Dec 4, 2024

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS:

 

Council called to order by Mayor Searight on December 3, 2024 at 7:30 pm.

 

Prayer / Pledge of Allegiance – Mayor Searight

 

Those present: Marcas Heitkamp, Mark Heitkamp, Luke Stephenson, Mary Beougher, Shane Young. Chris Heitkamp - absent

 

Also attending: Patrolman Miller, Robbie Peel and Erin G from the Daily Standard.

 

Motion Mary to accept the agenda as orders of the day. Second Marcas.

Luke called for the question. Mary = y, Marcas = y, Luke = y, Mark = y, Shanes = y. Pass 5 yes.

 

 

Motion Marcas to accept the minutes from the November 19, 2024 council meeting as presented. Second Luke. Mark called for the question. Marcas = y, Luke = y, Mark = y, Mary = y, Shane = y, Passed 5 yes.

 

 

Mayor’s Report and Correspondence

 

It is with deep regret that we hear of the closing of the Parkway Independent on December 31,2024. Sheila (Wood) Baltzell-Linn is retiring and closing all her web-based operations effective that date. Parkway Independent has been a great source or local news that has dealt with events that were of interest to people within the Parkway School District. We want to wish her a well-deserved retirement and a big thank you for all your years writing for the Rockford Press and the Parkway Independent. Your writing will be missed.

 

Winter is upon us, and we sure can feel it with this cold snap of the last several days. This past weekend it was the brave that fought the wind and the cold to do something. The people that shopped Rockford enjoyed some great benefits that happened right here in our town. Saturday the downtown was full of cars and people observing Small Business Saturday, and with that they enjoyed some great savings as well. What a great day for Rockford and our businesses. We continue to encourage businesses to come to our town, grow, and enjoy what we have to offer. Along with that, tell a friend about what we have and invite them to our community.

 

Then on Sunday night Shanes Park was filled with fantasy of lights and figurines, hot chocolate and cookies, as they welcomed the man from the North Pole, Santa Claus. Santa was there for the children to talk to him and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. It was a cold and breezy night, but the fire at the shelter house added to the night with nostalgia and warmth to the season.

 

Take the time to drive to Shanes Park as it has a very festive appearance of Christmas with all the lights and figurines. It’s well worth the time to walk it and to see everything that is there, as it’s well decorated.

 

A big thank you to all that made the park look so nice for Christmas. As it took a lot of hours planning and even more hours in the cold, rain, wind and other obstacles of work to make this come together. We are so blessed to have a park like this, and we need to take care of it and appreciate it for what it adds to this community. So many activities happen at the park and it’s easy to take it for granted. Please take care of the park and when you leave – leave it better than it was before you came. If you can, volunteer where ever you can, as you’ll be blessed for it. Whether it’s at the park or the many other volunteering organizations --- just do it.

 

With that thought, please think of the less fortunate as we go about this Christmas season. Many of us are blessed as we have money to pay our bills and have some money saved, and in relatively in good health, but there are people right in our community that could use a helping hand. Please consider helping a neighbor if you can.

 

And remember it is better to ‘give more than you take, and you’ll receive more than you give’.

 

God bless you.

 

Mayor Searight.

 

 

Upcoming Community information & events:

 

Every night through December ---- Christmas Lights at Shanes Park!

 

Wednesday, Thursday & Friday – December 25th, 26 & 27– Village office closed for Christmas

 

Wednesday – December 25th – Together at Christmas – sponsored by local churches – Rockford Community Building 10:30 am – 1 pm

 

Saturday – January 4th – Shanes Park clean up beginning at 9 am until complete.

Village Administrator’s Report – Aaron Temple

 

Old water tower has been taken offline – the tower has been leaking the over the last week and we will be draining it. Need to work on plans for demo. It lasted right at 100 years.

 

Last Monday – EPA here for inspections. Everything went really well. Official report coming in several weeks.

 

No new updates on Franklin Street project --- the project completion date is June 2025.

 

Last day to pick up leaves will be Wednesday --- December 4th. After that leaves will need to be disposed of in the grass clippings bin located behind the village office.

 

Community building updates --- working on a keyless entry system. Plans to install the new ceiling tiles and speaker system will begin on February 10th. We will be blocking off 2 weeks for the project. Will need to rent a lift. Once we start we will continue with the project until completion. Will be researching a purchase of some Bluetooth projectors as well – so the sound system will be user friendly to all.

 

 

Committee Reports:

 

Finance Committee: Shane Young

 

Motion Shane to pay the bills as presented $139,337.10 and $11,423.16. Second Luke. Marcas called for the question. Shane = y, Luke = y, Marcas = y, Mark = y, Mary = y. Passed 5 yes.

 

Motion Shane to approve the monthly financial reports. Second Mark. Marcas called for the question. Shane = y, Mark = y, Marcas = y, Luke = y, Mary = y. Passed 5 yes.

 

Cash Summary by Fund, Appropriations report, Revenue Report,

Budget vs Actual activity report, Bank statement, comparison report for the water, sewer, and income tax.

 

Motion Shane to approve supplemental appropriations to date. Second Marcas. Mark called for the question. Shane = y, Marcas = y, Mark = y, Luke = y, Mary = y. Passed 5 yes.

 

Motion Shane to approve additional purchase orders. Second Luke. Mary called for the question. Shane = y, Luke = y, Mary = y, Marcas = y, Mark = y. Passed 5 yes.

 

 

ORDINANCE 05-24

AN ORDINANCE TO MAKE APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE CURRENT EXPENSES AND OTHER EXPENDITURES OF THE VILLAGE OF ROCKFORD, STATE OF OHIO, DURING FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31,2025.

 

1st reading – 10/01/2024

2nd reading – 10/15/2024

3rd reading – 12/03/2024

 

Motion Shane. Second Luke. Mary called for the question. Shane = y, Luke = y, Mary = y, Marcas = y, Mark = y. Passed 5 yes.

 

 

Rules Committee: Mark Heitkamp –

 

 

Service Committee: Mary Beougher

 

Christmas at Shanes Park --- Lights every night through December –

 

Please thank our sponsors:

 

Grains of Love

Matt Tuttle's Crappie Guide Service

Ryan Sipe, Loan Officer with The Peoples Bank Co.

Wabash Communications

Rockford Eagles FOE 1292

Rockford Chamber of Commerce

Realtor Josh Johnson

Homes at Ohio's Edge Realty

Mix 101.3 WRKD

Ketcham-Ripley Funeral Home

Mike & Deb Bagley

 

 

 

Safety Committee: Chris Heitkamp – absent.

 

 

Economic Development Committee: Marcas Heitkamp – Council President

 

 

Public Utilities Committee: Luke Stephenson

 

Online payment services through ALLPAID will be increasing the minimum service fee on all card transaction to $3.99.

 

 

Old Business:

 

 

Visitors to Address Council:

 

New Business:

 

Village office closed – Monday – December 9th for clerk’s online end of the year training.

 

Dog tags are available for purchase at the village office until January 31, 2025

 

 

 

 

Meeting adjourned 7:49 pm

 

 

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