Hicksville, Ohio - April 7, 2008 Council Minutes

Minutes of Regular Council Meeting

April 7, 2008, at 7:00 p.m.

The meeting was called to order by Mayor Haver.

The Pledge of Allegiance was repeated by all present. Present were: Mayor Larry Haver; Council members, Ron Jones, Ed Foster, Ron Beverly, Mick Pocratsky and Bruce Hart; Solicitor, Troy Essex; Administrator, Kent Miller and Clerk/Treasurer, Diane Collins. Council member Amy Haver was absent.

Foster moved to approve the March 17 minutes with a correction. The Law Enforcement Assistance Fund legislation should have been referred to a resolution instead of an ordinance. Jones seconded. All voted yes.
Jones moved to approve the bills including an additional $3,143.40 AEP bill. Foster seconded. All voted yes.

Joe Poffenberg, Director of Mediacom Communications was present to explain to council about the new franchise agreement law the State of Ohio just passed. He states it really doesn’t change anything. When our agreement expires Mediacom will simply enter into a Video Service Authorization Agreement with the State of Ohio. A 5% franchise fee will continue. A digital changeover will occur by February 2009. Mediacom will upgrade Hicksville this summer from 550 mhz. to 750 mhz. and simulcast analog and digital for three years. This will give the most capacity for high definition TV’s. They hope to start the upgrade in May.

Park Board: Minutes of the March meeting were in council packets. Hart reported that Pocratsky & Water Superintendent, Mike Scranton went to the meeting to discuss chemical spraying taking place at the park. Hart suggested we have a full time village employee cross trained to know the workings of the pool in case anything should happen to Park Director, Ron Bauer. The rest of the council liked the idea. It came to the attention of council that our park bleachers are being loaned out to the school & fair board. Council requested Essex to write a waiver to use when the bleachers are loaned out.

Water/Sewer Committee: Pocratsky reported the committee met on March 31 with Poggemeyer Design Group (PDG) and the WWTP employees. They discussed the discrepancy between PDG & the Village’s figures for the amount of flow through the plant. Options for Phase II are complete separation or a large trunk line. PDG is supposed to coming up with estimates. There will be another meeting April 14 to discuss a wellhead protection plan ordinance.

Cable TV Committee: Foster reported the regular April meeting was held prior to this regular council meeting. Joe Poffenberger of Mediacom was present. The next regular meeting will be in May.

Police/Fire/EMS Committee: Foster reminded everyone that a meeting is scheduled for April 21, 2008 at 6 p.m. to discuss moving the police and EMS back to 111 South Main Street. Utility Clerk, Cheryl Smith sent an amended utility billing policy before the council for approval. Since Cheryl is to meet with them at the next meeting, they will discuss the policy with her before approving.

Administrator’s Report: Miller reported the following:

Received word that OPWC will provide a grant of $47,460 for the Spencerville sewer replacement job. Construction should begin in late summer.
General pick up is scheduled to begin April 8. The notice in the Tribune spells out what will or won't be taken, and if residents have questions, they can call him.
He would like the zoning inspector to begin checking sidewalks but the committee has not committed to proposed policy changes. No decision has been made on the temporary/inflatable swimming pool fence issue, or putting a penalty in the ordinance for all pools in general.
An ad is running in the Tribune for bids on mowing the tall grass/weed yards. Bill Johnson will still be doing our normal Village property mowing and when time permits will do some of these yards as well.

Miscellaneous:

Ordinance 2008-01 to adopt Storm Water Management Rules and Regulations was read by caption only for the third reading. Foster moved to approve. Jones seconded. All voted yes.
Resolution 2008-03 to establish a Law Enforcement Assistance Fund was read by caption only for the second reading.
Beverly moved to authorize the Clerk to sign a paper to assign bills or indebtedness to Credit Adjustments for collection purposes. Pocratsky seconded. All voted yes.

Clerk’s Report: The MTD/YTD Cash Report and Income Tax Reports were passed out. QTD EMS & Utility Reports were passed out. A notice has been placed on HIXTV for a month. Council granted permission for the employees, volunteers and council to take advantage of an Annual Lab Special offered by Community Memorial Hospital. PSA’s will have to paid personally. Council was asked if they wanted to start a flower fund back up for bereavement. They were agreeable to that. Beverly moved to write off three EMS accounts because the patients are deceased and we have collected what is possible to collect. And also write off one bankruptcy account. Pocratsky seconded. All voted yes.

Police Report: Szabo and Willis were present. No report was given.

Fire Department: Monthly stats were shared with council.

EMS Department: No report was given.

Mayor’s Report: The March Court Report was shared. The Mayor, some council members and school board members met last Thursday to discuss a Federal sidewalk grant. More meetings will be needed in the future.

Beverly moved to go into executive session for personnel, employment issues and possible litigation. Hart seconded. All voted yes. (8:20 p.m. – 9:25 p.m.) Returned to regular session. Pocratsky moved to return to regular session. Foster seconded. All voted yes.

Motion was made and seconded to adjourn.

MAYOR
CLERK