By Matt Clevenger
For the Miami Valley Today
WEST MILTON — The village of West Milton will hold Trick or Treat from 6 pm to 8 pm on Saturday, Oct. 30 this year, due to inclement weather.
The village’s Trick or Treat night was originally scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 28; village council members agreed to reschedule the event during their regular workshop meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 26. The West Milton Rotary Club is still planning its annual Trick or Treat night event for Thursday, Oct. 28, weather permitting.
“We’re moving the official village trick or treating to Saturday at the same time,” Municipal Manager D. Jeffrey Sheridan said.
“Because of the weather, we’re moving it to Saturday,” council member Chris Horn said. “If Rotary holds their event on Thursday, the kids can do something Thursday, and they can Trick or Treat on Saturday.”
The village has re-scheduled Trick or Treat due to weather at least once before, approximately 10-12 years ago. “It was a high wind warning,” Service Director Ben Herron said. “We canceled that and did it on that Saturday.”
In other business, council members also discussed several amendments that will be made to this year’s budget, mainly due to ongoing projects. “The Budget Committee met a week and a half ago,” Finance Director Jill Grise said. “We are pretty much almost identical to the budget we had a year ago, without having the Ludlow project in there, so we’re doing a pretty good job of trying to manage costs.”
The biggest changes will involve the sewer capital improvement fund, and are due to the Ludlow Falls sewer project. “Right now, we don’t know where we’re at with it, and when it’s going to be done,” Grise said. “We can’t really do a first and second read on the amendments, because we won’t know that final number until the project is done.”
“Hopefully, it will get done by November so we’ll have the numbers ready to go for December,” she said.
Other amendments include an additional $10,000 for recycling and extra costs for leaks at the water treatment plant. “We had some substantial water leaks this year,” Grise said. “It was pretty significant.”
“Because of the age of the system, those leaks are going to continue,” Sheridan said. “That’s why it’s going to be important to start upgrading those lines. It’s very expensive to do, but it will save money on leaks going forward.”
Projects already planned for next year include a new retaining wall at the park and a 3% pay increase for municipal employees. “There are a small number of employees that I am recommending increases additional to the 3%, based on what I have observed while I’ve been here,” Sheridan said. “But it’s a small number.”
“It won’t affect the sledding hill at all,” Herron said of the park wall project. “We got conceptual drawings in; they’re doing the actual cost estimates. It would include shoring up the wall, putting a solid surface at the top for a seating area, and taking the old sidewalk and making it wind down.”
The sidewalk could also include two or three additional benches. “I asked them to figure it both ways,” Herron said. “We should have those back in the next week or so.”
Council members also approved the removal of several old “No Parking” signs from South Jay Street, and a $19,718 contract to repair the roof on the Fire Training Center. “We need to get the roof replaced on the third section of the old water plant, which is now the fire training center,” Herron said. “Before we lose all of the sub-roof, we need to get it done.”
Council members also heard a presentation from Miami County Solid Waste Coordinator Brad Petry and discussed possible options for the future of the village’s drop-off recycling program. “This is just food for thought,” Herron said. “It would be a good time right now to discuss recycling options, moving forward.”
Council members discussed the possibility of staying with the current system, or the village could decide to take over the current drop-off recycling program. “The equipment for us to take over the drop-off recycling program, would be $191,508,” Herron said. “In this case, we would apply for the Ohio EPA Recycling Ohio grant.”
“It requires a 25% match,” he said. “The 25% match would be $47,877. In other words, about what we’re going to spend on recycling next year; that does not include fuel and all of our tipping fees.”
The village could also decide to offer recycling pick-up, using the state grant to purchase that equipment. “The Ohio Recycling Grant opens on November 1, 2021 and closes on January 21, 2022,” Herron said. “We have time to do anything we want to do.”
Council members are currently seeking public input on the recycling program, through phone calls and on the village’s Facebook page.
Council members also discussed increasing interest in the village’s ordinances regarding medical marijuana dispensaries. “I got two more phone calls from a company wanting a copy of our marijuana ordinance,” Sheridan said. “When looking at the zoning map and land use, that may be an issue; just be aware of that.”
“We’re getting more and more calls wanting to know if they can get a copy of our ordinance and on the zoning map where would be allowed,” he said.
“Right now, the state has an auction,” Miller said. “It’s the open period for dispensaries to apply and try to get a license. There are only so many dispensaries allowed in areas, and right now in the three counties Miami, Shelby and Clark there are two open licenses for those three counties.”
“Geographically, we’re close to Dayton, so I think that’s what they’re looking at,” Miller said. “We’re in Miami County, but we’re really close to Dayton.”
Village council’s next regularly scheduled meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 9 in the municipal building.
