(Posted Aug. 17, 2023)
By Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor
Several updates regarding village services and activities were shared at Mount Sterling village council’s Aug. 14 meeting, from street sweeping dates to emergency squad news.
• Street sweeping–Street sweeping will take place on Aug. 21, Aug. 23, and Aug. 25. No-parking signs will be posted. Work will start with Main and Columbus streets on Monday. The village is borrowing a street sweeper from the village of West Jefferson.
“It’s going to be a learning experience for us,” said Tom Byrne, Mount Sterling village administrator. He asked that residents look for and heed the no-parking signs.
• Budget–Council member Andy Drake, chair of the finance committee, said the committee is preparing a list of priorities for the 2024 budget. Regarding staffing, he said the goal is to keep costs flat or lower than in 2023. That could be a challenge given that Byrne has request the addition of another utility worker.
“How we do that is going to be a little bit of an acrobatic exercise in terms of the budget,” Drake said.
Courtney Bricker, Mount Sterling’s fiscal officer, said all work sessions, committee meetings, and council meetings pertaining to the 2024 budget are open to the public. Comments and questions are welcome.
• Parks and Recreation–The village will show “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” at dusk on Aug. 26 at Mason Park.
The parks and recreation committee recently dedicated four benches at Mason Park. Council member Becky Martin, the committee chair, reported that Mount Sterling American Legion Post 417 plans to sponsor a bench, bringing the total to five.
• Safety/Block Watch–Council member Bill Tilley, chair of the safety/Block Watch committee, reported that the sidewalk on South Market Street is caving in at one point. The village is waiting to hear from the engineer about steps to fix the sidewalk and what to do to make it safe until it is repaired, Tilley said.
• Emergency Squad–Joyce Phillips attends meetings of the Sterling Joint Ambulance District as a representative of council. She reported that district employees now have options for their insurance. Chief Dave Taylor secured an $800 training equipment grant for seatbelts. The district should receive delivery of their new fire engine in December.
• Pleasant Township–Member David Timmons attends meetings of the Pleasant Township trustees as a representative of council. He reported the township plans to purchase a new truck in September and outfit it with a new salt spreader. Crews have replaced some road signs, he added.
• Library–Mount Sterling Public Library celebrated its 110th birthday on Aug. 3. According to Timmons, approximately 50 people attended the event. He praised the library for its resources. Drake said several former library staff members were on hand. He praised the library for its summer programming, adding a shout-out to the Mount Sterling Community Center for their collaboration with the library.
