Wellsville Mayor Recognizes Village Heroes

Bonnie Taylor & son James

Wellsville Village Council met yesterday evening at Village Hall.  Mayor Susan Haugh presided.  With no one talking in the Public Speaking portion on the agenda it was a brief 26 minute meeting. 

Speaking for the Police Department, Chief Joe Scarabino advised that when the tanks are being trucked in for the new wet well work being done there will be a ban on parking in the area.  Second Street and Broadway from 3^rd to 2^nd will be a no parking zones while the tanks are being delivered to the work site.  The wet well is part of the sewage forced main line project being done at the end of 2^nd Street.   The tanks are coming in are oversized loads expected to be delivered Thursday.  The Mayor tells us they will be coming into town off Route 7 to Wells Avenue to 3^rd Street and left on Broadway.  The trucks will then proceed to 2^nd Street and back into the work site to unload.  They will then exit from 2^nd heading back to Route 7.  United Water’s Greg Stewart noted the trucks are coming from Cleveland.  Stewart is the Sewage Treatment Plant manager in Wellsville. 

Scarabino also reminded everyone that on Halloween members of the WPD and Wellsville VFD will be patrolling Village Streets during trick or treat hours.  They are there to insure your safety and the Chief said do not hesitate to contact them at the first sight of any type of problem.  If you don’t see one close by call 330-532-1522 on your cell.  Trick or treat is from 5:30 to 7 PM on October 31.  

Village Administrator Thom Edgell reported there were only two responses to the 10 invitation letters sent for the new sidewalk program.  The program is a 50/50 share deal with the Village.  The Village pays 50% of the cost and the Village resident pays 50%.  The resident’s cost is $8 per square foot.  Edgell said they plan to proceed adding the invitation is still open to sign up for a short time period due to the time of year.   Anyone interested in getting in on the deal should contact Edgell at 330-532-2524 – Ext. 14.

The Mayor’s Report this week was Wellsville’s Good News Report with Mayor Haugh recognizing several individuals for jobs well done.  As reported in this morning’s Review four police officers were commended for their successful handling of an extremely dangerous stand-off situation October 4 in Wellsville.  An individual armed with three different weapons on his body was neutralized after being tasered.  There were no injuries as a result of the officer’s professional handling of the situation.

Commended were Chief Scarabino, WPD Officers Luke Skidmore & Jeff Weekley and Liverpool Twp. Lt. Justin Wright.  Wright was formerly with the WPD before taking the job with the Liverpool Twp. Police Department.  Scarabino commented “the job they did was second to none”.   The officers were each awarded a commendation by the Mayor recognizing their bravery and outstanding job performance during the situation.  Liverpool Twp. Chief Charlie Burgess accepted the commendation on behalf of Lt. Wright. 

Two other individuals recognized were Bonnie Taylor and her son James for coming to the Village’s rescue on an important requirement to get Wellsville mapped out as related to the floodwall system.  Ms. Taylor had previously shown a map to Mayor Haugh that she created, mapping out the village.  It was a project for earning her Master’s Degree at the Univ. of Akron. In it she counted all the houses in town and mapped them out.  On the map she displayed all the houses and buildings coding the ones that probably should be condemned and the ones that were for sale.  The map included residents, businesses and commercial buildings.

Part of getting the floodwall system reclassified Village officials were required to provide a map to the Ohio Dept. of Public Safety showing every house in town, their elevation and location in the flood plain.  Ms. Taylor & James went back to work determining the elevation of each house on her map and then created a color coded map to submit to ODPS.  The coding showed each building and their possibility of being flooded should one occur.  Their voluntary work solved a huge problem facing Wellsville administrators, saving countless man hours and probably thousands of dollars in costs.  Pictured here the Taylors were awarded certificates of appreciation in recognition of their outstanding service to Wellsville.  In presenting the awards Mayor Haugh read letters from Ohio EMA Executive Director Nancy Dragani also commending the Taylors. 

The Wellsville floodwall system was declassified as being ineffective as a flood prevention system due to decades of neglect.  The system includes the floodwalls uptown and dikes in the lower end of town.  Wellsville officials won a reprieve while scrambling to rehabilitate the system.  Maintenance of the system is a Village responsibility although the Army Corp of Engineers has authority on the system.  Having an effective flood prevention system saves millions of dollar in home insurance for residents.  Getting it rehabilitated has been one of the priorities of this administration. 

In other Council business Finance Chair Diane Dinch reported the General Fund had a balance of $1.18 million at the end of September.  Out of that amount $1.4 million is oil drilling lease money invested in Star Ohio.  Being close to the end of the year with incoming revenues dwindling Dinch cautioned all department heads to spend cautiously.  They don’t want to touch anymore of the invested portion if not necessary.  Approval was given to pay $15,334 in bills. 

Councilman Don Brown got a motion passed approving a change order for the forced main project being done by Rudzik Excavating.  It means another $6,500 will be needed to relocate a building separating the valve vault.   The project is being engineered by G,G&J.

With Councilman Tony Cataldo voting no Councilman John Morrow got a motion passed ordering in legislation authorizing the sale of less than a half-acre of ground to Wellsville Terminals.   The ground is located adjacent to Wellsville Terminal property near the Sewage Treatment Plant.  A resolution was passed in 2011 setting a price of $47,000 for that little piece of land.  Cataldo has expressed in the past that he believes the price is not high enough for commercial real estate. 

With Councilwoman Rosie Goss absent, due to her work schedule, an ordinance authorizing the transfer of $50,000 from the General Fund failed to be declared an emergency and placed on third & final reading.   Councilwoman Tonda Ross made comments she felt the transfer should be held off since some of it would be going to pay for the new sidewalk program.  Being mid-October she indicated it was too late for concrete work this year.  With Ross voting no the motion did not get the required majority for an ordinance and failed 4-1.   Cataldo then amended his motion to place the ordinance on first reading which passed.  The transfer would move the money from the General Fund to Capital Improvements. 

Earlier in the year Council agreed to set aside $100,000 of the lease money for miscellaneous expenses under Capital Improvement.   It was split in order to earn more interest on the investment.  Mayor Haugh explained that the second $50,000 was not all going to sidewalks.  It is also used replacing worn out equipment, etc.  We believe the new police cruisers ordered and catch basin work where partially purchased as part of the first transfer.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:32 PM.  The next scheduled regular meeting will be Wednesday, November 7 due to the General Election being held on November 6.  Council Chambers is a polling place.  The Council meeting begins at 6 PM.

 ole nib