By: Shar Dimick
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
Mayor Kathy Huner administered the oath of office to Wauseon Police Department Patrol Officer Anthony Imber at the April 6 Wauseon City Council meeting.
Chief of Police Keith Torbet said that Imber was previously a part-time officer. He said that Imber finished his testing over the past couple of weeks and indicated that Imber should be finished with his training by the end of the month.
In addition to swearing in the newest full-time officer, Council also passed a motion to accept Patrol Officer Kenneth Blankenship’s letter of retirement, effective May 18, 2015. Torbet said that they will be looking for another replacement once Blankenship retires.
In the next order of business, Mike Prior, the station manager from INTV addressed council and thanked them for their continued support of the television station. He said that the non-profit station started in 1995 and with the help of Wauseon High School they are able to provide local event programming while giving the students professional experience in a work setting.
Prior said the station broadcasts include City Council meetings, local high school sporting events, five different church service every week, Wauseon fireworks, the Fallen Soldiers Program, parades (Memorial Day and Christmas), Homecoming events, midget football under the lights, the Color Run, “Meet the Candidates” program during City Council elections, speech team competitions, prom, spring arts, graduation, Freedom Shrine, Academic Hall of Fame, Grandparents Day programs, musicals, choir, band and chorale shows. He also said that they are always looking for additional events to cover.
“INTV relies heavily on donations from City of Wauseon as well as people and businesses in the Fulton County area,” said Prior. “We are in dire need of technology upgrades to run more efficiently,” he continue. Prior explained that currently they run on six standard DVD sets that limits their weekly programming. He said that with the addition of an automated hard drive system ($15,000 to $20,000), the station would be able to run more programming with a higher quality sound and picture and would be able to be program ahead of time instead of manually inserting a disc each day. The second piece of equipment that Prior said the station needs is a mini tri-caster ($13,000), which would allow for multiple cameras as well as editing during a live broadcast, taking their sports coverage to the next level.
Prior said that they have a contract with Time-Warner TV, which allows INTV to be broadcast in Wauseon, Delta, Archbold, Fayette, Lyons and Metamora ,but viewers can also access their streaming videos from YouTube via their website or Facebook page.
Council also completed the following business:
•Approved the second reading of Ordinance 2015-15 to amend Section 505.01 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Wauseon (Dogs running at large; dangerous or vicious dogs).
•Approved the second reading of a resolution to authorize the mayor to enter into a contract with Arcadis for Biosolids Studies at the Water Reclamation Plant.
•Approved the first reading of a resolution to allow the Director of Finance to increase or decrease certain line account appropriations with various funds listed within the year 2015.
•Approved a motion to accept the Utility Committee’s recommendation to pay for one-third of the cost (estimated $12,500) for the Haas Door storm sewer relocation.
•Approved a motion to accept the Finance Committee’s recommendation to purchase new door locks for the municipal building.
Shar may be reached at
publisher@thevillagereporter.com