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With her back to the camera Mayor Haugh swears in Wellsville's
newest full-time firefighter. From the left is Barry Podwell, wife D.J.
Podwell holding the bible and dad Harry Podwell looking on. |
The Wellsville Village Council held one of their two monthly
meetings last night. Mayor Susan Haugh
presided.
During the Public Speaking Portion on the agenda Commerce
Street resident Ron Dumoulin asked that Council look into the possibility of
abandoning a portion of Lisbon Street behind the Boy & the boot statue and
make it a mini-park. The portion in
question is the brick part of the street that was cut off when they erected the
floodwall. That was after the 1936 flood.
Except for some occasional parking it is not used. Dumoulin suggested taking up the brick,
landscaping, placing a couple of benches there and maybe selling memorial paver
stones for a walkway. Dumoulin and his
wife Julie are the couple that adopted that area and the Wells Avenue Bridge on
a volunteer basis. They also take care
of the hanging baskets on the bridge. The
Mayor responded that they will take a look at it.
Speaking on behalf of the Revitalization Committee,
Riverside resident Beverly Hentzell said the Annual Village Yard Sale would be
handled by the Alley Cat Aid Brigade (ACAB).
Hentzell noted it was for this year only so the brigade can raise some
funds for their Christmas for the Animals.
Speaking for the ACAB, 10th St. resident Connie
Carmichael asked Council’s permission to hold the yard sale in the lot by the
Fire Dept. Fire Chief Bill Smith advised
he would like one lane left open just in case they had a call at the same time
of the sale. With Council’s permission
the Yard Sale will be held Saturday, September 8. Permits are $3 per piece and are available at
Village Hall. For more information on
the sale call 330-532-9064.
Mrs. Sherrill Jackson invited all Council members, Village
Officials and all the others attending the meeting to the monthly Crime Watch
Committee meetings. The meetings are
held on the third Thursday of each month at Village Hall beginning at 6
PM. Councilman John Morrow attended the
August meeting. He was the first Village
official to attend one for a while.
Police Chief Joe Scarabino advised his department’s report
will be given at the next Council meeting.
He wants to compile all this month’s figures into his first report. He also asked Council to officially approve
the hiring of Officer Salvatore Scarafile to part-time status. Scarabino noted Scarafile has completed all
his probationary requirements. At the
Mayor’s suggestion the appointment vote was unanimous by all members of Council
present. Finally he advised that all the
details have been finalized with officials of the Team MOJO 5K Back to School
Run. The run will be held this coming
Saturday beginning at 9 AM at the Wellsville High School, proceed through
village streets and wind up back at the high school.
For the Fire Department, Chief Bill Smith submitted a report
for the first seven months of 2012.
There were 80 call outs during that time frame with 41% of those being
for full fire alarms. Smith also
recommended that Volunteer Firefighter Barry Podwell be appointed to the open
full-time position. Smith noted that he
has been working closely with the Mayor with most time being devoted to
economic issues. Smith advised his time
will be “short lived here” and the department needs someone to be his right
hand man. He said there were five
applications received for the job. Four
of them were interviewed. Smith went on
to say it was a tough decision choosing one out of the four but felt Podwell
will be able to learn the job quickly and be able to take over in his absence. Smith has postponed medical surgery since
Doug Elliott’s retirement. He later told
us he has nearly a year and half of sick leave built up if needed for his
recuperation following surgery. Podwell has 24 years’ experience as a volunteer
and paid call out firefighter. Podwell
was sworn in following the meeting.
United Water Sewage Treatment Plant Manager Greg Stewart
reported that AEP is moving the electrical lines at the Second Street pump
station in preparation of work to be done there. Also, Rudzik advised that they will begin
work on replacing that pump station in September. Replacing the pump station is the first phase
of the proposed rebuilding of the forced main line to the treatment plant. Originally hoped to be done as one whole
project the Village was forced to do one part at a time because of the lack of available
grant funding. The forced main runs from
the #1 pump station at 2nd St. to the Sewage Treatment Plant at 17th
St.
Village Administrator Thom Edgell reported that the summer
part-time helpers will finish up this coming Friday. The laborers are furnished and paid through a
County program with no cost to the Village.
Edgell said Wellsville started with 10 part-timers and there are eight
of them left. He also advised the
sidewalk program will begin “quickly”.
Work will hopefully begin by August 22 installing six catch basins and
180 to 210 feet of larger diameter drainage pipe going down Highland Ave. Edgell
said there is “a fairly active” natural spring coming off the hillside that
creates an ice hazard in the winter.
Also they have found some clogged drainage lines. He noted when there is a hard rain the
drainage lines that do work are too small to handle the water run-off. As with the other work done this summer the
Village will be purchasing the basins and contracting the work out to have them
installed according to the Administrator.
There were no Committee reports.
A resolution was passed authorizing the Fiscal Officer to
certify various unpaid sewage bills to the County Auditor. With that certification a lien can be place on
the property where the bills were generated.
Before the property owners can obtain a clean title to sell the parcel
the sewage bills have to be paid. In
Wellsville the property owner is responsible for tenants that leave unpaid sewage
bills on any rentals.
An ordinance on whether to replace a Street Dept. employee
with one full-timer or two part-timers was tabled until the Personnel Committee
can make up their minds on what to recommend.
The Finance Committee determined the Village cannot afford to replace
the full time position and add two additional part-timers. It will have to be one or the other. A
Personnel Committee meeting called earlier yesterday to decide which way to go
went into Executive Session for possible disciplinary action before any
decision was made. It was apparent at
last night’s Council meeting there was nothing done.
Two other ordinances were placed on third & final
reading an adopted without a dissenting vote.
One was authorizing the Fiscal Officer to transfer $50,000 from the
General Fund to the Capitol Improvements Fund.
Although no explanations were given this money is likely part of the
money received for drilling leases. No
one offered an explanation on what the money will be used for either. We’re guessing catch basins, new sidewalks
and sewage pump stations but can’t say for sure. That’s your tax dollars at work folks…
The second ordinance was approving a raise to $9 per hour
for all extra and paid called firemen.
The meeting adjourned at 6:29 PM. The next scheduled meeting is set to begin at
6 PM on September 3 at Village Hall.
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