GREENVILLE — Greenville City Council’s first meeting of 2017 was brief, with few pieces of legislation brought before the city’s governmental body.
Council approved an ordinance for having the city’s Police Department vehicles serviced by the Darke County garage.
A resolution authorizing a contract with Rumpke Waste Disposal was approved.
Another ordinance given approval was for the city to make several payments to property owners in excess of $1,000 for securing right of way in anticipation of the scheduled street construction on Sweitzer and Fourth Streets.
Council was addressed by members of the public during the meeting’s public hearing.
Jenny Clark, president of the group Friends of the Greenville City Park, presented to council the group’s plans for restoring the island in the park’s lagoon.
“We have raised enough funds to move forward with this project,” Clark said, informing council that the group had raised the estimated $41,000 needed to do the renovation.
A concerned citizen, Don Beisner, addressed council regarding the city’s dispute with the Erwin Bros. fuel stop south of Greenville.
“From a citizen’s standpoint, it’s embarrassing,” he said. “I don’t know what the agenda is, or what the final outcome is supposed to be. I pass by that place every single day, it’s been built for six months, there’s about 20-some jobs that are being held up from that. I think it’s a shame.”
Council President John Burkett explained to Beisner the city’s view on the issue, as it regards the city not providing water and sewer to the business unless it signs a pre-annexation agreement with Greenville.
“They are required to meet certain conditions with the city, which they have not met,” Burkett said.
When asked why sidewalks would be a potential requirement of a pre-annexation agreement with the Erwin Bros., City Attorney Eric Brand said, “There is no requirement that sidewalks be installed out there in order for them to get water and sewer.”
Greenville City Council meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. The meetings are open to the public.