Bolivar swears in new auxiliary police officer
At the March 2 meeting of Bolivar Village Council, members voted to install Don Worthy II as a new auxiliary police officer.
Mayor Tim Lang officially announced his resignation, effective April 5, and read a resignation letter from Kyle Porter, street superintendent. Additionally, village administrator Matt Judy announced his resignation to take place simultaneously with Lang’s but offered to stay on for a period of time to help fiscal officer Barb Kline continue to learn the ins and outs of her position. Council will vote next month on whether to approve Judy’s continued pay of $20 per hour for up to 15 hours per week.
Lang said Kline’s probationary period has passed, but she has declined to take the customary pay raise at this time.
Lang also reported a waterline was repaired on Tuscarawas Street. Council approved up to $2,000 for Lanzer Excavating for the waterline repairs.
Councilman Will Bellinger asked if council could begin interviewing candidates for the council position that will be left open when Tedd Finlayson, current council president, takes over as mayor. It was decided anyone interested in applying for the position should drop off or mail a letter to Village Hall, 109 Canal St. NE, or email mayor@villageofbolivar.com.
Council and administrative reports
Kline said she investigated electric rates for various village buildings and found all but two locations are already under contract at fixed rates. Kline said she added the remaining two locations into that same contract with AEP, which will end in June 2024.
Bruce Lawver, safety committee chair, said he received a quote from Staley Technologies for $7,300 to connect the severe weather siren to county dispatch. He also said Police Chief Randy Haugh received complaints regarding an officer and requested an executive session to discuss the matter.
Bellinger reported the need to find ways to fund the replacement of the village’s old water mains, which he said Porter strongly suggested before resigning.
Loretta Dively, parks and recreation chair, brought up the need to begin planning for the village’s bicentennial in 2025. Lang said a bicentennial commission will be formed but that the Bolivar Main Street Association will handle much of the planning and work and will seek funding through its nonprofit status.
Public comments
Zane Anderson from the Boy Scout Troop 86 in Dover received permission to make improvements and clean up the cemetery behind the Bolivar Community Church as his Eagle Scout project.
Proposal for Bolivar Intermediate School property
Pastor Aaron Rae of the Bolivar Community Church and Scott Ramsey of the Norman Eckinger construction firm presented their ideas for how to use the property on Park Avenue once the school is torn down at the end of May. The Tusky Valley School District plans to gift the vacant land to the village, according to Lang.
Potential plans, which are in the preliminary stages, include building a number of new homes to help the village recoup the $19,000 tax void it will experience with the loss of the school building.
Rae also talked about adding a baseball field, walking path, public pavilion, and possibly disc golf holes, pickleball courts and a monument to the school.
“Once the school closes and that playground is gone, the kids here will have nothing to do,” Rae said. “So we’re also looking at putting in a splash pad and new playground area.”
He said by contracting with a developer, the village could negotiate to receive a percentage of the sale of the homes.
Lang said he would not be involved in the final decision but did say, “So far this is the best plan I’ve seen.”
He also said former Mayor Rebecca Hubble always wanted to turn the property into a community park once the land was available.
Legislation
Council approved an ordinance to send a portion of the 2022 proposed paving list to the county engineer’s office for bidding.
Council then met in executive session. No action was taken afterward. The next meeting will be Thursday, April 6 at 7 p.m. in Village Hall.
