Mantua – At the last Council meeting, residents Brian Perkins and Kim Ule requested that Council consider allowing an abbreviated Potato Festival this year, in light of Covid-19 event cancellations. In anticipation of eased State restrictions, Perkins and Ule proposed that an event would take place on one day during the usual time period (the weekend after Labor Day). They noted that the event would not include rides, and would feature live music. Downtown restaurants would be open; DMRC would offer pierogi for sale and the Lutheran Church would offer potato pancakes. According to Ule, “with the Ox Roast and Art on the Hill cancelled this year, we wanted to offer something to help the community get together.” Police Joe Urso noted from a safety standpoint that, “it’s do-able,” if Council decided to proceed with the plan. After some discussion, Councilman David Sluka remarked, “I think most of us are pro-festival,” but advised Council to wait a few weeks to determine what is allowed. “We want to promote safety and we don’t want to fudge the rules,” he concluded. A decision is anticipated at the next Council meeting.
In financial news, Clerk-Treasurer Jenny August noted that the Village’s Verizon account was hacked; the Village won’t be responsible for the cost of the three iPhone 11s. August noted that due to Mantaline’s summer closure, employer withholding tax will be down. In addition, the state license tax is also down, but the gas tax is rising. In similar news, the Village requested relief funds via the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Lastly, Council approved the 2021 budget.
Village Engineer Rich Iafelice from CT Consultants noted that the Village would be meeting with the County regarding the “old plan” or agreement rejected by residents for the County to run the Village’s water and sewer plants and the “new plan” currently under discussion. Iafelice noted that a meeting for both parties had been set for late June to discuss the project. He acknowledged the need to review and summarize the details of the most recent negotiations over the life of the project, but noted that this additional work would require additional compensation. After much discussion, Council approved a work authorization not to exceed $5,000 to CT to produce a report for Council. Lastly, Councilman Scott Weaver noted that the Planning Commission will be reviewing the Village’s sign regulations as they relate to public murals.
The Village of Mantua will be conducting all regular committee and council meetings via video conferencing and live video streaming until further notice. The next Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, July 21st at 6:30 pm. Visit mantuavillage.com or the Village of Mantua Virtual Village Hall channel on YouTube for details on how to connect. Please note that in order to comment during the meeting, email villagesolicitor@gmail.com, as the YouTube chat function many not be continuously monitored during the meeting.
