Council votes no on dispensaries in the village
By a 5-1 vote, Strasburg Village Council amended a previous ordinance and voted for regulating marijuana-related uses in the village. At the May 21 meeting, council agreed marijuana adult-use cannabis operators including cultivators, processors or dispensaries are not permitted to operate within the corporation limits.
Council member Dustin Briggs voted no and felt the village will lose a lot of tax dollars by denying the ordinance. He thought the dispensaries would be controlled, and there would be no problems. Residents are still able to grow marijuana on their properties.
In another matter council passed an ordinance, by emergency, to enter a three-year contract with Kimble Company for trash and recycling pickup. The cost is $18,588 annually, effective June 1. There will be a slight increase for residents to $16.50 ($14) per month, effective June 1.
Council also did the following:
—Passed a resolution to place a renewal of a 0.4 mill, five-year levy for maintaining Franklin Park on the November ballot. The levy would generate about $8,000 annually. Approval of the levy will not increase property taxes.
—Heard Council member Jeff Smith give a report on constructing pickleball courts near the tennis courts. No decision was made.
—Approved eight streets to be paved by Newton Asphalt at a cost of $200,078. Plans are to add additional paving in the village by ordinance at the June 4 meeting. Funds from the one-half percent village income tax are earmarked for paving.
—Granted Kress Kiser and Solomon Cox, laborer II operators at the wastewater treatment plant, a $1 increase per hour. They have earned respective licenses.
—Heard from Brent Metzger, township trustee, the current fire levy generated $376,190 in 2023. Of that amount the village collects $171,779 and the remainder by the township. He wants a working relationship with the village, and there are no plans to start a township fire department as reported by Mayor Bruce Metzger at a previous meeting. Two years ago a fire levy was passed to have a 24/7 fire department with a full-time chief and part-time employees. It is no longer a volunteer fire department. Trustees meet the second Thursday at 7 p.m., and the cemetery board meetings are at 6:15 p.m. in the township building on Seventh Street Northeast.
—Learned from Mike Durbin, planning commission, about constructing condos with zero lot lines. The condos would be about 1,800 square feet. He asked council to think about this idea for additional housing.
—Heard a report from Kathy Burrier, park chairman, that plans are to pave at the park, purchase two score boards at a cost of $3,395, add fencing at the soccer field at a cost of $9,100, and have Wood Electric install a larger breaker box and receptacle at the south end of the park at a cost of $1,327.
—Approved Mart Dreher Construction to install sidewalks on Fourth Street Southeast to the railroad tracks at a cost of $15,000. Council member Marty Zehnder voted no.
—Heard Ohio Department of Transportation will install 35 mph speed limit signage and a “stop here” sign on Fourth Street and Wooster Avenue. A shark tooth will be painted at the crosswalk, and Ped Xing also will paint a block from the shark tooth.
—Agreed to purchase 10 cameras to be installed in the village at a cost of $16,631.
Other information
The fire department responded to 31 calls from May 8-20: 16 EMS, five fire responses, two motor vehicle crashes and eight public assists. For questions call Fire Chief Steve Laskey at 330-827-4026.
Council approved the purchase of a barbecue grill to use at the library and village events.
The American Legion chicken barbecue will be June 9 from 10 a.m. to noon at Malcuit’s parking lot, 707 S. Wooster Ave. The cost is $13 each.
The next meeting will be June 4 at 6 p.m. at 224 N. Bodmer Ave.
