PHOTO BY JOHN FRYMAN / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
COUNCIL SEAT AVAILABLE … Stryker council members, Shawna Leupp (left) and Sean Ingram (right) listen to Mayor Joe Beck during the regular council meeting on Monday, February 23.
By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com
Stryker Village Council accepted the resignation of council member Stanley Whitlock at its council meeting held on Monday, February 23.
After the prayer by Patsy Mealer and the Pledge of Allegiance by Jim Mealer, roll call was taken with Vicki Cameron, Nick Wlasiuk, Rebecca Miller, Shawna Leupp, and Sean Ingram all present.
In his resignation letter, Whitlock, whose resignation took effect on February 1, 2026, said it was a pleasure to serve and work with the council.
Council then made a motion with regrets to accept Whitlock’s resignation, and it was approved.
Mayor Joe Beck commented that Whitlock was a great addition to council, thanked him for his service, and said he will be missed.
With a vacant council seat to fill, Beck is seeking letters of interest from village residents interested in filling it.
Letters of interest must either be postmarked or dropped off at the village office by April 1, 2026. Council members will then have 30 days to decide on a new member to fill Whitlock’s seat.
Village Administrator Alan Riegsecker updated council on the water tower renovation project which is slated for this year. It will begin once the engineer completes the plan, and the state completes its inspection.
The water tower, one of two in the village, was built in the early 1960s. It will undergo inside and outside painting as well as repairs to the telemetry system that controls the tower.
Fiscal Officer Beth Rediger said the project is estimated at $772,000, with grants covering all but the village’s share of about $149,000.
She also learned recently that Nelson Tank Engineering Inc., which oversees the project inspection, found that the water tower ladder was not up to code.
“They could do a few repairs to it and make it up to code, but we’ve been a couple of years of being out of code,” said Rediger. “We’re going to bid that as an extra cost, and it wasn’t there originally in our estimate, which is about $15,000.
“We figured it’s better to put in the bid now than to have to bid separately in a year or two to replace the ladder. While we’re doing the inside and outside painting of the tower and telemetry work, we might as well do the ladder.”
Riegsecker also reported that the village office building will need foundation repairs due to a crack that has been forming.
“There is some concern with the building, and we just needed to get it shored up a little more,” said the mayor. “It’s not a long-term patch because we have a crack forming.
“This is a short-term and what we are looking at next. Everything that is built has a life expectancy and span. We can make this building last a long time at what cost. Is it going to serve Stryker in the future? “
He then added, “These are some things that I kind of put on these guys’ plates that are here every single day.
“Let’s put together some wishes, some wants and some needs and look at what our next step is once we get this secured or shored up a little more and let’s look down the road.”
Council passed an ordinance approving the addition and inclusion of certain ordinances as part of the various component codes of the codified ordinances of Stryker and declaring an emergency.
The ordinance pertains to sections of the traffic and general offenses codes to conform with enactments of the Ohio General Assembly.
The village will hold its spring clean-up on Saturday, May 2, beginning at 7 a.m.
Residents are reminded that residential bagged trash will not be collected along with no yard waste, no hazardous waste, no tires and no type of liquid is acceptable.
Police Chief Steven Mendez reported that the police department has been awarded funding through the Ohio Department of Public Safety Body-Worn Camera Grant Program.
The grant covers 100 percent of the eligible expenses applied for, resulting in a total savings of $23,123.98 to the village.
These funds will be used to purchase and implement a body-worn camera system for officers without impacting the village’s general fund.
Mendez is hoping to fully implement the body-worn camera program within the next 90 days, including finalizing the policy, setting up equipment and training officers.
He also brought up concern regarding the village’s manufactured homes ordinance which will be discussed at the next council meeting.
“We are encountering situations in which individuals seek to live in campers or recreational-style units on residential property,” Mendez added.
Riegsecker also reported that the village had purchased ten United States flags for the America 250 anniversary and had already put them up in the downtown area.
Council will next meet on Monday, March 23 at 6 p.m. with the judiciary committee meeting at 5 p.m.