Donations lower than expected

CHESAPEAKE — Funds for the village park in Chesapeake have been running low and council voted at Monday’s meeting to pay utilities out of the general fund if the park funds were depleted.

Clerk-treasurer Peggy Houston said the park fund had been depleted to zero, but recent donations from the American Legion and Schneider-Hall Funeral Home had  given the village $700 to pay for utilities and upkeep at the park.

The council voted 5-0 to allow spending from the general fund, should the park funds run out.

Houston said a few of the regular donors to the fund had not contributed this year and that the village was in need of donors.

She estimated the utilities at the park cost $74 per month, not including the cost of mowing.

Mayor Tommy Templeton and the council agreed to accept the offer of a volunteer to mow the park, depending on his availability. Should he be unavailable, they would pay for the job.

Council member Paul Hart said the agreement the village had when receiving a grant for the park was that they could not charge people for use of the park or facilities.

The motion to allow for spending from the general fund will remain applicable until the park fund receives more funds or donations.

The council also voted, 5-0, on final approval of an ordinance to require businesses an annual certificate to operate in the village.

The annual license would cost $10 and, upon payment, businesses would be issued a certificate to display on their premises.

In other business:

The council voted 5-0 to approve the Ohio Department of Transportation upgrading road signs at the bypass, the Robert C. Byrd Bridge and State Route 7.

Houston notified the council that the audit of the village by the state of Ohio will begin on June 19.

Templeton gave the council an update on the effort to replace the roof at the Chesapeake-Union Volunteer Fire Department.

He said he met with the Union Township Trustees, who want three quotes for the job before proceding.

The council voted 5-0 for Paul Hart’s motion to secure a grant to repair a road slip on Symmes Creek Road.

“Hopefully, at next month’s meeting, we’ll have something to talk about and before the end of summer, have a grant,” Hart said.

Templeton said he was going to meet with County Engineer Patrick Leighty to discuss the slip, as well as one at North Huntington heights.

Templeton discussed the meeting of the Drug Task Force that he and interim police chief Randy Lewis attended on May 18 in Gallipolis.

He said the problem of fentanyl was a major topic of discussion at the meeting. The drug has been mixed in with heroin, resulting in a higher number of overdoses. Though, Templeton said it is beginning to overtake heroin among users.

“The drug analysis these days are coming back 99 percent fentanyl,” Templeton said. “No one wants heroin anymore.”

He said he spoke with Coal Grove’s police department at the meeting, who are treating fentanyl found in busts as a hazardous material situation, equipping officers who could be endangered from handling the drug.

“We plan to do the same,” he said.

Templeton also told the council of his attendance of the Ohio Peace Officers Memorial in May, in which Chesapeake officer Aaron Christian, who died from injuries in a 2016 car crash, was inducted.

“It was one of the most moving memorials I’ve attended,” Templeton said.

He said the village will add Christian’s name to the memorial bricks at village hall, and add his name to the memorial for police and fire personnel who have died.

Templeton said he would be meeting with the village solicitor, Casey Baker, to discuss implementation of the property maintenance code adopted at last month’s meeting of council.