Council member, zoning inspector resign

Alexandria Village Council member Steven Hicks announced his immediate resignation from council at the body's Sept. 15 meeting.

Hicks, 22, the father of a new son, said he wants to focus more on his new family and less on the increasing time demand of serving on council. Hicks was elected in November 2007.

Hicks made several recommendations to council in his resignation letter: Don't raise property taxes or seek an income tax; prepare for growth by focusing on zoning (especially subdivision regulations); address infrastructure problems with a long-term maintenance program; cut council pay and reduce spending; and keep Alexandria "free" by not micromanaging things like yard sales and Christmas lights.

Hicks vowed to return to the political arena in the future.

"I will be back with more time to give and more knowledge to lend," he said.

Mayor Harold Lee announced that John Wilson, who became zoning inspector in February 2008, had resigned from his position the night before.

Council member Karen Holt said she will advertise both positions on the village's Web site.

Meanwhile, a majority of council voted to completely close down the village building at 116 Granville St., which currently houses the police department and storage for other village property. Fiscal officer Laura VanScoy said the utility savings from that building would make the monthly payment on the village office building at 4 W. Main St., where the police department and all offices will now be located.

Holt said she thought the village would be making a mistake to sell the West Main Street real estate at the bottom of the market. Hicks adamantly disagreed, but was outvoted. There was some talk of renting the Granville Street building in the future.

Residents Ralph Dernberger of Kerr Street and Kelli Staley of Liberty Street complained to council that their water pressure was too low lately to operate basic household appliances. Dernberger said his average utility bill is $140 a month, and he doesn't feel it's fair that he now has to replace appliances that are burning out because of inadequate water pressure.

Holt explained the village is experiencing problems with an altitude valve in the water tower, so the tower has been off-line recently. In that case, she said, the water pressure is coming from Granville. She said a crew is coming "to repair the valve and hopefully get the tower back on line" within a week, and she told Dernberger that should solve the problem in that higher elevation area of town.

The village is also in the process of establishing a maintenance schedule to replace cast iron saddles along the water main that are going bad. Hicks said they were installed in the late 1970s.

Following an executive session in which members discussed the request of a resident to conduct an investigation regarding certain park board actions, a majority of council agreed to send a letter to the park board to request holding off on plans for a proposed community center.

Scott Hutchinson made the motion, based on the village's current budget issues, and members Holt and Bob Brown agreed. Hicks said he didn't want council to send the letter, and Naomi Compton, a council member and chairman of the park board, abstained.

Holt added that she'd like to see a presentation about the proposal come back before new council members.

In other business, council:

• Approved the purchase of utility billing software called Cubick from Frey & Co. near Cincinnati for up to $6,500. Utility clerk/administrator Amy Kent said she can start billing off the system next month. Kent said she has begun sending out water shut-off notices.

• Agreed to adjust placement of village limit signs on the west end of town for accuracy.

• Heard from Lee that he has received two applications for the police chief position. A council committee will draw up a new contract for the position and review applications.