Village offices closed for holidays; Council still short two members

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BELLVILLE – Holiday activities are changing schedules for village leaders.

Village offices will be closed for the next two weeks; council will meet Dec. 17, but no other meetings are scheduled until Jan. 7, 2020.

There are still two openings on council, because members Vic Swisher and Deborah Dickson are leaving.

Mayor Teri Brenkus said a few people have turned in applications. But they have been asked to come to the first council meeting in 2020 to express interest.

The four remaining councilmen — Stephen Edwards, J.J. Burkhart, Josh Epperson and Jason Guilliams — have been given resumes of the potential members, Brenkus said.

Both Dickson and Swisher have said they have no interest in extending their terms. No one filed for election to those positions at the most recent election.

Council may interview interested candidates for council, then pick new members. If that process doesn’t work, Brenkus would later have to appoint members.

Brenkus told council members at the most recent meeting the village’s line dancing classes are attracting participants. The line dancing (for beginners) will resume Jan. 5 at 4 p.m. at New Life Church in Bellville.

The donation is $1 and the instructor, Dee Walters, is donating that back to the village for use at the opera house for renovations.

The next six sessions for line dancing will be at the church.

The first lessons were held at the opera house, and shifted to the Bellville elementary school. New Life Church is the new home.

Brenkus attended an Eagle Scout ceremony for Alexander Brown at Bellville Elementary School.

Brown thanked the Lion’s Club, the historical society, and Ryan Wine, village employee, for help in his project.

Village administrator Larry Weirich reported that Urban Meadows was given approval at the most recent planning commission meeting. The Urban Meadows development had a ground-breaking ceremony last week.

The planning commission also finalized right of way plans for the sidewalk to Palm Park. The village will be reimbursed for that project later by the Ohio Department of Transportation.

The village approved on second reading a contract for engineering services with K. E. McCartney & Associates, Inc. Brian McCartney, president, serves on the village planning commission.

A resolution appointing Sarah E. Mussman as village solicitor was also approved on second reading.

Those two resolutions require a third reading before they can be approved.

Stephen Edwards, chair of the utilities and planning commission, told council there was a budget meeting before council. One change from last year was to add $15,000 for contract services.

There are five water/sewer meters needed on residents’ homes. Council also was told smoke tests need to be performed on homes to correct drain issues.

Teri Brenkus
https://www.galioninquirer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2019/12/web1_Brenkus-295×300.jpgTeri Brenkus

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By Louise Swartzwalder

Galion Inquirer

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