MARTINSBURG — Knox County Sheriff’s Deputy Kenneth Aurand spoke to the Martinsburg Village Council about forming a Community Block Watch when council met Monday night.
Aurand said the community would take ownership of the program, and recommended appointing a coordinator, dividing the village into sections, and appointing a person to lead each section. He said he would come to meetings to answer questions and lend support. Aurand presented council with home security surveys and other information.
“Know your neighbors,” he said. “And don’t be afraid to call us. We’d rather go to a false alarm than to have to arrive to file a report of a burglary or an abducted child.”
Tammy Cline of the Water Board reported that 10 residents were past due in paying water bills in March, and the board had good response by simply shutting off the water.
“We’ve had more response by just shutting it off and not caring than if we wrote notes to people,” she said.
Mayor J.R. St. Clair said Raychelle Mitchell is the newest member of the Parks and Recreation Committee, and urged that one or two more people volunteer for the committee. The next meeting is May 1.
The committee planning the National Day of the American Cowboy Parade, scheduled for July 26, has met and will meet again on Thursday.
Village Solicitor John Ryerson said he researched the mowing of the cemetery and discovered that the Martinsburg Cemetery Association no longer exists and that Clay Township holds title to the cemetery. Because the cemetery is filled, the township does not have income from sale of plots to use for maintenance. Ryerson said the trustees can levy a tax to fund maintenance.
He said the Knox County Prosecutor’s Office, which represents the county’s townships, told him the trustees wish to maintain the status quo on the current status of cemetery upkeep, which is split between the trustees and the village, which pays 40 percent. St. Clair said he will set up a meeting with the trustees to discuss the matter.
The revised Community Center lease was reviewed, and there was discussion about a clause that allows without-cause termination between lessee and lessor with 180 days’ notice. Council member Stacy Swanson recommended the notice be shortened to 90 days; all agreed.
Swanson reported on missing invoices that auditors requested and said she contacted utility and telephone companies for copies, with little success. Fiscal Officer Dedra Kidwell said the auditing company requested a copy of the village’s IRS form 944, which must be ordered from the IRS for $35. Kidwell was given permission to order the copy of the form.
St. Clair said he received a letter from Jeffrey Budd, who purchased property in the village and whose surveyors discovered that a portion of the west part of North Street and the north part of West Street had never been vacated. St. Clair said that, essentially, the old street remains open, even though it is wooded and no road is recognizable. Council decided to notify nearby property owners that the village intends to close the two sections, as well as the north end of Strawberry Alley behind the firehouse.
St. Clair will research repairing the locks on the town hall door.
There was much discussion about whether to grant permission to youngsters playing paintball behind the community center. St. Clair said he had given them permission, and noted the good behavior of the children and that they had done no damage. He said he made them aware that if the paint harms the building or property, the privilege to play there will be lost.
St. Clair will continue checking on the youngsters, and Ryerson said he will check with the village’s insurance agency. Swanson and council member Joe Black expressed concern about liability and possible injury.
St. Clair said he received another letter from a resident about trash, abandoned vehicles and rubbish. Ryerson said he will research ordinances that pertain to the matter.
There was discussion about whether to hold the annual spring cleanup. St. Clair said just six residents took part last year, so council decided not to hold the cleanup this year and noted that Clay Township provides a monthly trash-hauling service.
Swanson offered to create a log book in which to document trash and nuisance complaints and file relevant papers for future reference.
Council discussed a complaint about cars parking in front of the hardware store blocking drivers’ ability to back out from the post office. Ryerson and others noted that it is illegal to back onto a state highway. St. Clair said he observed traffic there and there is plenty of room to back a full-size pickup within the parking area without backing onto the highway. Council further discussed the issues of potholes in streets and alleys, and horse manure in parking lots.
Council will create a flier to notify village residents about a future community block watch kick-off meeting.