PHOTO BY JOHN FRYMAN / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
INCOME TAX UPDATE … Montpelier Director of Finance Nikki Uribes (left), along with council members Kevin Motter (middle) and Chris Kannel (right), discuss the income tax report for September at the Montpelier Village Council meeting on Monday, October 13.
By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com
Montpelier Village Council met in regular session on Monday, October 13, at the Montpelier Police Department.
Following the call to order by Mayor Steve Yagelski, roll call followed with council members Kevin Motter, Chris Kannel, Nathan Thompson, and Don Schlosser in attendance. Heather Freese arrived later during the meeting.
Pastor Janice Desterhaft of the First Presbyterian Church, Montpelier, gave the prayer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
Council then approved the meeting agenda along with minutes from the September 15 council meeting and the September 2025 financial report.
Council accepted the resignation of Bethany Coutz from the park board due to other commitments. “I did talk to her and that is what she felt she should do,” said Yagelski.
Coutz’s replacement on the parks board will be appointed by the council. Her term expires in 2028. Applicants must be 18 years old and reside in the Montpelier Exempted Village School District.
Anyone interested in serving on the park board should send their name, address, phone number, and a reason for interest to Sandy Gordon or Yagelski by e-mail at park@montpelieroh.org. The deadline for applications is Friday, October 31.
Village Manager Jason Rockey congratulated the Montpelier Municipal Utilities for being honored for its achievements throughout the past year during the recent American Municipal Power (AMP) Annual Conference.
Montpelier Municipal Utilities received a Safety Award in the Transmission and Distribution category and a Mutual Aid Commendation, along with an AMP Hard Hat Safety Award, for which the winner will be announced by AMP at a later date.
The Safety Award in the Transmission and Distribution category is in recognition of no time loss due to reportable accidents.
The Mutual Aid commendation is in recognition of providing assistance to the village of Holiday City. The Ohio Municipal Electric Generation Agency Joint Venture 4, City of Lakeland, Florida, and the City of Lansing.
The Hard Hat Safety Award recognizes an employee who adheres to on-the-job safety procedures, promotes electric safety within their department, and is 100 percent safety conscious.
Council approved the 2026 meeting schedule, in which meetings are held on the second and fourth Monday in each month, and will take place at various village-related buildings.
Next year’s council meetings will be held at the police department, pool pavilion, water treatment plant, street barn, water barn, electric department, and wastewater treatment plant.
“I like to point out in being with change, you look at the schedule, some of the meetings are being changed with the location, and it’s a great idea,” the mayor pointed out. “It will give us a chance to review all of these facilities and get an idea of the facility itself and the equipment.”
Council also approved the 2026 utility delinquent and termination dates schedule.
A change order was approved for an increase of $3,396.87 to Gerken Paving, Inc. for the 2025 asphalt paving program. This was for extra asphalt that was needed for each road in this year’s paving program.
Rockey presented Ordinance 2285 regarding the Competitive Bidding Threshold as established by the Ohio Revised Code for a first reading, which was approved.
It will authorize Rockey to make contracts and purchases consistent with the competitive bidding threshold established in Ohio Revised Code Section 9.17, including its annual adjustments.
“About two years ago, the state raised that limit from $50,000 to $75,000, and then they applied an inflationary matter to it every year,” said Rockey.
“So, the state has adjusted the amount, and we would like the village ordinance to be reflective of what O.R.C. is for the competitive division of the threshold.”
Director of Finance Nikki Uribes gave the updated income tax report for the village. She reported that $181,135.29 was taken in September. After the first nine months of the year, $1,805,335.97 has been collected through the income tax.
Montpelier Police Chief Dan McGee reported that the department has donated 17 old police radios. Nine of those radios were donated to the Juvenile Detention Center, and eight radios to the Northwest State Community College Police Academy.
“This will foster good relationships with these entities if we are able to donate the radios for further use,” said McGee.
Deputy Manager Justin Houk updated the council regarding dilapidated buildings in the village. He had sent out 13 letters back in January. Seven of the nuisances have been abated already, either torn down or fixed up.
Three nuisances have started and in the process of being halfway done. Three others have not started yet, which forced Houk to take legal action.
Council then adjourned at 6:40 p.m.