RETIRING OFFICER … A Certificate of Appreciation was read and presented to retiring Stryker Officer Dan Bentancur, by Stryker Police Chief Steve Schlosser at the February 20, 2023 Village Council meeting. (PHOTO BY REBECCA MILLER, STAFF)
By: Rebecca Miller
Stryker Village Council began the February 20, 2023 meeting led in prayer by Tim Martin from Stryker Baptist and in the pledge of allegiance by Army Veteran Roger Wieland.
Roll call was done, with Councilor Sean Ingram absent. Mayor Joe Beck invited Police Chief Steve Schlosser to come to the front of the room with Officer Dan Bentancur, to present a Certificate of Appreciation.
Following the presentation, all council members and visitors present shook hands with Bentancur and thanked him for his service to Stryker.
Council President Vicki Cameron gave a short presentation about Four County Career Center as February is Career Tech Education Month.
She also gave out cookies and plant starts which were sent as gifts by two of the classes available at Four County, Culinary Arts and Horticulture.
She also shared a map of a blueprint for a Ridgeville Corners Community Garden done by a class as well.
Some statistics about Four County: In 2021-22 – $91,000 college credit savings and 836 college credit hours earned by students; 80% of the 2022 graduating seniors are employed, enrolled, or enlisted after graduation; 22-1 is the average student to teacher ratio; 3,850 cumulative hours of work-based learning were achieved by the class of 2022; and 69 seniors participated in Job Placement during the 21-22 school year.
Visitors present besides the media and legal counsel, were Lacy and Ron Crosser, Jr., Dan Boetz, and Jen Welch.
Boetz shared his frustration over a neighbor putting in an inground pool and has not gotten it fenced in correctly.
He asked if there is an ordinance that requires the fence to be put up for safety. He also asked if something could be done about the concrete that has been “shoved up against the evergreens.”
He had contacted the village administrator back in the fall and Mayor Beck said he would contact Riegsecker and have him get back to Boetz about the situation.
The mayor also said that there has been a conversation about the damaged sidewalk as well. He said they will get back to him.
Ron Crosser asked why council, township and school all have their own leadership instead of all being unified.
It was explained by Mayor Beck and Attorney Kevin Whitlock that all townships, villages and schools across the state have the same set up, with each one being under separate governing bodies.
Mr. Crosser expressed his wish that there could be greater unity amongst the groups in Stryker, with cooperation and doing things together.
Councilor Dusty Potter said that council and the township did work together this past fall for one of the events.
On another subject, he requested that something be done about the old ordinances that do not allow children and youth to ride their motorized toys.
He suggested that a course be held in which kids could learn all they need to know like the bike classes of the past, and they could be given a “license” so they can enjoy the newer toys such as hover boards, scooters and other motorized toys.
Following some discussion, it was agreed that the Judicial Committee, made up of Nick Wlasiuk, Sean Ingram, and Rachel Garcia along with the mayor, needs to meet and will address the possibility of changing the ordinances to fit modern times.
A Judiciary Committee meeting was scheduled for March 20 at 5:30. Crosser also asked about an email address where residents could write their concerns to council members.
Fiscal Officer Beth Rediger gave him some business cards with the two email addresses for her and for Village Administrator Al Riegsecker, that are also available on the Stryker website.
Council voted to approve and accept the minutes for the regular meeting on January 16, 2023 and special meeting on the same date, as well as the finance report as of February 17, 2023.
Rediger spoke about a few details, saying that a number of annual bills came due, including the rest of the water tower engineering bill, which was paid.
Assignments were given for committees that council members will participate in for 2023. Service Committee – Sean Ingram, Dusty Potter and Vicki Cameron; Safety – Dave Benner, Vicki Cameron and Dusty Potter; Finance – Vicki Cameron, Dave Benner and Sean Ingram; Health – Rachel Garcia, Nick Wlasiuk and Dave Benner; Welfare – Dusty Potter, Rachel Garcia and Nick Wlasiuk; Judiciary – Nick Wlasiuk, Sean Ingram and Rachel Garcia. The first name listed is chairman of the committee.
An Open House to celebrate Chief Steve Schlosser was announced. It will be held on March 30, 2023 at the Village Hall from 11-3. Everyone is welcome to drop by.
Chief Schlosser reported that K-9 Titan and Sgt. Steve Mendez are doing well and are almost completed with training.
There was some discussion about the benefit of having a K-9 officer and that this is costing very little to the village.
Since the January council meeting, Stryker has had four traffic warnings, zero citations and one arrest, with a total of 46 reports.
As Village Administrator Al Riegsecker was away, Rediger gave his report to council, which included:
The Johnson St. water line is moving ahead as the engineer’s plans are ready.
It will cost $150,000 which is paid through general fund, water and sewer. They plan to go ahead with that this year.
The Ferro Tower inspection was done and there are a few repairs that will need to be done eventually.
Rediger is applying for a Critical Infrastructure Block Grant that would come in 2025, as it is going to be about the same cost as the tower which was done by the school.
She clarified that there are no safety measures that need to be done immediately. The village is allowed to do it when they can and just keep the EPA posted.
PEP Insurance checked the office for cyber security with a risk review and the office did well.
For the fiscal report, she shared that she is getting to know the new director and new assistant with WEDCO and has sent them a packet to promote housing in Stryker.
She also announced that the WEDCO Banquet will be held on March 30 from 11 to 1, and encouraged any council members who would like to attend to let her know so she can RSVP for the banquet.
Mayor Beck said he is working on setting dates to have the new WEDCO director come and speak, as well as someone from the Williams County Port Authority, both about housing.
Councilor Wlasiuk asked how the handbook is coming and Rediger said she is making some progress.
Councilor Dusty Potter addressed a question about sidewalk special assessments. He asked to remind the residents what that money is set aside to be used for.
Rediger explained that over the years it has been used for broken or dangerous sidewalks, except when they used some of the money to put up a new street light pole and to replace batteries on the new stop signs.
Rebecca can be reached at rebecca@thevillagereporter.com