Scio talks feral cats, sinkholes

By Kristi Tullis Harrison News-Herald Staff Writer

On July 28 and 29, the Freeport VFD will be holding its annual Fireman’s Fair.

On Friday, the eat stand opens at 5 p.m. The official kick-off with a parade will be at 7 p.m. with the line-up on High Street. Following the parade will be the crowning of princess and prince at 7:45 p.m. Entertainment for the evening will be provided by Dusty Covers Band from 8-11 p.m. Raffle stand, cotton candy, sno cones, ice cream, blow-up amusements and axe throwing will follow the parade.

SCIO

— On July 12, the Village Council of Scio gathered for a meeting.

Casey Tooley and MJ Kerwood, two concerned residents, brought up the persistent issue of feral cats in the village.

Mayor Jim Clark acknowledged the problem, but mentioned that the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) does not provide a legal solution for the village to address this issue.

The matter has been reported to both the sheriff’s department and the Harrison County Humane Society, by both residents and council, but the latter is currently unable to accommodate more cats. There is growing apprehension about disease and aggression among the felines, particularly around the community park.

Mayor Clark said he would investigate and explore available options for the village. In the meantime, residents are encouraged to handle situations as best they can and collaborate with the Humane Society to have the cats spayed and neutered.

The presence of abandoned homes seems to be exacerbating the feral cat problem. Previous attempts to have these structures demolished, at no cost to the property owners, were unsuccessful due to lack of response when funding was available.

During the meeting, another concern was raised by resident Ian Young regarding a sinkhole on state Route 151, which is impacting nearby homes. Residents of Houses 423-425 on Main Street reported vibrations in their homes due to the increased traffic caused by semi-drivers and trucks hitting the sinkhole. They fear that if the issue worsens, an accident may occur. The council is aware of the problem and said ODOT has been notified twice, but has failed to send an inspector to assess the situation. Consequently, it has been deemed a “village issue.”

The council takes this matter seriously, and Mayor Clark emphasized their commitment to finding solutions as quickly as possible. During the discussion, it was noted that addressing the water runoff from the hill would be a necessary corrective measure. However, this project alone could extend beyond the village limits and incur a cost exceeding $1 million.

Another concern raised was the scheduling of mosquito spraying during the Summer Festival in Scio. Village Administrator Jake Tubaugh has already submitted a request to reschedule the spraying to avoid any inconvenience.

In new business, Mayor Clark mentioned that on May 12 of this year, a contract regarding the water supply for Crimm Road was sent to the county commissioners. A second copy of the agreement was sent on June 15 to outline the terms for the county. Commissioner Paul Coffland responded twice and invited the mayor and village administrator to a meeting on July 11 to discuss the rate and billing and forward the contract to legal counsel.

Mayor Clark expressed his disappointment when he and Tubaugh attended the meeting only to find that no progress had been made. He stated, “The commissioners seemed to focus on events from 10 years ago, taking an adversarial stance regarding the matter. My concern is for the present, but the meeting didn’t address the current situation. It was disheartening. I will await further contact regarding this agreement as it needs to be finalized.”

Saturday events start with vendor/flea market, touch a truck, and blood drive will be from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.. Car cruise will be from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Presbyterian Church yard, with DJ Jeremy play - ing everyone’s favorite tunes. Kids games start at 10 a.m. with the kiddie tractor pull starts at 11a.m. Other kids’ stuff will be going on throughout the morning. The annual auction will be at 1 p.m. at firehouse with lunch stand and ice cream available. The Saturday morning events and auction will be held at firehouse on Pine Street. Entertainment will begin at 4 p.m. with One in the Chamber playing until 6 p.m. and Chestnut Hill Bluegrass will close the night playing from 7-10 p.m. Crowning of Queen contest will be at 10 p.m. followed by raffle drawings. The lunch stand will open at 4 p.m. Games and other events will open around 6 p.m.

County Home addition moving forward

Submitted.

The $3 million investment on a new addition for the County Home is well underway. The addition will allow residents the space to eat all together and the home will be able to host events for both residents and visiting families. Construction has been ongoing and should conclude sometime in the fall.

County Court

Criminal/Traffic Violations

• 16 speeding violations, one seat-belt violation, one fishing without permit, one driving left of center, two OVI, one marked-lanes violation, one overheight/width, one possession of drug paraphernalia, one following distance violation, and one life-jacket violation.

Civil Credit News

• July 3 (satisfied date): Plaintiff Portfolio Recovery Assoc. LLC vs Defendant Kevin Keemer. Cause of action: Money.

• July 5 (satisfied date): Plaintiff Crown Assett Management, LLC vs Defendant Russell R. Byers. Cause of action: Money. For: In favor of Plaintiff.

• July 5 (judgment date): Plaintiff LVNV Funding LLC vs Defendant Andrew Toth. Cause of action: Money. For: In favor of Plaintiff.

• July 6 (judgment date): Plaintiff Daniel Taylor vs Defendant Emily Host. Cause of action: Eviction/Rent. For: In favor of Plaintiff.

• July 7 (satisfied date): Plaintiff Citibanks, N.A. vs Defendant Zachariah A. Manbeck. Cause of action: Money. For: In favor of Plaintiff.

Recorder

July 3-7

• Burdette Revocable Living Trust to Joseph Angelozzi, et al, Washington Twp.

Marriage Applications

• Michael Allen Blawut, 41, Hopedale, and Amber Michelle Coen, 41, Hopedale.

SHERIFF’S OFFICE

• June 9 – A couple came to the office to report that the woman’s ex-boyfriend was harassing them. She said the situation was progressively getting worse and she was beginning to fear for her safety and the safety of her