NEW BREMEN – A new member joined the New Bremen Council at their Jan. 13 meeting. Also, council agreed to a cost of living increase for all village employees.

Jessica Lomakin was named to fill the unexpired term of Councilman Robert Parker, who was elected as mayor in the last general election. Lomakin will be officially sworn in at the next council meeting, to be held Jan. 27. Parker thanked all those who had applied to fill this position.

Lomakin graduated from New Bremen High School in 2005. After obtaining a Masters Degree in municipal representation, primarily in litigation, she was a practicing attorney in California until she and her husband Matthew and daughter Harper moved back to New Bremen in July 2018. Her husband owns and operates Red Bird Armory. Lomakin received certification to practice as an attorney in May 2019.

In other business, council agreed a 3 percent cost of living for all employees. Councilman Jacob Lager said the group had agreed they wanted their village’s employees to receive what other surrounding village staff received and then “just a little more.” He added they valued their employees and wanted them to stay with New Bremen.

Village Administrator Chris Dicke reported that several projects were moving forward as weather permits. She said the pole specifications for the new traffic signals along state Route 66 were sent to the fabricator and are expected to be delivered over the next few months. She added crews will be out to pour the foundations for the signals next week. Another project, the wastewater treatment upgrade, has been completed and is operating properly. The project to improve Franklin and Ash streets had begun this week, and progress is also being made on the new electrical substation being built northwest of the village. Miller Pipeline is continuing to use cameras to inspect sewer lines in an effort to reduced storm water infiltration into sanitary sewers which then overload the wastewater treatment plant. Finally, she said the plans to widen state Route 274 by Crown Equipment were now in the hands of the Ohio Department of Transportation for approval.

Council also approved the third and final reading of a resolution to allow the YMCA of Greater Dayton to manage the village pool this summer.

Council then went into executive session to discuss property. No action was taken.