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Kelleys Island News
By Leslie Korenko
Summer is winding down but it seems like the Island is more popular than ever as more and more tourists visit. Accommodations are full, but help is still hard to find. It is difficult to find a street that does not have a new home going up. Construction here is booming. Builders are reminded to contact the Village when delivering modular and manufactured homes as arrangements have to be made to clear the transport route. Now that school is in session, gym hours have changed. There is no public use of the facilities while school is in session, only before and after school hours (generally, 7-9 a.m. and after 3 and weekends). Signs are posted on the doors. We were so pleased to see Laura Jean back selling quilt tickets at Homecoming. She was on the sick list for a while.
ELECTIONS are coming up and it should be exciting. There are six candidates running for four council seats: Max Eaton, Mary Gaither, Eric Longbrake, Greg Ritchie, Scot Smith and Joe Wolfe. There are three issues on the ballot: Renewal, current operating expenses, 1.75 mills, for 5 years; Renewal and increase, emergency medical services, 1.57 mills, for 5 years; and Additional, providing and maintaining motor vehicles, communications and other equipment used directly in the operation of a police department, 0.36 mill, for 5 years.
FRONTIER news. As Frontier customers, we might be eligible for the injunctive relief (disconnection with no fee and moving to a different service tier) as a result of a decision by the Attorney General, Consumer Protection Section. Information on how to make claims will be forthcoming and will take effect in June 2022. That investigation began in 2017. The decision included revising their advertising, disclosing current actual internet speeds when asked, and when subscribing to a new plan at speeds a minimum of 90% or higher than their current plan the customer must be notified whether that speed can or cannot be met. In the meantime, AMPLEX is gaining popularity on the west side of the Island (line of sight to PIB) and may be coming to residences via fiber optics through Hancock Wood.
Council notes: The FIRE DEPT. will be combining EMS and Police radio frequencies with the Fire frequency to streamline communications and reduce equipment redundancy. Equipment is being purchased to equip six new Fire Dept. members for a cost of $5000. EMS reports that there were 15 runs and 23 clinic calls. The new Zoll monitor has been ordered. Monthly training continues. The POLICE Dept. reported five arrests (criminal trespassing, menacing and obstruction); and issued 20 tickets (possession of marijuana, driving under suspension, failure to control, open container, OVI, speeding parking, underage driver and disorderly conduct). There were seven accidents. A grant will be prepared for a waterline replacement that includes E. Lakeshore around the marina. The vote split on anything that involves Police Dept. pay continues at 2 to 4 with Ritchie and Longbrake supporting and the other four council persons voting no to further attempts to increase pay.
There was some heated discussion during public comments. One person complained that the ZONING INSPECTOR approved a ‘manufactured home’ on a residential lot because it met the minimum width standard. However, she pointed out that manufactured homes are only allowed in manufactured home districts. Per 152.012 (B) “Placement of manufactured homes on individual lots. All manufactured homes shall be located within manufactured home parks….” This led to a heated discussion about why new ordinances were not immediately uploaded to the village website (ordinances are ‘codified’ or updated with the vendor just once a year). A good point since the person claimed that a penalty in one section was a small amount, but she was told the penalty had significantly increased. On the positive note, another person complimented the Police and Safety services on the assistance they provided during a recent incident, indicating it was compassionate beyond the call of duty.
The previous piece is published in this month’s Put-in-Bay Gazette. The Gazette has been producing incredible independent Put-in-Bay island news for over 40 years. If you have any interest at all in what is happening on South Bass Island, we urge you strongly to subscribe to the Put-in-Bay Gazette. One-year online subscriptions are only $15, and print subscriptions are available as well. To subscribe please click here.
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