CENTERBURG — Frustrated residents are flooding the village with complaints about cement trucks and other heavy vehicles using village streets as through routes.
“The mayor’s been getting phone call after phone call about trucks and cement trucks on Clayton,” Village Administrator Richard Dzik said at a meeting Tuesday.
“We have asked [Sheriff’s Deputy] Austin [Albanese] to start stopping vehicles and warning them.”
Dzik said village code prohibits through trucks on every village road.
“That means you can’t pass through the village heading somewhere else in your truck. If you’re going to the mill to make a delivery, that’s not a through truck,” he said.
Dzik has also received complaints about through trucks using Hartford Avenue.
The village ordered four “No through truck” signs for Clayton and Hartford.
“We’re going to post those, and Austin will start more formal enforcement if he needs to, but we’re hoping that’ll deal with the issue,” Dzik said.
Councilman Daniel Hardwick asked what alternate routes drivers should use since Hilliar Township also bans through routes.
Dzik said the trucks are supposed to use state routes to pass through a municipality: routes 3, 314 and 657.
“If you need to get into the village to make a delivery, (that’s) perfectly fine. But you can’t pass through the village on Clayton Street 16 trucks a day just because the township says you can’t [use its roads],” he said.
Mayor Greg Myers said if Hilliar Township can restrict through trucks, so can the village.
Centerburg’s ordinance permits through trucks only on designated routes. The village has no designated streets other than State Route 3.
“It’s always been an ordinance and we just haven’t been enforcing it,” Dzik said. “It became a problem because numerous trucks were passing through.”
Council holds off on requiring recycling service
Evergreen and Rumpke submitted bids for residential trash and recycling services.
Dzik said that although most residents have trash collection, the village does not have an ordinance requiring it. An ordinance is likely required before the village can move to a single hauler.
Advantages of having a single hauler include fewer trash trucks, less wear and tear on the streets and bulk pricing, which is typically cheaper than individual pricing.
Dzik recommended a two-year contract if council moves forward with single-hauler trash collection.
Council members agreed to hold off on requiring recycling service since the Delaware Knox Marion Morrow Solid Waste District will be placing bins on Miller Street.
Legislative action includes annexation agreement for Factory Street property
Council members took the following legislative action on Tuesday:
• Approved a lease agreement with the Knox County commissioners for the Midway Station and Memorial Park trail heads. Dzik said the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Nature Works grant is about $16,000 to $17,000 lower than 2025’s amount. The grant requires a 15-year irrevocable lease.
• Gave a second reading to a lease with the county commissioners to place recycling bins at Miller Street. DKMM will help fund engineering for the street garage. In return, the village will sign a 10-year lease to host the recycling bins.
• Suspended the required three readings and passed legislation limiting parking on the south side of Church Street adjacent to 65 S. Hartford Avenue to church parking only from 6 p.m. Friday through 6 a.m. on Monday.
• Revised 2026 appropriations.
• Approved creating sewer tap and land dedication funds.
• Approved a pre-annexation agreement with DDWK LLC for 22 acres on Factory Street and consented to provide police, fire/EMS, water and sewer services.
Bob Snavely of Palmer Energy reviewed the gas and electric aggregation programs that are on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Don James and Mike Brooke spoke about problems with illegal parking in the loading zone in front of Long Branch Pizza, speed on Hartford Avenue and White Road, heavy trucks on Clayton and managing growth.
