Mayor Rebecca Ford (left) swears in newly-appointed council member Heather Craft as Council Members Brandon Myers (foreground), Donna Mullins, Shawna Newsom, and Chris Steiner look on.
PHILLIPSBURG — At the Phillipsburg council’s Aug. 15 meeting, Member Donna Mullins announced the annual village yard sale will take place Thursday through Saturday, Sept. 14–16.
The village council appointed Heather Craft to fill a vacancy until the end of the year. She and Hope Hoard have filed to run on the November ballot for the two seats open in 2024, leading Council Member Brandon Myers to joke, “No one else is running, so if you vote for yourselves, you’ll win!”
Mayor Rebecca Ford opened the meeting by reading a statement of the procedures for addressing council and contacting village officials.
Visitors speaking before council are to observe a three-minute limit. The time is to read a statement or to bring issues before the council, not to conduct a dialogue with members.
Questions regarding zoning codes or complaints about issues or officials need to be directed to the mayor or council members outside the meeting.
The statement also told residents that officials could no longer take texts, emails, or calls about village business on their personal cell phones. Such communications need to go to official village phone numbers and will be forwarded to the appropriate person.
In addition, Ford reminded people, the village does not dispatch police or fire assistance. Emergency calls, of course, should use 911, and non-emergency calls should go to 937-225-HELP (937-225-4357), which is the Montgomery County Regional Dispatch Center.
The sheriff’s office is not required to respond immediately to non-emergency matters, and Ford said anyone with a complaint about the sheriff’s office should contact that department.
Zoning Office Mark Wysong sent out four letters asking residents to resolve a problem with their property and some progress has already occurred.
While unresponsive residents will next receive official notice of a zoning violation, and could then be issued a court citation, Wysong said, “In the 15 years I’ve been here, just the letter usually works. And I’m always happy to work with residents to explain anything they don’t understand.”
Council granted Street and Water Commissioner Wendell Harleman $500 to replace aging tools as needed without seeking approval for each purchase.
Member Chris Steiner asked Police Chief Mark Wysong what could be done about the drivers speeding through the village. He asked if a camera was possible.
Wysong said jurisdictions using cameras have occasionally found themselves embroiled in lawsuits and other disputes.
He also said, “It’s not as simple as just installing a camera.”
Police in such jurisdictions must review the footage daily to approve or discard the violations, something Phillipsburg simply doesn’t have the manpower for. He didn’t rule out a solar-powered sign showing the speed of an approaching car.
The next council meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 19, at the municipal building at 10868 Brookville Phillipsburg Rd.
