CENTERBURG — The leadership in Centerburg looks different after Tuesday’s village council meeting.
Village solicitor Kyle Stroh swore in Council President Tom Stewart as the village’s new mayor. Mayor Greg Sands resigned on Aug. 31.
“My full desire was to see our village through current and future challenges. Some feel that I am not fulfilling my responsibilities, and because of these unfounded accusations, I am choosing to step away,” Sands wrote in his resignation letter.
Council members elected Councilman Greg Myers as council president.
According to the Ohio Revised Code, if a vacancy occurs in the office of mayor more than 40 days before the next general election, the election for mayor will go on the ballot.
The election is 66 days away. Currently, there is no candidate for the position.
Stroh said he will talk with the Knox County Board of Elections to determine whether the BOE can open up a window for candidates to submit petitions and thus have their name on the ballot or whether interested individuals will be a write-in candidate.
“Your decision as far as becoming mayor, in theory, there’s now a vacancy of your seat,” Stroh told Stewart.
Stroh said the council can appoint someone to fill Stewart’s seat within 30 days. However, Stewart can decide whether he wants to return to his council seat after the mayor’s position is filled.
Stroh said that Stewart can still vote on legislation. In the event of a tie vote, legislation would not pass.
White becomes new fiscal officer, village administrator resigns
Assistant solicitor Alexis Henson swore in Stacie White as the new fiscal officer. White replaces former fiscal officer Mike Ullom. Ullom will continue to train White over the next two weeks.
Council members waived the three readings and adopted legislation that allows White to reside outside of the village limits.
Megan Smith will replace White as the administrative assistant.
Village Administrator Teri Wise submitted a letter of resignation on Aug. 25. Her last day of work will be Oct. 3.
Village administrator
Wise said Knox County Sheriff’s deputy Austin Albanese has been working traffic hot spots on East and West Main Street, North Clayton, and South Hartford.
“I can tell very much so that Austin has been around South Hartford a lot. Our common speed through there during that two-week period of time was under 25 miles an hour,” Wise said.
“I can’t say that about North Clayton right now, so we’re working on a plan to start seeing what we can do on North Clayton to slow down traffic coming into town.”
Wise will convene a preconstruction meeting on Friday with volunteers installing the new playground at Memorial Park. The equipment company will oversee the installation.
An engineering company will make site visits to ensure compliance with EPA regulations.
Wise plans to hold a meeting with all park users at the end of the season to evaluate the past year’s policies.
Brandon Price recently became a certified Operator 1 at the wastewater treatment plant.
The village switched to Starlink to improve the internet service at the plant. Currently, the SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) equipment is operational, but is not as effective as it could be.
Additionally, a company recalibrated the flow meters.
The village agreed to maintain the green space formerly occupied by the In Town Restaurant and plans to install a brick patio. The revitalization committee will soon launch a brick fundraiser.
Residents can now pay parking tickets, sewer bills, building permits, and zoning fees on the village’s website.
Lt. Chris Farmer, Central Ohio Joint Fire District, noted only two suggestions on the village’s fire safety inspection.
Central Ohio Joint Fire District
Fire Chief Mark McCann asked for the council’s support for the department’s upcoming levy renewal on the Nov. 4 ballot.
The renewal is 5.9 mills with an effective rate of just over 4 mills. If the levy does ot pass, McCann said “the fire department is in peril.”
Even with the passage of the levy, the department will be operating at pre-COVID levels. The department has reduced its number of firefighters by four, leaving it with 12 total, including four full-time staff members.
McCann told the council that two medics are out 25 percent of the time. It takes four people to run the medics.
Even with McCann and Farmer on station, it takes three to staff an engine.
“When I came here six years ago, this fire department was very understaffed, extremely underpaid, and definitely overstretched with the resources they have,” McCann said.
Noting a $1 million station renovation was underway when he arrived, he said, “You’re going to pay for a milion-dollar renovation that you don’t have the firefighters to put in it anymore.”
The council members asked Henson to put together a resolution of support for the October council meeting.
Legislative action
Council members waived the three readings and authorized United Aggregates to demolish the building at 40 N. Clayton St.
The parcel is the site of the former Interchurch Social Services thrift shop.
The village bought the parcel in July 2024 for $133,700 plus closing costs.
“After looking at how much it would cost us to bringit up to code, and the ack of parking for our village trucks, we decided that the best use of the property would be to demolish it,” Wise said.
The demolition cost is $38,041 and covers removing the footers and slab in addition to the building. United Aggregates will lay down 8 inches of compacted stone and 1 inch of limestone on top.
Wise said the village will ultimately lay down an impervious surface on the lot.
Council members took the following additional actions:
•Passed on the third reading legislation prohibiting dogs in certain parks
•Gave a second reading to legislation allowing poultry within the village
•Waived the three readings and approved an agreement to annex 85.4 acres on Johnsville Road into the village
