LAPEL TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
MARCH 21, 2024

In attendance: Chad Blake, Lindsey Washmuth, Gary Shuck, Teresa Retherford, Clerk-Treasurer and Town Attorney, Evan McMullen

7pm meeting called to order.

PUBLIC COMMENTS AND CONCERNS:

None

PRESENTATIONS:

Brian Moench with Moench Engineering shared information on a project that arises in Pendleton jurisdiction but does have some impact on Lapel. Pendleton approved a new concrete batch plant. CR 700 S improvements was a commitment they made to Pendleton when they rezoned this property. Improving the road to handle the heavier traffic will now be the primary access to get to the concrete plant. Phase 1 is 30 feet pavement width. Phase 2 is making it a 4-lane road instead of 2. They need Lapel’s approval for the right of way on the North. Improvements will be made mid-2025. Blake will have to reach out to our engineers to see if our plans will match what they are wanting to do.

David Eoriatti and Jeremy Burton with Comcast Services-No Show

Liability Insurance Renewal: Retherford tried to get more quotes, but time was not in our favor. Possibly can get more quotes towards the end of the year. It’s with the same company who had all the town’s information already. Motion to approve insurance pending review by Blake, 2^nd by Shuck. All in favor.

Beard and Mustache Society: Jeramiah Crafton, founder and president of Tri County Beard and Mustache Society. Nonprofit charity that raises money for musical education. There are 40 members in this Society. They would like to get their name put on a town sign to keep growing and help others out. They do have a quote from W.C. Signs. Blake states that the signs on the outside of town are more for sports recognition. Don’t think this would be the correct place to post their sign. Town needs to get a new sign for all the organizations and will work on it.

Shane Booker: Executive Director of Hamilton County Emergency Management, which sounds our emergency sirens. Asking Town Council to approve the addition of online software. Two items asking for consideration to update the memorandum of agreement to include destructive tag if issued by National Weather Service and to allow them to do auto activation. There is no cost to the town to do this. Motion to approve the update to our MOU by Blake, 2^nd by Shuck. All in favor.

Hershel Hinkle wants the approval to buy 75 flags for the town. Motion to approve purchase made by Washmuth, 2^nd by Gary. All in favor.

Hershel Hinkle states that Village Fair is July 12-13. Would like to make sure the assistance needed is going to be available. Blake states an event permit will need to be filled out. He will stop in at the Town Hall to pick up the permit from Retherford.

Stellar Pathways: Clay Woodson asking for a commitment to have a seat at the table on April 3^rd in Lapel. Woodson asks for a vote from the town board to officially sign on to letter of intent, showing Lapel is supportive of their efforts. Motion to join the Stellar Pathways by Washmuth, 2^nd by Shuck. All in favor.

CLERK-TREASURER REPORT:

Minutes for September and November 2023 are done. New hire’s background check and drug screen has been done. If everything comes back in time, she will start April 1, 2024. Attorney McMullen explains that a motion should be made that she is hired on at the certain salary wage due to Perf reasons. Motion that the approval for Utility Clerk salary wage is $24.00 per hour by Blake, 2^nd by Shuck. All in favor.   

Retherford notes that the of the year is all closed out. January and February bank recs are all done. There is a new fund and appropriation report emailed out. Fund accounts need to be consolidated. Retherford is asking permission from the council to work with Janet to transfer funds to limit how many different funds for water, sewer and gas. Motion for Clerk-Treasurer to work with Janet, our Budget Advisor, to prepare a consolidation of accounts made by Washmuth, 2^nd by Blake. All in favor.

APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES:

September 21, 2023 and November 16, 2023 Motion of approval meeting minutes as presented for both meetings by Blake, 2^nd by Washmuth. All in favor.

PUBLIC HEARINGS:

None

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

None

 

NEW BUSINESS:

Ordinance 04-2024, allowing to create a donation fund for the police department. First read for Ordinance 04-2024.

Ordinance 05-2024 to establish a fund for SRO. First read for Ordinance 05-2024. McMullen wants to review before passing the ordinances and a few things need revised for the ordinance for the SRO.

DEPARTMENT REPORTS:

POLICE: Chief Naselroad states Officer Nevans has begun working at the school and is still waiting for equipment to come in. Officer Petty graduated from Field Training Officer School and Officer Montgomery graduated from Instructor Development School. Officer Diaz signed up to go to Instructor Development School in April. Flock cameras had 1,116 hits out of 50,363 reads. Responded to 469 calls for service and dispatches from 2/8/2024 to 3/14/2024. Reserves covered 86 hours. 11 arrests were made. In April, Captain Buffington is going down to academy again. Officer Montgomery is going to become stop certified. Officer Petty is going to field standardized testing instructor.

PLANNING: Andrea Baldwin gives report. Old business the blue church on 9^th and Erie’s monthly reports have not been being made. The last report was in December 2021. Attorney McMullen will review this and have an update at the next meeting.

Tuscany has HOA that is yet to be utilized by residents.

Shell station at Pendleton Ave and Ford Street is in violation. There is a variance from the last owner. The same variances would carry over to the tenant. They are in violation of the new agreement.  

New business: Applied for application is Willis Excavating and Trampest.

UTILITIES:

Nikoloff has got a new estimate for the water tower. There is a 3-year maintenance plan with this company. After the 3 years, there would be a service plant to maintain it that they would do. Dan is willing to come in and put on a presentation at the next town meeting. Legal and Engineers will review this.

Atlas showed up on Wednesday and did a permanent repair on the pipe that came apart on February 24, 2024 on 5^th Street that Culy had temporarily fixed for the town.

Lead and cooper inventory is completed. Chris is working on putting it in the portal.

Nikoloff is working with Rod from Commonwealth on replacing galvanized lead lines with the SRF fund money available.

Tuscany sewer system was backed up due to not being made a loop system.

CDL permits and physicals have been done by 2 employees now. Will get something figured out with Attorney McMullen.

There was a bad water leak in front of the water plant on Vine Street following the pipe down to the creek. Commonwealth and utility department worked with Theineman’s to fix this.

Sage drilling with fiber optics bored through or hit something and hit our 2-inch line that is going down to our wastewater treatment. The leak is following their bore line so we do not know where it is. Ben Ross from Sage Drilling was contacted to let them know they need to fix it.

PARKS:

None

REDEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE:

No meeting, 1 of 3 members were not available.

Attorney McMullen spoke that parks department at their last meeting requested for him to their attorney on record. It can be done through their own contract or the one that the town already has.  Mr. Graham can amend the contract for $150.00 per month. Once the draft is ready, it will be reviewed at the next meeting.

COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS AND CONCERNS:

Shuck is looking into getting a quote on streetlights. They would like to replace all of them. One quote is $72.39 each. There are 59 streetlights that need to be replaced. That is just to replace the light, not installation.

APPROVAL OF CLAIMS:

Motion to approve claims by Shuck, 2^nd by Washmuth. All in favor.

ADJOURN:

Motion by Blake, 2^nd by Shuck. All in favor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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