Left to right: Solicitor Tom Mayes, Clerk Tanya Johnson, Mayor Jason Buda, Treasurer Shelley Gifford and Village Administrator Jerry Kirker. (Photo by Ashley McCarty)

Left to right: Solicitor Tom Mayes, Clerk Tanya Johnson, Mayor Jason Buda, Treasurer Shelley Gifford and Village Administrator Jerry Kirker. (Photo by Ashley McCarty)

By Ashley McCarty

People’s Defender

West Union Village Council met on Oct. 26 to discuss delinquent taxes, unforeseen project complications and accept a resignation.

“I talked to you about two months ago approximately about utilizing the Ohio Attorney General’s Office to help collect past due tax balances. I gave you information and the solicitor has been looking into it as well. I just wanted to see if you had any questions and give you a timeline. We will send out notices that the person has a past-due balance, give them a bill and 15 days to pay that or set up a payment plan. I will probably send one more notice to them [as a warning] before turning it over to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office,” said Village Tax Administrator Steve Ogg.

A motion by Councilman Jason Francis to authorize Ogg to enter into an agreement with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office was seconded by Councilman Randy Brewer, the council agreed.

A motion by Councilwoman Donna Young to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting on Oct. 12, 2021, and the Special Meeting on Oct. 18, 2021, was seconded by Councilman Mark Brewer, the council agreed.

A motion by Councilman Steve Rothwell to approve the payment of bills as submitted was seconded by Mark Brewer, the council agreed.

“The following letter of intent is to inform you that due to a change in personal circumstances, I am no longer able to continue my career with the West Union Police Department. I apologize that my time of employment with this department was so short; however, the aforementioned circumstance is out of my control, and solely financially related. I do appreciate the hospitality you and your department showed to me. The professionalism displayed day-in and day-out with this department speaks volumes, and the decision to leave was not an easy one to make. My last day of active duty will be Oct. 31, 2021. I was offered an immediate start date but declined. I did not want to leave the department shorthanded knowing how hard it is to find a replacement in these times. As an act of good faith, I would like to reimburse the department for the boots and uniform ordered for me. During my career, I have had the privilege to work with many different agencies; the West Union Police Department stands out among them. The department not only has a great community relationship but also has a brotherhood rarely found in modern policing. This truly is something to be proud of. Sincerely, Justin Cooley,” said Mayor Jason Buda.

A motion by Rothwell to accept the resignation of West Union Police Department Officer Justin Cooley effective Oct. 31, 2021, was seconded by Randy Brewer, the council agreed.

“We’re going to close the alleyways between Pleasant and Market Street and Market and Cross Street. We’re going to go ahead and close the alley between Pleasant Street and Logans Lane as well. We’re going to do the whole section,” said Village Administrator Jerry Kirker.

Kirker reported the wastewater plant will be completed around Dec. 31.

“[Me and the mayor] both got a phone call from the same person. Not a resident in Crackel Subdivision, but adjacent to it on Page School Road. She had two concerns. We think about four or five times [the construction company] hit water lines in the area while they were digging to install sewers. When that happens, the water gets shut down, or the pressure is reduced. That was her big concern. She asked if we could notify them, but these were not planned shutdowns. These were waterlines they hit. For the most part, the lines got hit because they really didn’t know where they were. The other concern she had was they did hit a phone pedestal. There were a handful of residents in the subdivision without a phone from Frontier for a couple of days. They virtually have all the underground pipes in place. As soon as they can get good weather and asphalt from the plants, they will get paved before winter. There are some edges that have broken down. We hope to get those done yet this fall. In the springtime, we’ll come back and do the resurface within the whole subdivision,” said Kent Bryan with CT Consultants.

Kirker and Bryan had a pre-construction meeting with WAI Construction regarding the Panhandle Sewer Project. The project is slated to begin on Dec. 1.

West Union Life Squad Asst. Chief Danni Studebaker reported 165 runs for September, with 1,808 for the year.

“I would like to thank West Union Life Squad for last Tuesday, Oct. 19. They came to Peebles High School to do a transport for us. We had an emergency and there were no other Adams County squads available, so they responded from West Union to Peebles High School,” said Mark Brewer.

During West Union Police Department Chief Tim Sanderson’s report, along with the aforementioned resignation of Cooley, he stated that $13/hr for an officer was not going to work.

“It’s not going to work when the Sheriff’s Department offers $18.75/hr. We’re paying $5-6,000 just to get a full-time officer in here by the time we get him in uniform and get the physical done. It’s a waste of time. We should put ‘West Union Training Academy’ on the door because that’s all we’re doing,” said Sanderson.

Council and Sanderson discussed advertising for another officer. The position will be further discussed in finance.

West Union Fire Department Chief J.R. Kirker reported 40 runs for the month, with 376 for the year.

“We got a truck damaged. It will cost $12,500 to fix it,” said Kirker.

A motion by Francis to enter into executive session regarding ORC 121.22 (g)(1) personnel compensation was seconded by Young, the council agreed.

With no further business before council, the meeting was adjourned. Meeting minutes will be approved at the next council meeting, subject to revisions.