Residents Steve and Chris Davis approached the Village of Richwood Council during its meeting on Monday with concerns about livestock in the village, beautification of the downtown area, snow and ice removal and apartments in the downtown area.
“I don’t think animals should be in the village unless they are cats and dogs. I’m sorry. It’s ridiculous,” Chris Davis said. “We’re a farming community, not a farming village.”
Council member Von Beal told the couple that the council is “addressing the livestock situation.” Village Solicitor Julie Spain is researching the town’s ordinance and other municipalities’ ordinances regarding livestock.
According to the town’s current ordinance, livestock is allowed in the village unless it is deemed a nuisance because of odor.
The council is aware of cows and sheep in the village.
Council member Donald Ridgeway added that livestock was first permitted because of 4-H students raising chickens.
Spain assured the residents that their concerns have been heard and understood and that the livestock situation depends on where the properties are located and how long the livestock have been there to determine if the properties can be grandfathered in.
Council member Reddy Brown argued that small livestock should still be permitted because of the 4-H students.
As an employee of Sheila’s Flowers & Gifts, Chris Davis is also upset that businesses cannot put cardboard in the recycling bins behind the municipal building. Mayor Scott Jerew said that Union County Recyclers has decided to only permit residential use of the recycling bins because businesses were not cutting down boxes.
Chris Davis also said the village “needs to do a better job” at snow and ice removal in the streets so older residents can visit the shops during the cold weather.
In addition, she addressed concerns about parking as well as cigarette and marijuana smoke odor downtown because of apartments downtown surrounding businesses. Spain said the business owners have to speak to residents about the smoke odor.
Steve Davis argued that the village needs to do more to remove the junk cars around the village. Spain and Zoning Officer Marion Bump said they have been addressing the matter and have had 17 removed since August and counting.
During the meeting, the village council approved the final reading of the temporary appropriations for the 2022 budget. Currently, the reported total of the temporary 2022 budget is roughly $2.4 million.
The appropriations demonstrate the approved 5% increase in wages for all employees including administration, mayor and council, the increase of zoning officer wages to $7,500 and making a part-time officer a full-time officer with benefits effective Jan. 1, 2022.
The budget also shows a $38,000 increase in personal services under the administrator account from the 2021 final appropriation for Monte Asher’s salary. However, Asher’s salary is only increasing by 5%. Previously, Asher, the police chief and village administrator, was paid between the police fund and the sewer fund. Fiscal Officer Sarah Sellers clearly demonstrates that he is paid through the administrator and police personal services line items on the new resolution.
Furthermore, the appropriations show various increases in fuel, natural gas and electricity expenses among most accounts of the general fund to reflect inflation of resources nationwide as the council prepares for increases to continue throughout next year.
Sellers added that the increases in medical and hospitalization appropriations for full-time employees among the general fund accounts are determined by rate increases provided by the village’s broker.
Originally, the police department was planning to purchase a cruiser in 2022 but instead replaced the motor in a cruiser to extend its lifespan. The police fund usually includes $5,000 annually to contribute to buying a new cruiser every seven years. The 2022 temporary appropriations eliminated the $5,000 for a motor vehicle, but retained the $13,000 allocated for motor vehicle maintenance and repairs.
Additionally, the temporary appropriations for the 2022 budget show a $45,000 decrease in repairs and maintenance of buildings and land under the administrator account, which Sellers said is because the AC units were replaced in the municipal building last year and less repairs are anticipated in 2022.
The water enterprise fund has $55,000 allocated for water tower painting and powerwashing. Asher has received some quotes for the project about $50,000, but he said at the Oct. 12 council meeting that it will be put out for bid in the spring.
The village is expecting $20,000 in grant funds for a new water plant, Sellers said, which will impact the appropriation of the line item. The final appropriation for the other financing uses on behalf payments of the water plant project was $2.1 million.
The final appropriation for 2021 was over $10 million because of capital projects, including the second phase of South Franklin Street and the new water plant projects.
As for operating expenses, Sellers said the 2022 operating expenses are similar to those in 2021 with a roughly $20,000 increase.
The council also had the final reading of a resolution to increase the water rate in Richwood and the second reading of resolutions to allocate funds for the remediation or demolition of blighted properties in the village and to designate Spain to receive Sunshine Law training on behalf of certain elected officials.
Additionally, Bump said he has sent letters of zoning violations to residents through certified mail. However, the certified mail return receipts have come with “COVID-19” written on them from the post office. Spain said new case law has been established since the pandemic that states if “COVID-19” is written on the receipts that the village cannot determine it as good service.
“If it comes back as that, you have to pretend like they didn’t get it,” Spain said. “So then whatever steps you take after that, you have to take as if you had never gotten them the certified mail.”
She added that most people are not aware of the new case law “unless you’re litigating.”
Post office workers are not taking all the steps to serve individuals as they would in a non-pandemic year, Spain said.
The village could pursue personal service instead, which Spain does, but she said that is expensive.
She added that she can draft a resolution that the village passes at the next hearing that informs residents that they were not properly served because of the new case law and will therefore not be charged for the violation at this time.
The post office has not set a deadline for the temporary case law.
In other news:
Jackie Hamilton was sworn into office at the beginning of the meeting to fill Laurie Eliot-Shea’s term.
The mayor said he plans to establish a streets committee in the new year to address paving streets in the village.
The bulk water system has been wired up. The village is waiting on software to complete bulk water sales.
Wood chipping at the park stopped Nov. 1.
The village services assisted Union County Recyclers to install new ramps at recycling bins.
Asher reminds residents to lock their houses during the Christmas season, not to leave packages on the porch for too long and not to leave the car running unlocked and unattended during the cold weather.
The Richwood Police Department is scheduled to hold qualifying shooting at the Marysville Police Department range Tuesday. Officers are trading firearms for Glock 17s. Officers have asked to buy old guns at trade-in price.
The next council meeting is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m.