Jackson Center welcomes new firefighter, police officer

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By Megan Lewis

For the Sidney Daily News

JACKSON CENTER — Jacob D. Schumpert has joined the Jackson Center Fire Department as a new volunteer firefighter. He has been a volunteer firefighter at the Anna department for eight years and will serve both stations.

Police Chief Chuck Wirick introduced the newest officer to the force, Officer Lauren Kilburn. She was sworn into duty on Feb. 15, and is currently in her fourth week of training. Wirick also stated he is in the process of introducing new laws into the village, one of which involves texting and driving.

Bruce Metz did a second-reading of a resolution for annual appropriations. He took a second look at the 2023 Annual Appropriations Of Public Funds and decreased the general fund by $800,000. The reason for this decrease is that the village doesn’t have to pay down a bond note on a real estate deal right away since they financed it for the long term. Two appropriations were added to the resolution. One is for $41,000 to purchase property within the village for public purpose. The other is for $249,000 for the JC Water Plant Replacement fund to cover expenses involving the new water plant. After the reading, it was passed.

After months of prepping and discussion, a resolution for the rules and regulations for the Jackson View Cemetery, formerly known as the Seventh Day Baptist Church, is complete. It will now be used to apply for grant money to cover the expenses involving the project.

There was a second reading and passing of a resolution urging the Ohio governor and members of the Ohio General Assembly to restore the Local Government Fund to Pre-Recession levels. In 2011, The Local Government Fund was reduced from 3.68% to 1.66%. This reduction resulted in a $484,973 revenue loss for the village. This has made it difficult to provide basic services, rebuild infrastructure, and bolster public safety services. The village of Jackson Center is not the only one discussing this issue. Almost all the surrounding towns are as well, with some banding together.

Resolution approved the purchase of land known at 108 S. Main St. in Jackson Center (where the village holds Community Days on) for public use. The previous owner, Mitch Middendorf of TRED Properties, will be selling it to the village for $41,000. The village agreed to pay for it. Middendorf said he is pleased with the deal and had nothing but positive things to say about the community. He is currently looking at other ventures within the village, but nothing has been determined yet.

The final resolution was approved for the execution of the 2023-24 Fixed Energy Supply Schedule. In order to meet the electrical energy requirements for the utility system of the village, they purchase megawatt or megawatt hour blocks from American Municipal Power (AMP) Inc. AMP buys the blocks from third-party suppliers, and resells them to Jackson Center for $59 per MegaWatt Hour.

Metz confirmed the water and sewage taps on the state Route North 65 project are complete. All that is left to do is to lay down 100 feet of new piping. The Hudson Street Storm Drain Project is finished. Metz is happy for the warm winter as this puts them right on track with ODOT’s upcoming paving plan for state Route 65 this spring. The RAS (Return Activated Sludge) Pump arrived Tuesday, March 7, for the new Wastewater Treatment Plant. It will be operational on March 14, and the project completed by May. The village will do its on concrete and seeding work.

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