The Village of Stryker had a good month financially in January.
After collecting revenues of $115,057 and paying out $91,363 in expenses, the net income was $23,694. Income tax revenues are up $10,000 or 27 percent to a year ago, as well, Fiscal Officer Beth Rediger said.
Rediger asked and won approval to promote Deputy Clerk Emily Clemens to full-time status effective Feb. 20. This way she will be already working full time for March, Rediger said.
Rediger will join the board at WEDCO and which will take her out of the village office more often.
Clemens will not see an increase in her rate of pay, Rediger said, but she will receive a week’s paid vacation due to her five years of experience with the state Auditor.
“She’s a real go-getter,” Rediger told the Village Council at its Feb. 13 meeting.
The council also approved her request to write off $800 in uncollected water and sewer bills accumulated since 2012. The account holders have either died or moved away and the debts are uncollectable.
The village audit will be a smaller one in scope this year, Rediger said. The cost will be significantly lower, she said.
The village will be assuming the cost of the camera used to taping council meetings and for posting them online. Some on the council question the merits of the practice, believing if people want to see how the council works, they should come to the meetings in person.
Stryker High School student Dustin Teschke read a proclamation designating February as Career and Technical Education month by the Association for Career and Technical Education. Teschke wants to study software development and game design in college.
The owner of some storage units in town came to complain about neighboring properties appearance which affects her business, Pam Nihart said. The village will consider the matter to figure out the best way to address the issue.
The council approved a resolution (02-2017-3) to appoint attorney Ryan S. Thompson as solicitor for the sole purpose of collecting income taxes owed to the village. He will be paid $75 an hour.
The council passed Resolution 02-2017-4 which opposes the governor’s proposal to form a central collection agency for municipal income taxes and will charge communities 1 percent for the work. The resolution is being passed by communities around the county as the local governments believe the governor’s action is an overreach and usurpation of power.
James Pruitt may be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com