EQUIPMENT DONATION Pioneer Police Chief Tim Livengood was granted permission to donate equipment no longer used by the department to the Williams County Engineers Office
By: Anna Wozniak
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
anna@thevillagereporter.com
The Pioneer Village Council met on Monday, April 8th, at 7 p.m. Present were councilors Trever West, Will Cable, Randy Cochran, Dean Frisbee, Joseph Nikloy, and Ben Fiser alongside Fiscal Officer Gina Gruber, Pioneer Mayor Edward Kidston, Village Solicitor Tom Thompson, and Village Administrator Anthony Burnett.
After the minutes from the March 11, 2024 meeting were approved, the bills, financial statements, and a Hometown HDWR invoice for $845.03.
Police Chief Tim Livengood shared that the department’s old radios will be donated to the Williams County Engineer’s Office,
Fire Chief Swank shared that there were 28 calls since the last meeting, with 92 to date. Paint samples for the new fire truck have been approved, and lithium battery awareness training in Montpelier was attended by the fire department to bring awareness to the severity of the fires involving new lithium car batteries.
The chief then thanked Jason, for his work at the Arnold’s World Strongest competition in Columbus. Administrator Burnett shared that there have been five new building permits given out, and the village is close to running out of yard bags. Unable to find more, the bags will be discontinued once supplies run out.
The Tour of Honor has selected Pioneer as one of the stops along their country-wide tour, in honor of the veteran’s memorial in the park.
This will see motorcyclists stopping to take pictures at the sites along the tour, with Pioneer being selected as one of the few sites in Ohio along the route. The local American Legion is working with the village to determine how to best prepare for the tour.
The generator for the Clark Street pump project was started last week, with the most recent payouts and details being finalized.
A lot split was then approved by way of motion to make a larger yard for a future resident on the east side of the village.
Fiscal Officer Gruber shared how well a recent conference in Columbus went before handing out a timeline for the 175th celebration, with Facebook posts soon to be shared with the times and dates.
She then shared that the June meeting should be moved due to a conference in Sandusky, with council agreeing to move the June meeting from June 10th to Tuesday, June 18th, at 7 p.m.
Councilor West shared that there is a major sight issue on Cedar and Mulberry Street going east due to apartment parking.
Mayor Kidston shared that they would work to resolve the problem as the streets are redone, and that if the issue is still not remedied, they will address the issue after.
Councilor Cable shared that he has been asked about trees on State Street, with the mayor sharing that they are looking at a program to help facilitate the planting of trees in the village. It was recommended that the Tree Committee meets to plan out this program.
Cable then reminded Mayor Kidston of the discussion on the assistant fire chief, with the mayor sharing that that discussion will take place at the next meeting.
Mayor Kidston shared that the next couple of months will see some annexations to the village, and that there has not yet been word of the solar grant, with news expected soon on whether the village qualifies for grants, loan forgiveness, and tax credits for the project.
The substation is ready to bid, and some environmental research is being done on the land currently, with the mayor sharing that he would like to, “without spending a lot of money,” put out bids on the materials necessary for the solar field so that they may be prepared for the process in case of grant award.
The north 40 acres is not to be farmed, with a plan to maybe put a bid out to farm the southern 38.5 acres.
The mayor also shared that next month’s meeting should see conversation on the laying of fiber optic cables throughout the village.
Mayor Kidston then detailed that the Cedar Street project has been extended until 2025 due to not receiving any bids, and after the extension, the project saw a few bids, meaning that the project should be completed by November of 2025.
They then approved five ordinances and two resolutions on their first readings after a suspension of the rules for each before entering executive session at 7:38 p.m., set to meet next May 13, 2024, at 7 p.m.
The executive session resulted in the approval of a memorandum of understanding with regards to K9 handler compensation for Pioneer Police Department Officer Randy Mills.
Ordinance 10-2024 approved amended appropriations. Ordinance 11-2024 approved the improvement and reconstruction of East Dearborn Street for new curbs, storm drainage, sidewalks, and waterline replacement, with Ordinance 12-2024 doing the same for Cedar Street.
Ordinance 13-2024 authorized the sale of village property, and Ordinance 14-2024 authorized easements for AMP Transmission, LLC.
Resolution 106-2024 adopted new rental fees for the Pioneer Community Center, and Resolution 107-2024 consented to the annexation of property.
