CAMDEN — Council member Debbie Hickman updated council on plans for a splash pad in Waterworks Park during its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, April 15.
Though council member Jeff Steele previously questioned whether the project would be a good use of the town’s water supply, Hickman stated that conversations with other municipalities indicated that water usage would not be wasteful.
The splash pad can be placed on a timer, according to Hickman, while sprinklers only activate when triggered by residents.
“If nobody’s there pushing the button, it’s not running,” Hickman said.
Hickman also suggested keeping things simple, saying that a larger splash pad in another Ohio village had attracted visitors from throughout the state.
“We don’t need some big, elaborate thing that’s going to be pulling people in from all over,” Hickman said.
Mayor Karen Moss indicated her support for the project.
“I’m for the splash pad,” Moss said. “I think it’s something we need to do.”
Also during Thursday’s meeting:
Doug Kramer, of Eaton-based civil engineering firm Kramer & Associates, updated council on several ongoing projects, including a planned walking path along U.S. 127 and construction due to take place on W. Central Ave.
Village Administrator Rusty Wilson stated during a previous meeting that Kramer was awaiting approval from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) before beginning work on the walking path. Steele and Hickman expressed frustration with Camden projects being “put on the back burner” at that time.
Kramer informed council that the Central Ave. project would start taking bids on April 29, with construction planned to begin a few weeks later. Kramer said that new state guidelines required the walking path to be 10 feet wide rather than the planned six.
“That’s a road, not a path,” council member Kelly Doran said.
Kramer agreed, stating that part of the reason for the original measurements was to discourage residents from taking motor vehicles onto the path. The new dimensions will likely require barriers to be installed in order to prevent this, according to Kramer.
Moss updated council on a planned performance by the U.S. Air Force Band of Flight. The group previously performed during Camden’s bicentennial celebration in Aug. 2018.
She stated that a performance had been scheduled for Saturday, July 24 at 6 p.m. The event will be free of charge and open to the public.
“I’d like to have a conversation about what this event is going to be and how we’re going to work it,” Moss said, indicating she would place that discussion on the agenda for council’s May 6 meeting.
Council also approved pay raises for Clerk of Courts Nancy Melton and two sewer plant workers.
Moss suggested the pay raise for Melton, saying that her current rate of $11 per hour is below the regional average. Doran moved to approve a raise to $14 per hour, which was seconded by Steele. The measure was approved by unanimous vote.
Doran suggested a raise of $.50 per hour for the two sewer workers, saying the measure had been suggested by their supervisor.
“These guys are so good you don’t even know they exist. That’s how smoothly things run down there,” Doran said.
The raises will all go into effect during the current pay period.
Village Council meetings take place the first and third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at Camden Town Hall.
