ADMINISTRATION OF THE OATH OF OFFICE … Montpelier Village Clerk of Council Molly Collert administered the Oath of Office to Mayor Yagelski and members of council.
By: Anna Wozniak
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
anna@thevillagereporter.com
The Montpelier Village Council met on January 8, 2024 at 6 p.m. Present were Councilors Kevin Motter, Chris Kannel, Melissa Ewers, Don Schlosser, and Heather Freese alongside Mayor Steven Yagelski, Deputy Manager Justin Houk, Director of Finance Nikki Uribes, Law Director Bob Bohmer, and Clerk of Council Molly Collert.
Their first order of business was to approve the agenda for the evening before approving the minutes from their December 18, 2023 meeting and the December financial statements as presented.
Mayor Yagelski welcomed everyone to the meeting and took time to explain how the council reviews a lot of paperwork outside of council meetings to students in attendance, encouraging them to come forward with any questions they may have.
Councilor Freese shared that she would like to see committees have at least one long-lived member, to improve the congruence of each committee, and council agreed that that should be added to the agenda and set in motion for 2025.
Councilor Thompson shared that they are looking into a fire and safety levy, and are currently looking at the semantics of its application in this instance,
Councilor Motter added that the Zoning and Planning Committee has finished the daunting task of rezoning the village for the first time in almost two decades and has since made their proposal to council.
2024 Council Committee assignments were approved as presented before discussion was held on the transferring of comprehensive plans.
Councilor Motter shared his grievances with the current plan, as well as interest in how effective the solutions to safety issues identified within the community provided by the new service will be.
After discussion, permission was granted for the administration to move forward with the new comprehensive plan.
The donation of old VHF radios was approved to the Williams County Engineer’s Office, with discussion clarifying that the five radios being donated were out of use for the department.
Amended appropriations were approved as presented to account for a discrepancy between items ordered last year but not yet paid for and an order change for the sewer lines made that Friday.
Ordinance 2271, an ordinance restricting cannabis dispensaries, operators, and cultivators to the industrial park, was given its first reading before it was shared that an application that will be submitted to the GRIP Program through AMP is looking at applying the funds, if received, to restorations North of Snyder Street.
Houk shared that the weather has postponed some of the work on the Iron Horse River Trail, but that, weather permitting, the helical piers for the marshy areas along the trail should start being installed next week.
The village income tax report for 2023 was approved as presented, with Uribes highlighting comparisons between the last three years for council.
It was also shared that K-9 Knox is back in commission, with a newly certified handler. A note was made that Knox is a great asset to the department, and is a truly perfect fit for the job, before the council approved a motion to adjourn at 6:45 p.m.