CENTERBURG — Village Administrator Richard Dzik updated Centerburg Village Council members about restoring recycling, gauging interest in annexing Hazel Heights, and launching the downtown DORA at Monday night’s meeting.
The county approached the village about hosting recycling containers at the new street garage facility at 80 Miller St.
Centerburg High School previously hosted 10 bins fully paid for by the Delaware-Knox-Marion-Morrow Solid Waste District.
However, school officials requested that DKMM remove the bins due to a paving project last summer and declined to have them returned when paving is completed.
Dzik said it will consume some staff time to maintain the site. However, he said the county might provide up to $20,000 to help with engineering costs to design the site in return for a long-term agreement to host the containers.
“Losing the Centerburg location for recycling has been impactful to the county, but also getting some support toward our architectural and engineering costs for the street garage could benefit us,” he said.
The garage architect will determine a good location for the dumpsters so that the village can restore recycling before building the garage.
Dzik reported the village is working with Knox County on trail head restroom lease agreements required for a NatureWorks grant.
DORA
Downtown merchants will receive decals once Ohio Liquor Control approves the village’s DORA (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area) application. The decals will state whether the business accepts DORA cups in their establishments.
Dzik plans to meet with Longbranch Pizza and Midway Tavern to determine when the DORA goes into effect.
Hazel Heights annexation
The village will send a mailing to Hazel Heights property owners asking whether they are open to considering annexing into the village.
If a majority of residents are interested, the village will assess road and sewer conditions before annexing the subdivision.
“It appeared that the commissioners would be open to [discussing it] if there are some improvements that need to be done before we’d be willing to take that over,” Dzik said.
Another option might be requiring the subdivision to join the New Community Authority so that the residents will bear future costs rather than the entire village.
A majority of property owners must agree to annex. If a property owner does not respond, it counts as a no vote to annexing.
Five of the 33 homes are non-owner-occupied.
Zoning updates
The Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on Thursday at 7 p.m. to discuss the New Community Authority and land dedication changes to the zoning code.
A second public hearing relates to allowing gravel parking services in the village, and a third public hearing relates to variances Schlabach is requesting to build town homes on Fairview Avenue.
Dzik said he expects to receive rezoning applications this week from Arbor Homes/Hondros (Johnsville Road) and Whistle Stop (Croton Road).
He anticipates holding a public hearing on one or both applications at the commission’s July 20 meeting.
In legislative action, council members:
• Waived the three readings and adopted Ordinance 26-18, which revises which accounts the village pulls from for various projects. The legislation includes the emergency clause.
• Gave a second reading to gas and electric aggregation programs.
• Gave a second reading to legislation authorizing the village to bid for single-source trash hauling.
• Waived the three readings and authorized the fiscal officer to submit a 2027 budget to the county in the amount of $235,200. The legislation includes the emergency clause.
• Waived the three readings and adopted an employee dishonest and faithful performance of duty policy. The legislation includes the emergency clause.
• Gave a first reading and amended the codified ordinance to allow the clerk to correct scrivener’s errors. The village solicitor must give written approval to the correction, and the fiscal officer must notify council within three months. The legislation includes the emergency clause.
