Malvern officials:
Non-payment
of fee voids
building lease

By Thomas Clapper
Reporter
Malvern Council declared Great Trail Fire District (GTFD) in violation of the lease agreement for the North Station at the March 6 meeting.
As a result, the village can take the building back, it was determined at the meeting.
“The lease was for 25 years and was signed in 2011 to begin in Jan. 2012,” said Village Administrator Derik Kaltenbaugh. “But the GTFD was to pay a dollar a year and we have not seen one dollar for years. This is in violation of the lease contract. Is it petty? Yes, but if we want our building back this is the way to go.”
“They don’t do anything with the building but hold meetings there,” said Councilman Craig DeLong. “We have equipment sitting out that we need the building for. As for Colfor, Chief Ralph Castellucci did say that he is going to an event in St. Louis about fire department layouts.”
Council seemed unconvinced that there would be any urgency for the GTFD to move to Colfor.
“The thing is it is a community building, it is supposed to belong to the community,” said Kaltenbaugh. “The fire department has not allowed us to use it for movie nights anymore with the kids and other functions.”
“Honestly, I don’t want any part of this,” said Councilman Jan Wackerly about the North Station when spoken to after the meeting.

Wackerly was the sole council person to vote No on the original vote to take the building back during the Feb. 6 meeting when council first discussed canceling the lease.
Also discussed at the meeting was what to do with troublesome properties with junk on the lawns and how to enforce residents to keep their properties clean.
“I know the former village administrator was on me and someone else I know to get some things off of our yards so everybody needs to be pushed to do the same,” said Councilwoman Eunice Thompson. “I followed the rules and everybody else can too.”
Council discussed sending village workers to clean them and billing the owners. Councilman Tom Holmes suggested putting a lean on the home if this is done and the property owners do not pay.
It was brought up that many of these properties are rented but council is in agreement that the owner must be responsible for their properties.
No action was taken but it is recommended that renters and homeowners clean up their properties.
In other business, council:
-HEARD that basketball hoops near the roadways keep blowing over on the road and close to the road. Council asks that all basketball hoops be moved away from the roads. These are the hoops with a base that can be filled with sand or water. It was discussed even weighed down they are prone to blowing over.
-HEARD Wackerly report there have been 66 ambulance calls in December and 81 calls in January.
-LEARNED the waterline project is underway in town. Any damaged sidewalks will be replaced if necessary.
-LEARNED Rose Simmons, survivor of a local fire, is rebuilding her home and topsoil would have to be taken to Dalton and brought back after the foundation is built. Mayor Bob DeLong brought it to council’s attention that the village could store the soil in the park and asked for a motion to do so. Council moved to approve so the soil can be nearby in Malvern and not moved to Dalton and back.
-ADOPTED a resolution authorizing the mayor to apply to the Division of Environmental and Financial Assistance of the Ohio EPA for a grant to aid the waterline project for the village of Malvern. First rule was adopted as an emergency and the resolution was adopted.
-PAID the village bills from the appropriate funds for $10,778.71 pre-approved by the finance committee on Feb. 28 and $4,749.83 on March 6; also $8,876.10 in payroll pre-approved by the finance committee and paid March 2.
-SCHEDULED the next meeting March 20, 7 p.m. in village hall.