Hiram council approves emergency appropriations, amends parking enforcement resolution; several appointment votes fail

Hiram Village Council approved multiple financial and administrative items and considered appointments to a vacant council seat at its Oct. 8 meeting.

Council moved to suspend the rules and approved Ordinance 2024-25, amending permanent appropriations for the 2025 fiscal year, on a 5-0 voice vote after Susan Skrovan-DeYoung explained the changes. Council also approved Ordinance 2024-20 (employee handbook revisions) after removing one holiday and excising section 11.4 from the table of contents and index.

Council approved Resolution 2024-32, authorizing the village administrator to contract with T2 Systems for a parking violations enforcement system, as an emergency after amending the resolution to remove language that could be read to permit paid parking without council approval; the amendment and the resolution passed 5-0.

On administrative operations, Council unanimously granted Village Administrator Steve Schuller authority to correct water and sewer billing errors dating to 2023 and to forgive inappropriately applied late fees. Council also approved the bills list and completed the August bank reconciliation for signer review.

Council considered three applicants to fill a vacated seat but failed to appoint anyone: a motion to appoint Chris Perme failed 2-3, a motion to appoint Chris Cobb failed 2-3, and a motion to appoint Juan Fernandez failed for lack of a second. The council adjourned at 9:07 p.m.

The council’s packet included reports and committee updates on trails, zoning changes (public hearing scheduled before the Nov. 5 meeting), and a planned application for an EPA recreation-economy planning grant. No township report was given.