By: Mark L. Mercer – THE VILLAGE REPORTER
STRYKER- Mayor Daniel Hughes brought down the gavel at 6:00 p.m. on February 17, bringing the monthly Village Council Meeting to order. Notable this month was the new seating of the Village Council President, Terry Wieland, as he assumed the 2014 Council Presidency.
Mayor Hughes began the monthly meeting with the Mayor’s notes for the month. Mayor Hughes announced the Village Council received a thank you card from former council member Joan Ruffer, conveying her sincere gratitude and thanks to the members of the council and to residents of the village for her years of service to the community as a member of the Village Council. Additionally, Mayor Hughes read aloud a proclamation designating February as “Career and Technical Education Month.” The proclamation was made urging all citizens to become familiar with the services and benefits offered by the career and technical education programs in the community and to support and participate in these programs to enhance their individual work skills and productivity. In closing, Mayor Hughes briefed the council on the installation and familiarization of a new financial accounting system program recently undertaken by the village office staff, and the Mayor would like to recognize and pass along a heartfelt “thank you” to Laurie Rupp for her valuable assistance in assisting the village with the installation of this new system.
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In notes from the Village Administrator, residents are reminded that if their property has a fire hydrant, it is the property owner’s responsibility to keep the hydrant clear of snow and accessible in case of emergency. Buried hydrants are difficult to locate and in the case of an emergency, easy access will enable the fire department to respond and undertake action more quickly if it is required.
The Village Administrator would also like for vehicle owners to frequently move their vehicles from the street so that street plowing may be accomplished thoroughly throughout the village. It was noted some cars have been in place since the beginning of the snow season and should be moved for complete street cleaning.
In a briefing to the council from the Stryker Police Department, the Police Chief announced there were 88 reports during January to the Police Department, with 28 warnings issued and 6 citations written. The Police Department also noted 1 adult arrest and 3 juvenile arrests during the month. The police department would also like to encourage resident to keep snow piles trimmed down for good visibility when backing out of driveways. Some accidents have recently occurred where visibility when exiting driveways has created a hazard.
One additional announcement from the Police department concerned a rash of breaking and entering calls recently. Residents of the village are encouraged to be vigilant and ensure all property is locked and secured, and are encouraged to report any suspicious activity if observed. In conclusion from the police report, it was also announced that Officer Jason Sprague was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.
The next Village Council Meeting will take place on March 10, 2014.
Mark Mercer can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com