Greenfield receives positive response from annexation surveys

The village of Greenfield is getting positive response from area residents following surveys sent out by council members to gauge interest into annexing some properties into the village. 

Greenfield Village Council President Betty Jackman had reported during the March 20 meeting that they were submitting informal surveys to area residents to gauge the interest of annexing some properties so they will have access to village water and sewer services. The village could receive the added benefit of increasing the population to city status again. 

During the April 3 meeting of council, Greenfield City Manager Betty Bishop said that, "We are getting a very good response to Chairwoman Jackman's annexation letter. Several have asked that I serve as their agent, and I am willing to do that and will be starting that process around the middle of the month."

Bishop said that some people have indicated that they would like more information before proceeding, and Bishop encouraged people with further inquiries to contact the village administration at (937) 981-3500.

Jackman said that when they sent out the surveys, they did not put names on the individual letters, and some people who requested more information on the process did not identify themselves. 

Bishop said, "If those people would contact me, I have packets prepared and will sit down and discuss pros and cons with each applicant."

"I just want to see if there are people interested in the water, sewer or both," Jackman said in March. "This is a very informal survey on annexation. It would have to be put on the ballot."

In separate business, council members will meet Tuesday, April 11 at 12:15 p.m. in council chambers to consider a request to change the time and date of the regular bimonthly council meetings. 

Council currently meets the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 7:30. They are considering moving the meetings to the first and third Wednesdays at 7 p.m.

Jackman said that previously, council had met on Wednesdays. Members of the community are encouraged to attend to give input on the matter. 

In other business:

* Council heard the third reading of an ordinance to declare a 2005 Ford police cruiser unusable for their needs and to donate it to the Southern State Community College police academy program. They passed the measure 5-0.

• Council voted to waive the three-reading rule and passed an emergency ordinance 5-0 to advertise for bid the leasing of 11 acres in Ross County for farm use. Bishop said the reason it was considered as an emergency was to give the farmer enough time to get crops planted. 
The property had been considered for village solar energy project, and Bishop said that she was advised to go ahead and set the property out for bid, and if the solar projects comes together over the summer, the farmer will be reimbursed. 

• The recent derailment of a train on the Greenfield tracks is "behind us now and hopefully for good," Bishop reported. "I have not heard anything from EDA (Economic Development Administration). I am hoping no news is good news. We received the reimbursement of $5,817.34 from ODOT (Ohio Department of Transportation) and OVRDC (Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission) for the railroad crossbuck program. Clayton Railroad's final disbursement request is $115,388, and $51,430 will be paid by the grant. The final $85,000 will be paid from Greenfield's match dollars, which is encumbered from last year's."  

• Bishop reported that work on the village's wastewater treatment plant was progressing and had a tentative completion date of June or July. 
"The Corps of Engineers have agreed to allow us to hook the parallel piping lines into their pump station at the WWTP, and the plans for the additional UV system were hand-delivered to OEPA (Ohio Environmental Protection Agency) on (Tuesday)," Bishop said. "Brian Smith (Greenfield Public Services Director) has talked with the funding agency about the status of our OWDA (Ohio Water Development Authority) loan. They advised we have $228,005 remaining in technical services, which is already in the loan amount and can be used to pay for the UV channel. Then, if there is any contingency money left, it can be used also. This looks like we may not have to go back and ask for additional funding."

• The village is continuing to look into an "all call" system to alert Greenfield residents of emergency issues. Greenfield officials began looking into the system following a boil alert earlier this year. Bishop reported that the One Call Now system seems to be a good fit and the right price, and they will begin documentation to proceed with joining the system. 
"We will be able to use it for boil alerts, snow plow information, leaf pickup information, water and sewer department shutoff notices, police notifications, fire department use within the village and any message we need to get out to all residents or just a small section of town," Bishop said. 
The system will go to residential or cell phones and can be accessed on the village website. People will also be able to opt out of the service but will have to sign a liability form at the administration building to do so.