For anyone who’s been following the ongoing question of whether the West Liberty village council will allow residents to raise chickens, it would seem the end is in sight.
With that in mind, village resident Jeff Stillings expressed his interest in seeing the issue approved at the council’s regular meeting on Monday, April 14.
“Chickens are wonderful animals to have,” Stillings stated. “Towns around us have allowed chickens forever, and I think we should too.”
Feeling they still need more feedback, the council decided to set up a time for public discussion at 6 p.m. Monday, April 28, then take a final vote at their meeting at 7 p.m.
Next up, Police Chief Shane Oelker addressed the council on several issues, starting with the Red Roof Properties on Sidney Street, owned by John Detwiler.
“That’s an area we really need to clean up,” Oelker said, then added, “It’s bad.”
Oelker also asked the council to approve the purchase of three used patrol car radios at a cost of just under $6,000. New radios run for closer to $30,000. The council agreed to the request.
Street Department
Bill Detrick, street superintendent, spoke next. He presented several items for approval, including 200 cases each of large and small trash bags, which comes to almost $20,000.
Other street department concerns the board approved are:
- Remove falling trees along the river at Lions Park.
- Tackle the ongoing problem of cornstalks flooding Detwiler’s field, which then get caught in city drains.
- Pave Raven Street, which Detrick described as “the worst street in town.”
- Repair the failing asphalt at the intersection of Reynolds and West Baird.
- o The total for the four previous projects comes to $68,207.
- Fix a curb on Tucker Street, which was set up around the base of a tree, for $2,000. The tree will be removed and a new, straight curb put in.
- A 17×17 concrete pad needs to be poured at the department shop, which will cost $3,000.
Finally, Detrick said he’s received four applications for the open street department labor job and four to fill his position when he retires on June 30.
Fire Department
Fire Chief Darin Leach was also on-hand Monday night to give updates. He told the council they had sold an older Cascade tank-filling system for $2,500. The buyer plans to use the equipment to fill scuba-diving tanks.
The council approved Leach’s recommendation to hire Seth Snow as a new firefighter. Snow was on the Bellefontaine squad but recently moved to West Liberty.
Leach asked for permission to look into purchasing new garage doors; the ones they have now were installed in 1976. The five wood doors are “extremely heavy and starting to sag,” Leach said. “We’d like to explore getting them replaced.”
With the council’s approval, Leach will research the project and start asking for bids for new fiberglass doors. He suggested replacing three this year and two next.
In other board action:
- Council suspended the second reading for the police chief’s salary ordinance and passed it on the third reading.
- Chris Moell, village solicitor, spoke to with an attorney regarding title work for the Donnon property, which is under foreclosure. A notice will be sent to the property owner, who will have to decide between selling the land at auction or not. If they choose not to sell, the village will be able to purchase it for the cost of the property taxes. So far, the owner has not responded to any correspondence. Still, Moell said, “Something is going to happen to that property.”
- The village has received two applications for the village administrator position and plans to set up interviews. Mayor Brad Hudson said one has municipal experience while the other has an accounting background.
- Councilmember Jeanette Zerkle asked where money for the salary would come from and was told 55 percent will be from the general fund with 15 percent each from water, sewer and garbage.
- “If he’s a really good administrator, he will be earning his salary,” Jayne Griffith, council president, concluded.
- According to Griffith, they are finally making headway on the Columbus Street bridge project. They now have the information to create an easement which, she admitted, is pretty easy to do in Logan County.
- The village will need to hire a surveyor, but the easement would give them the “right to go on that property for repairs.”
- Only one small corner of the old elementary school building was still standing as of Monday afternoon. Demolition began a week earlier, and the crews have been working to clear away the crumbling brick.
- One councilmember asked if they could save parts of the building, but the Environmental Protection Agency has rejected that possibility due to the asbestos.
- Hudson met with Ben Vollrath, Logan County Chamber of Commerce, about taxing Airbnb properties. The county would receive half of the 6 percent with West Liberty taking in the other 3 percent, which they would put into a fund to share with the village business association.
- Another issue raised Monday night was the possibility of closing the alley by the library to traffic. The thought would be to make it a decorative hang-out spot, like Umbrella Alley in Bellefontaine.
Their main concerns were firetruck access and the question of where traffic would go without that connecting alley. Councilmember Trent Spriggs recommended drawing up an ordinance while they discuss the possibility with Leach and wait to hear the results of Moell’s research into it. - The village will once again rent three porta-johns for the fire sales on Saturday, May 18.
- Another $1,000 will be spent on flower pots to beautify downtown. The village pays half of the $2,000 bill.
- Spring cleanup day will be Saturday, May 10. Council agreed to ask people to wrap any furniture they want to get rid of in plastic. The village has already rented a dumpster for the day and will make sure only residents take advantage of this opportunity.
- Medical insurance for village staff went up 4.25 percent, which is significantly better than the original 17 percent, bringing the total to $151,409.
The next West Liberty village council meeting will be Monday, April 28, at 7 p.m., following a special session to hear the community’s opinion regarding allowing residents to raise chickens at 6 p.m.