Vienna council approves two utility-board appointments and several routine resolutions; one appointment draws an abstention

Vienna City Council on the evening’s consent and new-business calendar confirmed two appointments to the Vienna Utility Board and approved multiple other personnel and municipal-resolutions, including acceptance of an opioid-settlement distribution and authorization to buy a radio receiver for the volunteer fire department.

By resolution, the council appointed Mayor Randall C. Rapp to a four-year term on the Vienna Utility Board effective Feb. 25, 2025, through Feb. 24, 2029. The motion passed unanimously. The council also appointed Michael Simmons to a full four-year term on the utility board with the same Feb. 25, 2025–Feb. 24, 2029 term; that resolution passed with one recorded abstention.

Council members also approved a series of other personnel and governance items on the consent/new-business list: the appointment of Kim Young to the Civil Service Commission (four-year term), the reappointment of Chuck Nossinger to the Ohio Valley Transit Authority board (three-year term), and the designation of Craig Metz as the city’s administrative representative to the planning commission. All three of those resolutions passed without recorded opposition.

Other approved items included a resolution adopting a “Top 10” best-practices document for newly elected officials, a donation of 44 surplus council chamber chairs to the Wood County Recreation Commission, and authorization for the fire chief to purchase a radio receiver/repeater replacement from Miller Communications in an amount not to exceed $46,000 (the purchase was granted an exemption from competitive bidding based on the chief’s specifications). All of those measures passed unanimously.

The council also accepted an additional $65,577.60 in funds from the ongoing national opioid litigation settlement and directed the funds to be deposited in the city’s opioid-settlement fund; council members emphasized the need for a clear spending plan and suggested consulting other local governments’ approaches to ensure the money is used for interventions and services consistent with settlement parameters.

No controversial contract awards or budget reallocations were approved at this meeting. Several council members urged that future use of opioid-settlement funds be guided by a formal plan and public input to target treatment and prevention for vulnerable residents.

Votes at a glance

- Appointment: Randall C. Rapp to Vienna Utility Board (term Feb. 25, 2025–Feb. 24, 2029). Outcome: approved (unanimous). - Appointment: Michael Simmons to Vienna Utility Board (term Feb. 25, 2025–Feb. 24, 2029). Outcome: approved (one abstention). - Appointment: Kim Young to Civil Service Commission (term Feb. 1, 2025–Feb. 1, 2029). Outcome: approved (unanimous). - Reappointment: Chuck Nossinger to New Ohio Valley Transit Authority Board (three-year term). Outcome: approved (one abstention recorded). - Appointment: Craig Metz as administrative representative to Vienna Planning Commission. Outcome: approved (unanimous). - Resolution: Adopt Top 10 best practices for newly elected officials. Outcome: approved (unanimous). - Resolution: Donate 44 council-chamber chairs to Wood County Recreation Commission. Outcome: approved (unanimous). - Resolution: Authorize fire chief to purchase radio receiver/repeater replacement from Miller Communications not to exceed $46,000 (bid exemption). Outcome: approved (unanimous). - Resolution: Accept $65,577.60 opioid settlement funds into opioid settlement fund 26. Outcome: approved (unanimous).

Council members said most actions were routine approvals to fill volunteer seats and to keep city operations running. Several council members asked staff to prepare clearer timelines and plans for spending opioid-settlement funds and to circulate guidance about procurement exemptions when purchases are sole-source or require vendor-specific maintenance or warranty commitments.