:30-12:30 p.m.
The Fayette American Legion post #143 has put out applications for military banners for the 2023-2024 year.
Applications must be turned in no later than March 1st and can be found at the Village Office and/or by contacting Kris Kelser at (419) 572-1184 or Connie Wagner at (419) 262-0577.
Ric Beals and Mayor Borer went to a presentation discussing future plans for electric car charging stations.
Discussion was held on whether or not the power grid had the capacity to support these charging stations, and how purchase and installation costs for them are high.
The mayor also reported that as many as 150 trees will have to be removed throughout town, as they are planted over the water line that will be constructed on.
The council warns village residents that these trees are those that are placed alongside the road.
They also warn that the sidewalk over the areas where the water line is present will have to be replaced when construction happens.
The Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board sent the mayor requirements that must be met to maintain Fayette Police Department’s certification. Plans to meet these requirements are currently being made.
The mayor also announced February, 2023 has been declared “Career and Technical Education Month” by the Association for Career and Technical Education.
The proclamation was made in order to spread awareness about continuous education. It is important for citizens to stay updated and productive, and the mayor believes that technical education is a major way to achieve these goals.
Ric Beals then began with the administrator’s report. He informed the council of the Fulton County Commissioners’ meeting that discussed available funding, the Harrison Lake sewage discussion, the good ERM soil-test results, and that work was being done to bring recycling services back.
The unanimously carried motion to accept the administrator’s report was moved by Priestap and seconded by Stambaugh.
The first reading of Ordinance 2023-01: Amending Temporary Appropriations was introduced to the council.
There are supply-chain issues with regards to building materials and they would like to be able to purchase some of the materials well in advance to insure their timely arrival.
This is not a pressing issue, and more information on the funding for these materials is currently being found out before the council makes a motion regarding this ordinance.
The Village of Fayette office will be going with a KDM proposal to move their server out of the basement boiler room and into a room upstairs.
Concerns over the server’s location were first noted when the boiler started having issues. If there were to be a malfunction with the boiler and the server went down, they could potentially lose a week’s worth of information regarding payroll and other major systems.
The server was proposed to be moved on February 20th, Presidents’ Day, because the office will be closed to the public and the server must be taken off-line to be moved.
Ads mentioning the availability of rentable farmland were placed, detailing how bids for the land will open at the Governmental Affairs meeting.
All village employee tax information has been sent out, and a public hearing discussing an application to keep a piece of land coded for agricultural use will be held at 5 p.m. on February 15th.
A motion was made to approve and pay the bills by Boesger, seconded by Priestap, and carried unanimously.
A motion was made to approve the permit for the Farmer’s Market by Wheeler. The motion was seconded by Priestap and unanimously approved by the council.
A motion to approve the permit for the Thistle Run 5K was made by Boesger, seconded by Priestap and unanimously carried. The Thistle Run 5K should happen at 8 a.m., April 29th.
A motion seeking the approval of designating June 17th, 2023, as the day for this year’s ARS Spring Clean-Up.
Costs are $36 a load. A motion to approve this designation was made by Kessler, seconded by Stambaugh, unanimously approved by the council.
A movement to adjourn the meeting at 6:56 was moved by Kessler, seconded by Priestap, and carried unanimously.
Anna can be reached at anna@thevillagereporter.com