Cleves Village Council gives staff authority to finalize fire and EMS contract; committee reports cover parks, safety and staffing

The Cleves Village Council voted 5-0 at its meeting to authorize Justin Hagan with “full coverage” to negotiate a final contract with a counteroffer for fire and emergency medical services and to sign the finished agreement on behalf of the village.

Council member Bable made the motion and Council member Meister seconded it; the roll call showed affirmative votes from Burns, Meyer, Meister, Bable and Bould. The motion passed 5-0.

The authorization gives village staff a clear instruction to complete negotiations on the village’s fire and EMS contract; council members did not record further public debate in the transcript beyond the motion and roll call.

In committee reports, Council member Bolton delivered the finance committee update. Bolton said the committee discussed the start date for a second Waterworks employee tied to Tom’s departure and considered replacing an employee named Daniel with a part-time maintenance worker who would work primarily daytime hours in parks. Bolton said the committee will ensure a job description and pay rate are consistent with other maintenance positions.

Bolton also reported the finance committee supported purchase of a field drag and a ConX box for the park; the committee noted a TRCA donation of $2,500 to the parks that has been directed toward repaying a prior advance.

Captain Bonner of the Mining Township Fire Department attended and provided the safety committee update. Bonner reviewed routine monthly statistics and said firefighters now have CPR instructors. The safety report included a police incident at 101 Bassett that involved serving a search warrant subsequent to a shooting; the transcript identified that as the only notable police incident reported during the meeting.

The safety committee discussion also flagged a nuisance property on Pontius Avenue with prior problems including health and safety concerns and stormwater issues; council members said they plan to address that matter with the Board of Zoning Appeals. The committee reported work on speed-sign data to identify peak times for speeding, a timing change at the Miami and State intersection that added a two-second delay, and replacement of two street lights on U.S. 50 at Cooper and State with brighter LED fixtures.

Other operational items noted in committee reports included park passes for 2025 being available and the council’s social account for park updates; staff said the parks schedule is live on the village website.

The meeting closed with scheduling motions. Council members moved and seconded a motion to withdraw (recorded in the transcript with that wording); the motion passed on a roll call vote. Council members also confirmed the next council meeting is scheduled for April 9 at 7 a.m., and a committee meeting was referenced for March 17 at 5:15.

Votes at a glance

• Authorization to negotiate and sign final fire and EMS contract (motion language in transcript: “authorize Justin Hagan with full coverage to negotiate a final contract with a counteroffer”): Mover — Council member Bable; Second — Council member Meister; Vote — Burns: yes; Meyer: yes; Meister: yes; Bable: yes; Bould: yes; Outcome — approved, 5-0.

• Motion to withdraw (transcript wording: “Do I have a motion to withdraw?”): Mover — Council member Meister; Second — Council member Bable; Vote — Burns: yes; Meyer: yes; Meister: yes; Bable: yes; Bolton: yes; Outcome — approved (roll call recorded), unanimous.

Meeting context: the council spent portions of the meeting on committee reports (finance, parks, safety) and routine operational items; recorded debate on the fire/EMS authorization was limited to the motion and roll call.