Loudonville Village Council honors Michelle VanHorn
Loudonville Village Council met for a regular meeting on Monday, Aug. 7 in the Village Council Chambers.
Several items of note took place during the meeting.
American Legion Post
257 donation
American Legion representatives Jim Danner and Don Riffel presented a donation in the amount of $47,435.94 to the Loudonville Fire Department Inc., with Fire Chief Dan Robinson and Assistant Fire Chief Brad Dilgard accepting the donation on behalf of the organization.
U.S. American Mrs.
2023 winner honored
Mayor Jason Van Sickle introduced area resident Michelle VanHorn and presented her with a Certificate of Recognition honoring her recent crowning as U.S. American Mrs. 2023.
Trebel Energy
Scott Belcastro and Larry Taylor presented council with information regarding their governmental aggregation consulting business, Trebel Energy in Mansfield. They asked council to consider Trebel Energy when choosing a broker. They said while the village’s current aggregation rate with FirstEnergy Advisors is excellent, the contract ends in February 2024, noting the broker is no longer in business. They said the village’s plan of operation is outdated and in need of revision and offered their services. They said they would follow up with the village soon.
Kno-Ho-Co-Ashland Community Action
Commission
Lanny O’Hail, representing the board of directors for Kno-Ho-Co-Ashland Community Action Commission — a private, nonprofit social service organization whose primary goal is to identify and address community needs, with the focus being to reduce poverty-related adversities in Knox, Holmes, Coshocton and Ashland counties — said there is an opening on the board of directors for an individual from the public sector. Councilman Matt Young said he regretfully would not be able to sit on the board. O’Hail asked other council members to consider the opportunity, saying he would attend the next council meeting.
Paving project update
Village administrator Garret DeWitt said the paving project is nearly completed, noting Kingsway will replace the curbs that were removed. DeWitt said Change Order #2, which was approved by council for up to $18,000, was completed for $3,000.
Paving project -
sidewalk ramp
Councilman Bill Huffman questioned why the sidewalk ramp at the southwest corner of Wood and Bustle streets was not replaced during the paving project. DeWitt said the corner was replaced five years ago and was not included in the engineered project construction plans.
DeWitt said they would have had to go back about 30 feet to rework that corner of the intersection. DeWitt said during a paving project such as this one, there isn’t a requirement to meet handicapped ramp regulations at sidewalk intersections.
Opioid settlement
Councilwoman Cathy Lance said the village received another settlement payment in the amount of $586 and asked council to consider subgranting it to Redbird Resilient. Council then approved a motion to subgrant the $586 to Redbird Resilient.
Police wages
Councilman Brandon Biddinger said the safety committee met at the request of the Loudonville Police Department to discuss police officer wages. Biddinger said Capt. Brian McCauley and Sgt. Sean Gorrell presented a study of wages of surrounding areas that showed Loudonville slightly behind on some of the wages.
He said in an effort to maintain officers currently employed with the department, the finance committee will review their request when the wage ordinance for 2024 is discussed in the next few months.
Legislation
—Council approved an ordinance to make additional appropriations for the current year and declaring an emergency.
—Council approved a resolution transferring appropriations within a fund and declaring an emergency.