Tnl-News.com - Malvern Council discusses police coverage, audit

By KIMBERLY LEWIS

News Leader Editor

Malvern residents may have already noticed the extra coverage provided by the Carroll County Sheriff's Office.

At the council meeting June 15, Mayor Michael McCort reported the extra coverage started June 12 and included catching some speeders and another incident.

McCort noted council met with the auditor from the private company who conducted the village's audit. The auditor, upon seeing the existence of the Malvern Community Development Board, spent additional hours researching whether an audit of the Malvern Community Development Board was necessary. The company billed the village an additional $2,100 for the additional hours. The state treasurer's office later determined no audit was necessary.

Councilwoman Angela Lambert suggested Fiscal Officer Nancy Yeager get a letter from the treasurer's office to that effect so the village "does not have a problem in the future."

Most council members do not believe the village owes the additional funds. Law Director Vince Slabaugh agreed, the village was not contractually obligated to pay the fee.

Councilman Bob DeLong believes the company did not know of the board's existence as it began to look at the village's books and is "entitled to it." Members of the Malvern Community Development Board were to decide if the additional fee would be paid.

Also a topic was the placement of the Welcome to Malvern sign. Bates noted the Ohio Department of Transportation requires the sign to be 29 feet from the white line and requires the posts or supports to be break-aways. Artzner said someone is willing to donate plastic covers for the break-away posts. Council agreed to proceed with installing the new sign near the Malvern corporation limits on break-away posts.

Slabaugh told council he was to meeting with someone from the state, who will inspect and write a report on the two Reed Avenue properties, Pizza Works and Mercer on the Square, as the village pursues abatement of the properties. Slabaugh explained since the village nor the county has a building department, the state may provide a building inspector at a cost.

Council opened bids from Wendell Ford, Loudon Ford Motors and Williamson GMC for a new service truck. The bids will be reviewed by Gamber, Cinson and Bates before a decision is made at the July 6 meeting. McCort asked whether the village must take the lowest bid since it will be funded through a U.S. Department of Agriculture loan/grant. Bates said the village has a choice.

In other business, council:

* UPDATED Malvern Community Development Board Director Susan Joyce on its past paving projects, future needs and grant applications.

* HEARD Road Superintendent Jim Cinson report the department is "catching up" on road cuts, patching the roads, working in the park and will be repairing catch basins.

* HEARD Riley's Sweeper swept the village streets in about 16-1/2 hours at a cost of $1,145. Cinson said the company did "an excellent job."

Bates said American Landfill has offered to sweep the streets for $70 per hour and the village may use them next time.

* HEARD Cinson thank the Brown Township trustees for the use of the chipper and Paul Wolf, Pete McMillen, Tom Grimm and Tony Leslee for helping with cleaning the disc golf course.

* LEARNED during Councilwoman Angela Lambert's report that the first nine holes for the disc golf course are "95 percent completed." She thanked all of the volunteers and said new posts are needed for the course map.

* DISCUSSED whether the basketball court can be resealed or resurfaced. Lambert noted the $4,100 from Dancing on the Bridge was for coating the court, not resurfacing.

* WAS to hold a budget meeting June 22, to review the preliminary budget that needs to be approved July 6.

* ADOPTED an emergency ordinance appropriating funds to the individual departments from the Federal Emergency Management Agency money for wind damage.

* ADOPTED an ordinance donating $100 to the American Legion Post 375 to defray the cost of Memorial Day flags.

* AGREED to continue using Time Warner Road Runner for Internet service since the company has agreed to forego a three-year contract, allowing the village to stay month to month.

* DISCUSSED various nuisance properties on Church and Main streets.