SAM FARMER SWORN IN… For the second time in two months, Stryker Mayor Joe Beck swore in a new council member. In October it was Kim Feehan and here on November 16, 2020, Stryker resident Sam Farmer joined Stryker Village Council, to fill the seat vacated by the resignation of Council member Rex Blevins. (PHOTO BY REBECCA MILLER, STAFF)
By: Rebecca Miller
Veteran Don Carol led in prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance to begin the November 16, 2020 Stryker Village Council meeting. Council voted to accept with regrets the resignation of Council member Rex Blevins. Following a short Executive Session, they voted to appoint Sam Farmer to fill the vacant seat, thus making both Stryker residents who offered to serve the community in this way a month ago, both able to do so. During this meeting, Farmer abstained for all votes. He thanked council for giving him this opportunity to serve Stryker.
Council approved the minutes for the October 19 regular session and the Finance report as of November 13, 2020. A motion to approve the Finance Committee minutes for October 19 was also approved and it was clarified that the minutes for the meeting held directly before this one, will be approved at the next meeting.
In Legislative action, council voted to hav the 3rd and final reading of Ordinance 2020-05 to increase the water BASE rates and suspended and passed Resolution 11-2020 Electric Aggregation.
It was agreed to change the tree lighting ceremony to something online with no in person gathering this year and to go ahead with the Second Annual December Decoration Contest. Anyone who wants their home to be judged in the contest needs to let them know at the village hall by December 9th.
Three prizes will be given out again, but Mayor Joe Beck stated, “it is really about giving the residents something fun to do and getting everyone out driving around and enjoying them.”
In his report, Police Chief Steve Schlosser informed council that Ben Saddoris has accepted a position with the Promedica Police Department in Toledo and his last day as a Full-Time officer with SPD will be December 3, 2020. He will continue to work Part-Time for SPD after he completes his required probationary period with Promedica.
He also announced that Jordan Williams will return to duty as a Full-Time officer with SPD on December 6, 2020. Lt. Treace was scheduled to attend a Death Investigation Course at the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy in London, Ohio, but the training was cut short (2 of 5 days completed) due to an attendee being confirmed to have COVID. The class will be rescheduled early 2021. Between October 16 and November 11, 2020 the department had 56 total reports, 21 Traffic warnings and 6 Adult arrests/Criminal charges filed.
Village Administrator Al Riegsecker announced that December 1 will be the last day of Leaf Pickup and then the dumpster will be available for residents to put leaves. All equipment for winter is ready to be installed on the trucks after leaf pickup is finished.
Mayor Beck mentioned that Stryker Area Heritage Council has membership openings for anyone interested in being a part of retaining the area history.
Chief Schlosser also informed council that Tom Vaughn, the Project Director for the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, spoke at a recent meeting of the WCCA about Ohio Collaborative, according to an online definition, “a twelve person panel in Ohio that establishes statewide standards for law enforcement agencies.”
Schlosser said, “This has kind of been a thorn in a lot of chiefs’ sides. Not because we all have great big egos and don’t want the state of Ohio telling us how to do things, but that is kind of what it is. The writing is on the wall, and that’s ok. We understand that policies need to change, everything from reviewing Use of Force policy to Pursuit policies, Hiring Practices, things of that nature and that is kind of like the first step in this whole process, focusing on Use of Force and Hiring Procedures.”
“Basically what it amounts to is every Police Department probably should become certified with the State of Ohio in the Ohio Collaborative. As much as I disagree with a lot of things in my opinion are politically driven. We are not politicians, we are out here to serve the public, but we also understand that things like this have to happen and change is ok as far as this goes.”
“So, on December 8th, we as the Chiefs Association are going to come together, with Tom over at Bryan PD and go through a training and basically for the departments that are not certified at least in the first phase of the Ohio Collaborative are going to go ahead and start with this process.”
“So, just letting you know that that is what we are going to be doing as far as moving forward with the review of policies and procedures on those certain aspects. Later on down the road there are like five different levels of certification so that is what we are going to be doing.” He answered a question about what will be changing by explaining that the chiefs will still have some discretion on how to implement the training.
Rebecca can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com