Members of the West Unity Village Council opened their regularly scheduled meeting by welcoming Alan Bennett of the Chamber of Commerce, who was on hand to update Council about upcoming events to be held by the Chamber.
This year’s Fall Fest will be held on October 11, which is about two weeks earlier than the event has been held in the past. Bennett explained that the change was made in an attempt to have fewer conflicts with the weather as well as to provide less conflict with Trick or Treat in the Village. Council later tabled a discussion on when to schedule Trick or Treat within the Village as they are waiting on more information regarding other villages’ Trick or Treat schedules as well as availability of the mounted deputies.
The Fall Fest will include a pancake breakfast and then a chili cook off to begin around lunch time. The annual auction will also be held again this year.
Bennett also informed Council that the Chamber’s Annual Banquet will be held on November 5 and encouraged anyone interested in taking an active roll on council to step forward as the Chamber will be losing two members at the end of the year.
Village Administrator Ric Beals reported that the recently purchased used Dura-Patcher has already seen extensive use and has been a great asset to the Village. An agreement with Brady Township to share the cost of purchase and maintenance of the unit is in the works.
Beals also informed council that, due to the large response to the sidewalk letters that were sent out, there has been a lot of repair done but that repair has come with the price of needing to delay the purchase of new trees until next spring. Beals explained that, with the dry conditions over the summer, the delay was probably the best move for the Village anyway.
Also included in Beals report was that the estimate from Woolace Electric to install a pole and re-assemble a used tornado siren purchased by the Village has come in at $6300. Beals noted that Woolace Electric had originally dismantled the siren.
During her report, Mayor Peggy Bernath read a card thanking the Village, particularly the West Unity Police Department, for their assistance during the first annual Kaleb McLaughlin Memorial Ride. The next ride, which raises awareness about organ donation, is scheduled for July 11, 2015.
Other matters brought before and heard by council included:
~A legislative matter in which Council approved the submission of an application for a 2015 grant to the Ohio Public Works Commission. The grant would be applied towards the east portion of the East Jackson Street water line project.
~That the Hilltop School Board has approved the contract for Security Resource Officer provided by the Village.
~Learning that if a lighting project is desired in 2015 that the project will need to be budgeted through the General Fund.
~The hearing of an update that Alert86 is now up and running and that residents can sign up at www.alert86.com or through the link on the Village’s website.
~Learning that the Village’s sewer mapping project will hopefully be completed before winter.
~Hearing that the CCNO crew has been painting fire hydrants.
~Noting that work continues to be done at the Kissell Building.
The next meeting of the West Unity Village Council will be held on Thursday September 11 at 7:30 PM in council chambers.