Strasburg Council agreed to install additional safety devices on Wooster Avenue and Fourth Street at the crosswalk during its Jan. 7 meeting. TAPCO will install a 20-foot aluminum pole, 15-foot aluminum signal arm and numerous brackets at a cost of $10,182.
Village Administrator Mike Rosenberry said this does not include shipping and handling, additional signage or insulation. Council has been working to make the crosswalk safer so vehicles on U.S. 250 and Ohio 21 stop if someone is crossing the road.
Mayor Bruce Metzger said Delaware, Ohio has similar signs overhead of a crosswalk and can be seen for three blocks.
Council also did the following:
—Agreed to send a wastewater treatment plant employee to attend training with an EDG engineer and clients from other plant projects being considered for improvements. The two-day seminar on headworks design, process and equipment technology will be held in Florida. All expenses will be paid by the village.
—Learned Mark Malcuit of Red Malcuit Incorporated will install additional laterals at Seventh Street Northwest for the connection to Dale Avenue, weather permitting.
—Approved Porter Network Cabling to install 24 network drops at a cost of $4,454, Pioneer 360 Network Switch Smart UPS, WiFi access point at a cost of $16,825, both a onetime payment, and Pioneer 360 monthly reoccurring charge at $865.
—Learned the police, fire department and village are all using GLO/Horizon Fiber for business.
—Heard Omni Fiber has requested a right-of-way permit to extend fiber through the village extending to every resident and business. Some residents are concerned about properties being damaged.
—Elected Marty Zehnder, council president pro tempore. Jeff Smith, Kathy Burrier and Dustin Briggs voted no for Zehnder. Liz Dreher, Wes Hostetler and Zehnder voted yes. Mayor Bruce Metzger voted yes to break the tie.
—Learned bulk water distribution collected $9,153 for 627,015 gallons of water purchased, and $125 in late fees were collected.
—Learned Capt. Maria Boswell submitted her resignation, effective Jan. 1, and Audrey Hendershot, probationary firefighter and EMT, submitted her resignation, effective Jan. 3, waiting on a resignation letter. Two interviews are scheduled for potential firefighters and EMTs.
—Passed a resolution for the sale of owned personal property including motor vehicles, road machinery, equipment, and tools or supplies no longer needed for public use or obsolete or unfit for the use for which they were acquired.
—Adopted a resolution authorizing the village administrator to implement an ordinance passed December 2023 for $20,000 for assistance with sidewalk repairs and the addition of removal of dead or diseased trees from the right of way in front of their properties.
—Heard the fire renewal levy for staff will appear on the November 2025 ballot.
Other information
If the village has a snowfall of 2 or more inches, vehicles are to be moved so employees can plow.
Metzger appointed the 2025 committees: finance, Kathy Burrier, Liz Dreher and Dustin Briggs; park, Wes Hostetler, Burrier and Briggs; street and alley, Jeff Smith, Marty Zehnder and Dreher; safety, Zehnder, Smith and Hostetler; and cemetery board, Zehnder. The first name listed will serve as chairman.
The police department responded to 2,342 traffic violations and 31 arrests in 2024.
The fire department responded to 21 calls for service Dec. 16-31 and responded to 665 calls in 2024.
All winter sports banners have been installed on poles on Wooster Avenue.
Council thanked the village employees for keeping the streets clear of snow and Village Administrator Mike Rosenberry for doing a good job.
Council appointed Fire Chief Jason Ely, Jeff Smith, Marty Zehnder and Lewis Dreher to the Fire Dependency Board.
The summer festival committee will meet Feb. 3 at 6 p.m. at St. John UCC, 516 N. Wooster Ave. Anyone interested in volunteering should attend.
The next meeting will be held Jan. 21 at 6 p.m. at 224 N. Bodmer Ave. All meetings are open to the public.
