The November 16 Regular Council Meeting of the Village of Ada was attended by all six members on the second floor of Village Hall, 115 West Buckeye Ave. The meeting  agenda and the approved minutes of the November 2 Regular Meeting are available at Combined Agenda & Minutes.

A funds transfer request and pay ordinances for $365,197.20 and $46,182.60 were approved unanimously.

When the floor was opened to the public, council members elect Sean Beck and Jason Campell were greeted by Mayor Retterer and members of council.

During Mayor’s Comments, Daver Retterer noted the excellent Veterans Day program hosted by Ohio Northern University. He also noted that ONU president Dan DiBiasio met with Police Chief Harnishfeger and the Hardin County Sheriff following media coverage of the ONU College Republicans request to sell “Back the Blue” t-shirts.

Five resolutions were passed:

• Authorizing a contract with the Hardin County Board of Commissioners for Emergency Management Services. The cost will increase (for the first time since 1993) from 25 cents to 30 cents per capita.
• Authorizing employment of legal counsel Jane Napier in 2022. (Employment contract on page 13 of attachment.)
• Authorizing an agreement with Michael Harnishfeger for supplemental employment as the Zoning Inspector. (Employment contract begins on page 17 of attachment.)
• Amending the classification plan to include Water Treatment Plant Superintendent and Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent.
• Authorizing the Mayor to assess street lights in 2022 at the same rate as 2021 (by emergency).

Council approved the first reading of an ordinance establishing the annual appropriations for the Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2022. (Pages 32-33 of attachment.)

Council entered an executive session and reconvened to announce the hiring of Joe Hefner as Public Works Superintendent with a salary of $45,000.

Committee And Department Reports

In committee reports, Terry Keiser noted that Sigma Phi Epsilon members assisted with raking of leaves from the great sycamore tree on Main St.

In the Fiscal Officer’s report, Patty Navin noted that 150 boxes of records will be shredded. A utility billing software conversion will take place. The following calendar including holiday closings has been released:

Nov 19, Tree Commission Meeting 12:00 p.m. Depot 

Nov 25 & 26, THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY Village Offices Closed 

Dec 7, Regular Council Meeting 6:30 p.m. Village Hall 

Dec 17, Tree Commission Meeting 12:00 p.m. Depot

Dec 20, Ada-Liberty Joint Ambulance District 5:30 p.m. 530 N. Gilbert St.

Dec 21, Regular Council Meeting 6:30 p.m. Village Hall 

Dec 24, CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY Village Offices Closed 

Jan 3, 2022 NEW YEAR”S HOLIDAY Village Offices Closed 

Jan 4, 2022 Regular Council Meeting 6:30 p.m. Village Hall

In the Police Chief’s report, Chief Michael Harnishfeger reported: 

• Work on sexual assault case
• Use of AED on a man without a heartbeat
• Several domestic incidents
• The death of a young man (unknown if overdose or natural causes)
• Assistance to the Kenton Police Department with an abduction case
• Harnishfeger presented at a leadership conference

In the Village Administrator’s report, Jamie Hall noted that leaf pickup will be suspended during the week of Thanksgiving, when village workers will put up lights and holiday banners.

New Business

Council member Jeff Oestreich made a motion to suspend the 3% council salary increase for 2022, which was seconded by Terry Keiser and approved unanimously.