Village Council - Regular Meeting

49 went through. It would have been We seen that. So we called the realtor and said

Steph was walking around city wide open but I'm probably the one upstairs in that house. Nobody lives in there. I go, you know that either you wear cold or you don't. I have no idea what you're taking. You notice that window warm weather. She knows. So she texted me.

They said in some we're going to get started. Thank you for being here this evening. Uh April 6th. Uh we'll start with prayer and pledge of please bow your head if you so desire. Christ's heavenly father, we come to you today and we give you thanks for this community, for its residents, for its staff, and for everybody who uh calls Hicksville their home. We ask you to guide this council, its staff, and and the residents upon decisions that we make here this day, this time of year. We thank you for your son, Jesus, upon his uh death and resurrection that we celebrate his forgiveness of our sins. We thank you for all that you do. We ask you to be with those who have maybe lost loved ones at this time or just are sick and need uh need healing. uh prayers for them to feel better and to be better through each and every day. Please guide us and direct us in Jesus name we pray. Amen.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Roll call. Egley here. Basset here. Sedike here. Valena here. Miller here. Okay. Um I know we have a guest here tonight, Joy O'Donnell, and she is a candidate for defiance probate and juvenile court. Joy, you want to introduce yourself?

Good evening. Thank you, Mayor Bars and council members for your time uh this evening to speak to you. My name is Joy O'Donnell. I am a candidate for the uh Republican primary for the Defiance County Probate and Juvenile Courts Court Judge, which the primary is on May 5th of 2026. Early voting begins tomorrow already. Uh a little bit about myself. I am a native of Defiance, Ohio. I graduated from Defiance High School, went to Hillsdale College for college. Uh obtained a bachelor's degree in history where I uh took classes in the constitution which gave me a great love for our country and for our constitution, our founding documents and the role of government, separation of powers between our three branches of government. And that basis then led me to law school. Um, I attended Ohio Northern University in Ada for law school and I appreciate a small town. Um, my husband and I met in Hillsdale. He's an attorney as well. We got married both right after we both graduated from law school in 2010 shortly thereafter. We moved to Columbus where we lived for three years and I worked as a staff attorney for the Ohio Court of Claims. uh anytime a person wants to sue the state of Ohio for money damages against a state agency such as ODOT, uh a state university, um any state agency. All of those claims are heard in the court of claims which is based in Columbus. I worked there for three years as a staff attorney closely with judges, writing decisions, managing case dockets, uh ensuring timely issuance of decisions in the court. When Sean and I were ready to start a family, we decided we wanted to be closer to my parents who still live in Defiance and we moved back to Defiance in 2013. Since

2013, I have worked as an assistant prosecuting attorney for Morris Murray in Defiance County, primarily in the juvenile court. Um, hopefully most of you have not had much experience in the juvenile or probate court. I know a Avery has. Um, Yes, as an attorney. Um, but some things that a juvenile and probate court might hear on a week. It's a wide range of issues and types of cases. You could hear everything from um a teenager being accused of sexually assaulting a younger sibling. You could hear um a case involving an elementary school age child who has missed more than 72 hours unexcused from school. You could be dealing with a family where children need to be removed from a home due to allegations of abuse by a parent. Uh you might hear a case with involving an elderly person who is no longer um of sound mind and able to make decisions for themselves. They might not have any family members and the state may need to intervene to ensure that child or that adult's safety and care. These are a wide range of examples that the court may deal with. And over the past 12 and a half years as an assistant prosecutor, those are the types of cases that I've handled. Very sensitive cases. Um, each one is is very different and presents a different set of facts. But through my experience, I've uh seen what a court must do and how it can fairly apply the law to all those who appear before it. As I've stated, uh my husband and I moved back to Defiance in 2013. Uh we now have four young children. Our oldest is 11 and our youngest will be three next month. Uh we live in we reside in the city of Defiance. We spent um the majority of our spring break actually in Hicksville

and in the surrounding townships going door todo and meeting people. Um, my kids very much appreciated lunch breaks at your park um to be on the playground and get out and about. And fortunately, it was uh before the tornado hit, so we were able to enjoy some some good weather in Hicksville for that. Um, again, over the past 13 years as an assistant prosecutor, I have been serving my community in the in the county and I'm ready to move now from an advocacy role as an assistant prosecutor to a decision-making role if to be if I were honored to be elected as judge. So, I'd again appreciate your support. Uh, again, the Republican primary is on May 5th of 2026. I appreciate your support at that time. Thank you.

Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you. All right. Um, we had Jen Kemple and Steph Mour, uh, Hicksville Community Service Center. Um, Steph had texted maybe about a half an hour ago and said they could not make it tonight, so they would like to reschedule their, um, presentation for April 20th. So, that was fine. So, with that, we will move on to regular council meeting minutes. Make amend to approve or make a motion to approve as written. Second. Roll call. Eggley. Abstain. Miller. Yes. Yeah. Basset. Yes.

Zed. Yes. You have bills listed in your packet. Any questions? Roll. Sed. Yes. Basset. Yes. Helena. Yes. Miller. Yes. Eggley. Yes.

We had boards and commission 6TV met. Their meeting minutes are in your packets. Ed. here if you have any questions for that. There was no committee. I don't think that here since the last administrator's report. Uh just a couple things. Um last week uh submitted a amendment for our long-term control plan to the Ohio EPA. Uh currently our phase three was a high rate treatment system that we really need to try to avoid. So there's some projects that proposed myself and choice one have proposed um a couple of them that we had just submitted grant applications for to see if they will accept uh these projects. Um some stuff was um changing around the vault and the uh gate head of the wastewater plant. Another one is the separation of Hicks, Wendle, and South Maple. Um, additional reporting to the EPA. So, I'm hoping within the next 60 days we get a yay or a nay from them. Hoping for a yay. Um, income surveys should be mailed out soon to the um south part of of the village. um those will be from Mommy Valley and those are sent out um in order for us to have a better chance to get the grant funding for Mommy Valley for two of these larger projects. Um back on February 26th out on East High Street in the VIC, there was a car accident overnight and you guys have seen that the curbing's all busted up and the railing's all gone. between the curbing and the railing. Um the damages were $10,580

to replace the curbing and all that handrailing. Um got the report from the state patrol, sent it off to our insurance company to let them handle it. the insurance for the automobile that was in the wreck there. That insurance company is denying the claim because the driver of the individual was not on the insurance policy. So, it went back to our insurance and our insurance is denying the claim as well because curbing curbing and handrail and guardrails in the village and the very fine print of our policy is not covered due to automobile accidents. So that's some additional coverage that we will be adding to our policy. So I just wanted you guys to know when that gets fixed, we'll see some some bills come across for that. We have uh he submitted that stuff. So I have submitted those to because the gentleman was arrested for a felony OBI. So he was uh so we had submitted that for restitution as the court process

was not leaving the eagles. I was wondering about the restitution or not but hoping back. We're we're hoping we get something but um other than that it's all I got. I think your guys are I know you guys had a lot of a lot of rain, a lot of high water and yeah, I've seen some some guys out there in some really bad weather and trying to open up some an holes or get stuff off of them and they're up their knees in water. Yeah, they've been busy with Cameron lines and areas that were separated that are getting a lot of infiltration still. So, we're making lists and making maps and subtle stations, too. Um, especially the new one.

The new one was fine. Yeah, the new one was fine. Ojan Street was getting higher than what we were wanting it to get. Seen the red light on the one on the newer one a couple times by flashing on Defiance Avenue. Yeah. I don't know if you guys had any issues with the new system or not. No, that all that was is just readjusting the float level on it. Any other questions for Corey? No. Can I reiterate though the surveys that go out to the community, if you can fill those out and return them, uh it is vital uh to help us with grant applications. Oh.

Um not to cut you off, but one one more thing there. We put a um uh $10 off of your water bill if you submit your income survey back to the village. It's a little incentive. Thanks, Corey. Uh, up to Avery.

Um, first one's the final 2026 by two to amend chapter 515- I believe this was the one that's been tabled tabled table and tabled. any direction on this within council? I mean,

I'll make a motion not to approve. I would like to say something about this. We've talked about this what, a year, year and a half. Um, I think we need something in place, but I've always found I've talked to a couple of you on this. The distance is one of my concerns. I said if it ever came to me for a tie vote, then I wasn't going to vote for this one in particular. But I do want to if we're going to allow people to have the chickens, ducks, and rabbits, I would like to make it more obtainable for them to have those types of animals on their property. Um, with some discussion with people in the community and stuff. I think it's a distance issue. I know there's still going to be some variance that may be needed to keep some of them, but I think a lot of them fit in a a lower distance and being more of a parameter. I like everything else about the I think 50 ft would be more obtainable without sending everybody having these to the variance committee to try to have variances. That's just my two cents. We've talked about this a lot. I've not really said much about it, but um me personally don't mind them having if they're maintained or taken care of. Um that's just my two cents, but

I do have those numbers for you if you would like the difference between the allowable number of houses per in the village versus the 100 foot versus 50 foot. I didn't want all those numbers. Well, I I I think we Yeah, I think most everybody knows the kind of ideas that's going on. It's just that the situation where um allowing to have, you know, these on the premises are not, you know, kind of has some direction on that, but there is a motion not to go with this ordinance, right? motion I made.

I think we need to do something because the way that it stands anything I would like to see people in this village have jiggins, you know, I agree that I think 100 is too much. I even question 50 is too much. Um I also would like to see that one rooster be allowed. Um we have a little more noise issue with dogs than we do as rangers. So, if it's simply noise that's keeping it out of here, I think that that's not a fair argument. Um, and adding more be that. So, I would not vote in favor of the way it's written right now.

With uh with those comments, um I know the ordinance committee worked on this a couple times and have recommended two different things. Um, so I think it needs to be a councilwide discussion to put this together and because the community doesn't want to do it again and just have it shut down again. Nothing against your opinions. No,

it's just I think we need to come to agreement as a group. I think there's too much gray area in it, especially when it comes to if you can't fit in these requirements, then you can get a variance by your zoning board and sometimes you get favoritism like, well, you didn't let them and you let them or vice versa and too much too much gray.

Well, the problem is we've spent a lot of time on this already and it's been shot down twice now. So, if it doesn't get approved, I mean, it's going to stay as it is for a while. So it's just it's frustrating because we start to make progress and then don't but and it's primarily been based off of other municipalities. So we can't cater one ordinance to the 3% I understand where the 3% are coming from but also as a village I know my original writing of it was based off of other municipalities. So, we could just not allow any. But I know I'm just a little frustrated with this one and it keeps coming back and back because then I don't have time to do other ones. If you would vote to strict them completely, what would be the allowance for people who already have operational coups going? Or like for me, I grandfathered into a coupe and I've been begging for the permit since I moved into the house. And all they can do is while we're waiting, while you're waiting, while we're waiting. So my grandfather did this. Am I going to get fined for being against the ordinance for since I've moved in when I've been doing nothing but chasing this? I think too many people in the village of Pixville have chickens already to nix it completely. But I think we can do better. And I know our meeting the mayor and I had we both agreed that I think a lot of the chicken owners would chill their feathers for lack of a better term especially if we just worked together. I I I completely agree with what Tony says like there's things that are if we're going to say this, that or the other, what what are we going to start? What about like local places that have that sell honey? What about little places that do chickens for 4 or rabbits for 4? Are we going to say in the city of Hicksville, we're not going to let kids

do 4 with those animals? I think you've got a really great point. I I would love to see it get better. I know a lot of people would. I know it's a big thing that everyone's watching, too. I mean, to answer somewhat your question, if it doesn't get approved as is or whatever happens, I mean, as it stands, you're in would be in violation of the ordinance. And I mean, it goes all the way back even criminal law, ignorance of the law is not a defense, unfortunately. So, you would be in violation. That's just But even though we were told to wait, correct? Yeah. by here. The current ordinance the current ordinance does

the current ordinance doesn't effect but I if you're not within 100 if you're within 100 ft you're in violation period I was going to say if you're past 100 foot you can still have a chicken or but there's none of those none no lot in the center no single core lots or double core cotss within the city limits are within that not one every single one of them is without inside city limits if you overlay the map of allowable versus unallowable. It's not street that is more than 100. Is that one they said? They said that they didn't have any that they weren't sure with the fencing.

I know it is because we've only signed them for allowing the chickens to run. Um is 100 at least 100 or more. They said they weren't sure from the back when I All hospital they measure too. Might be a couple. I know we don't even have it. We're next to the greenery. So on our other side business, but we still don't have 100 foot wide.

Like I said, Avery's, you know, spoke up. I spoke up. Um this is something I think needs to be put to rest finally. um with the like I said most everybody that with the with the way it reads now everybody's going to ask for a var that's what it's going to be you're going to ask for one anyway that's right so are we going to go back to enforcing what's on the books now well if there's not one approved zoning's going to have to

I don't know that um that's the direction I would like to see but I understand how it works right I would like for us to maybe we need to take the time right now to figure this out. I don't know because I don't want people to have to get rid of the chickens and then a couple weeks from now we come up with a game plan and then they're allowed, right? That's not fair to them, right? What's your So if we approve this what's written, then the ones that are grandfathered in are Well, there's no such thing as grandfathered in. That's not a thing. Okay. Won't be case by case basis. So

I mean ultimately either way anyone that's within 100 ft of someone else's home regardless of whether they've been there shouldn't have been there because this has been on. If we if we change this as it's written now we have to do three more readings. Correct. That's still faster than I guess.

I mean I'm fine hashing it out now. I mean, we know we got to go through three more readings again, but like like you guys said, we need to get it done. Why can't he make um improvements and come back and have a final reading in two weeks? We've done that before when we've had second readings. We've made improvements and come back and then a final reading based on those improvements. Is that never allowed? Right. This one's had seven final ratings. No, but what I'm saying is is it's not like clearly people are not going to say yes on what it says. So, can we as a group decide on something tonight, make those changes, come back on the 20th, and it be the final reading? You want to be able to vote on it tonight, right?

But why would we need to go through three more is what I'm asking. Say, normally your first reading, you're just supposed to read it. Second reading, you're supposed to make comments and you're supposed to have the changes done by the third reading, right? And then you vote on it, right? But you can during that second reading make change between the second and third right see why you can't the final what the difference is but

so if we change this to just 50 ft we would all agree I don't like the per I mean just mind the gray area of if you can't meet those setback requirements then you you can appeal to the zoning board and then they make I don't I don't know. I don't like that gray area in that. That puts a lot of pressure on our zoning inspector for sure. It does, but it gives somebody an opportunity to have chickens that otherwise isn't going to be able to. That's that's the reason we put that in there. No. And I think that makes perfect sense because I mean the zoning board of appeals is there for a reason. It's their job. I mean, to hear appeals,

and it is a it's a board and it's none of us who sit on that board either, right? So, how much does a board of zoning appeals fee? Is that like 250 bucks? Uh, just so people are aware, they're going to have to pay a fee to go before the board. If they really want chickens, I guess I was going to say, I was going to They want their chickens. They'll pay. So, they know it's not and I'd be here tomorrow. Um, Kent also brought up a Oh, well, it's it's Well, you had brought up a comment earlier about Yeah. Um, ducks and geese ought to be located in the designated area. It's not raining. That's not life and death or I don't think you just say chickens and rabbits.

Well, we received a complaint about ducks, but we haven't looked into it yet. Three roaming ducks. Ducks. Roman ducks are called freerange ducks. figure out keep them. They ought to be in. So I mean, yeah, that could cause an accident. Yeah, I guess we missed the word. Hey, the ones we have in the retention pond at the school are not school owned. Okay, they are random. The ones that fly in the courtyard and have their eggs. Yeah. Yeah, those are not ours. They're not in a coupe either. 's outside the jurisdiction, so we're good.

What are people's thoughts on the rooster?

As long as they got that choker on or whatever it is, rolling. Yeah, thank you. I mean, I What what would be the downfall of a rooster other than waking me up at 5:'lock in the morning? I mean, I had a rooster behind my house for a while. Didn't affect us. I didn't hear the neighbor's dog over the rooster. The loud cars under the vioaduct.

So, we can make those few changes and come back. So, what are your thoughts? On one vote. On one vote. Yeah, I'd like us to make a decision. I mean, uh, make some changes if we can or keep it the way it is or have to make a motion to Do you want to make the changes? Yeah, you can make a motion. I would like to make a motion to to uh make those couple changes and come back in two weeks and have a final reading. specified

uh 50 ft distance and uh keeping the ducks and geese in a coupe and uh allow rooster a allow a rooster. Yeah. So section one can be changed from chicken and rabbits to animals or allowed animals must be located within a designated animal group. Those three Mike made a motion. A

second roll call. Eckley. Yes. We're voting on his, not Eric. Okay, I'll vote yes as long as we can get it done in two weeks. Elena. Yes. Pass it. Yes. Two weeks. Twice. Yes. Okay. I get two votes. No. You get me, Cheryl. Yes. Okay. Thank you.

Okay. First reading of ordinance 2026-04 by caption only to amend appropriations and declaring an emergency. Make a motion to suspend the rules. Second. Roll call. Yes. Miller. Yes. Elena, yes. Z, yes. Yes. Uh, second final reading of ordinance 20264 to amend appropriations. So move second. Roll call. Yes. Site. Yes. Yes. Miller.

Yes. Yes. First reading of ordinance 20265 by catch only authorizing fiscal officer to transfer funds and declaring an emergency. Make motions second roll call. Egley, yes. Asset, yes. Miller, yes. Yes. Sid, yes. Second final reading of ordinance 20265 authorizing fiscal officer to transfer funds. Second egg. Yes.

Miller. Yes. Yes. Yes. Basset. Yes. Second reading of resolution 202610 by caption only authorizing the sale of unneeded obsolete or unedited village property in including by internet auction for the calendar year 2026.

Make a motion to approve second reading. Oh, and we have first reading of resolution 2026-13 authorizing an easement to a electric for the installation of electric distribution facilities and declaring an emergency. Roll call. Yes. Site. Yes. Yes. Yes. Second and final reading of resolution 2026-13 authorizing easement to a electric for the installation of electric distribution facilities.

So move second. Roll call. Miller. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. First reading of resolution 2614 authorizing the mayor to execute a second amendment to lease agreement between ability pixel and Johnson memorial library friends in declaring an emergency.

Well, it never existed as an entity. Yeah, it's just a legal cleanup. I guess it's been that since 2016 or something and we just now I wonder if it makes sense. So it doesn't change the lease or anything. Yeah, it's literally just just chang

second roll call. Miller. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Second final reading of resolution 202614 authorizing the mayor to execute a second amendment to lease agreement between the village of Pixville and Johnson Memorial Library. Friends second. Yes. Zite. Yes. Elena. Yes. Yes. Miller. Yes.

All right. About through that. Thank you. Avery. Uh department heads. Oh, he's left. He's gone. Uh, Bruce

uh over the past week or couple weeks, you guys have probably been like, "Why is Bruce sending me so many emails?" Uh, one of the emails that I sent to you was, uh, Cheryl and I had actually been working on the bylaws for next door. So, I'd like to get them approved tonight. Next week, next meeting. Oh, next meeting. We have to have legislation. Oh, to do a resolution, but they looked good on other There was only one thing that we had to add and that was these will supersede any prior ones. So,

no, I didn't see an issue with them though. So, I just need to do a resolution to adopt.

Okay, good. Um, other than that, uh, at the I I don't know if Mark will speak about it. The PNR did come out and take a look at our tornado sirens. They are putting together something for us. Uh there was also some other items popped up on some radios with the MAR system. Uh we actually got contacted or Cheryl got contacted about six of our radios next door. So, we had to get them out of our system and they have been taken off of our bill. Um, other than that, uh, June or June, uh, April 21st at, uh, 5:00, our medical director will be here. So, if you have any questions or concerns, other than that, that's all I have.

Yeah, we talked just a little before. You want me to bring up that one subject or not as far as the power you get? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I'll bring it up, but I don't want to put you on the spot. No, I I mean, that's I got big shoulders. Well, and I'm not doing it right. No bounce you, but on the last page in the bylaws, it's got he got over so many hours per month or whatever he has the power to get rid of. And he was asking because he's thought to bring the council by law the authority to do what he needs to do because right the reason I'm bringing the bill.

All right. So, the reason why that is in there is I think um uh Kent asked me a very valid question earlier and that was why do you have so many shifts that are open and a lot of them uh are on the weekend or the weekend shifts and um I will say that uh I will say that because they're on the weekends we do have a lot of people that just don't want to don't want to pick up. With that being said, I've got a handful that uh I have one gentleman in particular that was hasn't been on a schedule since August. Um but and when I put him on a schedule in March, um he was all set all set to work and then two days before his shift, he called off. So, um, at this point, at this point, my my feeling is that we just, you know, need to move on from a handful of people. And, uh, none. And to Tony's to Tony's question, have we paid for any of these? No, we have not. So, so we're we're fine there.

Like, I know a lot of names been brought to us to approve. Yeah. No, I 16 open shifts in the month of April alone. Oh, yeah. Always ask they already know it's going to be weekends. They know it's going to be nights. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. I Well, and you know, um I And I'll just I'm not trying to put somebody on on the spot, but like Derek, he picks up a lot of my weekends, but this is his month where he's it's his weekends to work.

Okay. And um and that's that's just the way it is that I've got some people that have started new jobs that are kind of on the old rotation that Tony and I or I used to do, you know, where I work every other weekend. So working another weekend isn't in their wheelhouse even if it is only for 12 hours. So, um, yeah, I I'm we're doing what we can and like I like I said, I've got eight eight people, 8 to 12 people that are next door that are that are finishing their their uh the class, the skills this week. And then they take their national registry and they'll be they're they're chomping at the bit to to go. But they got to be trained first, you know. So,

I guess did that really answer your question, right? Once these are approved, does he have authority to do what this says or does he have to come to us? No, I'm hoping he can just do it. He should be able to do it. Department heads have the authority to do that. So, they don't have to ask for our blessing or they can run it by personnel if they have issues within their personnel guidelines. But well, I I I the reason why I bring that up is I don't want to I don't want to open us up for any, you know, legal issues. So, you know, that's why I asked. I mean,

I mean, I think the point would be of a department is if there would be an issue, then it goes to personnel and then it comes before council if there were to be an issue. But, I mean, you're a department head for a reason. So, I would think most of that power would reside with them. That's my two cents. Okay, that's it. Thanks. Yep. Good. Chief, you got anything or you

uh the only thing I got is our new vehicle is uh at statewide Ford. Uh it's it'll be probably 90 days. They got order the equipment to equip the equipment to go inside of it. And then they'll transfer uh the equipment out of the one that we're getting rid of. And then once that's in service, we will be selling uh the old one. Uh the other Dodge and one that was just forfeited to us uh but it's wrecked. Yeah. In the back locker. So we'll sell those when we go deals. Okay. Very good. Thank you, Derek.

Oh, I just got I think Eric's gonna bring it up. So, other than that, Chief, you got something up? No. Oh, okay.

I really don't have anything from the fire side. I just mainly got up here because I think some people do watch Hicks TV. I do I just want to get up here and thank everyone Corey and his crew, John McCulla and his crew. Um ODOT for the weather misery that we had last Tuesday. Uh the fire department um everybody the whole the whole county was in world. Um, we had a lot of properties that were damaged out on Jericho and Case Bear. Even some of the local citizens we've seen pulled up and try to do traffic duty and help out. So, I more or less just want to thank um everyone for the team effort with all the misery going on around Hitchfield um coming together, putting up high water signs and being trafficked. um the local police. Um also, um I guess that's just what makes um the fire department and public safety special for these type of events where everybody just pulls together like a team. Um F County way up in the city, they had their own mess, but just listen to the radio traffic. everyone came out outside to play despite the weather conditions and that sort of thing. So, I'm appreciative of that and I just wanna I just want to get up here and say thanks for everybody's teamwork. Uh, other than that, from the fire end of things, I don't have anything report unless y'all have questions.

This only came from citizens that called me and I agree with them. We don't get the tornado warnings till it's already passed. So, the defiance really care about this end of the county, but don't they offer to aren't they comes out of the northwest Ohio in Ohio? Whatever the weather service is, it seems like it's always it's been it's always been late for a number of years. We did we did receive a leak. Um, as far as whatever phone service you have, it sent down a big old thing. Then not even minutes later, they said that they see a signing of one and then it was just all downhill from there um

with everything. But I don't disagree with us needing more of a I guess no early preparedness. Bring it up. So it usually goes it's either coming from EMA or it's coming from teletypes from the weather service to communications. uh you know and sometimes it depends on how they're sending it out. that thing. Uh you I know I've called communications before and told them because I'll get an alert from Wayne TV or one of the local Fort Wayne stations and say this is what we got and they'll tell me we haven't got any yet, you know, and

like is it a day and age that have you would think so for this end of the county, but whatever. But but it's I think it's been that issue for many many years. Oh yeah, it is I can remember. So, and I don't know what the solution is to fix it, but you know, I know how things come in down there. Uh, and you know, I think it's just a matter of when whoever's sending those messages out timely man. I think we get more information from the TV networks, right? Maybe we should reiterate on the west because we're

right. We are so close to Fort Indiana and Fort Wayne. I mean, I would encourage people to maybe pull up those weather channels in Fort Wayne 15, 21, and 33 and watch the weathers is approaching from that direction. Usually does. Well, yeah, but then they also depend on the tornado sirens.

Well, they don't do any good. Well, the siren went off, but I was that was before the tornado sign thing went out, but the I guess the weather storm siren, Lauren, but then the tornado warning came across way late after that. But, you know, I've had uh residents and citizens thanking us for coming out. We do a what we do what's called weather uh spotting. So when there's bad weather, our fire department comes together and we post crews at different parts of the village um to look for damage or any assistance that residents need, you know, that sort of thing. So we were doing just that with everything that was just kind of unfolding. But then again, I think like I said, some of our firemen went out on Kspear and actually got on the roof and put somebody's uh tarp on somebody's roof, drilled it in so they won't continue to get the rain in inside their home. So, I'm grateful for everybody that came together. So, uh, Hixel Fire Department is probably because they quit doing the notifications to all fire departments for weather watch and basically they decided was an individual uh, fire department how they wanted to do it. Uh, so we've been we work with them. So if we know there's bad weather coming in or it starts, you know, uh, we will tell them, hey, fire weather watch. So, like I said, we don't control our our sirens here.

No. And I don't know if we can. We cannot. They disagree.

I know it's not you guys' fault. It's an ongoing problem. Somewhere, right? And it's done. Yeah. So, all right. Thanks, gentlemen. Um, got fiscal officers report.

Besides the normal fund status report, you pay attention to the income tax. This is first full 30 days of April and she is just on fire. Look what she collected. That's one and a half times what I asked her to collect. And the utility collections are the same. I think April's doing a really good job down there and and she's training Gina down there. So those two girls and you know Aby's part of it too with that whole three of them sitting down there. A lot of people are coming in and we appreciate you turning your taxes in and reporting everything that needs to be. So, thank you and thank them. Question for Cheryl.

Tell them don't wait till the last minute. Don't wait till last minute to bring them in. Yeah, bring them online.

Absolutely. So, my turn. I can't find my pass. I just want to re remind people the festival committee still working. We got the festival coming up June 5th, 6th and 7th. Uh the committee is working on a lot of different events. Um if anybody would help like to sponsor anything or if they help want to help uh organize an event for the festival, uh please contact myself and or um Chris Feer at the Huber and then uh we can work with you and the committee gets together. We're starting to meet regularly here about once every month here, once every week coming on. So, I want to thank them for doing that, making this year's festival uh a nice opportunity for people to enjoy the community. Um I hope everyone had a blessed Easter uh this last weekend and enjoyed their family and time uh with that. So, um American Tower update, a little bit of uh communication through emails. It was getting closer. Uh I know I I think it's getting closer. I say that a lot a lot for the last but almost two and a half years I've been here and prior to that but um I reached out to Michael Wall with the Keller Keller and I want to make sure with their build and everything they they're not trapped later or you know maybe have some issues with with growth or anything. So, I've asked Michael to kind of intercede and and get with them to make final changes, but as far as I could tell was getting close to signing off on um in that regards. And then um you know, with the new housing opportunities we have in town, I think Cory's and Brian and Cheryl have been looking at opportunities to what's best for the village with these opportunities coming in. You know, we have to have uh build agreements and planning agreements and different things like that. So,

working with Donnie Warner. He's our real estate kind of attorney. And um some of them I know April's working with one of the groups, April's firm. I'm sorry, not April. Avery's firm. So um each group has their own attorneys working on their own part of the project. So I want to thank him for that. So I think that's all I have. Like to go into executive session for personnel. Sure. Motion for exe. Second. Okay. Roll call. Basset. Yes. Eggley. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Thank you everybody. Have a wonderful week.