Village of Attica
Regular Council Meeting Minutes
August 27, 2026, 7:30 PM
I. Call To Order Regular Council Meeting – Roll Call
Roll call was conducted. All council members were present.
Others Present: Maintenance Supervisor Scott, Fiscal Officer / Interim Admin Phillips,
II. Approval Of Warrants And Minutes
Councilwoman Lenhart made motion to approve the minutes as presented, Councilman Gray seconded the motion, vote 6-0, motion carried
Councilwoman Lenhart made motion to approve warrants, Councilman Gray seconded the motion, vote 6-0, motion carried.
III. Written & Oral Communication
Two residents addressed the Council with questions and concerns related primarily to the village's water and sewer operations.
Resident Joyce Keaton opened with questions about how sewer billing would be handled once the village transitions to Northern Rural Water. Council clarified that nothing will functionally change for residents — sewer charges will continue to be based on water usage as they are now. The only difference is that water will be purchased from Rural Water and fed into the tower, rather than produced by the village plant. Residents will continue to be billed from their individual meters, while the village will be billed from Rural Water via a single master meter.
Ms. Keaton also inquired about the possibility of selling surplus water equipment — reportedly to Canada — and whether proceeds could be applied to the village's outstanding water debt. Council explained that the loans, being state-bonded, do not permit early payoff. The plan is to invest the proceeds and use dividend earnings to help service the annual debt payments. It was clarified that the original water debt was refinanced from 4–5% down to 1.75%, and the new waterline project loan is expected to be at 0%.
Resident Tammy Collins raised a broader range of concerns:
On water billing and rate card, Ms. Collins questioned whether the existing minimum billing structure — set at 2 units — would be revisited. She expressed concern that the current rate card is inequitable, particularly for low-usage households such as elderly single residents. Fiscal Officer Phillips acknowledged that the rate card should logically be rebuilt from scratch once the transition to Rural Water is complete, as it will be a fundamentally different system. Councilman Beamer cautioned that lowering rates prematurely, before infrastructure replacement grants are secured, could leave the village without funds to repair aging water lines.
On a high water bill, Ms. Collins described receiving a $440 bill for one month despite minimal apparent usage. After investigation, the most likely cause was identified as a new water softener repeatedly cycling into regeneration mode following power outages. Her bill subsequently returned to normal. She asked why she could not simply have her meter replaced rather than pay $250 for a meter test; Council explained the policy and noted that the meter test fee is refunded if the meter is found to be inaccurate. The village administrator noted that the bill was likely legitimate, as regeneration cycles discharge water into the sewer regardless.
On fire hydrants, Ms. Collins noted that the hydrant in front of her residence on Liberty Street is non-functional and expressed concern given a recent nearby fire. Maintenance Supervisor Scott acknowledged that approximately 5 of the village's 200 hydrants are currently out of service, and that replacement parts and new hydrants have been on order for six months with supply chain delays preventing resolution. Councilwoman Lenhart reinforced that the fire department maintains an up-to-date list of non-functional hydrants and is fully prepared to operate without them using tanker relay procedures.
Ms. Collins also urged the Council to communicate more proactively with residents — suggesting a letter inserted with water bills or a link on the village website. She emphasized that the Council functions as a team and urged a more unified public posture. Councilman Beamer and the Mayor responded that they cannot control what is printed by the press or opinions made via social media, but acknowledged the value of better public communication.
IV. Committee Matters
1. Public Safety
No report.
2. Streets And Properties
No formal report at this time. (See also Unfinished/Old Business for related discussion.)
3. Parks
The remaining topsoil was hauled to Veterans Park to continue leveling work in preparation for development of t ball fields. Crew members also performed maintenance at both parks.
4. Trees
Councilman Tanner reported approximately 10 trees identified as needing limb trimming due to branches extending over roadways. Plans were made to use a platform on the skid steer to trim these in-house within the coming week, eliminating the need to contract a tree service for this work.
The Mayor also mentioned a local tree service — Shriner Tree Service LLC, based out of New Riegel — that performs work for the City of Tiffin and quoted very competitive rates for stump grinding and full tree service.
5. Fire
Councilwoman Lenhart provided a fire department update, reporting a total of 18 calls for the month of July, with only 1 of those within the village limits. The department is also working on establishing an explorer program for youth aged 15–18 to introduce them to firefighting and build interest in future membership.
6. EMS
Councilman Gray reported that county EMS numbers are looking favorable, with projections indicating the department may finish the year in the black for the first time in approximately three to four years. The addition of Thompson Township to the service area has contributed to increased revenue.
7. Cemetery
The next cemetery board meeting is scheduled for September 14th. It was noted that outgoing cemetery caretaker Doug Heyman will remain in his role through September 30th and is available to answer questions and sell lots during that time. Doug was commended for the quality of work performed at the cemetery.
8. Personnel
No report.
9. Zoning Commission
Discussion was held regarding the current zoning permit fee, which was recalled to be $10. Council expressed interest in raising the fee and directed that research be conducted to determine what comparable surrounding communities charge before a vote is taken.
10. Finance And Rule
Fiscal Officer Phillips reported receipt of the second half property tax distribution from the county, completing that revenue source for the year. The figure came in approximately $10,000 less than the prior year, attributed in part to expanded rollback credits and homestead exemptions offered at the county level. The Clerk noted this trend may continue and represents a concern for the general fund, which relies heavily on this revenue source.
11. Res 2026-8 Amend Appropriations
Fiscal Officer Phillips presented Resolution 2026-8 to amend appropriations, chiefly to account for two items not originally budgeted: the rural waterline connection project and the replacement of the sewer lagoon aerators approved at the previous meeting. The resolution was introduced as an emergency measure.
Councilwoman Lenhart made motion to declare and emergency, Councilman Gray seconded the motion, Vote 6-0, motion carried.
Councilwoman Lenhart made motion to suspend the three-reading rule, Councilman Gray seconded the motion, Vote 6-0, motion carried.
Councilwoman Lenhart made motion to adopt Resolution 2026-8, Councilman Gray seconded the motion, Vote 6-0, motion carried.
12. Water And Sewer
Fiscal Officer Phillips reported that a feeder pump at the water plant had failed. A replacement was purchased along with a repair kit as a contingency. Also noted were some recent water quality issues related to turbidity, and Willard Water conducted an emergency test to assess conditions. No precautions are needed at this time.
Regarding the rural waterline project, a meeting was held with engineers and ODOT to coordinate scheduling of the railroad crossing bore. ODOT requires a minimum 21-day notice prior to road closure. The railroad must supply a flagger and inspector, and the project team is awaiting confirmation of their availability before a closure date can be announced. A 30-day closure window has been requested for contingency purposes, though the actual closure is not expected to last that long. Route 224 will require a traffic detour during this period.
13. Village Web Site & IT
Resident Tammy Collins suggested adding a community clubs directory to the village website to assist prospective residents and help clubs attract new members.
14. Train Derailment
Fiscal Officer Phillips reported that the village's attorney is anticipating an upcoming meeting the first week of September and expects to have information ready to bring before Council at the first September meeting, with the hope of making progress on recovery efforts related to street and infrastructure damage caused by the derailment.
V. Unfinished – Old Business – New Business
The Mayor and Maintenance Supervisor reported that a survey of village properties revealed a significant number of vehicles parked on the street that are no longer in service and homes becoming overgrown with weeds, in potential violation of existing ordinances. A notice of violation was recently issued to one property, and the owner has begun corrective action. Maintenance Supervisor Scott described a tracking system being implemented to log addresses, issue dates, and compliance deadlines, with follow-up inspections to confirm corrective work.
Council also discussed the presence of several dilapidated and abandoned structures within and near the village. Fiscal Officer Phillips indicated he would look into potential grant funding for demolition of condemned structures, as the village lacks the financial resources to fund such work independently.
In the area of stormwater and drainage, Maintenance Supervisor Scott provided an update on catch basin and storm drain maintenance. Several catch basins on Route 224 were recently serviced, and it was discovered that some catch basins on Route 4 are not connected to anything — they are simply hand-laid brick structures with no drainage path. Ongoing issues on Liberty Street, where a low-lying catch basin floods after rain events, were attributed in part to tree root intrusion from a nearby willow tree. Maintenance Supervisor Scott indicated that jetting had been performed recently and that the tile in an adjacent farm field will need to be excavated once crops are harvested.
VI. Next Meeting: Thursday, September 10th 2026, At 7:30PM
The next regular Council meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 10, 2026, at 7:30 PM.
VII. Executive Session
No executive session was held.
VIII. Adjournment Of Meeting
Councilwoman Lenhart made motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:41 PM, Councilman Beamer seconded the motion, Vote 6-0, motion carried.
