CALL TO ORDER: A regular village board meeting by President Crubaugh at 6pm.
PRESENT: Brian Swan, Rich Stuczynski, Pat Strelitzer, Bob Rausch, Rebecca Roberts, Dave Crubaugh, & Chris Hodges, Travis Stuczynski, Jodi Patoka.
ALSO PRESENT: Stephanie Wojtowicz
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE MINUTES OF APRIL 8, 2025: Approved as presented.
PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD: N/A
PAYMENT OF BILLS: M/S Stuczynski/Swan approve payment of the bills including the add’l list. Roll call vote. Ayes all. M/C.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SERVICE FOR STEPHANIE WOJTOWICZ: Crubaugh presented Wojtowicz with a plaque thanking her for her service as a village trustee for the past two years. Exit Wojtowicz at 6:02pm.
OFFICIAL OATH OF OFFICE – DAVE CRUBAUGH, RICH STUCZYNSKI, REBECCA ROBERTS & BRIAN SWAN: Patoka administered the Oath of Office to Crubaugh, Stuczynski, Roberts & Swan.
SEASONAL PERMIT FOR TEMPORARY BEER LICENSE – THOMAS P. ORSUND MEMORIAL FOUNDATION, FREDDIE’S HOME PLATE IN NELSON PARK, JUNE 1 – AUGUST 31, 2025: M/S Rausch/Hodges approve the seasonal permit for a temporary beer license for the TOMF as presented.
RESOLUTION FOR HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN: The village board approved the village’s hazard mitigation plan in late 2024 but it was recommended by Bob Weinert, Portage County Emergency Management, that the board approve a resolution adopting the hazard mitigation plan. M/S Hodges/Roberts approve the resolution as presented. Ayes all. M/C.
STREET USE PERMIT – MEMORIAL DAY PARADE, MONDAY, MAY 26, 2025: M/S Hodges/Roberts approve the street use permit for the Memorial Day Parade as presented. Ayes all. M/C.
STREET USE PERMIT – TOMORROW RIVER TRAIL HALF-MARATHON, SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 2025: M/S Roberts/Rausch approve the street use permit as presented. Ayes all. M/C.
STREET USE PERMIT – CAP SERVICES, INC. ANNUAL BICYCLE RIDE FUNDRAISER SATURDAY, MAY 10, 2025, 9AM-1PM, STARTING AND ENDING AT CENTRAL WATERS BREWING CO. – 3 DIFFERENT ROUTES: M/S Hodges/Stuczynski approve the street use permit as presented. Ayes all. M/C.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR USE OF EXCESS FUNDS BUDGETED FOR WASHINGTON STREET REPAVING PROJECT: A big consideration would be to create a sidewalk down Washington St., but no plan has been developed yet. At the last Public Works committee meeting, there was discussion about making the road wider with a bike lane but have not received a quote for this yet. This is postponed as of now.
POSSIBLE USE OF BRUSH PILE BY TOWN OF AMHERST RESIDENTS: Committee met with Don Spierings, Town of Amherst Chairman. The town is shutting down their brush pile and are looking for a place for their town residents to take their brush, yard clippings, etc. The town is willing to pay the village $3,000 a year for use of the brush pile. The committee needs to come up with a formal agreement. Will also reach out to the Village of Nelsonville and the Village of Amherst Jct. because they each had a contract with the town to use their brush pile. The Village of Nelsonville was paying $400/year, and the Village of Amherst Jct. was paying $600/year. Part of the $3,000 will be used to buy larger signs at the brush pile. M/S Swan/Roberts to accept the Town of Amherst offer to pay the Village of Amherst $3,000/year for the use of the village’s brush pile. Ayes all. M/C.
ROARK WAY DRAINAGE: R. Stuczynski, Crubaugh and T. Stuczynski met with Justin Blenker on 4/21/2025 at the site to discuss the drainage issues in the subdivision. This was discussed originally in 2021, the Blenker’s agreed to fix the issue at that time, but it was thought that each lot needed an individual easement. After doing some recent research, it was discovered that the lots in Roark Way are part of a subdivision plat which includes an easement on each of the affected lots. At the meeting on 4/21/25, Blenker’s agreed to do the machine work and the village staff will help. Next step is to meet with Blenker’s and do a site visit to come up with a plan, after the plan is formulated, the plan needs to be presented to each adjacent property owner to make sure they are agreeable to the plan. It was noted, for future subdivisions that an easement should be recorded on each individual lot so property owners can’t build within it to avoid this issue in the future. This would be an extra layer or protection.
APPROVAL OF COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS: M/S Roberts/Hodges approve the committee appointments as presented by President Crubaugh. Ayes all. M/C.
Attorney Villnow has resigned as the village’s attorney. Have started the process of looking for a new attorney.
BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR THE 2024 GENERAL ACCOUNT BUDGET: There are no other budget amendments at this time so this item is postponed.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Plan Commission:
- n/a
Utility:
- Storage capacity study
- Utility operations: Well #1 & #2 Upgrades – rec’d a change order for the well project of $129,000. We will meeting with Angel from AECOM via Zoom on Monday, May 5th to discuss the change order.
- Have approximately 10-15 meters left to change out in Quadrant #2
Safety:
Finance:
- Future Treasurer’s Reports
Personnel:
Administrative:
- Amplified sound/music ordinance
- Update Library personnel job descriptions
- Open Book – Thursday, May 22, 2025, 12noon-2pm
- Board of Review – Thursday, May 29, 2025, 2-4pm – Hodges volunteered to take the necessary training for the Annual Board of Review
Public Works:
- Freddie’s Home Plate update – Foul poles are installed. Locations are now set for the bases. The field is still too soft to play on.
- Greenwood Cemetery acquisition – waiting until the Village hires a new attorney to draft a transfer agreement
- Roark Way drainage
Tree Board:
- Arbor Day Celebration, Amherst School Cafeteria: Friday, April 25, 2025 @ 1:15 pm. Weather permitting, students along with village members will be planting trees on Oakview Ct.
Library:
- Susan Wilson was hired as new library assistant. Kristi Ruggles is resigning as Library Director to go back to teaching this Fall.
Fire District:
M/S Stuczynski/Swan to adjourn at 6:38pm. Ayes all. M/C.
Respectfully submitted,
Jodi Patoka
Clerk/Treasurer
Crubaugh reopened the village board meeting at 6:39pm. M/S Swan/Roberts approve the payment of $230 for the purchase of a backpack vacuum from Facebook Marketplace for Freddie’s Home Plate. Ayes all. M/C. Meeting adjourned at 6:40 pm.