By Austin Rust-
The West Union Village Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, May 12 at the West Union Volunteer Fire Department Station 18. At this meeting, a representative of Adams County Ohio Stands United, Tony Hawes, asked Village Council for their support in declaring all county businesses essential, and Tim Davis, representing another local citizens group, proposed a cruise or procession through the village, followed by a drive-in commencement, to honor the Class of 2020 West Union High School graduates. The Village Council also discussed village clean-up days for the month of June, the purchase of an emergency weather siren, and future meeting plans.
In compliance with the Stay Safe Ohio Order, Council members and visitors at this meeting were seated in chairs at least six feet apart. After a call to order, the Pledge of Allegiance, and roll call, the meeting began with public participation. The first to speak was Hawes, a representative of local rights-focused group Adams County Ohio Stands United, who asked the Village Council to put their support behind an idea to declare all county businesses essential during the pandemic. Hawes explained that each local business represents a livelihood and should be protected. Hawes concluded by passing out print copies of the U.S. Constitution, and Village Council thanked him.
The next member of the public to speak was Davis, who explained that he was a member of another local citizens group formed to devise alternative plans to honor this year’s Class of 2020 West Union High School graduates amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Davis proposed a cruise or procession through the village on Friday, May 22 at 6 p.m., during which all graduates would remain in their cars, similar to events held recently in other villages. This proposed cruise through West Union would end with a drive-in commencement at Bible Baptist Church on SR 41, where students would be honored one at a time in compliance with the Stay Safe Ohio Order and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) safety guidelines. Davis asked Village Council if the West Union Police Department and West Union Volunteer Fire Department could take part in this proposed procession under the Stay Safe Ohio Order, which currently prohibits parades.
West Union Village Solicitor Lisa Rothwell explained that she did not anticipate any legal issues with the village police department being involved in this procession, as it would be necessary for traffic control. It would be more difficult to involve the village fire department in this procession, however, due to issues of liability. West Union Fire Chief and Village Administrator Jerry Kirker proposed that the village fire department could block traffic at both ends of this procession for its duration, instead, provided that notice would be given to the public beforehand, and this proposal was accepted by Village Council.
Village Council then voted to grant permission for the Class of 2020 Procession Friday, May 22 to be assisted by the West Union Volunteer Fire Department, the West Union Life Squad, and West Union Police Department to ensure safety. Davis thanked Village Council for their support toward honoring this year’s West Union HS graduates.
After the section for public participation had ended, Village Council approved the minutes of the regular meeting held March 10, 2020, accepted the statement of receipts for Mayor’s Court in the months of March ($5674.05) and April ($4007.43), and approved the payment of bills submitted.
The Village Council then passed Resolution 2020-9, “authorizing the Village Administrator to apply for, accept, and enter into a cooperative agreement for construction of Phase 3 – Crackel Subdivision Sewer Improvements Project between the Village of West Union and the OWDA (Ohio Water Development Authority).” This resolution passed unanimously by roll call vote.
Next, Village Council discussed clean-up days for the month of June. Village Administrator Jerry Kirker explained that beginning June 1, a dumpster would be available for all village residents at the West Union Water & Sewer Department Office, located on SR 41. This dumpster will remain available to village residents for the entire month of June, Kirker said. Village employees will be able to help those who cannot unload what they would like to throw away, Mr. Kirker added, but trash cannot be picked-up from residents’ homes this year due to health and safety concerns amid the current pandemic. Village Clerk Tanya Johnson explained that the upcoming village clean-up days will be advertised with more information on which items can and cannot be thrown away.
Kirker then gave his report to Council, first noting that there had been issues with people smoking inside or just outside of village-owned buildings. Mr. Kirker proposed that two smoke shelters be purchased, then offered three sets of price options to the Village Council; ultimately, this discussion was tabled for the Council’s next regular meeting.
Next, Mr. Kirker explained that two of the village’s emergency sirens needed to be replaced. The Village Council voted to purchase one emergency siren for $19,000, and it will get a quote on the cost for a second, larger siren to be installed on Boyd Avenue. Moving forward, Mr. Kirker noted that an application is in-progress for a grant to install new water lines on North Street, which also will be paved, curbed, and have sidewalks along it. The Village is receiving estimates for various blacktopping projects, as well, for streets including Wilson Drive and Chestnut Ridge Road. Last Mr. Kirker said that the West Union Volunteer Fire Department had made 152 runs since Jan. 1 of this year; most of these runs took place within the Village of West Union’s corporation limits.
West Union Police Chief Tim Sanderson then gave his report, first noting that the village Police Department had taken more than 900 calls since Jan. 1 of this year, with nearly 150 warrants served since Sept. 2019. Mr. Sanderson asked the Village Council to research whether acts committed against village ordinances could lead to criminal charges in the county court system.
West Union Life Squad Assistant Chief Danni Studebaker then gave her report, explaining that the West Union Life Squad had made 822 runs so far this year. Studebaker noted that there were about 70 less runs than average in April, and said that it may have had to with residents’ fears of coming into contact with COVID-19. The West Union Life Squad has applied for a $1,000 grant to assist with its operations during the pandemic, she said, but it has also had issues with staffing.
The floor was then given to each elected official. Council Member Ted Grooms explained that he was greatly disappointed to see a proposed levy to fund village firefighting and EMS (emergency medical services) fail in the recent Primary Election, and urged Village Council to consider plans for alternative funding. Fire Chief Kirker added that the village fire department must now consider either becoming a private entity or forming a fire district. If a new fire district is formed, everyone in the entire district would have to pay the same rate for service, he said. Mr. Grooms also shared an inappropriate comment posted by a village employee to Facebook, which prompted Village Council to agree that it should develop a social media policy for its employees.
In this section of the meeting, Council Member Stephen Rothwell proposed that Village Council should meet at least once each month during the ongoing pandemic. The Council discussed ways to keep in compliance with the Stay Safe Ohio Order in future meetings, and ultimately agreed to hold at least one public meeting each month with measures to match mass gathering restrictions.
The Council then entered an executive session. When they returned, Village Council hired Aaron Whaley as a member of the West Union Life Squad, then also accepted the resignation of Ashley Palmley from the Life Squad. Last, Village Council accepted Officer Jeff Bowling’s workers compensation claim. The meeting was then adjourned.
