MOUNT GILEAD — Village officials took their oaths of office at Monday night’s council meeting.
Jamie L. Brucker was sworn in as mayor. Emily Shaffer, who was chosen to replace Brucker on council, joined members Donna Carver and Chris Sherbourne in taking their oaths.
Carver and Sherbourne ran unopposed for re-election. Tim Clapper assumes the role of President of Council.
Shaffer, who owns Gardens & Gifts downtown, is a former member of council and served as council president.
“I felt as if I had some unfinished business, with some ordinances I’d been working on 3 or 4 years ago,” Shaffer said. “I’m anxious to be back.”
In administering the oaths of office, Morrow County Common Pleas Court Judge Robert C. Hickson Jr. said he was pleased “with the competent leadership in the village of Mount Gilead.”
Hickson thanked outgoing Mayor Mike Porter for his service and welcomed Brucker.
“I’ve seen this young man grow up. He’s a new leader, but not new new to the board,” Hickson said. “I appreciate the energy that you bring to our village.”
In other business:
• Village administrator Derek Allen reported repairs to the village-owned garage have been completed. Christmas decorations will be stored in the facility at the corner lot of North and Iberia streets.
• Demolition of the the old garage at the corner of North and Rich streets and the old wastewater plant building at the Service Department area are completed. The village no longer owns any properties that would be considered blight or any with code violations, Allen said.
• The high-pressure district water main project resumed this week. Work begins at North and Bank streets and heads west toward the courthouse.
• Police Chief Brian Zerman reported his department took 2,084 calls last year, including 57 accidents.
“That’s down quite a bit and most are due to driver in-attention, mostly people on their phones,” he said.
Only 3 of the accidents involved injuries. “We’ve been real fortunate.”
• Council will meet Tuesday, Jan. 22 since the regular meeting night of Jan. 21 falls on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
