Cleves Village council adopts multiple ordinances, funding moves and a new trash/recycling contract

Cleves Village Council voted unanimously on a slate of ordinances, appropriations and resolutions at a special meeting, approving measures that included a new open-burning rule, updates to mayor's court staffing policy, park- and water-fund spending increases, payment to Miami Township for fire services and a new solid-waste contract.

The council adopted Ordinance 27, regulating open burning in the village, on a 5-0 roll call. Council also approved a pay-ordinance, the minutes of the Sept. 10 council meeting and a series of budget and appropriation items before moving to several other votes recorded below.

Why it matters: The package bundles near-term operational decisions (trash service, a municipal court staffing change, and payments to an outside fire-service provider) with budget housekeeping that will affect how the village spends revenue this year and next. Several items include appropriations funded from specific village funds and one reimbursement-based project that will be advanced now and reimbursed later when grant funds arrive.

Key votes and outcomes (all roll-call votes were 5-0 unless noted):

- Pay ordinance 10/2025: Motion to approve the pay ordinance was made and adopted (motion by Miss Meister; second by Mister Burns). Vote recorded: Mister Burns — yes; Miss Angeline — yes; Miss Meyer — yes; Miss Meister — yes; Miss Bolton — yes. Outcome: approved.

- Minutes (Sept. 10, 2025): Motion to approve the council meeting minutes passed (motion by Mister Burns; second by Miss Angeline). Vote: 5-0. Outcome: approved.

- Ordinance 27 (regulating open burning): Motion to adopt Ordinance 27 passed after council discussion (mover and seconder recorded during roll call). Vote: 5-0. Outcome: adopted (final reading).

- Removal and donation of skate-park infrastructure: Council authorized removal of skate-park equipment and its donation to a community partner; council discussed logistics and department assistance for removal. Motion to approve the donation and removal: motion by Miss Bolton; second by Mister Burns. Vote: 5-0. Outcome: approved. Notes: Council and staff said the village's service department will coordinate removal and the receiving organization will accept liability for reassembly.

- Eagle Scout gazebo project / park fund spending authorization: Council authorized the village administrator to allocate up to $1,000 from the park fund to purchase materials to complete an Eagle Scout project repairing and painting a gazebo (motion by Ms. Weister; second by Ms. Meyer; amended motion approved). Vote: 5-0. Outcome: approved. Note: The council specified funding would come from the park fund and described the work as both aesthetic and, for one board, potentially structural enough to warrant replacement.

- Miami Township fire contract payment: Council authorized disbursement of the contracted second-half payment to Miami Township for fire services in the amount of $180,000. Motion made by Miss Bolton; second by Miss Meister. Vote: 5-0. Outcome: approved; staff noted funds are available from the received disbursement.

- Ordinance 30 (mayor's court clerk pay range and dual service with police clerk): Council suspended rules and adopted Ordinance 30-2025 to set an hourly pay range of $20 to $30 for the mayor's court clerk and to permit dual service as a police clerk (not to exceed 10 hours weekly, as discussed). Motion to suspend rules passed 5-0; motion to adopt ordinance passed 5-0. Outcome: adopted. Council discussed budget implications and noted existing appropriations (staff indicated $60,000 was appropriated for court-year costs this fiscal year).

- Ordinance 31 (park fund appropriation increase): Council suspended rules and adopted Ordinance 31-2025 to increase appropriations for the park fund, citing higher-than-expected revenue and higher seasonal expenses. Motion to suspend and adopt passed 5-0. Outcome: adopted. Staff said the additional appropriation was needed to cover salaries and expenses tied to extended seasonal operations and new leases.

- Ordinance 32 (waterworks fund appropriation increase): Council suspended rules and adopted Ordinance 32-2025 to re-appropriate $65,000 to the waterworks operating fund to cover engineering and upfront costs tied to the village's bulk-water agreement with Addison. Staff explained engineering costs will be paid now and reimbursed when the grant award is dispersed (likely early 2026). Motion to suspend and adopt passed 5-0. Outcome: adopted.

- Resolution 13-2025 (solid waste collection and recycling contract): Council selected option C (trash collection with an individual opt-in recycling option) and adopted Resolution 13-2025 authorizing the administrator to execute a contract with the selected hauler for service beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Motion to select Option C (opt-in recycling) was made by Miss Meister and seconded; motion to suspend rules and adopt the resolution passed 5-0. Rates presented in packet for Jan. 1, 2026: trash service $16.25 per unit per month; optional recycling add-on $5.65 per month; combined mandatory recycling rate would have been $21.80 per month. Staff noted the village's negotiated increase (5.45%) was lower than increases reported in nearby communities.

- Resolution 14-2025 (accepting amounts and rates from the budget commission): Council adopted Resolution 14-2025 certifying the amounts and rates determined by the county budget commission and authorizing necessary tax levies for submission to the county auditor. Motion passed 5-0.

Discussion notes: Council asked staff about budget oversight for the mayor's court clerk hours and pay range, the timeline and reimbursement for the waterworks engineering related to the Addison bulk-water grant, and the expected resident impact of switching to mandatory recycling versus an opt-in approach. Staff said appropriations and budget tables underlying these items are available in the earlier staff study and finance committee work sessions.

Next steps: Staff will execute the trash/recycling contract, coordinate the skate-park removal and donation logistics with the receiving organization and the service department, process the Miami Township payment, spend the authorized park-fund dollars for the Eagle Scout project, and proceed with the waterworks engineering with anticipated grant reimbursement in early 2026.

Ending: The meeting concluded after all votes; the council adjourned following a final roll call.