Continental Village Council met in regular session in the Fire Station Meeting Room on September 22, 2020 with Mayor Miller presiding. Members present were Armey, Bartley, Knipp, Varner, Streicher and Sullivan. Village Solicitor Welch, Fiscal Officer Darby, Administrator Prowant, Village employee Thompson, were also present. Visitors: None. The meeting opened with the pledge of allegiance.
Minutes, bills & receipts were approved .
OLD BUSINESS:
The closing for 305 N. Main Street completed last week. The electricity has been switched to the Village’s name to keep the sump pump working. The owners have everything out of the house and yard that he wants. He left a shed that is in unknown condition at this point. He also left quite a few fruit trees and plantings. The Fiscal Officer will record the deed this week.
Water Tower Update: The Mayor and Solicitor have been in contact with two property owners that have an ingress/egress easement between their properties that extends back through the Village property and to New Millennium’s boundary. One of the owners is okay with vacating the easement but the other owner believes he should be compensated to vacate the easement even though the Village owns all of the property past his property line. He has no rights to the property that the Village owns so a fence at the beginning of the Village property was discussed.
NEW BUSINESS:
Building permits: Permit to build more mini storage units reviewed. Approved
Mayor Miller presented a quote from Summer Sealing for crack sealing on Main Street through the business district and on Rice Street from Main to the east and to the west. The quote is for two pallets of sealer and the labor to apply and is for $8800. They plan to do the sealing in the off hours of 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. so traffic is maintained. Miller contacted ODOT about the cracks on Main Street and was told the maintenance of the street is the Village’s responsibility once the project went through the final review. Approved.
RCAP (Rural Community Assistance Program) will be here tomorrow to run the camera through the storm sewer on Main Street north of the railroad tracks at no charge to the Village. They will be checking other areas in town also.
The Village has a certificate of deposit (CD) maturing at the Fort Jennings State Bank. Interest levels are very low right now (3-6 month – .05% and 12 month – .10%) Discussion held on whether to renew it or revert the amount back to the Checking Account. Approved closing the CD and move the money back to the Checking Account until interest rates climb.
Christmas Decorations: The Village has utilized a company from Indiana for the Main Street light displays for the past three years. They install, maintain, remove and store the lights and allow us to change the displays each year. The cost for this service in $1560 a year. Approved.
Council tentatively set Trick-or-Treat for Thursday, October 29th from 5:30-7 p.m. At this point, with all the regulations in place because of Covid-19 there will not be a Lions Club Costume Judging at the school this year. As we all know, things change quickly with recommendations from the Governor so this is subject to change.
Maintenance Department Update: Thompson presented a quote to upgrade the rest of the water/sewer meters to radio read. It will cost approximately $30,000 to make all the meters radio read and then the Village can go to monthly billing. Approved. Thompson showed Council a damaged water meter that was found while taking meter reads. Residents are urged to not mow or drive over the meters and do not bury them in their yards. Discussion held on either passing an amendment to the water ordinance or passing a new ordinance that will pass the cost to the homeowner to replace the meters that are accidently or maliciously destroyed. Welch suggested going with a new Ordinance that will include all utility property that is on a homeowners’ property. First Reading approved for the Ordinance.
A quote to upgrade waterlines on Eighth Street and Chevy Lane reviewed. Because of the recent issue that was found in West Elm Street area the maintenance department wants to start upgrading waterlines so we do not continue to have issues. The easiest way to do it is when a new line is installed, prepare for the future by putting in larger lines to begin with. This will allow valves to be installed so an area can be shut down without affecting the whole side of town and will allow water hydrants to help with flushing the system. This will also help in the effort to begin looping water lines with the existing infrastructure. Approved.
Darby informed council there was another issue with the audit found. When she received the proceeds from the Fire Truck Loan, she posted it in the General Fund instead of starting a Capital Improvement Fund so adjustments were made to the 2018 financial report. Therefore, Council will be receiving a revised audit and management letter soon. Another issue that was highlighted in the audit was the lack of a records retention policy. She asked council to appoint Susan Gibbs to the Records committee. Approved.
Prowant is working on the Water/Sewer bills and should have them in the mail next week.
The next meeting is Tuesday, October 13, 2020 and will be held in the Fire Department meeting room.
Meeting adjourned.
Susan Darby, Fiscal Officer
Village of Continental
