The village is making preparations to be the first community in Ohio to offer a “Baby Box” for new mothers who can’t take care of their children.
Legislation is awaiting Gov. John Kasich’s signature allowing the box
“We have to raise money for this,” Mayor Ed Kidston said. “We voted previously to allow it.
“is there any reason not to go forward?”
The village should wait for the governor to sign the bill first before taking any sort of action, attorney Thomas Thompson said. Following the expected signature there is a 90-day waiting period before the law goes into effect.
“The governor can make changes,” Thompson said.
The state health department would have jurisdiction. It will set up the rules and guidelines.
The state is planning on resurfacing U.S. 20 and Pioneer will not have to pay for it.
The Ohio Department of Transportation will repave the highway from U.S. 20A to Township Road 149 within the village next summer.
The village will have to pay for any costs not contained to the project.
The council approved the sale of two old police cars The vehicles up for sale is a 2006 Ford Crown Victoria and 2008 Dodge Magnum.
The village will once again have Thomas Thompson as its solicitor. An agreement with Bish, Butler and Thompson was approved at the Dec. 12 council meeting.
The fee is $115 per hour for basic legal services. Real estate and income tax matters are charged under a different fee schedule.
The council approved a fee schedule for Floral Grove Cemetery:
Burial lots are $150 for residents, $450 for nonresidents.
Cremation tombs: $1,000 for residents, $1,500 for non-residents.
At $25,604, November’s income tax collection was down $31,223 compared to 2015, but the year-to-date total has already surpassed collections for all of 2015.
For all of 2015, collections were $479,114. Through November of this year, the cumulative total was $532,986. This marks the third year in a row income tax revenues surpassed the previous year.
Fire Department
The department reported 19 runs from Nov. 14 to Dec. 12. Followed up on two controlled burns.
Of the 19 runs, 13 were medical assists, one was a building fire in the 300 block of Seneca Drive Dec. 7, and two false alarms.
Police Department
The department responded to 57 calls for service in November, 26 of which occurred in the southeast section of the village. Tuesdays and Wednesdays saw the most calls, 11 and 10 respectively.
The department filed three criminal charges, two felonies and one misdemeanor. There were two warrant arrests.
The average response time was 42 seconds with the average time out on call was 8 minutes, 42 seconds.
The village will observe the following holidays in 2017: New Year’s Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving, Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas.
James Pruitt may be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com