Posts were filled and proposals were heard during the Feb. 1 meeting of the Donnelsville Village Council. The council demonstrated their confidence in Street Superintendent Doug Frank by voting him back into office. President Pro-Temp Marie Kettlehake was also voted back into her post, meaning Kettlehake will assume control of council meetings in the event of the mayor’s inability to be present.

The council also decided to raise the price for copies of public record documents from five cents to a quarter. Mayor Bob Cornwell stated that the expense of running copies necessitated the move. He also pointed out that there was a considerable amount of time and paper involved, so a higher price was needed.

During the portion of the meeting when comments from the floor are heard, a Donnelsville citizen requested that the Village look into purchasing signs informing solicitors of the need to obtain a permit before going door-to-door. The citizen stated that he had received visits from some 11 solicitors over the last year. Cornwell asked Frank to price signs.

Sewer rates became a topic of discussion during the meeting and Cornwell asked council members to start thinking about setting the rates for the next four years. He also asked the council members to contemplate the idea of a 10-year plan that would pay entirely for sewer expenses without money coming out of the general fund. According to Cornwell, keeping sewer expenses from becoming a drain on Village revenue is a major concern.

“This is the elephant in the room, people,” Cornwell said.

As the meeting began winding down, the mayor announced that he had interviewed two people for the position of fiscal officer and intended on interviewing an additional two this week. Candidates are being evaluated based on their skills; a background in accounting, computer literacy, and an understanding of government are required. The mayor stated that selected candidate will receive training from the state auditor and should be ready to take the position in the fall.

Finally, the issue of the vacant council seat was addressed. Marie Kettlehake stated she had been in communication with an interested individual who will appear before the council at the next meeting.

Cornwell closed out the meeting by setting Feb. 24 as the date of the next post-audit meeting. The meeting will take place at 2 p.m. and attendance is optional for council members.