Mount Gilead Mayor Donna Carver holds a proclamation recognizing March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. She is joined in the picture by MARCA/Whetstone personnel and staff.
Alberta Stojkovic | AIM Media Midwest
At the opening of the March 19 Mount Gilead Village Council meeting, Mayor Donna Carver welcomed MARCA/Whetstone DD personnel with a proclamation for Developmental Disabilities (DD) Awareness Month.
The next council topic was street lighting in the village with a presentation by Joe Jakubick of First Energy. He explained the Efficiency Safety Incentive Program (ESIP) in which the village has been enrolled since the 1990s.
Jakubick said he did not believe LED lights would be cost effective at this time for the village because of ESIP. He said ESIP is a tremendous savings program for the village and showed how staying with the program is an advantage. Of the 18 counties he works with, about 90% of them are in ESIP.
In a side-by-side comparison with converting to LED lighting, he showed how staying with the program is a savings of $911.10 per month . The program will eventually be discontinued, but it will be an advantage for the village to stay with it as long as it is in existence.
He said 32 of 55 burned out street lights have been repaired by the Ohio Edison crews, and they should complete the rest in the next couple of weeks. He thanked Village Administrator Derek Allen for the accurate report he gave on the lighting.
In other business:
• Council approved Jason Robinson, who recently completed his six-month probationary period as a permanent full-time police officer.
• Council approved a supplemental appropriation as requested by Police Chief Adam Lakey for $7,000 for the new cruiser equipment, with $5,000 being for the K9 specific items. It was noted a request was sent to the Central Ohio Canine Foundation for consideration to donate the amount.
• Council approved an amount up to $2,500 for a solar-powered street sign with white flashing lights at the corner of East Marion and East High streets.
• Council member Mark Phillips reported there were deer crossing street signs ordered for placement in front of the hospital by Westview Drive and by the Farmers Coop across from Park National Bank.
• Council approved a motion for Allen to seek a design proposal for a Community Development Block Grant for the much-needed utility and paving work on Town Street and Highland Avenue.
• Allen reported that picnic tables and a bicycle rack has been ordered for the village swimming pool. He said village employees replaced a broken-down storm sewer pipe on High Street at Cherry Street and also rebuilt a catch basin. The Service Department repaired a major sinkhole that developed on Neal Avenue following a water main break up the hill earlier in the year. A hydrant that was leaking was replaced in front of 287 W. High St.
• In his police department report, Lakey said Officer Mosher passed his state exam and was officially sworn in March 7. He is now patrolling in uniform for phase II of field training.
Lakey reported 38 calls for service from March 4-17, compared to 49 calls for service in 2023 during the same period. There were 60 traffic stops compared to 51 in 2023 and seven offense reports compared to 11 in 2023.
Of the 23 charges from March 4-17 compared to 28 in 2023, nine were for speed, seven for license violations, two registration violations, one improper turn, one marked lanes, one for lighted lights, one failure to comply and one warrant. There were four traffic crashes: two were non-injury, and two had minor injuries.
• Fire Chief Mark Carey reported he met with high school seniors in conjunction with Morrow County EMS to discuss career path opportunities. Zoll AED monitors received their annual maintenance. Utility 17 and Brush 12 trucks received their annual preventive maintenance.
Alberta Stojkovic is a correspondent for The Morrow County Sentinel. She can be reached at [email protected].
