PHOTO BY BRENNA WHITE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
FUNDING REQUEST … Shanna McKelvey of the 2026 Pioneer Fall Fest Committee addressed the Village of Pioneer Council to request funding support. The Fall Fest is tentatively scheduled for September 19, 2026.
By: Brenna White
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
brenna@thevillagereporter.com
The Pioneer Village Council met on Monday, August 10, 2026, to discuss the upcoming Fall Festival, implementation of flock cameras, and mutual aid issues with neighboring fire departments.
FALL FESTIVAL PLANS
Shanna McKelvey of the Pioneer Fall Fest Committee approached the Pioneer Council to request support for the returning Pioneer Fall Festival, tentatively scheduled for September 19, 2026. The last Pioneer Fall Fest was held nearly four years ago.
McKelvey described the event as a “community-wide fall festival built through local volunteers, businesses, organizations and sponsors.”
The committee requested financial support from the village, along with the help with street closures and coordination for the event.
Plans for the festival include a craft vendor show, food trucks, a chili cook-off and apple dessert challenge, along with several games and activities for children.
A movie in the park featuring K9 Vader is also being planned, with the committee currently trying to achieve the proper licensing.
Several local businesses have already committed to helping with the festival. Sponsors so far include Chase Brass, the Pioneer Chamber of Commerce, Votaw’s Orchard, the Pioneer Senior Center, Hometown Meat Market, and more.
Known and estimated festival expenses currently total around $4,850. Donations and sponsorships are underway, with the committee preparing to increase their fundraising efforts as the festival approaches.
“We do have donations, and we have a craft show that has already paid for itself, and it’s helped pay for the other fees we have,” McKelvey said.
The Village Council agreed to join those community efforts, approving $2,000 in village funding for the festival. The money was said to specifically help cover liability insurance and party rental costs.
Council also approved the committee’s requested street closure for West Church Street and South Elm Street near the American Legion.
The area will be used for festival activities, including the planned car and motorcycle cruise-in.
The closure is set to begin at 7 a.m. and continue through cleanup during the evening. The splash pad will also have extended hours as well.
POLICE STAFFING AND FLOCK CAMERAS
Police Chief Tim Livengood reported that the Pioneer Police Department is currently fully staffed, with all five full-time positions filled. Part-time officers will continue as needed.
A larger part of the discussion focused on bringing Flock Safety cameras to the village. The cameras were first discussed during a Safety Committee meeting held before the regular council meeting.
The proposal calls for two cameras, with one placed along North State Street and the other along South State Street.
The village would enter into a two-year trial period, rather than the five-year contract that was originally proposed. At the end of two years, the village would decide on whether to continue with the contract or not.
Each camera will cost about $3,000 per year, bringing the total cost to $12,000.
Mayor Ed Kidston asked the council to make a decision on the flock cameras that evening. Funding is already available through the village’s State Highway Fund, which receives additional funding each year.
“That highway fund is reimbursed $10,000 or $12,000 every year. We haven’t spent a lot of money out of it lately… it’s not going to cost the taxpayers any money,” he said.
Council ultimately approved moving forward with the two-year flock camera trial in a 5-1 vote, with Councilman Joe Nickloy casting the only opposition vote.
FIRE DEPARTMENT UPDATES
The Pioneer Fire Department is continuing to rebuild its roster following the departure of most of its firefighters earlier this year.
The department reported five calls during the month of July, while two additional firefighters were approved to join the roster: Andy and Abby Roth.
Work is also continuing on Engine 71, the village’s existing fire engine. Finding parts for the older truck has created some challenges because the parts are no longer manufactured. However, officials said they are still able to locate the needed parts.
A pump transmission and tank pump valve are currently on back order, and there is no timeline for when final repairs will be completed.
Councilman Alan Fiser requested clarification regarding a recent Bridgewater Township fire that the Pioneer Fire Department did not respond to.
Chief Don Berkte explained that the issue was because of the changes in fire response zones following the April walkout. Several neighboring fire departments changed zone coverage and eliminated the Pioneer Fire Department from their mutual aid calls.
“When the contracts changed between Pioneer covering Bridgewater Township, (with) Madison covering Bridgewater Township, there was a switch in zones,” explained Berkte.
These zones tell Williams County dispatchers which departments should be paged for calls in different areas, and which departments should be contacted for mutual aid.
Following the loss of firefighters after the April council meeting, the Madison Fire Department removed Pioneer as a mutual aid department for structure fires in Bridgewater Township.
“They actually replaced Pioneer with Waldron for mutual aid. Pioneer does not get paged at all in Zone 58, which is the majority of that section of Bridgewater Township,” continued Berkte.
“From my understanding, they decided to make that change shortly after the April council meeting because they didn’t know if they were going to have anybody to show up.”
He explained that this is why Pioneer did not respond to the recent Bridgewater Township call. Later that same day, however, the fire was rekindled and Pioneer was paged.
Berkte stated this was a dispatching error. Dispatch had mistakenly used the old response zones for the second call.
Pioneer firefighters still responded, despite the fire no longer being within their assigned coverage zone.
It was noted that a similar zone change was also made by the Alvordton Fire Department, who also removed Pioneer from its response plan following the April walkout and replaced the department with the Northwest Township Fire Department.
SOLAR FIELD AND SUBSTATION PROGRESS
Village Administrator Anthony Burnett also updated council on continued progress at the village’s solar field and Kexton Substation.
The village extended its contract with Entrust Solar, a solar consultation and design company, for another year.
Burnett said the company continues to assist the village with matters including withdrawals and filing support related to tax credits.
Installation of the solar panels continues, with Burnett estimating approximately 45 to 50% of the modules have been installed.
The project calls for approximately 14,700 modules. 400 additional panels were ordered to provide replacements if panels are damaged or break in the future.
Work on the Kexton Substation is also nearing completion. “It should be 100% by September 1,” said Burnett.
Energization of the substation is currently planned for the week of October 19, 2026. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for September 14, 2026, at 6 p.m.
Council also approved the purchase of new transformer oil for the Kexton Substation at a cost of $10,675.
Burnett explained that oil for the transformers was originally purchased two to three years ago and delivered in two 280-gallon totes.
“When they originally shipped them a couple years ago, they shipped two 280-gallon totes of oil, which goes into the transformers for cooling,” explained Burnett.
“Now that that oil has sat in those totes for two years, Virginia Transformer refuses to accept that oil and allow it to be put into the transformers, due to that it could draw some moisture into it,” Burnett said.
LEGISLATION AND STREET IMPROVEMENTS
Council then moved through several pieces of legislation. Two ordinances were approved; one amending 2026 appropriations and the other adjusting cemetery fees for cremation burials. Fees were set for $100 for residents, and $150 for non-residents.
Two resolutions for annexation of property into the village were approved. The first authorized the village administrator to execute annexation petitions and take the necessary steps to complete annexation.
The second approved an annexation agreement between Pioneer and Madison Township.
Three additional resolutions dealt with planned street improvements. Improvements were approved for the following:
-445 feet of South Elm Street between West Mill and West Lynn Streets, including new curbs, storm drainage, and sidewalks
-420 feet of South Elm Street between West Lynn and West Church Streets, including new curbs, storm drainage, sidewalks, and waterline replacement.
-300 feet of West Church Street between South Maple and South Elm Streets, including new curbs, storm drainage, sidewalks, and waterline replacement.
OTHER BUSINESS
Mayor Ed Kidston then left the meeting and did not return. Council President Bryan Gendron led the remainder of the meeting. They entered executive session at 8:33 p.m. to discuss property acquisition.
The council returned to open session nearly an hour later, and authorized the execution of an American Municipal Power (AMP) Interconnection Study Agreement.
All members voted in favor of the study, but no public discussion was held.
In other news, the Village of Pioneer announced they had received $472,500 for the Pioneer Clearfork Nature Trail project. The project is expected to be completed in June 2028.
Additionally, the council will be applying for a Maumee Valley Planning Organization capital program grant for $500,000. They expect to learn whether it is received by mid-September of this year.
With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:29 p.m. The next Pioneer Village Council meeting is scheduled for September 14, 2026, at 7 p.m.