Bridge light issues persist as Malvern council hears resident concerns

Malvern Village Council heard from East Main Street resident Michael Lambert at its March 16 meeting regarding property damage he said was caused by a village truck, then discussed ongoing problems with village lighting before hearing brief public comment from resident and business owner John Champer.

Lambert provided council with a written summary and photos, stating a village truck was involved in an incident on his property Feb. 25 while an employee was attempting to deliver a final notice to another address on West Main Street. Lambert said the truck turned around in his driveway, struck his retaining wall and mailboxes and caused damage to his front lawn.

Lambert told council he had already repaired what he could and appreciated being reimbursed for the cost of replacement materials for the mailboxes, but said a large crack had since formed in the retaining wall and remained his main concern.

“The main concern that I have is the large crack that has formed in the wall out front,” Lambert said.

Lambert said he planned to seek repair estimates from local contractors and return those quotes to council. He also said his concern was less about the immediate appearance of the damage than the possibility the wall could fail while someone was nearby.

Council members encouraged Lambert to gather estimates for the wall and bring them back for review. They also discussed possible insurance complications, with Village Administrator Derik Kaltenbaugh saying governmental immunity could affect how a claim would be handled.

The meeting also included another round of discussion on village lighting, particularly ongoing issues with decorative lights on the bridge and concerns from residents about communication.

Resident and property owner Nolan Champer said he had heard complaints from residents about the lights and recommended the village improve communication with the public about what was being done to address the issue. He suggested the village consider appointing someone to communicate updates or post information in a more visible way.

Officials agreed that more communication could help. Council members discussed using the village website and possibly a Facebook page with comments disabled to share updates on road closures, weather-related information and ongoing infrastructure issues.

Councilman Mike McCort said he remains in contact with Union Metal Industries regarding the bridge lights and is still trying to obtain pricing and recommendations on replacement options. Council members also discussed whether a different light style at the ends of the bridge might prove more durable than the current setup.

The main problem is vibration from the bridge causing the lights to shake enough to break or come loose. The village has tried metal collars, but the issue persists.

Council has discussed the issue at several meetings, with most members recommending lights mounted at each end of the bridge that extend over it. The goal is to illuminate the bridge without attaching lights directly to the structure where they are subject to vibration.

McCort reported at a previous meeting that a Union Metal Industries representative said improved poles could be installed that would not be affected by the bridge. However, the village has not yet received an estimate. McCort asked Kaltenbaugh to follow up due to scheduling conflicts.

McCort said the village has also been working through outages involving standard streetlights and that 28 poles had been identified and called in for service.

John Champer’s role at the meeting was more limited than in recent weeks, though he again urged council to keep moving forward on village improvements.

“It seems like we’re moving along on a few things, that’s good,” Champer said. “More action. We need to go, go, go.”

Champer said he walks the village regularly and believes there is still a significant amount of work to be done. He also asked to remain on the meeting agenda.

Elsewhere in the meeting, council heard updates on park work, grants and infrastructure.

Fiscal Officer Ashley Neading said Consumers National Bank had completed the village’s new sweep account setup and that the process was working smoothly. She also reported receiving a quote from Vasco of about $146,000 for walking track repairs, which will be used as part of an upcoming grant application.

Neading said the village is also gathering fence quotes and tree removal estimates related to work around the track. She said a grant deadline is July 1 and the village is roughly halfway through preparing the application.

Council also approved a $300 donation to the American Legion for flags. Mayor Bob DeLong said the Legion places flags on about 1,000 graves in five cemeteries and also provides flags for the park and throughout the village. The Legion had requested $250, but council increased the donation by $50.

In other business, council:

—HEARD council voted to seek additional mowing quotes beyond the park itself after discussion about whether more village mowing work should be contracted out.

—HEARD Kaltenbaugh report pothole patching continues, hydrant flushing will begin next week and street signs and stop signs are on order. He said this time of year makes it difficult for cold patch to hold in potholes.

—HEARD discussion about creating an unfinished business section on future agendas for issues that need to carry over to the next meeting. McCort brought up the idea, and council agreed it was a good one.

—PAID village bills from the appropriate funds for $11,408.02 approved by the Finance Committee March 16 and biweekly payroll of $6,178 paid March 12 and monthly payroll of $12,540 paid March 31.