Strasburg Village Council
Jan. 18 meeting
KEY ACTION Adopted an ordinance, as an emergency, hiring Elizabeth Scales as a temporary crossing guard.
DISCUSSION: Police Chief Dave Warrick said Scales will serve as a crossing guard at the school for remainder of the year.
In another matter, Austen Hummel was hired as a full-time police officer, effective Jan. 19. Solicitor Terry Seeberger was authorized to draw up an ordinance to officially hire Hummel. The ordinance will be presented at the Feb. 1 meeting. He will serve a six-month probationary period.
OTHER ACTION
• Heard Mayor Steve Smith administered the oath of office to Liz Dreher. She was absent from the Jan. 5 meeting.
• Heard Councilman Marty Zehnder has spoken with the board of education, and individuals in the village about obtaining land and funding to construct a community center. Zehnder is seeking input from the residents. He can be contracted at 330-243-6306.
• Agreed to participate in trapping feral cats. The cats will be spayed or neutered and then will be returned to the area they were found. The village will have to pay for each cat at an approximate cost of $35 each. This is an effort to control the cat population.
• Agreed to gain information on the current police levy. The levy was first passed in 1996. Council is considering a replacement levy for the November ballot. A replacement levy brings the millage back to the original status.
• Heard the cost of renovating the social hall at the fire station, for the fire department, which will begin full-time duties April 1 will be about $13,344 to purchase lockers, beds, mattresses, and recliners. Currently prices are being sought for painting, steel doors, partitions, showers, bathrooms and to upgrade the area will have a total cost of about $35,000. Firefighters are requesting work that will need to be done at the fire station. Council agreed to contact Franklin Township Trustees about sharing the cost.
• Passed an ordinance creating a full-time position as fire chief, approving a job description and setting compensation. The village received 14 applicants for the full-time fire chief position.
• Held the second reading of an ordinance entering amending and updating an agreement with the Tuscarawas County Library for the Strasburg Branch Library.
• Held the second reading of an ordinance and agreement for Franklin Township Trustees to consider waiving all interest and penalties concerning funds that were owed to the village. Trustees paid village income tax owed for 2021.
• Learned the new playground equipment will be delivered about March 28. It will not be installed until spring.
• Held the second reading of an ordinance enacting a new section of the municipal regulations where the village may take action against a person or property, after a notice of violation is delivered. The ordinance is an alternate means of providing a notice of violation to persons, who refuse, or do not accept or do not take delivery of personal service of a certified mail service notice.
• Held the second reading of an ordinance replacing or enacting new regulations for commercial vehicles and weight limits for parking on village streets.
• Learned a new police sign and directional signs for Franklin Park are being constructed by Synergy Sign and Graphics of Strasburg.
FOR YOUR INFO
• Mayor Steve Smith thanked the village employees for plowing snow. He said the employees were keeping the main roads open and will be working to clear the alleys.
• A board of zoning appeals meet prior to council concerning a variance to allow a fence to exceed six feet in height along the north side of Rosalie’s Restaurant at 989 N. Wooster. A decision will be made at the Feb. 1 council meeting. A board of appeals meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 1 in village hall.
• Zoning Inspector Ted Foster said he has not recently issued any permits but had many inquiries.
UP NEXT meets at 6 p.m. Feb. 1 at 224 North Bodmer Avenue.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Strasburg Village Council meeting
