Greenfield Village Council members Carlos Ooten, Cory Taylor, Phil Clyburn, Mary Ellen McMurry, and Brenda Losey participate in the council meeting.
The Greenfield Village Council held a regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, Sept. 17.
Greenfield City Manager Todd Wilkin announced that Ali Vesey was named Greenfield Village Citizen of the Month. “Ms. Vesey is an elementary teacher here but was recently nominated by a citizen for her involvement in the Main Street group,” said Wilkin. “The individual who nominated her said she has been such an asset in terms of her technical ability, her hard work ethic, her positivity, and her willingness to help the program in any way she can.”
Wilkin announced that Tate Wagner was named Greenfield Village Employee of the Month. “Mr. Wagner has been willing to step up and help the community wherever he is needed,” said Wilkin. “He started his career as a street laborer with the village and moved his way up the ranks at the wastewater treatment plant to become superintendent and a class three operator.”
Wilkin spoke to the council about the village water supply. “As everyone is aware, we are in a severe drought, and a few of our neighbors and municipalities have issued warnings about their water supply,” he said.
He said the village is in the process of checking the depths of its aquifers.
“We are in a severe drought with no forecast that’s showing any potential rain,” said Wilkin. “I’m not declaring that we should be in a water emergency, but I’m declaring that we should think about water conservation measures.”
Wilkin also spoke about the Greenfield 225th celebration. “I’m pleased with the turnout and the activities surrounding the celebration,” he said. “I think the drone show was a success, and I thought that there were some really cool displays with the drones. I think we have created a lot of memories for years to come with that event.”
Finance Committee Chair Mary Ellen McMurry discussed an earlier meeting of the committee. “We’re looking at the water rate tables and legislation, and we’re just reviewing that to ensure accuracy, and then we have decided to change the meeting time for the regular finance committee meeting, so beginning next month it will be on the second Monday of the month at 4 p.m.,” she said.
Ordinance Committee Chair Brenda Losey said it was decided at a committee meeting to recommend an end to late and reconnection fees for water. “With that being said, still if your bill has not been paid by the 25th, you will be turned off, but there will be no reconnection fee associated when you do have to be turned back on,” said Losey.
Steve Fligor, the owner of a number of properties in Greenfield, spoke to the council about an increase in property taxes. “You all received a postcard from the auditor that said 30 percent, and I have not found a property yet that is subject to a 30 percent increase,” said Fligor. “I have ran all of our properties [about 50], and the average is something in the excess of 75 percent.”
“A real quick mental math says that’s going to take between $800,000 and $1,000,000 out of the pockets of the people that live in Greenfield,” said Fligor.
He asked the council to send a letter to county and state officials to address the problem, and the council was in agreement to send a letter.
Travis Howland, who helped start the Mitchell Park Youth Sports League, said the program has grown and repairs have been made to an enclosure at the park.
Howland asked McMurry if she was on the parks and rec committee and asked her to provide a summary of her responsibilities. McMurry referred him to Carlos Ooten, the chair of the parks and properties committee.
“I’m looking for a little bit of communication with people who have a large part of the park,” said Howland. “You’ve been part of this board for a while, and I haven’t heard from you, and I don’t know what the buy-in is from you personally.”
Howland said there is trash at the park. “There’s things that need to be improved here, and I’m here to help, so I want people to be responsive to my words,” he said.
“Moving on, I’d like for you to step down and let someone else – you’ve brought a great service to the village, I really do,” said Howland. “I just think there might be a stronger candidate that might have some buy-in within the parks and rec committee.”
Parks and Properties Committee Chair Carlos Ooten said, “Listen, there’s a lot of things going on with parks and recreation, but for me to reach out to Mary Ellen, I can’t even get her to respond back to me because of her personal issue with me.”
“You have not reached out to me,” said McMurry.
“I’m talking about in general even responding to me, and you don’t,” said Ooten.
Howland asked Finance Director Gary Lewis how much money was in the parks and recreation fund, but Council Chairman Phil Clyburn called an end to Howland’s speaking time.
Richard Stiffler spoke to the council about his problems getting water and sewer services for his property in Madison Township. He said he had not heard a response from Wilkin about the issue in a month.
Wilkin said that the council can vote to provide water to the property, and legislation would have to be changed in order to provide sewer services. A meeting of the ordinance committee was set to begin addressing the issue.
Howland again addressed the council to request reimbursement from the city for a third of the $5,643.79 used to repair an enclosure at Mitchell Park. Lewis addressed the council about ways to make the payment.
In his report to the council, Lewis said that at the end of August, the village had a total of $4,241,853.51 dispursed through various funds. He said a resolution that excepts the amounts and rates determined by the budget commission of Highland County does not require a three-reading rule and needs to go to the county auditor.
An ordinance to increase appropriations of the 240 Railroad Fund of the village of Greenfield and within the 2024 budget was moved to a third reading.
An ordinance to increase appropriations of the 600 Water Fund of the village of Greenfield and within the 2024 budget was approved with only McMurry voting no. “We need to be able to increase appropriations from grant dollars that are coming down so that we can pay the engineer and contractor for work completed,” said Wilkin.
A resolution approving the economic development (TREX) transfer form submitted by R&B Smoke N Stuff LLC for 205 N. Washington Street and authorizing the city manager to complete and sign the transfer from for a liquor license was moved to a third reading.
A resolution authorizing and directing the city manager to execute a grant agreement with the Ross County Board of Commissioners for the Felson Park project was unanimously approved.
A resolution accepting the amounts and rates determined by the budget commission and authorizing the necessary tax levies and certifying them to the county auditor was unanimously approved.
Reach John Hackley at 937-402-2571.
