COVINGTON — During the Monday night Covington Village Council meeting, Jesse Reynolds was voted as council president for 2023.
During the mayor’s report, Mayor Ed McCord took a moment to thank the street, water, and sewer departments for their hard work in removing snow from the recent storm. “…that was quite a challenge, and they did a great job,” he said. During the administrator’s report, Village Administrator Kyle Hinkelman shared that demolition has been partly completed on the old Rudy elevator property. He also said the mayor will be sharing his “State of the Village” at the next council meeting, which will be held Jan. 23 at 7 p.m.
In other business, council approved amendments to an ordinance amending the village employee manual upon its third reading. The changes affect the village’s comp, overtime, vacation and retirement policies. The council waived the three-reading rule and passed two resolutions, one allowing the village to go out for requests for qualifications for design of the government center addition and remodel. This remodel would focus on the Council Chambers, creating a safe and welcoming entrance to the building, meeting rooms, offices, storage and police office safety. The remodel would also center around the building’s infrastructure including windows, the roof, walls, and cameras. The design process is expected to take four to seven months, and the cost of obtaining the design was budgeted into the 2023 budget. The last major investment into the infrastructure of the building was a $1 million remodel in 2006.
The second resolution approved authorizes the village to submit an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Public Water System Equipment Grant application. This grant is a state program that gives out up to $10,000 to water systems for improvements in technical capacity and to provide cleaner drinking water. Covington is focusing on testing mechanisms and is asking for $10,000 in the application. The total cost involved is $12,000, which will require the village to cover a portion of the cost.
A first reading was held for an ordinance updating various fees applicable to the provision of certain water and sewer services provided by the village. The ordinance would see the village adopting formal rules and regulations for the services. Hinkelman said that 2019 was the last year there was any discussion regarding rates, rules and regulations for water and sewer. The ordinance would define unwritten yet standard practices, such as the requirement for proof of identity, application process, discontinuation of services, utility payment plan, pool fill-up, service line standards, emergencies, and more.
The council entered into executive session with no formal action intended.
The writer is a regular contributor to the Miami Valley Sunday News.
