Scio council reviews park opening and late payment

Scio council briefly discussed the park and its opening, which is May 1 with the bathrooms being accessible to the public. Village Administrator Jason Tubaugh said the bathrooms do have power but they “just have to unlock the boxes.”

Councilmember Doug Whiteman asked if the power was kept on in the pavilion. Tubaugh said it was not.

Discussion turned to Christmas wreaths with council member Jeanne Edwards telling council members of the garden club inquired about the size for possibly purchasing new wreaths. There was a question of rejuvenating the power source, which was needed, according to Tubaugh.

Edwards said some prices ranged from $75 to $85 per wreath, which includes LED lighting. Whiteman said the Scio City Club, before closing, might have earmarked funds for new wreaths but they agreed it would need to be looked into.

Edwards wanted it known that, though she is working with the garden club to raise money to have the wreaths replaced, it’s not the official responsibility of Scio council to do so.

“It’s a start,” she said, “and I think the village needs to know that it’s on the drawing board and we’re concerned as everyone was.”

Also discussed was the final payment to Silverbridge Excavating for completed waterline work on Main Street, which was discussed at the April 8 meeting. Fiscal Officer Renea Riesen said after speaking with the engineering firm they’d been working with, Thrasher, Silverbridge had received an additional payment of $52,000, which was promised at the last meeting attended by Silverbridge representative, Brett Boothe.

It was acknowledged that Silverbridge had received the bulk of the payment, which came to $400,000 but there remained a final payment of just over $129,000. The final payment of approximately $77,000 was to be paid in the next few weeks but Riesen said via text the day after the meeting, that the EPA had just notified her and would be releasing that final payment in another week.

“I signed the papers today to get the remaining funds approved,” Riesien said at the meeting. “So, that’s all happening right now.”

It was told to Silverbridge that the EPA had been holding up the final payments because of the government shutdown, which backlogged many project-payments.

Whiteman also raised the issue of the Land Bank program initially brought up by the Harrison County Commissioners at a meeting last month. Whiteman said he thought it might be just a couple of weeks for the program to come to the county but after speaking with Commissioner Paul Prevot, it may take a few months for that.

“They’re going to bring somebody down to explain it to them all the steps and procedures on how to basically do a Land Bank program,” Whiteman said, referring to the commissioners. “And he will get back with me and we’ll set up a meeting for him to come down and explain it to all of us.”

Clean up day is scheduled for June 27 from 9 a.m. to noon. Electronics, such as televisions, radios and Bluetooth speakers are accepted. Zero lithium, lead and acid batteries will be accepted as well. Tires and paint cans will not be accepted.