YODER – The Yoder Town Council held its monthly meeting on Monday, May 13. Mayor Norm Feagler called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Present at the meeting were councilmembers Elsie Gray, Josh Haffner, Bob Oaks, Amanda Fogle, mayor Norm Feaglar, town clerk-treasurer, Lillian Green, legal counsel, Colby Sturgeon, and town maintenance officer, Rod Weyrich, grant coordinator Justin Burkart appeared via phone. 

Gray made a motion which was seconded by Oaks, to approve the May agenda as read which carried. 

Moving on to the next item, the council approved the April 2024 meeting minutes as read. 

The council then moved to approve the bills for April which included the Aflac bill and the bill for additional security cameras. 

During the public comment portion of the agenda, there was no public participation. 

During the second reading of the 2024-2024 budget, town clerk/treasurer Green spoke briefly to the council about the bills, and a motion was made to accept the bills as presented. 

“Norm and I went in front of the industrial citing commission for the solar panels, that impact money that we are supposed to get that $80,440 and Rod had asked me about when we are supposed to start receiving that and we will be receiving that once they break ground out there,” Sturgeon said. 

“We have no idea when that is going to show up,” Oaks said. 

“That’s what they said at the meeting, until they break ground, they’re not going to disburse any money,” Feagler said. “It will be in increments instead of the total amount.”

A brief discussion ensued on whether to list the impact payment on the current budget where the council determined it was in the best interest to amend the budget when the funds do arrive. 

“I am going to make a motion that we accept the budget the way it is for second reading and when the money comes in from the solar panels comes in, we will amend it,” Gray said. 

Haffner seconded the motion and the motion carried, an amendment to the budget will be made when and if the solar panel impact funds arrive for the town.

The council moved on to the second item under new business, a catering permit for a June 1 wedding reception. Gray made the motion to accept the catering event and Haffner seconded the motion. The motion carried.

The council moved on to the next item under new business, a new design for exempt vehicle license plates. 

“I am letting everyone know our plates are going to change,” Green said.

“It will cost the town $10 per plate,” Sturgeon explained.

A motion was made that the town pay to plate the city vehicles, which carried. 

The next item under new business on the agenda was new crosswalk options where Feagler discussed with the councilmembers buying new crosswalk equipment.

“I would like to have a motion made that we buy the panels on the approval of the money from the solar impact,” Feagler said.

“I would like to have them up before the project gets started so we can stop them,” Gray said. 

“That’s the issue that we are having whether it’s a direct on our impact payment is what they are trying to discuss so a simple phone call from Colby talking to whoever we need to talk to, to do this solar stuff and the pedestrian warning signs we should do that first,” Haffner said.

A motion was made for the town to purchase crosswalk equipment after checking into the solar project impact funds, which carried. 

Weyrich spoke to the council about making some changes to the entrance area of the town office, making it more handicap accessible and he announced the town will be sending out a flyer about summer mosquito spraying which will occur when needed.

Sturgeon spoke to the council on the renewal of jail services, noting he will continue to work with sheriff Kory Fleenor on the contract. 

Next, the council heard from Justin Burkhart, emergency management and grant coordinator spoke to the council on the grant processes for backup generators for the town and a grant to update the outdoor warning system. 

“The other plan is to upgrade the outdoor warning system,” Burkart said. “We want to upgrade that just to bring it up with current technology and in addition to that, our system only has one-way communication, so we are looking at a feature to where it has two-way communication. That way when dispatch sets off the siren, they do get confirmation that it did initiate and is going through its cycle,” Burkhart explained. 

Gray announced Yoder Days will be on August 10.  

“We are planning all the same daytime events, like activities at the park. The car show and vendors and bingo. The luncheon by the Yoder Women’s Club. We just went and talked to the fire department to see if they are able to do it because it’s a hard time of the year for them to sponsor something,” Fogle, explained. “They can do it technically but getting someone to work it.”

Fogle explained she was waiting to hear back from the fire department, after their meeting. 

“I think that (music) that is a nice touch to the event, and I am hoping to find a way to continue it to some respect,” Fogle explained. 

“We might have to call on the council and the town to put the dance on,” Gray joked.

The administrative report was read by Green where she spoke on the May 14 elections.

A motion was made to accept the resolution 20241, which names the election judges, which carried.

Green also mentioned QuickBooks needed to be updated and she suggested Burkhart assist in the update. Green explained she wanted to complete the purchase for a desktop version of QuickBooks. 

Weyrich explained there was money in the budget for office products. 

Green also mentioned the town office will be closed on Memorial Day for observance and the spring clean-up dates will be June 21 – 24 for the town. 

The meeting went into an executive session for a few minutes.

The council made a motion giving Green a $2.00 raise which passed.

at 7:59 p.m. to reconvince on June 10 at 7 p.m.