SIDNEY — Mayor Mike Barhorst honored retiring Firefighter Kenneth Girod with the proclamation naming Thursday, Feb. 2, as Kenneth Girod Day in the city of Sidney during Monday evening’s Sidney City Council meeting.
Barhorst said the proclamation is in recognition of the community’s appreciation for his more than 29 years of service to the city. Girod served Sidney as a firefighter and emergency medical technician since Nov. 15, 1987, as acting lieutenant on multiple occasions and is a “seasoned driver/pumper.”
There will be an open house for Girod’s retirement on Thursday, Feb. 2, from 1 to 4 p.m., with the ceremony starting at 4 p.m., at the Sidney Fire Department’s Station 1.
Sidney Alive Executive Director Amy Breinich gave council an update on the organization’s mission, and how lodging tax funding supports its objectives, projects and activities.
Breinich said Sidney Alive is a charitable, non-profit organization that took the place of the former Downtown Business Association. She explained its mission is to nurture the growth of downtown Sidney while preserving resources, increasing accessibility and benefiting Shelby County. She said the downtown district is important because it fills a special niche integral for attracting investment, as well as retaining and creating jobs, as more businesses are locating where people want to be — in vibrant, diverse cities where they can live, work, play and learn within walking distance.
Breinich said Sidney Alive promotes downtown to new businesses, works with property owners to rent and sell their spaces, encourages the community to shop downtown and at The Great Sidney Farmers’ Market, hosts over 20 events/activities throughout the year and partners with organizations to bring more activity downtown.
Shelby County Commissioner Julie Ehemann, who is also the vice president of the SCARF, gave council an update on the Feral Cat Clinic. SCARF, Shelby County Animal Shelter and the city have been working together to control the feral cat population through Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) clinics. Ehemann explained the importance of these clinics by giving the statistics of Spay USA, in that one un-spayed cat per mate and all their offspring can result in up to 11,00o cats in five years.
Ehemann also introduced Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputy Kelly Ward, who is the Shelby County dog warden and runs the TNR clinics. Ehemann praised her work, calling her “amazing.” She said in 2016, the county provided 41.5 labor hours for Ward, which were hours above her regular schedule to handle the program. The city paid $2,600.36 and SCARF paid $2,233.19 in TNR fees, and SCARF members provided additional labor, brochures and cages.
Cages the cats are captured in must be a special type of cage, costing about $65-$75, that is large enough to trap the animal, have a gate that will shut to prevent other animals from getting in and have a space for food and water.
Ehemann explained the process after the captured cats are brought to Dr. Laura Miller, who is the mobile veterinarian. They are first given a medical examination, spayed/neutered, given a rabies vaccination, and then their ears are given a small tip for recognizing a previous procedure if ever recaptured.
Four clinics were held in 2016, in which 91 cats were spayed or neutered. They plan for six clinics in 2017.
A Sidney resident sought the help of council about regular “violence” or fighting of young children out front of her house who attend the elementary school next to her home. She said the school resource officer assigned to the school and the school’s principal were not addressing the issue because the fighting is not occurring on school property. Sidney Police Chief Will Balling said to contact him the next day so he can look into what is going on.
In other business, council adopted two ordinances for permanently designating the clerk of council to attend the required training related to the public records law and sunshine law on behalf council, and for the amendment of a section of the codified ordinances regarding the organization chart due to the recent retirement of the former Transit Manager Deb Grogean.
Council was introduced to two ordinances for special assessments for the construction and repair of certain sidewalks in the city and for making supplemental appropriations for 2017. These two ordinances will be considered further at the Feb. 13 meeting.
Council also adopted three resolutions, and they are:
• Authorization of the city manager to apply for, accept, and enter into a water pollution control loan fund agreement for the design and construction of wastewater facilities and designating a dedicated repayment source for the loan;
• For the declaration of the necessity for repair/replacement of additional curb and gutters in the city and requiring abutting property owners repair/replace the same;
• Authorization of the city manager to advertise for bids and enter into a contract and otherwise contract without bidding for various items and projects.
Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director Gary Clough reported the city’s water source project has made significant progress.
The state Route 47 median project was briefly discussed when Councilmember Janet Born said people have approached her about the project. She said she thinks council needs to explain the project to the public. Barhorst said project designers will be at the public meeting in March to explain why the city is doing what they are doing. Council is still determining when a possible trial-run of the proposed changes may happen. The public meeting is scheduled for March 16 at 6 p.m. at the Senior Center.
Council went into an executive session for a pending or imminent court action and to consider the purchase of property for public purposes. No action was taken when they emerged from the session.
There will be no council meeting on Monday, Jan. 30.
