Sugar Grove council approves 2025 utility rates and several administrative measures

The Village of Sugar Grove council unanimously approved a 2025 utility rates schedule at its Dec. 16 meeting, the fiscal year measure intended to set utility charges for village customers for the coming year. The motion passed on a roll-call vote with Council President Tabitha Deeds and council members Gerald Selby, Chad Lester, Kendall Leland, Robin Sanborn and Karl Hartmann recorded as voting yes.

Fiscal Officer Sarah Haley presented the November 2024 bank reconciliation and financial reports, which the council approved by unanimous roll call. In administrative business, the council approved membership renewals for the Ohio Municipal Clerks Association for Fiscal Officer Sarah Haley, the Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association for Solicitor Darren Meade, and the Ohio Rural Water Association; each membership motion passed 6–0.

The council also approved changing payments for specialty meetings from quarterly to monthly, and granted 40 hours of personal time to maintenance worker Jay Solenbarger at the start of 2025; both motions were approved by unanimous roll call. In the village maintenance report, Mr. Solenbarger reported that a water-line pump failed during a sewer project and that repairs are estimated at approximately $10,000, with Travis Groves coordinating repairs with Hammond and DLZ.

Other procedural items included routine approvals of the agenda and prior meeting minutes and a review of police and department reports. The council entered executive session at 7:41 p.m. to discuss an upcoming audit and exited at 8:05 p.m.; the chair stated there would be no substantive discussions or updates until the auditor approves any changes. The council scheduled its next regular meeting for Jan. 27, 2025, at 6 p.m. and adjourned by acclamation.