Village clean-up scheduled for May 8

PROCTORVILLE — The village of Proctorville has several event lined up for the coming weeks, as announced by Mayor Rick Dunfee at the meeting of council on Thursday night.

The annual Little League parade is set for Saturday, starting at 9 a.m. The parade will kick off at the Kroger parking lot and proceed to the Little League field. First pitch in the game is at 10 a.m.

Dunfee encouraged residents to come out and support the children and said there would be free hot dogs available.

A village-wide yard sale is set for May 6, while the village clean-up is planned for May 8. Two dumpsters will be set up in the village to allow for residents to dispose of large items. Union Township will host their clean-up on May 6, from 8 a.m.-2 p.m., with dumpsters set up on Old Route 7 to dispose of large items, such as furniture and TVs. Old batteries, paint cans and tires are prohibited.

The Proctorville village hall will be closed on May 29, in observation of Memorial Day.

Also, in a letter sent to residents, Dunfee advised  them to keep lawns maintained and property free of excessive junk. He said police started on April 15 in handing out letters for unsightliness.

Once a letter is issued, residents have 10 days to correct the problem before a citation is issued.

“We realize when we have a lot of rain and some sunny days, it is hard stay ahead of our grass,” Dunfee said in the letter. “All we ask is to cut it when the weather allows.”

Dunfee also addressed the issue of parking within the village, and said he has received many complaints of excessive vehicles on the streets.

“The complaints are when people who have five or six cars and take up half a block,” he said. “The people who live in the houses close by can’t park.”

Dunfee said he did not believe the village currently had an ordinance to address the issue, and asked the council to consider solutions for the next meeting.

The mayor and council also recognized the efforts of a group of Symmes Valley High junior government students who worked in the village last week, doing tasks such as picking up trash and repainting playground equipment.

Council member Dale Burcham praised the students, who he said gave up the first day of their spring break to do the work.

“This gives us a lot of hope for the young people,” he said.

Dunfee also raised the issue of dilapidated housing in the village, specifically pointing to two properties that are being targeted for demolition.

In order to be taken by the Lawrence County Land Bank, the properties must be abandoned and delinquent on taxes.

One, he said, was up to date on taxes, but the land bank may make an offer to the owner to buy the property.

The second has had its taxes sold to a lien company. Burcham said the land bank has made an offer to the company so that the property can be acquired.

“Both of these need to be torn down,” Burcham said. “If either takes the offer from the land bank, then we can get rid of them.”

Also at the meeting, the council:

• Voted 5-0 in an emergency ordinance to adopt the annual update of the Ohio criminal code for villages.

• Voted to reject bids from a Chicago company to purchase two old police cruisers for $207 each. The mayor and members of council said they could get more for the vehicles in parts than that amount.

• Voted on the update of a bond ordinance to provide for the issue of bonds, not    in excess of $47,100 to pay for water plant improvements and police vehicles.

“This is extremely doable,” fiscal officer Darrell Legg said. “This will get our water plant paid off and then we can start working harder on our village hall.”