GAMBIER — Gambier Village Council met for its March meeting Monday night. Council had readings for three ordinances, two resolutions and a review.
An ordinance regarding setting wages and benefits for village employees was given its second reading. An emergency reading was given to an ordinance regarding an amendment to Ordinance 2008-14, OPERS pickup Contribution.
An emergency reading was also given to an ordinance regarding video service. This was the contract between the village and Time Warner’s providing of cable service to the village. The resolution to accept the contract was passed.
A resolution regarding adopting cooperative purchasing of rock salt was made, as was a resolution authorizing the village administrator to enter into a contract with Dixon Engineering to make a warranty inspection on the repainting of the village water tower. Both resolutions passed.
Kirk Emmert’s mayor’s report included the village’s applications for stimulus funds, water loss and a report on the parks meeting.
According to Emmert, the village has applied for stimulus money for a project that would connect residents on Kokosing Drive to the village waste water system.
“Our second application under the stimulus bill is to replace the weak plastic water main on Meadow Lane,” Emmert told council.
Emmert also reported that water loss for the last three months ending in mid-February was 28 percent, compared to 47 percent the same quarter last year. Emmert told council that while this was a substantial savings, it was still larger than expected after Kenyon replaced part of an old water main at the construction site of the new arts building. Emmert said there will be more testing for leaks and the village will begin to develop a strategy for installing pit meters this summer. That process might detect further leaks, he said.
The mayor also reported on a well-attended public meeting of the Building and Grounds Committee held the previous week. The meeting was to discuss parks proposals formulated by the Floyd Brown Group, which had been hired for that purpose. Emmert reported the meeting was fruitful, with many criticisms and suggestions by the public.
Village Administrator Suzanne Hopkins brought council up to date on Dumpster Day, the water tower inspection, a garbage collection contract and preliminary flood damage reduction regulations.
Hopkins reported Dumpster Day will be scheduled for the second Saturday in June from now on. This year that will be June 13.
A warranty inspection will be done by Dixon Engineering regarding the painting of the Gambier water tower. Hopkins received a proposal from Dixon to inspect the exterior of the tower for $600. The inspection of the repainting of the tower must be done within 13 months of the completion of the work or the warranty will be waived, according to Hopkins.
The village had a public bid opening for residential garbage pickup, receiving three bids from local companies. Walker’s Disposal Co. had the lowest bid, and council voted to accept Walker’s bid.
Hopkins attended a flood damage workshop conducted in February by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The workshop concerned how to write new regulations for controlling flood damage. The new Flood Damage Reduction Regulations Ordinance will have its first reading at the April Gambier council meeting. The new regulations and flood map will go into effect July 7.
The next council meeting will be April 6 at 7 p.m. in the Gambier Community Center on Meadow Lane.
