CAMDEN — Village of Camden council discussed financial matters and zoning issues at its second monthly meeting June 21.

During the June 6 meeting, council voted unanimously to pay Sidney-based Choice One Engineering $18,500 to conduct a traffic study at the junction of U.S. 127 and Ohio 725, as well as to solicit grant funds from the Ohio Department of Transportation to improve the area surrounding the intersection if need be. During last Thursday’s meeting council voted to transfer the funds necessary to pay for the study from their general operating fund, with councilman Ernest Crabtree being the sole member to vote against the measure.

Council voted unanimously to pay $1413.65 toward the cost of new body armor for the Village of Camden police. The remainder of the $5666 cost of the equipment is expected to be covered by a grant.

Village Clerk of Courts Nancy Melton submitted a bid from Cleveland-based Baldwin Group, Inc. to supply the village with software that would allow them to track and follow up on unpaid citations. The proposed plan would involve an initial cost of $1,900, followed by a $300 yearly maintenance fee.

Council set a date for a public hearing on the village’s 2020 tax budget. The hearing will take place June 28 at noon at Camden Town Hall.

Finally, the owner of a condemned property located at 98 S. Main St. in Camden reportedly offered to deed the property to the village rather than invest in making needed repairs. The property is infested with bees, according to council members, and thereby constitutes a safety hazard. “Thousands” of bees have been removed from the property over the course of three separate occasions, according to council.

Council chose to table the issue until their next meeting, which will take place at Camden Town Hall July 18.