Council discusses gateways

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Among the topics discussed at Tuesday’s Greenfield Council meeting were the gateway water-meter reading system and how it is coming along, with two towers placed in town and a third on the way.

The first tower is on the roof of the City Building, and the second has been placed at Mitchell Park. A third is set to be placed on the water tower. More will be strategically placed after a review of the coverage map following the activation of the first three, Greenfield City Manager Todd Wilkin said at Tuesday’s council meeting.

Councilman Mark Branham said he had received a lot of questions regarding the placement of the tower at Mitchell Park, which is near the shelter house.

Wilkin said it was placed there because the location is close to a power source and in an area that allows space to service the tower when maintenance is needed. “Power and accessibility,” he said,” and an effort to keep costs as low as possible, were “the determining and limiting factors” for placement of the tower.

The gateway system allows for real-time observance of water usage and the village will be able to see that a leak is occurring, rather than having to wait for the typical end-of-the-month meter read. As previously reported, the system has already indicated leaks in a few residences. About 95 percent of all the meters in the village are radio-read meters, which the gateway system reads.

In other business, legislation confirming the city manager’s appointment of Andrea McKeever to the police department will be delayed until a special meeting can be held with at least four council members. On Tuesday, both Eric Borsini and Kyle Barr were excused from the meeting, leaving just three members present. To pass legislation as an emergency at least four council members must give an affirmative vote.

Since the plan is to have McKeever begin on Aug. 3, council members scheduled a special meeting for Friday to review and vote on the legislation for McKeever’s hiring.

Wilkin said McKeever, who brings with her a K-9 unit, previously worked for the village. He said the village is excited to see her return.

Rachel Crabtree is July’s employee of the month, Wilkin announced in his report to council. She was recognized by a citizen for her labor and leadership while performing the regular responsibilities of her job with the street department, he said.

Crabtree has been with the village for more than three years, and “has been an asset to the town since day one,” Wilkin said. She does “a tremendous job at managing our workforce and all the work orders we receive. We want to thank her for her dedication, and we truly appreciate her efforts.”

The city manager also reminded residents about the suggestion box located in the City Building’s third-floor lobby just outside the elevator. The box is for suggestions, complaints, nominations for employee of the month, citizen of the month, and home and garden awards, other award suggestions, and it all can be done anonymously, if one wishes.

Branham urged everyone to participate in the award nominations. “Reach out and recognize your neighbor,” he said. “I encourage the community to get behind this.”

Cemetery software that has been in the works for some time is closer to going live, Wilkin reported. Currently, there is a lot of “clean up” happening as records for the last century have not been maintained in the same way and has led to confusion. However, village employees have been visiting the cemetery, taking photos, and documenting exact grave placement so that everything on the cemetery software will be identified accurately.

Once the “clean up” is further along, the software will go live and be available on the village’s website at greenfieldohio.net.

The city manager also reported that he learned of a loan opportunity for the village in a meeting with Taylor Stepp of Ohio Southeast Economic Development. It is an opportunity for rural industrial parks like Greenfield’s to build a 30,000 square foot spec building to help attract businesses to the park. Once the building is complete, the loan payments and interest are deferred for the first five years as the village tries to attract business.

“We are excited about this opportunity and believe we have some interest from local developers and the CIC (Community Improvement Corporation) to build a spec building,” Wilkin said.

The city manager thanked Drew Hamilton and Blake Gall for installing new audio and visual equipment in council chambers. The equipment was purchased by GCTV, he said. Council’s first meeting in July is when the equipment first went into use and both meetings since have been streamed on Facebook. Wilkin noted the improved quality, adding that the village is thankful to have “this tool to help reach the citizens of Greenfield and to ensure they are well informed.”

Council chair Phil Clyburn reminded everyone that the yard waste site is open the last Friday and Saturday of each month at the wastewater treatment facility located at 187 Lost Bridge Rd. Only compostable items are accepted. The service is free to all residents of the village.

Angela Shepherd is a correspondent for the village of Greenfield.

Greenfield Village Council members (l-r) Brenda Losey, Phil Clyburn and Mark Branham are pictured at Tuesday’s regular meeting. Council members Eric Borsini and Kyle Barr were excused from the meeting.
https://www.timesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2020/07/web1_council-7-21-20.jpgGreenfield Village Council members (l-r) Brenda Losey, Phil Clyburn and Mark Branham are pictured at Tuesday’s regular meeting. Council members Eric Borsini and Kyle Barr were excused from the meeting. Photo by Angela Shepherd
Greenfield Cemetery software is being updated

By Angela Shepherd

For The Times-Gazette

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