The Scranton city council handled organizational items for the 2014 year at its Jan. 14 meeting.
An annual meeting was held with the township trustees on fire protection. Chief Doug Duff presented the 2013 fire report and proposed budget for the fiscal year 2015. No questions or comments were received so the Council approved the budget as presented.
Mayor Rod Walker appointed councilman Orvie Umbaugh to serve as mayor pro-tem. David Morain will serve again as city attorney. Melinda Hinners will continue as city clerk. Dee Jay Byerly will remain as public works director.
David Dideriksen was appointed to a vacancy on the Scranton Library board of trustees.
Mayor Walker appointed these committees:
Finance: Walker, Ethel Subbert, Umbaugh
Long range planning: Subbert, Umbaugh, Marilyn Jacobsen
Betterment: Cole Gustoff, Jacobsen, Randy Winkelman
Personnel: Walker, Umbaugh, Subbert
Parks: Winkelman, Jacobsen, Pam DeWall
Streets: Umbaugh, Winkelman, DJ Byerly
Water/Sewer: Walker, Winkelman, DJ Byerly.
Maggi Abernathy presented the monthly library report which included applying for a Greene County Community Foundation Grant; new building update; and Partnership for Families. She fielded questions including the amount of money spent on book purchases.
Byerly gave the water and maintenance report. Items discussed mentioned less water pumped than previous years, water meter replacements, Scranton Manufacturing zinc concerns, lagoon discharge, street repairs, tree removal and passing the latest arsenic test.
Dawn Rudolph and Cheryl Robson attended to report on the Community Center. They discussed applying for grants for a new on-demand hot water heater and new gym lighting. The grant for the water heater does not require matching funds but the grant application to the Greene County Community Foundation for lighting does.
The Alumni Association has raised most of the matching funds needed through brick sales and donations. The Council approved the GCCF grant application.
Ken Paxton, executive director of Greene County Chamber and Development, presented his monthly status report. Items on his agenda were the Home Base Initiative, housing, online resources and links, new production at AAI and the proposed casino. ~courtesy of The Scranton Journal
