By Joel McCullough

The Village of Ada Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 15 and with emergency actions passed an ordinance prohibiting adult use cannabis operators and medical marijuana cultivators, processors and retail dispensaries from operating within the Village of Ada. The ordinance which had previously been renewed every six months, was allowed to expire earlier this year. With no applications currently in process, council members opted to reinstate the restriction as a precautionary measure, this time without a set expiration date.

EMERGENCY SIREN UPDATE NEARS
The most notable item among bills paid is ongoing upgrades to the Village’s emergency siren system. The equipment has been delivered to the installer, but the installation and electrical setup is pending. The village expects to pay an additional $21,000 once that work is completed.

PUBLIC COMMENTS
Ada resident Doyle Long commended the Village for recent traffic pattern changes on Buckeye Avenue. He also raised concerns about consistent traffic problems on S. Main St and E. Lincoln Ave., specifically people exiting the McDonald’s. Council said they would reach out to the restaurant owner and that they would also contact ODOT for additional guidance if needed.

Ada resident Kevin Wagner brought an ongoing concern about water billing. He was told that he was provided with new information that day. 

NEW BUSINESS
The council discussed and passed a proposal to increase the hourly rate for special duty officers  from $50 per hour to $60 per hour.

HARVEST & HERB FESTIVAL ROAD CLOSURE
Council approved the closure of several streets for the event on Saturday,
September 20 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR REPORT
The EPA is scheduled to conduct a full sanitary survey at the Village’s water treatment plant next Thursday. The survey is part of routine efforts to ensure the safety and functionality of the Village’s water supply.

The Village opened bids for improvements to the waste water treatment plant. Results came in well below the estimated cost, with the new budget for the project totaling $5 million instead of the projected $7 million.

The Village is moving forward with its fall tree removal program, with letters to affected homeowners expected to go out soon. The program addresses aging or damaged trees in the public right-of-way.