By JD Long
News-Herald Correspondent
Cleanup Day has been set for Saturday, May 17, from 9 a.m. to noon, and will be conducted at the village garage. Village Administrator Jason Tubaugh said it would be the best day “where we can all be there.”
Also, the new computer system for making payments online is now up and running. Tax Administrator Janeen Scott informed council that the water-sewer and credit card reports have been completed. The public can now make payments online, and the system will tell a customer how much they owe for a particular month.
“And now you’re going to be required to enter a pin,” Scott said.
An account number will need to be entered, and the new information will appear on customers’ water bills next month. She said that, for now, if someone wants to use their credit card, they must call the office, and Scott will provide their pin.
Scott credited several agencies for their help, including Bridge Payment, Municipal Impact and Government Accounting, with Municipal volunteering to do the work.
“There’s now individual payments, water-sewer’s one, income tax,” Scott said. “Miscellaneous would be your permits… anything else that would be collected is not related to water-sewer and income tax. So, it’s nice (and) it brings us up to date.”
Under the income tax report, Scott noted that the village is down $9,422.96 compared to this time last year, with 14 days remaining. Collection letters have been sent out. Five letters were typed by Felgenhauer, but since the village currently has no deputy to serve them, they remain in the office waiting to be delivered.
“I still have several court filings that need notarized and they have to be taken up to Harrison County Court,” Scott told council, with Felgenhauer informing her that the validity of the letters would have to be sworn to. She said she would take care of that.
Under new business, Council President Kari Salsberry raised the issue of council members being paid for attending committee meetings. Mayor James Clark said council members are currently paid $100 for regular meetings and noted committee meetings are “zero.”
“We don’t have that many a year, but we do have a few though,” Clark said. “In my opinion, I don’t think it’s a horrible idea, even if it’s a low dollar amount of twenty-five bucks to attend a committee meeting.”
Village Solicitor Jack Felgenhauer said the move would have to be made by ordinance, as the village is “statutorily delegated to appoint your boards at the beginning of the year.” Clark said Felgenhauer would write up an ordinance to allow compensation of council members for attending committee meetings at $25 per meeting.