On the agenda: Monroeville agenda — data center (Sep 8)

Regular Council Meeting September 8, 2026
On Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 6:00 PM, Mayor Joseph Galea opened the Council meeting with a word
of prayer. The Pledge of Allegiance to the flag was recited by those present.
The regular meeting for the Council of the Village of Monroeville was then called to order.
Present at roll call:
Chris Raftery
Mark Miller
Sue Rogers
Tammy Schachter
Andrew Brown
Jim Ehrman

and

Joseph Galea, Mayor
Eunice Collene, Fiscal Officer
Jim Barney, Solicitor
Chief Jon Earl, MPD

Also attending: Ann Beck; Sean Crosby; Paul Skidmore; Scott Summerlin; Tom Sitterly; Dan Bemis; Kathy
Pocock; Ken Underwood; Rosalie McPherson; and Aaron Pickrell.
The August 2026 financial reports, bank statements, balance sheets, check reports, and bank
reconciliations were previously distributed to the Council via e-mail.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
The mayor asked for Council’s approval of the agenda. Ms. Sue Rogers made a motion, seconded by Mr.
Andrew Brown, to approve the agenda. Mr. Jim Ehrman asked whether it would be appropriate to enter
executive session at tonight’s meeting due to matters pending with Gray Matter and AMP, or whether
those matters could be addressed outside of executive session. The mayor advised Mr. Ehrman that he
had already addressed that question with him before tonight’s meeting. The mayor said if Council agrees,
executive session will be held tonight after Council business. Ms. Eunice Collene asked if the agenda
needed to be amended to include executive session. The mayor confirmed. The mayor asked Council for
a motion to amend the agenda and add executive session to discuss pending or imminent litigation. Ms.
Chris Raftery made a motion, seconded by Mr. Jim Ehrman, to approve the agenda as amended. Motion
carried with no further discussion.
DISPOSITION OF MINUTES
The mayor asked Council for a motion to approve the minutes from the regular Council meetings on July
14, 2026, including the corrections, and August 11, 2026; the special Council meetings on July 28, 2026,
August 3, 2026, August 26, 2026, and September 1, 2026; and the Council public hearing on July 14, 2026.
Ms. Tammy Schlachter made that motion, seconded by Ms. Sue Rogers. Motion carried with no discussion.
APPROVAL OF FINANCIAL REPORTS
The mayor asked Council for a motion to approve the August 2026 financial reports. Ms. Chris Raftery
made that motion, seconded by Ms. Tammy Schlachter. Mr. Andrew Brown asked Ms. Eunice Collene, per
her report, if the $9000 HVAC repair, dated August 17, 2026, had anything to do with the filters not being
changed regularly. Ms. Collene said no, and if Council recalls, she had previously explained to Council that
the HVAC repair was for the i-Vu unit. Mr. Sean Crosby said that i-Vu manages the building's heating and
cooling system and manages the humidity levels. It can control different areas of the building and can be
used from any computer that has been set up to access it. Motion carried with no further discussion.
APPROVAL OF THE MONTHLY CREDIT CARD REPORT
The mayor asked Council for a motion to approve the August 2026 credit card report. Ms. Sue Rogers
made that motion, seconded by Ms. Chris Raftery. Motion carried with no further discussion.
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS
Administrator – The mayor said there is no Village Administrator report for this meeting, but a report
would be provided at next month’s regular Council meeting. The mayor then announced Mr. Sean Crosby
as the new Village Administrator and congratulated him. The mayor advised that Mr. Crosby can introduce
himself at the next regular Council meeting.
Fiscal Officer – Ms. Eunice Collene presented her report that had been previously submitted to Council.
The village ended the month of August 2026 with a cash balance of $5,939,332.52 across all funds. The
August revenue was $816,337.27, with expenses totaling $711,855.00. The year-to-date revenue is
$9,095,733.00, with year-to-date expenses totaling $8,978,306.89. That’s activity recorded across 39
individual funds. This gave the village a net month increase of $104,482.27 in the cash position.
During August, the Administrative Office issued 921 utility invoices, of which 919 were paid. There are still
two unpaid invoices from the month prior.
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Regular Council Meeting September 8, 2026
The new MMC (Monroeville Municipal Complex) lobby door is coming along well. It should be completed
this week with the installation of a kick plate and touch-ups to the paint. The lock was installed and is
working, and the employees were provided with key fobs.
The 2025 audit should be completed in the next two weeks. Ms. Collene submitted everything the auditor
had requested. The audit team believes they're done requesting information. They are finishing their
review and will then issue their report. For the 2026 through 2030 fiscal year audits, as Ms. Collene
previously explained to Council, the state auditors contracted out to an independent firm. The contract
was awarded to Charles E. Harris & Associates.
JD Alarm Systems completed testing the fire alarm system at the MMC. The MMC needs to upgrade its
phone systems, and Frontier will require the upgrades to happen. This change will save the village money.
Mr. Sean Crosby is already helping with this. He will share the technical details later once he gets settled
in as Village Administrator. By switching to fiber, the village's monthly phone bill should go down. These
savings will help pay for the cost of the new phone system. Costs have not been estimated yet.
Mr. Crosby changed the HVAC filters at the MMC. Before that, the filters had not been changed for several
years.
Ms. Collene is still working on complaints regarding tall grass. Many of the complaints were able to be
addressed with telephone calls. Ms. Collene has received other pressing inquiries, so she hasn’t had time
to issue letters. She will address those as soon as she can.
The members of the committee organizing Christmas in the Village 2026 held the first planning meeting.
The event will be held on Saturday, December 12th, 2026. Monroe Street will be closed from State Route
20 to Brown Street. Although Croghan Bank will be closed that day, they are going to participate.
On August 17, 2026, the floating solar system finished its final walkthrough and was energized. In the
beginning, everything seemed to work fine. However, it was later found that power wasn't flowing
through the meter. The village is still dealing with this problem. Today, a Microsoft Teams meeting
brought together several different companies and people involved. Tomorrow morning, September 9,
2026, another meeting is planned to fix the issues and get the power running through the meter correctly.
This way, the village can receive proper credit and send out bills as needed. D3 Energy and Encompass
have been very cooperative throughout this process.
Ms. Collene attended the Budget Commission meeting on August 26, 2026. The village’s initial estimates
will be due October 1, 2026. Ms. Collene will ensure those are turned in. Once that's done, she will start
involving the village department heads to lay out the 2027 budget.
During Council business, Ms. Collene would like to address the open projects list and address the action
items that she requested Council’s approval on.
Water and Wastewater employee Chadd Nutter received his Class I certification quite some time ago;
however, he wasn't advanced in his pay grade. With Alex Hoyt recently leaving employment with the
village, Mr. Nutter became aware that he was not in the pay grade that he should be. In speaking with
Water and Wastewater Superintendent Don Clark, Ms. Collene requested that Mr. Nutter’s hourly wage
be increased to $26 per hour, which is the Operator Grade 2 starting wage, effective August 9, 2026.
The utility customer at 143 N Ridge Street requested a reduction in their utility bill. This matter was
previously discussed at the August 2026 regular Council meeting. The customer experienced sewer
backup in their basement, and the village had to call in a company for cleanup. In reviewing the customer’s
current and prior utility bills, Ms. Collene requested that Council approve a $120 reduction for the water
and electric that were used for the cleanup. She knows the customer was hoping for more of a reduction;
however, she feels $120 is reasonable given what their average village utility bills have been.
Ms. Collene requested Council’s approval to post the position of Street Department laborer, which will be
vacated when Mr. Crosby begins his role as Village Administrator. Ms. Collene would like to get that
position filled as quickly as possible.
Ms. Collene explained to Council that she needed to discuss a payment owed to R.A. Bores. She noted
that Council had previously approved then-and-now purchase orders for two projects being completed
by R.A. Bores. The two projects were the North Street Waterline Project and the Downtown Parking Lot
Project. Ms. Collene was able to pay R.A. Bores for the North Street Waterline Project using funds from
the Water Department. Ms. Collene explained that after talking with Water and Wastewater
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Regular Council Meeting September 8, 2026
Superintendent Don Clark, they found money set aside for the Grid Resiliency Project. Ms. Collene believes
the Grid Resiliency Project is not moving forward at this time. Mr. Clark agreed that some of the funds
could be used to cover the cost of the North Street Waterline Project. Ms. Collene finished making that
payment, and she talked about it with the state auditor. For the Downtown Parking Lot Project, there is
an invoice for $15,390 that needs to be paid. Money was set aside when the project started, and a grant
was also used. Ms. Collene said the project fund still exists, but it has no money in it right now. She wants
to keep careful records of this for the 2026 audit. She has not written any legislation yet because she
wanted to explain to Council their options first. Ms. Collene explained that after talking with the state
auditor, Council has two options. Option one is to pay the Downtown Parking Lot Project invoice straight
from the General Fund. Option two is to move money from the General Fund into the Downtown Parking
Lot Fund, where the grant and the work were tracked, and then pay the invoice from that fund. Ms.
Collene likes option two better because it is cleaner and easier to follow. She asked Council to approve
this and her other action items. Ms. Raftery asked if Ms. Collene wanted Council to vote tonight. Ms.
Collene said she does not have legislation ready yet because she was not sure which option Council would
pick. Once Council decides, a special meeting can be set up to address legislation. Ms. Collene said she
had talked to Mr. Bores. He knows what is happening and is fine with waiting a bit longer for payment.
The mayor asked Council for a motion to advance Water and Wastewater Employee Chadd Nutter to an
Operator Grade 2, and for his hourly wage to be increased to $26 per hour, effective August 9, 2026. Mr.
Andrew Brown made that motion, seconded by Ms. Chris Raftery. Mr. Andrew Brown asked what position
Mr. Nutter is advancing from. Ms. Collene apologized, as she didn’t have Mr. Nutter’s current job title and
current wage information with her; however, she knows he is currently somewhere between the $23.00
and $26.00 per hour pay range. Motion carried with no further discussion.
The mayor asked Council for a motion to reduce the utility bill for the customer living at 143 N Ridge Street
by $120. Ms. Sue Rogers made that motion, seconded by Mr. Jim Ehrman. Motion carried with no
discussion.
The mayor asked Council for a motion to approve the job posting for a Street Department Laborer. Mr.
Jim Ehrman made that motion, seconded by Ms. Sue Rogers. Motion carried with no discussion.
The mayor asked Council for a motion to instruct Fiscal Officer Eunice Collene on how to appropriate
money to pay the outstanding invoice due to R.A. Bores for the Downtown Parking Lot Project, and the
preference that Council is asking Ms. Collene to prepare legislation for, and to transfer those funds from
the General Fund to the Downtown Parking Lot Project Fund, and to appropriate funds. Ms. Chris Raftery
made that motion, seconded by Ms. Sue Rogers. Motion carried with no discussion.
Police – Chief Jon Earl presented his report that had been previously submitted to Council. There was a
53% increase in overall activity for the month, primarily due to traffic stops. School zone citations are
being issued, and patrol occurs every morning and every afternoon. GATSO red light and speed citations
have decreased compared to August 2025.
Officer Frank Sirse, the new SRO (School Resource Officer), completed his field training program. He has
an office at the public school. He reports to the school every day, from 7:15 AM to 3:15 PM. Officer Sirse
works hours that correspond to when the children arrive and when the last child departs, and this
schedule is working well.
The Monroeville Police Department made a major arrest recently. Two officers stopped a vehicle for a
routine traffic violation. During the stop, they found 40 pounds of marijuana in the car. The drugs were
packed in two 55-gallon bags and were being transported from Michigan to Akron, Ohio. The marijuana
was sent to the BCI (Bureau of Criminal Investigation) for testing. The person arrested was charged with
a second-degree felony. The case is still pending in court.
Officer Meyer had three arrests this month, increasing the overall activity for the month.
Ms. Tammy Schlachter said that Council received an email about SiteStream, a program that catches redlight and speed violators. She asked Chief if he had reviewed it. Chief explained that the village already
uses GATSO, which does the same thing. New companies are trying to enter this business. A couple of
these companies have reached out to Chief about replacing the current GATSO cameras in the village.
Chief has not looked into any of these options because the GATSO system the village is using now works
well. If Council wants the Chief to explore other options, he is willing to do so.
Mr. Paul Skidmore asked Chief whether the SRO would handle patrols at school sporting events if other
officers didn't want to. Chief said he had already taken care of it. Before bringing on Officer Sirse, Chief
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Regular Council Meeting September 8, 2026
and Council had set up a comp time program that is now being used with Officer Sirse. He covers school
sporting events using comp time. For instance, on Labor Day, Officer Sirse can use his comp time and skip
school as the school staff does, but he must use the time he has earned. Officer Sirse worked at the last
football game. Chief said that Officer Sirse told him he left home at 6:15 AM and got back around 10:00
PM that night, which shows his dedication. Officer Sirse enjoys going to sporting events. The village gives
Officer Sirse time off to use outside of that. He is known as the candy man at the football games.
Solicitor – Mr. Jim Barney had no information to report. Mr. Jim Ehrman addressed Mr. Barney and said
the village paid Mr. Barney an invoice payment of $5,743.75 in August 2026 for his solicitor services. Mr.
Ehrman asked Mr. Barney what services he provided. Mr. Barney explained to Mr. Ehrman that his invoices
are available to Council, and they are very detailed as to what services are provided. If Council would like
Mr. Barney to bring those invoices with him to the Council meetings and provide a report, he can do that.
Some of the information is protected or subject to client-attorney privilege. A great deal of time is spent
on matters relating to Decimal Digital and Gray Matter. Mr. Barney doesn’t see the invoices that go out
of his office or see the payment that comes in; however, he tracks his time every day. He would guess that
approximately 70% of his time is spent on matters relating to Decimal Digital and Gray Matter. Mr. Ehrman
said he was curious as to why Mr. Barney doesn’t have any information to report at the regular Council
meetings.
Mayor – The mayor noted that while this isn't on tonight's agenda, he believes Council should talk about
SafeBuilt's contract proposal. This proposal was first discussed at a special Council meeting on September
1, 2026, when the mayor asked Council members to review it and share any questions or feedback. The
mayor said that Mr. Andrew Brown raised some good questions, and SafeBuilt provided good answers.
The mayor said that he and Ms. Eunice Collene both agreed that the village try using SafeBuilt for zoning
inspector services on a trial basis. The village has a backlog of permits to process and hasn't received many
applications for the Zoning Inspector position. SafeBuilt offers professional zoning enforcement and
approval services. The mayor recently spoke with a local contractor who said it's better to work with a
professional firm like SafeBuilt because they're available during regular business hours, unlike most
community Zoning Inspectors who only work part-time. The mayor asked Council to vote on accepting his
recommendation to hire SafeBuilt and to allow him to sign the contract. He also asked Council to vote on
naming SafeBuilt as the Village Zoning Inspector. According to the contract terms, the village has no
obligation to use SafeBuilt for any set amount of time or specific purpose. If the village isn't satisfied with
their work, they can stop using them anytime. The mayor believes SafeBuilt's rates are reasonable. If
Council agrees, they can review SafeBuilt's performance each month. The mayor stated this is the best
path for improving the village's zoning services. Mr. Mark Miller wanted to know how long the village
would be committed to SafeBuilt's services. The mayor explained it's a one-year contract, but the village
isn't required to continue with SafeBuilt for any set length of time. Payment would be hourly. Mr. Brown
asked whether the contract automatically renews if the village doesn't cancel it. The mayor said yes. Ms.
Collene said this wasn't on the agenda because she has it on the open projects list under Council business.
Ms. Collene asked whether the Administrative Office would handle permit applications and receive the
village's invoices. The mayor confirmed. Mr. Ehrman said that Mr. Brown raised many good questions and
asked if Mr. Brown had anything else to add. Mr. Brown said he was satisfied with SafeBuilt's answers. He
still had some concerns. He believes it can work, but Council needs to carefully review the invoices and
verify everything is correct. Mr. Ehrman agreed. Mr. Scott Summerlin asked the mayor if he could ask
questions. The mayor allowed it. Mr. Summerlin said when he searched SafeBuilt online, he found they
offer zoning services, plus services for the Planning Commission, BZA (Board of Zoning Appeals), and full
building enforcement. Mr. Summerlin asked whether the village intends to use SafeBuilt only for zoning
services. The mayor said yes and explained that the Zoning Inspector position would include attending
BZA or Planning Commission meetings when needed. If SafeBuilt needs to send someone to these
meetings in the future, they can do so. Mr. Summerlin noted that SafeBuilt charges $100 per hour, but
most site visits only last 15 minutes. He wanted to know if the fee is reduced for shorter visits or if it's
always $100 per hour. The mayor clarified that the minimum charge is $100, though SafeBuilt will accept
15-minute visits for follow-up inspections. Ms. Collene said that the village worked with SafeBuilt to have
the Administrative Office handle permit intake. Permits would be sent to SafeBuilt once weekly instead
of multiple times per week. SafeBuilt bills a minimum of one hour at $100 per hour for their work. The
mayor added that regular community Zoning Inspectors receive monthly pay even when they're not
working. Ms. Tammy Schlachter made a motion, seconded by Ms. Chris Raftery, to accept the mayor's
recommendation to hire SafeBuilt and allow the mayor to sign the contract. Motion passed with no further
discussion. Ms. Chris Raftery made a motion, seconded by Ms. Tammy Schlachter, to name SafeBuilt as
the Village Zoning Inspector. Mr. Miller wanted to know if SafeBuilt would take part in zoning issues at
the Industrial Park. The mayor explained that SafeBuilt would not help write anything. Ms. Collene said
that SafeBuilt would review any permit that gets submitted. Motion carried with no further discussion.

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Regular Council Meeting September 8, 2026
BOARD AND COMMISSION REPORTS
HRJFD
Huron River Joint Fire District convened on Wednesday, September 2, 2026: Mr. Jim Ehrman reported
that Peru Township had one fire call, Ridgefield Township had one, Sherman Township had two, and the
Village of Monroeville had five. The HRJFD completed pump operation training in August 2026. There is a
lot to know about hydraulics and water for pump operation. One of these trainings the firefighters
complete is called drafting operations. The fire truck carries what's called a hard suction hose. This hose
goes from 4-inch to 8-inch diameter, depending on what size they're using. It’s used to pull water from a
water source, like a pond, cistern, or port-a-tank (portable tank). It's usually carried on fire trucks. When
set up, it's an open-top tank, and it holds 1,000 or more gallons of water. The suction hose is placed in the
tank, and it draws water into the pump. The pump supplies water to the fire hose. NFPA (National Fire
Protection Association) has regulations that test the pumps in operation. They have to go through certain
criteria, test the equipment, and file it. It takes a lot of work and training to be a firefighter. The HRJFD
firefighters are well-trained and tested before engaging in an emergency. The HRJFD is led by Fire Chief
Curt Stang. Chief Stang is responsible for all operations of the department, and also the life safety of all
the citizens in the community.
OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS COUNCIL
Ms. Kathy Pocock attended last month's Council meeting and is back to discuss the conversion of a portion
of Herrick Alley to a one-way street. She lives at the corner of Broad Street and Herrick Alley, with one
driveway on Herrick Alley and two on E Broad Street. She thinks converting one section of Herrick Alley to
a one-way street is a bad idea. The village previously installed a speed bump in that section, but it has
been taken out. The resident who opposes two-way traffic lives near this area. Looking at his property,
Ms. Pocock sees no current damage, and she thinks the old damage may have come from drivers avoiding
or straddling the speed bump. She finds the one-way conversion very inconvenient.
Mr. Tom Sitterly said he lives on Main Street and his backyard borders Herrick Alley. The alley is too narrow
for two cars to pass each other going opposite directions. Most people have learned to drive around, one
way or another. Some drivers ignore the one-way sign and drive around the sawhorses anyway. He has
already confronted one driver who went the wrong way. The damage to his yard happened before the
speed bump was installed. He has tire tracks curved through his yard, and the other side of the street has
marks like a bowling alley gutter. Ms. Sue Rogers asked if alley traffic decreased after Hamilton Street
reopened. Mr. Sitterly said yes. Mr. Sitterly told Ms. Pocock that drivers don't drive into her yard because
the other side of the street is more level. He said that Ms. Pocock's husband told him that a couple of
people have driven through their yard when turning the corner. Ms. Pocock said it's not a big problem in
her opinion. Mr. Sitterly said the alley is not wide enough for two vehicles. Ms. Pocock asked if she could
respond, but the mayor said no.
Ms. Melinda Gies, who lives on State Route 547 in Monroeville, asked Village Solicitor Jim Barney a
question. She noted that Mr. Barney had said he estimated 70% of his August 2026 invoice for $5,743.75
was for matters relating to Decimal Digital and Gray Matter. Mr. Barney confirmed this was an estimate.
Ms. Gies expressed concern that the Zoning Inspector position lacks clear guidelines. At a previous
meeting, Council couldn’t even explain who the Zoning Inspector reported to. She stated there should be
clear guidelines and that a strong, sound ordinance is needed. The mayor responded that a sound
ordinance exists but is weak. Ms. Gies then asked about solar panels not running through the meter and
whether they were land panels or water panels. Ms. Collene said the panels discussed earlier were the
floating solar panels. The mayor noted the land panels have operated for years without issues. Ms. Gies
asked if the land panels were the ones mentioned in a prior meeting, with the cost of X dollars. Ms. Collene
asked for clarification. Ms. Gies repeated her question about whether the panels referenced at the last
meeting are on water or land. The mayor reminded Ms. Collene of the earlier discussion about the Solar
Advocate and its cost. Ms. Collene explained that the village's per-kilowatt-hour rate relates to the land
panels. Ms. Gies reminded Council of their civic responsibility and asked them to avoid checking cell
phones or iPads during meetings unless they are taking notes, and to maintain proper body language while
others speak. Mr. Ehrman stated he is working closely with the Water and Wastewater Department to
monitor the solar panels and to address any contamination issues. At this time, conditions appear normal.
Ms. Gies noted that the solar installation happened before certain current Council members joined, and
she wants to make sure the Council understands the situation and can respond to questions from the
public.
Mr. Scott Summerlin requested that Council confirm whether water testing occurred at the reservoir
before the floating solar panels were installed. The mayor said he was unsure whether Mr. Summerlin's
claim was accurate. Mr. Jim Ehrman explained that state rules require testing to happen every three
months for specific types of contamination. He has reviewed test reports with Water and Wastewater
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Regular Council Meeting September 8, 2026
Superintendent Don Clark, and the results showed ND, meaning no harmful substances were detected.
He looked at a full year of these test reports. Mr. Ehrman also said that Mr. Clark monitors the ground
surrounding the land-based solar panels. Mr. Summerlin then asked whether testing included PFAS (perand polyfluoroalkyl) chemicals, which can leak from floating solar panels and affect the village's drinking
water. Ms. Eunice Collene responded that the village follows EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
testing standards. Mr. Summerlin said that the village does basic testing. The mayor said PFAS testing is
happening. Mr. Summerlin wants to confirm testing is actually being done because the reservoir serves
as backup drinking water when the river becomes muddy. Ms. Collene noted that everyone should have
received the CCR (Consumer Confidence Report) with the testing details. Mr. Summerlin said that before
the floating solar installation, PFAS testing wasn't done, so there was no way to track if PFAS entered the
water. Floating solar panels contain harmful materials. He views this as a major mistake by those
managing the project. Mr. Summerlin also brought up the data center moratorium and asked how many
Planning Commission meetings would happen to create new ordinances. He sees very few meetings being
scheduled. He knows Council can extend the moratorium for 90 to 180 days under Fifth District law, which
Pickerington, Ohio, passed. Mr. Summerlin asked Council to extend the moratorium and protect the
village’s drinking water. Ms. Collene suggested Mr. Summerlin speak with Water and Wastewater
Superintendent Don Clark for more details about testing.
ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS FOR THIRD AND FINAL READING
Ordinance 2026-10 An Ordinance amending and restating the zoning ordinance, was presented for third
and final reading. The Mayor asked if there is a motion for discussion on Ordinance 2026-10. Mr. Andrew
Brown made a motion, seconded by Ms. Sue Rogers, for discussion on Ordinance 2026-10. Mr. Ehrman
said that he stands on the premise that Council needs to enforce the current zoning book before issuing
a new zoning book. The mayor said the motion and the second were to have a discussion on Ordinance
2026-10, and asked for a roll call on the motion to discuss. Mr. Andrew Brown, Ms. Chris Raftery, Mr. Mark
Miller, Ms. Sue Rogers, and Ms. Tammy Schlachter voted yea. Mr. Jim Ehrman voted nay. Motion carried.
The mayor advised Council to move forward with the discussion on Ordinance 2026-10. Mr. Miller asked
whether Ordinance 2026-10 was the same document that had been sent to Council earlier with changes
marked in red. The mayor said yes. Mr. Miller noted that many of the changes involved wording, and the
mayor agreed. Mr. Brown asked Village Solicitor Jim Barney to confirm that when the village needs to hire
an engineer or requires one for a project, the applicant would pay for it rather than the village. Mr. Barney
confirmed that the applicant covers all costs. Sometimes an engineer just reviews something quickly, and
it costs little, but other times the work is more involved. Mr. Brown asked if he had missed this detail while
reviewing the new book or if it was just understood. Mr. Barney said it appears in the new zoning book.
He also explained that instead of changing fees directly in ordinances—like changing a permit fee from
$25 to $50 by writing a new ordinance—the village created a fee list that can be updated by a simple
motion. Mr. Barney said he wasn't sure if the book mentions this. Mr. Brown then asked about the Eagle
View subdivision's exemption from R2 development standards. He recalled that the mayor had mentioned
before that the PUD (Planned Unit Development) had been in place for a long time. He would personally
be hesitant to vote without understanding what this means for Eagle View specifically, unless someone
could explain it or provide details. Mr. Barney asked if Mr. Brown was talking about certain sections in the
book about the Eagle View subdivision. Mr. Brown confirmed that the text says Eagle View is exempt from
R2 rules, but doesn't explain what rules would apply instead. Mr. Barney said he believes the rules for
Eagle View are listed, and anything not listed doesn't apply. Mr. Barney said he wasn't part of that earlier
discussion. He thinks Ms. Chris Raftery would remember better than him about the developer wanting to
include some non-standard features, and how the developer needed to get the subdivision approved. Mr.
Barney thinks instead of the developer getting a variance, they added the language directly into the
ordinance. Ms. Raftery agreed and said it was submitted. Mr. Barney said he doesn't recall the details, but
he doesn't think it goes further than that. During meetings, people discussed whether the village needed
these rules since the subdivision already exists. Removing them won't change what the plat says. Ms. Chris
Raftery commented (inaudible). Mr. Barney said he thinks planning and development is much more
complex than that. It's mixed use with commercial, residential, and required green space. He thinks Eagle
View came in with a subdivision plat that didn't follow the rules, and the village worked with them to
improve development and add new housing. That's his understanding of what happened. Mr. Brown
asked what rules would apply to the empty lots on the plat if Eagle View is exempt from R2 regulations.
Mr. Barney explained that the plat contains a box identifying the lot, with setbacks marked on it. Mr.
Brown wanted to know if these setbacks match what the area already has. Mr. Barney confirmed they fit
well with the rest of the subdivision. Mr. Scott Summerlin asked Mr. Barney whether zoning rules are still
being updated. Mr. Summerlin said he serves on the BZA (Board of Zoning Appeals) and hasn't seen any
updated zoning ordinances. The mayor said this is exactly what they're discussing now with Ordinance
2026-10. Mr. Summerlin asked if BZA members can access the ordinance somewhere before dealing with
all the waiting permits. He noted that the last version he got from Ann Beck, an Administrative Office
employee, was missing some recent changes. The mayor said that's what Council is possibly voting on at
this moment. Mr. Barney added that current pending permits will be handled using the old zoning book.
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Regular Council Meeting September 8, 2026
The mayor told Mr. Summerlin that Council is currently working on approving a new zoning book, and
they are discussing that Ordinance right now. When responding to Mr. Brown's questions, the mayor
clarified that the rules apply to the plat, not to the PUD. The mayor explained that the plat uses similar
setbacks as the R1 zone, which is the same standard used in the Eagle View subdivision where Mr. Jim
Ehrman and the mayor built their homes. The subdivision has setbacks and also includes a restrictive
covenant. Mr. Barney pointed out that while the village cannot enforce restrictive covenants, any
homeowner in that subdivision can enforce them. There being no other discussion on Ordinance 202610, the mayor asked Council for a motion. Ms. Chris Raftery made a motion, seconded by Ms. Sue Rogers,
to pass Ordinance 2026-10 by title only. Mr. Andrew Brown, Ms. Chris Raftery, Mr. Mark Miller, Ms. Sue
Rogers, and Ms. Tammy Schlachter voted yea. Mr. Jim Ehrman voted nay. The mayor advised that
Ordinance 2026-10 would take effect in 30 days. Motion carried with no further discussion.
APPROVAL OF BILL SUMMARY
The Mayor asked Council for a motion to approve the August 2026 bill summary. Ms. Sue Rogers made a
motion, seconded by Ms. Tammy Schlachter, to approve the bill summary as presented, which included
memo expenses and checks #047870 to #047920, for a total of $697,677.90. Motion carried with no
discussion.
COUNCIL BUSINESS
Ms. Collene asked for discussion regarding the open list of projects. Mr. Mark Miller said that per the
list, he would like to have a discussion regarding the noise at the Industrial Park from the bitcoin
container. He said the noise has been going on for the last nine months with no action being taken. Ms.
Collene asked if anyone had any updates on this. Mr. Miller said he thought that a sound study was
supposed to have been done. The mayor said that a study was done, and readings were obtained
reflecting 70 decibels. The receiver informed the mayor that if Decimal Digital doesn't pay overhead for
the operation site, then the receiver does not have funding to install screening right now. Mr. Mark
Miller asked about the possibility of moving the container to the back of the property. The mayor said
he isn’t sure if that is a possibility, but it can be discussed during tonight’s executive session. Mr. Andrew
Brown asked if the power to the site is going to be turned off in October 2026. The mayor said that
would also be discussed during executive session. Mr. Summerlin asked if the receiver would be able to
pour a concrete pad again without first obtaining a permit. The mayor asked if that was a question. Mr.
Summerlin said it was more of a general statement. Mr. Jim Ehrman said that Gray Matter never applied
for any permits for anything. The only permit that was applied for was a fence permit from a fence
company.
Ms. Tammy Schlachter said that tap-in fees were discussed at a recent utility committee meeting. The
village is losing money every time a new building is built, so Council needs to move forward. Ms. Collene
said this morning she emailed Council the supporting documentation that Water and Wastewater
Superintendent Don Clark provided her. However, she did not have time to draft legislation for tonight’s
meeting. She can prepare legislation if Council wants to schedule a special meeting, or she could have it
ready for the regular Council meeting in October. Ms. Collene said she still needs to discuss it with
Village Solicitor Jim Barney as well. Mr. Miller asked if this is for water or electric. Ms. Collene said this
would be for water tap-ins.
Ms. Collene asked if there was any news on the gas station reopening. The mayor said he is aware they
had fuel delivered. Ms. Collene said she believes they were doing that to test the tanks, and she heard
there were issues with the pumps. Mr. Don Clark was supposed to reach out to the owner today, but
she hasn’t heard anything from him yet.
Ms. Collene asked the mayor and Council if they had a chance to review the organization chart that she
created. The mayor said he knew she sent a mock-up but didn’t know if she had submitted anything
more recent. Ms. Collene said the mock-up is all she has right now. The mayor said he needed to review
it.
Mr. Jim Ehrman asked if Ms. Collene has a contact for the gas station. Ms. Collene verified that she has
been in contact with the owner. Mr. Ehrman said he was there when the fuel was being dropped off,
and the guy he talked to seemed pretty baffled. Mr. Miller said it seems like it has taken months to get
the gas station ready to reopen. Ms. Collene said this is a new business owner, and he is working on
things. The village can’t force him to open. All we can do is take the information that is provided.
Ms. Collene asked if any action needs to be taken to assign the new Village Administrator a start date
and starting wage. The mayor confirmed and, per what was discussed at the last Council meeting, asked
Council for a motion to pay the new Village Administrator, Sean Crosby, $32 per hour on an annual
basis, with a start date of Wednesday, September 9, 2026. Ms. Sue Rogers made that motion, seconded
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Regular Council Meeting September 8, 2026
by Ms. Tammy Schlachter. Mr. Mark Miller asked if the Street Department Superintendent, Dustin
Crabtree, was still off work. The mayor confirmed and said that Mr. Crosby will start his day at the Street
Department and later report to the MMC for his Administrator duties. Ms. Collene verified that Mr.
Crosby would straddle those duties to ensure everything is covered until Mr. Crabtree returns to work.
Mr. Crosby will also help with plowing during the wintertime. Motion carried with no further discussion.
Mr. Tom Sitterly started to ask about the gas station, and Ms. Collene interjected and explained that the
gas station is a different topic. Right now, there is a motion and a second on the floor that need to be
addressed. Mr. Crosby verified he will do both jobs and make it work to ensure everything is covered.
Roll call was then taken. Motion carried with no further discussion.
Tom Sitterly mentioned that when he operated a gas station and later shut it down, the state wouldn't
cover insurance for hazardous spills or issues from fuel lines if no gas was sold within a year. He asked
whether anyone had checked the fuel lines at the station. Ms. Eunice Collene responded that the owner
is responsible for this testing, which is part of what the owner is currently handling. Ms. Collene then
asked Chief Stang if he had additional information. Chief Stang explained that the gas station owner has
12 months from the last fuel delivery or sale to either seal or remove the underground tanks. This
requirement is available on the state's website, and tank information is public record. According to the
records, November 27, 2025, was the last delivery or sale date at that station. The website lists tank
capacity and licensing details. The state must inspect the pumps and verify weights and measures. Mr.
Sitterly said that the county handles this. Chief Stang added that the state will conduct pressure tests on
the tanks and examine the wells and surrounding areas.
Ms. Tammy Schlachter made a motion to reevaluate whether Herrick Alley should remain a one-way
street in 30-days, seconded by Ms. Chris Raftery. Ms. Schlachter said Ms. Kathy Pocock has more
frontage on Herrick Alley than Mr. Tom Sitterly does. Mr. Sitterly asked what Ms. Pocock’s address is.
Ms. Schlachter said it’s on Broad Street. Mr. Sitterly said Ms. Pocock has plenty of driveway on Broad
Street. Ms. Schlachter said that Mr. Sitterly doesn’t have a driveway on Herrick Alley. Mr. Sitterly said he
has a backyard that butts up to Herrick Alley. Mr. Andrew Brown asked if the village is going to have
someone look into widening it. Mr. Sitterly said no. Ms. Chris Raftery said it’s an alley. The mayor asked
Mr. Sean Crosby if the Street Department was able to make heads or tails of whether the alley could be
widened or not. Mr. Crosby said that Street Department Superintendent Dustin Crabtree worked on that
previously, but he isn’t sure where that ended. Mr. Crosby believes a survey would need to be done to
find out where the alley property lines are, and that would determine what could be done going
forward. Ms. Collene verified what Mr. Crosby stated, as they reviewed the tax map for that area. Mr.
Sitterly said that when Mr. Jack Herner worked in the Street Department, he had the alley widened, but
he pushed it all Mr. Sitterly’s way. When a survey is done, it goes from the center of the road. This
means Mr. Sitterly would be losing property every time somebody moves the alley, and he won’t allow
that to happen. If Council would read their own ordinance, they would see an alley has 14 feet of rightof-way. Ms. Collene explained that the motion and the second are to reevaluate the issue, not to make a
decision tonight. Roll call was then taken. Ms. Chris Raftery, Mr. Jim Ehrman, Mr. Mark Miller, Ms. Sue
Rogers, and Ms. Tammy Schlachter voted yea. Mr. Andrew Brown voted nay. Ms. Collene said that
tonight voted to reevaluate the situation in 30 days. At the last regular Council meeting, Council voted to
reevaluate the situation in 30-days. She asked if Herrick Alley is remaining a one-way street, is changing
from a one-way street, or if Council is going to reevaluate it again in 30-days. Council and the mayor
confirmed tonight’s vote is pushing back for further evaluation in 30-days, and the alley will remain a
one-way street in the meantime. Ms. Collene asked for a time limit. Ms. Chris Raftery said 30-days, and
Ms. Tammy Schlachter said until the next regular meeting. Ms. Chris Raftery clarified that the situation
would be discussed at the next regular Council meeting in October 2026. Motion carried with no further
discussion.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Mayor Galea asked Council for a motion to enter into executive session to discuss pending or imminent
litigation. Ms. Tammy Schlachter made a motion, seconded by Mr. Jim Ehrman, to enter into executive
session. Motion carried with no discussion. The Council meeting adjourned to executive session at 7:20
PM and reconvened on record at 7:53 PM.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no other business to come before them, the Mayor asked Council for a motion to adjourn.
Ms. Tammy Schlachter made that motion, seconded by Ms. Sue Rogers.
Meeting adjourned at 7:54 pm.

____________________________________
8

Regular Council Meeting September 8, 2026
Eunice A. Collene, Fiscal Officer
________________________________________
Joseph Galea, Mayor

The minutes of this meeting were recorded by Administrative Specialist Heather Alicea. Fiscal Officer
Eunice A. Collene examined them for both form and content, subsequently approving them as transcribed.

THIS IS NOT A RATIFIED OR APPROVED COPY

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