Barnesville Village Council Meeting – April 22, 2024
The Council approved splitting the cost to chip and seal South Sixteen Road with the Somerset Township Trustees. Jeff Miller, representing the township, estimated the total cost at $25,000. The road was damaged during the installation of the new Slope Creek water service line. It was also noted many vehicles use the road to access the Slope Creek Reservoir boat ramp.
On a 4-2 vote with councilmembers Johnson and McCort dissenting, the village will not spend $800,000 to purchase a water impoundment lake located southeast of the village along the North Fork Captina Creek watershed. The large impoundment was offered to the village by the current owners, the Dutton family.
A discussion centering on the village’s water needs revealed no evidence the town’s three current reservoirs would fail to supply the water needs of Barnesville or the three-county area serviced by the system into the future.
Village Administrator Roger Deal estimated the cost to repair the breastworks at between $25,000 on the low end to $400,000 at the top while the cost to connect the lake with the current system would run in the millions.
Council had the first reading of Ordinance #3969 for a lease of village owned property on Pultney Avenue with the Warren Township Trustees. The lease, written by solicitor Richard Myser, covers 0.543 acres used by the township to store road material for several decades. The village acquired the land as a donation and currently is developing it for additional ball fields. The $1 yearly automatically renewable lease will sunset in 20 years.
A contract resolution was approved to allow Deal to contract with the ODOT’s bulk purchase road salt program. Deal estimated the village will need to purchase 200 tons of rock salt for the coming winter.
A pay ordinance of $180,175.06 was approved. Of this, $42,238.95 covered the village’s health insurance payment.
Property owners Mike Muffet and Beth Teague addressed council regarding abandoned vehicles and repairing vehicles in the community. While there is an ordinance regarding abandoned vehicles, no village ordinance forbids working on vehicles out in the open. No action was taken
Mayor Hershberger informed council that as the growing season is upon us, he intends to enforce the grass abatement ordinance.
Warren Township Trustee Jim Grear noted 152 vehicles were logged at the recent township clean up at Barnesville Depot.
Village resident Scott Wolfe, a regular attendee at council meetings, addressed issues relating to traffic safety and sidewalk enforcement.
Village Administrator Roger Deal obtained approval to advertise for bid an open lot on South Arch Street. The village previously purchased it at a tax sale and demolished the severely deteriorated house (see entry below).
Under safety, Fire Chief Tim Hall reported the school district donated two old school buses to the department for use in training on June 29.
The next meeting will take place Monday, May 6 in the council chamber at 7:00.
Agendas for council meetings are posted online Friday before a meeting on their website. Also found on the website are approved meeting minutes from previous meetings.
