NEW MIDDLETOWN Village council awards paving contract

An ordinance to create a police reserve unit failed for lack of a second.
By MARY GRZEBIENIAK
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NEW MIDDLETOWN -- The low bidder was awarded the contract for the village's summer paving program when village council met Monday.
Shelly & amp; Sands Inc., Akron, submitted the lowest of five bids at $59,665. The bids were opened at a recent special meeting.
Roads to be paved this year include Woodland Drive and Ohlin Drive from state Route 170 east to Jeffrey Lane, said Mayor Robert Carson.
Council also hired Clean Sweep of Petersburg to sweep village streets and the municipal building parking lot for $1,400.
An ordinance to create a reserve police unit within the village police department failed for lack of a second.
Police Chief Bill Morvay had suggested several months ago that a reserve unit be formed. He said such a unit would allow a retired member of the department to come back and work without compensation. The village would provide uniforms only.
Council member Bill Douglas made the motion to pass a first reading on the ordinance, but no other council member would second it. None of the members would explain why.
Morvay said after the meeting that he thinks council members balked on the ordinance because there has been little discussion on the matter and because two of the members are new. He said he plans to bring up the ordinance again.
Appropriations
Council also passed the annual appropriation ordinance, anticipating $1 million in revenues, with $260,000 of that going to the general fund. Fiscal Officer Carl Flitcraft Jr. said the figures are about the same as last year, although there is less of a general fund carry-over balance. Revenue from a police levy passed in November will not be collected until 2007.
Fire Chief Bill Opsitnik urged residents to put reflective street numbers on their houses to help emergency crews locate them. He said a recent emergency call for the fire department was hampered by lack of numbers on the residence.
Residents who want to buy the numbers or have them put up should call the municipal building.
Council also ended the probationary period of patrolman Donald Bova Jr. and declared him a permanent employee. Bova has been a part-time officer for more than one year.
Council also authorized the mayor to submit an application for Ohio Public Works capital improvement money to complete storm drainage work on Stacy Drive.