Motion to remove lights at crosswalk
Marty Zehnder, Strasburg Village Council president pro-tem, made a motion to remove the current electronic lights at the crosswalk located at U.S. 250 and Fourth Street. Zehnder wants the crosswalk to remain without lights to cross.
“We were trying to make it safer for people to cross, and we actually need bigger lights. The current ones are not sufficient. People do not always cross at the traffic light at First Street, and there are no sidewalks going to the park,” council member Dustin Briggs said.
After the meeting Briggs said the lights at the crosswalk cost about $16,000.
Lewie Dreher, a resident, said before the lights are removed at the crosswalk and stored in a shed for 30 years, council should find a place for them, maybe on Bodmer Avenue.
Law Director Terry Seeberger said he will have a resolution for the Feb. 20 meeting to consider removal of the lights at the Fourth Street/U.S. 250 crosswalk.
A second reading was held of an ordinance repealing an ordinance passed in September declaring Wooster Avenue between Second and Ninth streets to not be a business district and reset the speed limit from 25 mph to 35 mph.
Council also did the following:
—Passed, as an emergency, an ordinance amending the zoning code that would determine where a marijuana dispensary could locate in the village.
—Asked why the blue light on the Second Street traffic light warning motorists there is an emergency or fire is not working. Fire Chief Steve Laskey said it was malfunctioning, and Wood Electric was working to repair the light.
—Held a second reading of a resolution for the sale of certain municipally owned personal property including motor vehicles no longer needed or obsolete for public use.
—Heard a decision was made, after an executive session, at the Jan. 24 meeting to take the fire engines to Bleininger’s for repairs.
—Heard the second reading of an ordinance enacting a temporary premium pay for certain employees covering for supervisory employees.
—Held the first reading of an ordinance to equalize pay for certain laborer positions in the street and water/sewer departments and to adjust compensation for street superintendent and police chief as follows: street superintendent, $28; laborer II, $20.85; laborer III, $22.01; labor IV, $22.52; and police chief, $30, all hourly rates and retroactive to February 2024 entire pay period. The finance committee was not made aware of the ordinance and did not discuss the action until its Feb. 8 meeting.
—Approved the installation of a road signal sign for SLB, formerly Schlumberger, by LADD Sign and Lighting Inc. on Zeltman Avenue.
—Held the second reading of an ordinance regulating nuisance feral animals and adding an additional section about community cat caregivers that would include food, shelter or medical care to a community cat.
—Held a discussion about selling bulk water to commercial businesses and how it is billed.
Other information
Laskey said the fire department responded to 17 calls from Jan. 23 to Feb. 5. Laskey said after several speaking engagements, three home lockboxes for securing a key for the fire department to access private residents in case of an emergency were installed. There is no charge to install the lockboxes. Anyone with questions can call Laskey at 330-827-4026.
A public hearing will be held March 5 at 5:30 p.m. to bring 0.813 acres located at 9964 NW Ohio 21 and owned by Campbell Oil into the Strasburg-Franklin Joint Economic Development District. The public is invited.
Police responded to 216 calls in January.
Mayor Bruce Metzger will attend a seminar in Cleveland on Feb. 23.
The soccer club officials will no longer mow the soccer field at Franklin Park.
The next meeting will be held Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. at 224 N. Bodmer Ave. in Strasburg. The street and alley committee will meet at 5:15 p.m. prior to the regular meeting.
