PAULDING – Paulding Village Council started the new year Tuesday, Jan. 3, casting votes to allow a subdivision project to start and to select a council president.

The meeting was postponed from Jan. 2 due to the New Year holiday.

Cody Clark, who is planning a new housing development next to Countryside Estates, approached council seeking permission to begin developing four lots.

Clark has sold two lots already, and sale of another two are pending if council grants his request. He needs to extend the roadway and extend the sewer line to service the four lots.

The proposed TIF (tax increment funding) agreement, which will help with the cost of paving streets and installing utilities, is not yet finalized.

Council approved a motion to allow Clark proceed with developing Lots 78, 79, 103 and 104. The rest of the infrastructure will be finished through the TIF agreement.

In other business, Councilman Randy Daeger was re-elected as council president.

Following a longstanding tradition, council members then drew numbers to determine their seat locations. They also approved the rules of council for 2023, which are unchanged from last year.

Councilwoman Lois Beamer, attending via Zoom, asked about a rumor that the village would no longer sell bulk water. Village administrator Jason Vance responded that the bulk water station equipment that reads accounts is not working at present. The station only accepts quarters for now.

Vance added that a new machine is needed, along with a concrete pad. The new equipment will be able to accept credit cards.

Mayor Greg White said he attended a ribbon-cutting earlier in the day for a new barber shop, located in the old village utilities office across from the Mexican restaurant. The owner is Trevor Speice of Payne. Officials remarked that it’s good to have a barber shop in town again.

Council’s finance committee will meet at 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10.

Following that meeting, at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 10, the safety committee will meet regarding police and EMS.

The December and year-end police and EMS reports were distributed.

In December, Paulding EMS had 88 calls and 79 patients. The squad provided mutual aid once for Payne EMS and once for Oakwood EMS. They missed no calls but were assisted by deputies driving on two runs.

During 2022, Paulding EMS had 908 calls and 831 total patients. The squad made 10 advanced life support runs, missed 51 calls due to lack of personnel and provided mutual aid three times for Payne and four times for Oakwood.

The squad also tallied 171 refusals and 72 disregards. They provided fire department support 50 times.

The police department during December responded to 220 service requests and six traffic accidents; issued two traffic citations; wrote zero parking tickets; sent zero junk notice letters; and issued no junk ordinance citations.

For the year, the police department responded to 2,752 service requests and 74 traffic accidents; issued 29 traffic citations; wrote 19 parking tickets; sent 136 junk notice letters; and issued 23 junk ordinance citations.

The next regular council meeting is 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16. The public may watch live via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4451352151. The meeting ID number is 445 135 2151.