In sharp contrast to encounters with other service providers, Licking Rural Electrification, Inc., showed significant flexibility and cooperation in working out a franchise agreement with the Village for electrical service to protect Village trees. Licking Rural Electrification (LRE) had its electrical franchise expire and, therefore, needed a new franchise agreement for the thirty some homes it services in the Village.

The Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee has made a number of key plan modifications based on feedback received during their October 27, 2009, public hearing. Village Planner Alison Terry presented details of those changes during a brief presentation at a Monday, March 1, 2010, Public Hearing.

Village Council in their Wednesday, February 3, 2010, meeting considered several issues related to the improvements scheduled for College Street. One of the questions concerned the potential for burying power lines. Rod Winrod from AEP was present to speak about burying power lines in the portion of College Street that would be under construction. Mr. Winrod spoke of very high costs of burying the lines, and it was clear that he was not in favor of burying power lines, especially the three-phase power lines that are main thoroughfare of electrical power.

Also discussed during the Wednesday, February 4, 2010, Village Council meeting was the environmental-friendly handling of storm water from College Street. Adding storm sewer cleaning equipment along College Street in the proposed construction area was discussed. These would be submerged canisters along the street that would be accessed via manholes. The equipment would cleanse the storm sewer water, which can contain gravel, other sediment, and oil and gas remnants, from the storm water before it is discharged into Raccoon Creek.

During Wednesday’s Council meeting, a Council member asked if the College Street construction project would be taking place during the Fourth of July festivities. Village engineer Jerry Turner responded: “Yes.”

A couple dozen people attended the January 27th Township Trustee meeting where a variety of topics were covered.

Thanks to the efforts of Village Manager Don Holycross, the Village and AEP have reached an understanding of how Village trees will be cut in coming weeks.  The Village and AEP have agreed that future tree cuts will be no more severe than the cuts in 2003 and 2004. Even though that earlier 2003/2004 tree cutting was harsher than in previous years, the current understanding may help to limit AEP’s recent tree cutting practices that were resulting in the loss of long established, healthy trees.

At its last meeting of the year Wednesday night, December 16, 2009, Council directed the Village Manager to inform AEP that the Village does not want AEP to cut Village trees any more aggressively than it did during the prior major cutting of 2003 and 2004. If AEP feels it needs cut certain trees more aggressively than in the past, the Village wants AEP to ask for permission for the more aggressive cutting.

For the second time this year, Council considered modifying Village law to require that all dogs be leashed at all times.  Several residents spoke in favor of the law at the Council meeting Wednesday, December 16, 2009.

Currently, the law requires that all dogs be “under reasonable control.” This means that the dog either can be on a leash, or off leash as long as the dog is under its owner’s reasonable control. Wednesday night council members were divided on whether the law should be changed to require that all dogs be leashed at all times throughout the Village.

It is always interesting to watch people who are true professionals in their field. Last night’s Village Council meeting was no exception. 

Molly Roberts delivered a presentation to Council on the 2010 Village budget. In a well-thought out, measured presentation, Roberts noted revenues had been estimated on "a conservative basis;" she talked of the "practical course of action for this government." Her competence was palpable. The audience was seeing how local management ought be done. 

At Wednesday’s Village Council meeting, Melissa Hartfield, Matt McGowan and Michelle Lerner were sworn into Village Council seats won in November.

Melissa Hartfield was unanimously elected by the members of Village Council to another term as Mayor. Two members of Council were nominated for Vice Mayor: Steven Mershon and Lon Herman. Herman was elected for another term by a 5 - 2 vote with Hartfield, Barsky, O’Keefe, Lerner and Herman voting in the majority.

Today’s power outage, which as of 2:30 pm was still affecting portions of Granville, was the result of an apparent attempt to steal copper grounding wire from an electric power substation. The substation, photographed as AEP worked on their repairs, is located behind the old BP station near the intersection of State Route 16 and Cherry Street.

Updated at 1 pm.

According to an email just transmitted by Village staff, AEP will be interrupting electric power in significant parts of the Village and Township today, December 3, from 1 pm to 5 pm.

Apparently components were stolen from a substation leaving the substation in serious condition. 

Council voted unanimously Wednesday night to approve the annexation of the 5.01 acres owned by Mill District LLC along South Main Street near the Village Service Department.