Pleasantville council approves seasonal hires and pool change fund, discusses property and water‑tower updates

The Pleasantville Village Council on June 1 unanimously adopted emergency ordinances to hire seasonal employees for the Maintenance Department and the municipal swimming pool and to establish a $500 cash drawer and change fund for pool operations.

Mayor Michelle Dumolt read Ordinance 06-01-26-03 authorizing seasonal hires for the Maintenance Department and urged prompt action, saying the measure was time-sensitive. Council then suspended the rules, declared an emergency and approved the ordinance unanimously.

Mayor Dumolt read Ordinance 06-01-26-04 authorizing seasonal hires for the municipal swimming pool and noted the ordinance "has to be in place before lifeguards can be hired." Council again suspended the rules and adopted the ordinance unanimously. The council also approved Ordinance 06-01-26-05 to withdraw $500 from the General Fund to establish a cash drawer and change fund for the pool; that measure passed on the same unanimous vote.

In general discussion, council members raised several operational and capital concerns. Members discussed a potential buyer seeking to purchase and demolish the Hill property; no purchase or demolition permit had been obtained, and members recommended protecting curbs during any demolition and notifying neighboring property owners. Council addressed an unneeded white village vehicle, which the mayor indicated would be returned, and discussed whether the village should acquire a dump truck; options raised included selling surplus equipment such as the ambulance, existing dump truck and backhoe, and using the online auction service GovDeals to offset acquisition costs.

Council received an update on the water tower project: Walnut Street improvements associated with the Pleasantville Road water tower project may require approximately $150,000 to complete and are expected this summer, while the Pleasantville Road work could continue into next year. Members also discussed reports of paint damage to vehicles tied to a contractor's work at the Walnut Street water tower site; Mayor Dumolt said she would contact the bonding company to determine whether claims might be covered and would provide contact information to affected residents. Repairs to damaged fencing will be coordinated with a fencing contractor.

Council reviewed remaining funds in the Festival Queen account and discussed using the balance for scholarships after accounting is completed; the mayor said efforts are being made to properly account for the funds before any distribution. Members noted a possible error in the ordinance establishing compensation for council members and the mayor and discussed placing corrective legislation on a future agenda to maintain current compensation levels ($80 per meeting for council members and $1,000 per month for the mayor). President Scott Snider moved to adjourn at 6:51 p.m., and the motion carried unanimously.

All ordinances on the agenda were adopted under emergency suspension of rules and take effect immediately.