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Council meeting ends before it starts




BALTIMORE – Monday night’s council meeting didn’t get past the roll call.

With council members Tony House, Chuck Keller and Judy Landis absent, a quorum wasn’t present and the meeting never began.

Mayor Robert Kalish suggested that resident Mariann Henderson go ahead and address the members present.

She said 14 years she had written a grant application for playground equipment at Johnson Park. The village’s only obligation was to maintain the equipment, Henderson said.

“The mulch bed (to protect children if they fall) needs to be put in every spring,” she said. Henderson presented photos showing that the mulch is only about one inch deep.

The object is to prevent head injuries and she presented information stating that nine inches of wood mulch is necessary to protect a fall from seven feet.

“I would like to see this become a yearly maintenance issue,” Henderson added. She believes a couple hundred bucks worth of mulch would be sufficient.

“I don’t understand why I have to come here and get angry,” she concluded.

“I agree it needs to be done and it will be done,” Kalish responded.

In his written report to council, Village Administrator Scott Brown said Shelly and Sands was awarded the Safe Routes to School project that will be constructed along Ohio 158. Excavation of the sidewalk ramps started June 24. Work is scheduled to be completed by August 15.

He also wrote that ODOT had awarded the Ohio 158 resurfacing project from Kirkersville to Lancaster to the Shelly Company of Thornville. He suspects that work won’t begin until the new I-70 overpass at Kirkersville is completed.

Brown also reported that the Fairfield County Commissioners have approved the village’s waterline extension along Ohio 256 to Ohio 37. That approval means that a pending lot split for property on the southwest corner of the intersection of Ohio 256 and Ohio 37 will be approved.

A ground-breaking ceremony for the new Farm Credit Services office at the location is set for 3 p.m. on June 27. The borrowerowned lending institution that provides loans, leases and related services to farmers, rural homeowners and agribusinesses expects to have up to 50 employees.

Brown also reported that the winning bid of $156,561 for the village’s street resurfacing project came in under the engineer’s estimate. All but about $10,000 of the cost will be funded by an Ohio Public Works Commission grant. Spires Paving of Lancaster was the successful bidder.

Brown said a new automated bulk water sales facility at the water treatment plant has racked up sales of more than 50,000 gallons in less than two months.

In his written report, Kalish wrote that he intended to reappoint Fred “Ted” Reedy to the Basil Joint Fire District Board. His new term would run through June 22, 2016.

Kalish also wrote that the Lancaster Festival is again bringing a free string quartet concert to the Chirst United Methodist Church at 7 p.m. on Sunday, July 21. The Baltimore Community Yard Sale is set for July 26-27. He thanked council member Chuck Keller for his service as State VFW Commander for the past year.

Police Chief Michael Tussey reported that that two new officers have completed their field training. One is already working on his own and the other will be released soon. Tussey also wrote that officers are enforcing the wrong way parking ordinance by advising residents of the violation.



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