The Collinwood City Commission met in regular session on Monday, November 18th, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. in the conference/courtroom of Collinwood City Hall.
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Glenn Brown. All commissioners were in attendance, including Vice Mayor Danny Sandusky, Commissioner Jeremiah Stults, Commissioner Debie Pigg, and Commissioner Butch Kephart. City Manager Gary Victory and City Recorder Cindy Kephart were in attendance as well.
Mayor Brown called the meeting to order, and the invocation was offered by Pastor Nelson Moffett of the Collinwood Church of God. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all.
First was approval of the agenda. A motion was made by Commissioner Pigg and seconded by Commissioner Stults to approve the agenda as presented, and the motion carried.
The next item on the agenda was the approval of the minutes from previous meetings. Vice Mayor Sandusky made a motion and Commissioner Kephart seconded to approve the minutes from the special meeting in October. The minutes were unanimously approved. Commissioner Kephart then made a motion to approve the minutes from the regular October meeting. Commissioner Pigg seconded the motion, and those minutes were approved as well.
Department reports were distributed to the commissioners for their review. Commissioner Stults inquired if the new water heater for the recreation building had come in yet, and City Manager Victory said that it actually came in earlier that day. Commissioner Kephart said that he had recently spoken with some citizens who had concerns about their gas meters not being read correctly, or not read at all. City Manager Victory said that almost all of the new automatic meter readers are in, and once they are all in, that problem will be eliminated.
Next on the agenda was an update on the water tank contract. City Manager Victory told the commission that the ten-year contract has been signed, and that regular maintenance to the tanks is already covered under the contract now, but it will be spring before the painting begins due to the weather and temperatures.
An update on the infrastructure planning grant was next. City Manager Victory informed the commission that the city was unfortunately not awarded the $45,000 grant which was to be used for a leak survey study.
Victory then gave the commission an update on the Safe Routes to School project. He said that the intersection at the middle school was milled out on Friday, and they are now waiting on the paving machines.
Mayor Brown next gave the Wayne County Welcome Center report for the month of October. The center reported 1,501 visitors for the month, which was a new monthly record. Visitors signed in from not only the U.S., but several foreign countries including Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Australia, France, South America, Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium. Volunteers of the Month were Shawn and Jane Atchley.
Under “other” on the agenda, Commissioner Pigg asked about the plans for the new live Christmas trees the commission previously discussed planting somewhere in town. City Manager Victory said that he had purchased two matching spruce trees that he plans to plant in the City Park, and he will probably purchase another one or two trees to plant near the pergola next to the Welcome Center.
Mayor Brown expressed the commission’s thanks to the Collinwood Beautification Board for all the seasonal decorations they work hard on every year, and for the “Wonderland of Trees” display they are creating at the Welcome Center.
City Manager Victory said that he had been asked by County Commissioner Sherrie Powers if the city would consider paying for the lunches of the Leadership Wayne members when they come to spend the day in Collinwood. The commissioners were all agreeable with paying for their meals.
With no further business to come before the commission, Vice Mayor Sandusky made a motion to adjourn. Commissioner Pigg seconded the motion, and the meeting was adjourned.
