On the agenda: Monroeville agenda — FLOCK camera (Oct 13)

Regular Council Meeting October 13, 2026
On Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 6:00 p.m., Ms. Chris Raftery opened the Council meeting with a word
of prayer. The Pledge of Allegiance to the flag was recited by those present.
Ms. Chris Raftery requested a moment of silence to honor the passing of former Council member Bob
Whitacre.
The regular meeting for the Council of the Village of Monroeville was then called to order.
Present at roll call:
Chris Raftery
Mark Miller
Sue Rogers
Tammy Schachter
Andrew Brown
Jim Ehrman

and

Eunice A. Collene, Fiscal Officer
Jim Barney, Solicitor
Chief Jon Earl, MPD

Also attending: Bonnie Beck; Mike Keefe; Tom Sitterly; Chris Long; Aubrey Ward; Scott Summerlin; Elisa
Brown; Ted Caldwell; Curt Stang; Kellie Deeter; Joseph Jones; Mindy Gies; Kathy Pocock; Paul Skidmore;
and Josh Braucher.
The September 2026 financial reports, bank statements, balance sheets, check reports, and bank
reconciliations were previously distributed to the Council via e-mail.
EXCUSE MAYOR JOSEPH GALEA
Ms. Chris Raftery advised that Mayor Joseph Galea has been excused from tonight’s meeting. Ms. Eunice
Collene said a vote is not required to excuse the mayor since he is not a member of Council.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Ms. Chris Raftery asked for Council’s approval of the agenda. Ms. Tammy Schlachter made a motion,
seconded by Ms. Sue Rogers, to approve the agenda. Motion carried with no discussion.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Ms. Chris Raftery asked Council for a motion to enter executive session to consider the appointment,
employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, or compensation of a public employee or
official. Ms. Tammy Schlachter made a motion, seconded by Mr. Jim Ehrman, to enter executive session.
Motion carried with no discussion. The Council meeting adjourned to executive session at 6:03 p.m. and
reconvened on record at 6:26 p.m.
Ms. Chris Raftery asked Council for a motion to accept Village Administrator Sean Crosby’s resignation.
Ms. Tammy Schlachter made that motion, seconded by Ms. Sue Rogers. Motion carried with no discussion.
Ms. Chris Raftery asked Council for a motion to post and advertise the position of Village Administrator.
Mr. Andrew Brown made that motion, seconded by Mr. Jim Ehrman. Motion carried with no discussion.
DISPOSITION OF MINUTES
Ms. Chris Raftery asked Council for a motion to approve the minutes from the regular Council meeting on
September 8, 2026, and the special Council meeting on September 22, 2026. Ms. Sue Rogers made that
motion, seconded by Ms. Tammy Schlachter. Motion carried with no discussion.
APPROVAL OF FINANCIAL REPORTS
Ms. Chris Raftery asked Council for a motion to approve the September 2026 financial reports. Ms. Tammy
Schlachter made that motion, seconded by Mr. Andrew Brown. Motion carried with no discussion.
APPROVAL OF THE MONTHLY CREDIT CARD REPORT
Ms. Chris Raftery asked Council for a motion to approve the September 2026 credit card report. Ms. Sue
Rogers made that motion, seconded by Ms. Tammy Schlachter. Motion carried with no further discussion.
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS
Administrator – Ms. Chris Raftery asked Ms. Eunice Collene whether she would provide the Village
Administrator's report, since there is no Village Administrator at this time. Ms. Collene confirmed she had
information to share.
Ms. Collene said that the village is still working on the floating solar project. The meters are still not reading
correctly. The Village's Electric Department, Encompass Solar, D3 Energy, and AMP are all working
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Regular Council Meeting October 13, 2026
together to resolve the issues. Some wires got crossed and burned equipment, but it was not village
equipment that was damaged.
Village employees completed bucket truck rescue training in the Village of Milan. AMP provides this
training every year.
Electric Department Superintendent Dave Hamons and staff member Colton Ott spent a day in Milan
helping their staff replace equipment.
The village has done some of the annual tree trimming. Village Administration plans to get more bids for
this work. Kylie's Tree Service was doing the work, but they are closing and cannot finish the 2026 village
projects. Ms. Collene is unsure if trimming will be done before winter, but it is being tracked. Staff
members are preparing the village for Christmas. They are checking Christmas lights and other supplies
to see what needs to be replaced.
The village phone system is undergoing upgrades as Frontier replaces copper lines with fiber lines. This
work is creating difficulties near the Electric Department since the new lines must go underground.
Frontier is responsible for completing this installation. The village is exploring backup power options for
one substation. Since only one line currently serves the substation and Frontier cannot install a fiber line
there, an additional line would need to be added to keep calls going in and out if the substation fails.
As winter approaches, village staff will keep fixing potholes. The leaf vacuum truck is being prepared for
use. Park bathrooms are being made ready for winter weather. New tires have been put on one snowplow
truck, and another is undergoing repairs. Road salt will arrive soon.
The village street department is looking to purchase a woodchipper next year to help clear brush and
handle storm debris. Village departments are completing inventory checks, and extra equipment that is
no longer needed may be sold on www.GovDeals.com to bring in revenue for the village. We will need to
establish an account and pass legislation for this.
Water & Wastewater Superintendent Don Clark's team has been busy with training courses that should
finish soon. Staff members have been removing sludge, and tanks have been cleaned. The lift station near
Firelands Federal Credit Union had a backup problem again and was cleaned out. A possible fix has been
found, and a grease trap is being cleaned to see if this solves the issue. Hydrant flushing has started, and
people may notice lower water pressure or see brown-colored water during the flushing process.
Mr. Jim Ehrman asked Ms. Collene about the status of purchasing a jet vac truck. Ms. Collene said that
Mr. Clark has been searching for a used jet vac truck. A truck was available, but the sale fell through. The
Electric Department is looking to purchase a used Digger Derrick truck. Council had set aside money for a
new Digger Derrick costing over $500,000, however those funds were needed to pay off the bond notes.
A used Digger Derrick would save over $200,000. Dave Hamons has found several used ones with low
miles. Mr. Ehrman asked if the City of Norwalk staff still help the village. Ms. Collene confirmed they assist
for free with the jet vac. If they're unavailable, the village pays Adkins Sanitation. Mr. Andrew Brown asked
if the village still pays for the floating solar while handling these issues. Ms. Collene said she hasn't made
any floating solar payments yet and won't pay until the problems are solved and numbers are clear. Mr.
Ehrman asked if the village has a floating solar contract on file. Ms. Collene said she thinks so and will try
to find it for him.
Fiscal Officer – Ms. Eunice Collene presented her report that had been previously submitted to Council.
The village ended the month of September 2026 with a cash balance of $5,713,701.71 across all funds.
The September revenue was $1,051,879.02, with expenses totaling $1,227,509.83. The year-to-date
revenue is $10,147,612.02, with year-to-date expenses totaling $10,255,816.72. That's activity recorded
across 39 individual funds. This gave the village a net monthly decrease of $108,204.70 in the cash
position.
The Administrative Office has settled all previous unpaid utility invoices.
The lobby door at the MMC (Monroeville Municipal Complex) has been installed. The Auditor of State
completed the on-site audit for 2025. The audit was sent to the state office for review. The state office
has submitted questions, and Ms. Collene has been responding to them and submitting supporting
documentation.
SafeBuilt is now active for zoning matters and is currently going through permit applications. Things are
moving forward smoothly so far.
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Regular Council Meeting October 13, 2026

The second planning meeting for the 2026 Village Christmas Wednesday event is scheduled for tomorrow,
October 14, at 6 PM, at the library. The event will take place on December 12th, 2026. Monroe Street will
be closed between State Route 20 and Brown Street. Croghan Bank will also be closed that day. A focus
this year is managing parking for event attendees. Downtown shops remain open, so visitors should be
careful about where they park their vehicles.
Work at the gas station is ongoing, but there is no clear timeline for reopening yet. Ms. Collene has been
in contact with someone assisting at the site. The roof still requires repairs. The fuel pumps have been
installed and checked. They need to be programmed so the County Auditor can approve.
Last Wednesday, Ms. Collene traveled to Perrysburg to complete mandatory state auditor training. The
hours she spent in training meet her FIA (Fiscal Integrity Act) requirements.
Ms. Collene has received many calls about the Project Eagle Ridge community open house. This event is
scheduled for Monday, October 26, 2026, between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., at the American Legion. Details can
be found on the Project Eagle Ridge website. Attendees are asked to RSVP.
Trick-or-treating is scheduled for Saturday, October 31st, 2026, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Following trick-ortreat, a costume parade will start at Monroeville Local Schools and end at the Huron River Joint Fire
District building.
The Village Administrative Office will be closed from Wednesday, October 28, through Friday, October 30,
2026, so staff can attend new software training in Columbus. The building will be locked during this period.
The village is scheduled to go live on Wednesday, October 21, with conversion of the email system from
.com to .gov. The website will stay the same for now. Any emails sent to .com addresses will automatically
forward to the new .gov addresses. An automatic reply will be sent to anyone who emails a .com address.
This change has been advertised on village utility invoices.
Police – Chief Jon Earl presented his report that had been previously submitted to Council. There was a
125% increase in overall activity for the month, compared to September 2025. A total of ninety-seven
school zone citations were issued in September 2026.
The FLOCK camera on the west side of the village was vandalized. An investigation is underway. FLOCK
Safety will handle the reinstallation. Chief reminded everyone that damaging or changing FLOCK cameras
is a felony. The last person who damaged a FLOCK camera was arrested and charged with a felony in
Ashland County. Chief plans to take the same action against anyone found guilty of damaging the village
camera.
The Police Department had a major incident during the third shift. Officer Jonah Mercereau came upon
an accident. When he got close to the vehicle, the driver fled. The driver crashed again near the railroad
bridge, but fortunately, was not hurt. The driver was experiencing a mental health episode. It was not an
OVI. Officer Mercereau handled the incident well.
The Police Department completed annual firearm qualifications last week, and all officers passed.
Chief reported that Officer Nick Meyer has 32 hours of vacation time to use before the month ends. The
Chief asked Council to approve Officer Meyer carrying over 32 hours of vacation time if he cannot use
those hours. Chief also reported that Officer Logan Gale has 16 hours of vacation time to use before the
month ends. Chief asked Council to approve Officer Gale carrying over 16 hours of vacation time if he
cannot use those hours.
Chief looked into security cameras for Marsh Field. He met with R.J. Beck, who installed the current
cameras at the MMC. R.J. Beck provided a quote of $5,000 for Marsh Field cameras. These cameras would
connect to the existing system and send motion alerts. A useful feature is the ability to set times for when
the parks are closed. The third shift officer would get a text alert on their phone when motion is detected
in the park. Chief said this is a high cost, and the Police Department does not have money in their budget
right now to pay for it. He is not sure if the park budget could pay for it either. R.J. Beck suggested three
cameras for Marsh Field. The cameras themselves are not expensive. The main cost comes from the IT
side, specifically for sending the signal. Ms. Chris Raftery asked about available grants to help pay for this.
Chief said grants are possible, but he may not have time to write and submit a grant application unless
Council directs him to do so right away. Mr. Andrew Brown asked if the $5,000 quote covers only Marsh
Field or includes Clark Park too. Chief explained the quote is for Marsh Field only. The cost is mainly for
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the relay system. Mr. Brown asked if these are FLOCK cameras. Chief said no. They would be the same
type of camera system already installed at the MMC. The Police Department already uses the camera
systems at both schools, and it makes no sense to run five or six different camera programs. The Police
Department could buy a $400 camera, install it, and catch a suspect after the fact, but that approach does
not make sense. Mr. Brown asked about monthly costs. Chief said there are no monthly costs. It would
not add to what is already being paid for the current camera system.
Ms. Chris Raftery asked Council for a motion to allow Nick Meyers to carry over 32 hours of vacation time.
Ms. Tammy Schlachter made that motion, seconded by Ms. Sue Rogers. Motion carried with no discussion.
Ms. Chris Raftery asked Council for a motion to allow Logan Gale to carry over 16 hours of vacation time.
Ms. Sue Rogers made that motion, seconded by Ms. Tammy Schlachter. Motion carried with no discussion.
Solicitor – Mr. Jim Barney had no information to report.
Mayor – No report, as the mayor was absent from tonight’s meeting.
BOARD AND COMMISSION REPORTS
HRJFD
The Huron River Joint Fire District convened on September 2, 2026: Mr. Jim Ehrman reported that for the
month of September 2026, the Village of Monroeville had two calls; Peru Township had three calls;
Ridgefield Township had one call; and Sherman Township had three calls. There were no mutual aid calls.
The fire department keeps communities safe in many different ways. Everyone should thank our
firefighters for their hard work. They have promised to protect and serve, no matter how disgusting or
dangerous the job may be.
OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS COUNCIL
Mr. Scott Summerlin addressed Council. He raised concerns about the reservoir's drinking water quality.
He heard there have been malfunctions on the floating solar panels. He thinks this connects to PFAS (Perand polyfluoroalkyl substances), and he is worried about it. During the last council meeting, he asked for
more information. He said he expected someone to contact him. He said that, according to the Council
minutes, Ms. Eunice Collene was supposed to contact him. However, he believes there was a
miscommunication based on what he recorded in his personal notes. He is unsure how many people
follow EPA guidelines. Based on what he read from the EPA, he understands that Monroeville will need to
handle cleanup in the next couple of years. Regarding cost-effectiveness discussions, he felt this has not
been studied enough. He asked Council to review and read about it. The system isn't working yet, but
$11,000 is already being spent. He said that he brought this up at the last meeting and was upset that it
wasn't included in the meeting minutes. He believes there are problems with transparency and
accountability. He's also worried about the Village adding a data center. As far as he knows, the Planning
Commission hasn't met in a while. He knows the village hired a firm, but he thinks that without Planning
Commission meetings, the company's proposal won't get reviewed or discussed. Mr. Summerlin noted
that Ms. Elisa Brown, who is present tonight, had previously brought important information that he wants
added to the data center contract. He believes it's important that the citizens protect their own interests.
He feels the Planning Commission exists for a reason. Another problem with the data center is that the
Village currently has no Village Administrator. This will put whoever is hired as Village Administrator
behind, forcing them to catch up quickly. Mr. Summerlin had previously noted that Council members have
the option, under Ohio district court law, to extend the moratorium. He hasn't heard this discussed, which
concerns him. His final concern involves conversations with Chief Earl about FLOCK cameras. When he
first asked village representatives about the FLOCK cameras, they directed him to Chief Earl. Mr.
Summerlin asked the Chief where the cameras are located, but the Chief refused to provide that
information. Mr. Summerlin said he also requested invoices and other details. Mr. Summerlin was told
the FLOCK cameras are at every entrance to the village, but this didn't answer his question. Mr. Summerlin
noted that the Chief had made previous comments about anti-FLOCK information. Mr. Summerlin
searched for a pro-FLOCK Facebook page or social media account but found nothing. He wanted to see
both perspectives, just as he does with the data center. Mr. Summerlin said he doesn’t understand why
records aren’t made public when a request is made for them. He said the Chief told him he doesn't know
where the cameras are located. Mr. Summerlin said that he doubts that invoices wouldn't show the
camera locations in the village. Mr. Summerlin said he is bringing this up because the Chief had mentioned
a 40-pound marijuana seizure at the last meeting. He said that the Chief had stated that he didn't share it
on social media to avoid dealing with public comments. Chief then told Mr. Summerlin that's not exactly
what he stated. Mr. Summerlin said it was close enough and offered the Chief a chance to clarify. Chief
also disagreed about not giving Mr. Summerlin the camera locations, saying that Mr. Summerlin had asked
for a map instead. Mr. Summerlin disagreed and said he called the Chief and asked verbally for the camera
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locations. He said that he doesn’t see how he could trust the Chief’s FLOCK camera information if the
Chief isn’t willing to post about a major drug seizure because he doesn't want to deal with social media
comments. Chief asked Mr. Summerlin why he would need to post about a drug seizure. Mr. Summerlin
answered that he's not asking the Chief to post it. He's asking why Chief would worry about social media
comments in the first place. Mr. Summerlin said he struggled for a month before bringing this issue up.
People who have criticized the FLOCK cameras in the past have been targeted, which is well documented.
He said he wants to know where the FLOCK cameras are located. He doesn't think this request is
unreasonable. Chief said this is not what he told Mr. Summerlin about the FLOCK cameras. Mr. Summerlin
asked the Chief to clarify. Chief explained that Mr. Summerlin asked for a map showing all camera
locations, and the Chief said he didn't have a map to provide. Mr. Summerlin corrected him, saying that
during a phone call, he asked the Chief for the camera locations. Chief told him the cameras are at every
entrance to the village. When Mr. Summerlin asked for more details, the Chief refused. Chief asked how
he could be more specific than saying the FLOCK cameras are at every entry point of Monroeville. Mr.
Summerlin responded that the Chief likely has invoices showing camera installation details. Chief asked
Mr. Summerlin again how he could be more specific than stating the FLOCK cameras are at every entrance
point of the Village of Monroeville. Ms. Collene stated she had not received any public records request
from Mr. Summerlin for FLOCK invoices. Council member Mark Miller inquired whether the FLOCK
cameras were mounted on poles. Chief confirmed this. Mr. Miller suggested that Mr. Summerlin could
drive around and locate them himself. (Several people were speaking simultaneously, preventing accurate
transcription of the minutes.) Mr. Summerlin replied that he could do this, but he believed he should be
able to ask someone in Village Administration for the camera locations. Chief asked Mr. Summerlin once
more how he could be clearer than the guidance already provided. Chief offered to supply GPS
coordinates if Mr. Summerlin wanted them, but this would require creating a record. Mr. Summerlin said
this was a way for the Chief to avoid the issue. Mr. Summerlin then asked if the Chief had any FLOCK
invoices. (Several people were speaking simultaneously, preventing accurate transcription of the
minutes.) Chief stated that he had already told Mr. Summerlin that FLOCK Safety maintains all invoices,
though Mr. Summerlin kept interrupting. The Chief tried again to explain that FLOCK Safety maintains the
invoices on their website. Providing this information to Mr. Summerlin would create a record. Chief stated
he had already told Mr. Summerlin where the cameras are located. Chief explained that the FLOCK
cameras were installed to improve village safety. Chief said he receives no personal benefit from these
cameras. He can use the cameras to get information about arrests, stolen vehicles, and other violations.
The cameras help the Chief protect residents. Chief said that if this is truly a concern for Mr. Summerlin,
he can bring it to Council, and they can vote on whether to remove the cameras. Mr. Summerlin said that
is exactly what he is doing. Chief stated that it’s his job to keep the residents safe. Mr. Summerlin stated
that every other department would alert the Police Department when someone passed through the
village. Chief asked Mr. Summerlin to explain further. Mr. Summerlin said, for example, the City of
Bellevue would inform the Monroeville Police Department if a stolen vehicle was passing through the
village. Chief said that’s incorrect. Mr. Summerlin then asked if the City of Bellevue would contact the
village to share information about pursuing a stolen vehicle. Chief said no, explaining that FLOCK cameras
can address many more serious issues than stolen vehicles. Mr. Summerlin said the FLOCK cameras violate
the Fourth Amendment. Chief disagreed, saying the cameras do not violate the Fourth Amendment. Mr.
Summerlin said he and the Chief would not agree on this matter, which is why he brought it to Council.
Chief suggested that anyone wanting to learn more about FLOCK can contact the State Attorney General
to hear their position on the program. Ms. Chris Raftery asked Ms. Eunice Collene to create a list of items
Mr. Summerlin requested and add it to her tasks. Ms. Collene agreed. She also addressed Mr. Summerlin's
comment about her not calling him back after the last Council meeting. Ms. Collene explained that she
had recommended Mr. Summerlin contact Water and Wastewater Superintendent Don Clark about his
water testing questions for the reservoir. Ms. Collene was unable to answer Mr. Summerlin's questions
from the previous meeting and directed him to Don Clark to discuss the reservoir water tests. Mr.
Summerlin said this was a misunderstanding between him and Ms. Collene. Ms. Collene asked if Mr.
Summerlin wanted her to have Don Clark call him. Mr. Summerlin said he would contact Ms. Collene to
get Don Clark's phone number and would then reach out to Don. Mr. Summerlin said that residents are
posting their concerns on social media, and he believes it is appropriate to raise these issues for the sake
of transparency and accountability. Currently, there is a national debate about FLOCK cameras and Fourth
Amendment rights. Ms. Chris Raftery interrupted Mr. Summerlin and reminded him that he has a time
limit for addressing Council. Mr. Summerlin acknowledged his five-minute limit. Ms. Raftery noted that
he had exceeded his time. Ms. Raftery explained that Ms. Collene has Mr. Summerlin's questions
documented, and Council will respond to them later. Mr. Jim Ehrman said he works closely with Don Clark.
Mr. Clark performs quarterly water testing. The Water Department maintains a list of chemicals being
distributed, and all must be tested. Results marked as D mean non-detectable, indicating nothing was
found. If something is detected, it shows the amount per liter or milliliter. Ms. Collene explained that this
is why she directed Mr. Summerlin to Mr. Clark, since that is Mr. Clark’s job. Mr. Summerlin expressed
concern that PFAS testing is not being performed. Ms. Collene said Mr. Clark can answer this question for
Mr. Summerlin.
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Ms. Kathy Pocock addressed Council and wanted to know what decision had been made about making
Herrick Alley a one-way street. Chris Raftery told her that Council would discuss this topic during the
Council business portion of the meeting.
Mr. Ted Caldwell asked about the status of downtown sidewalk improvements in the village. Ms. Chris
Raftery said the status was still unclear. Ms. Eunice Collene said she would reach out to Makeever and
Associates to find out their progress. Her most recent information showed that Makeever was still working
on the design plans. She was unsure whether Makeever had given Village Administration a proposal yet
or provided any cost estimates.
ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS FOR FIRST READING
ORDINANCE 2026-17 An Ordinance modifying the Village of Monroeville codified Ordinance §929.01(a)
regarding the fee to tap into the Village of Monroeville water system was presented for first reading. No
discussion.
ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS FOR PASSAGE
Ms. Chris Raftery asked for a motion to suspend the rules for the following legislation. Ms. Tammy
Schlachter made that motion, seconded by Ms. Sue Rogers. Motion carried with no discussion.
ORDINANCE 2026-18 An Ordinance amending or supplementing certain funds for appropriations
Ordinance No. 2025-24, and declaring an emergency was presented for passage. Ms. Tammy Schlachter
made a motion, seconded by Ms. Sue Rogers, to pass Ordinance 2026-18 by title only. Mr. Mark Miller
asked Ms. Eunice Collene to provide an overview. Ms. Collene said that if Council recalls, this is to pay R.A.
Bores for the work they completed on the downtown parking lot, along with the grant that was awarded
for that project. Section one of the Ordinance is to appropriate the funds into a transfer line in the General
Fund. Section two of the Ordinance transfers the funds from the General Fund into Downtown Parking
Lot Fund 291. That fund was established before Ms. Collene’s employment with the village. That is where
the grant was paid from. According to Ms. Collene’s conversation with the state auditors, since it's all part
of the same project, she is keeping all of it together in Fund 291. Section three of the Ordinance then
appropriates the funds into the line item where the funds are expended. Section four of the Ordinance is
to appropriate an additional $1,000, which will be split between the deposit refunds for Fund 608, for the
deposits that the Administrative Office receives. Ms. Collene anticipates refunding more deposit money
than what she had originally budgeted for at the beginning of the year. Mr. Andrew Brown asked if this
brings the village up to date as to where they are supposed to be for the downtown parking lot project.
Ms. Collene clarified the payment to R.A. Bores will pay for all the work that has been done so far. It does
not pay for the topcoat, the striping, or the lighting, as that work hasn’t been done yet. Motion carried
with no further discussion.
APPROVAL OF BILL SUMMARY
Ms. Chris Raftery asked Council for a motion to approve the September 2026 bill summary. Ms. Sue Rogers
made a motion, seconded by Mr. Andrew Brown, to approve the bill summary as presented, which
included memo expenses and checks #047686 to #051626, for a total of $1,265,792.11. Motion carried
with no discussion.
COUNCIL BUSINESS
Ms. Chris Raftery opened the discussion regarding the proposal to convert a portion of Herrick Alley to a
one-way street. Ms. Tammy Schlachter said that vehicles are still driving through the alley in both
directions. Ms. Sue Rogers wanted the one-way signs removed so the alley could allow traffic to flow in
both directions. Ms. Tammy Schlachter agreed with this idea. Ms. Raftery said she had never noticed a
tire track in Mr. Tom Sitterly's yard. Mr. Sitterly said he would contact Ms. Raftery next time someone
drives onto his property. Mr. Sitterly mentioned the photos that he shared with Mr. Mark Miller. Ms.
Schlachter asked Mr. Miller if those photos were recent. Mr. Miller said no, explaining that Mr. Sitterly
gave them to him when he first complained. Mr. Sitterly questioned why the Police Department wasn't
giving tickets to drivers breaking the one-way rule. He pointed out that the Police Department has
cameras aimed at that intersection. Chief responded that there are no cameras at that location. Mr.
Sitterly said the Police Department has a camera on their building that points straight down the alley.
Chief explained that his department cannot issue tickets based on camera footage from those cameras.
Mr. Sitterly stated that the Police Department knows violations are happening. Chief asked if Mr. Sitterly
wanted the Police Department to observe that area more closely. Mr. Sitterly said he wanted to know
why drivers weren't getting tickets. Chief said that he and his officers do write tickets. Mr. Sitterly said
that every morning, a driver goes the wrong direction down the alley while heading to work. Chief
reported that his department issued more than 100 tickets last month. Mr. Sitterly stated he knows that
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80% of those tickets were given between 8:00 PM and 2:00 AM. Chief disagreed with Mr. Sitterly. Mr.
Sitterly said the alley is too narrow for two cars to pass each other. Ms. Raftery pointed out that the street
is an alley. Mr. Sitterly responded that drivers shouldn’t be cutting through his yard. Ms. Raftery said she
had never seen another driver go through anyone's grass while using the alley. Normally, one vehicle lets
the other pass. Mr. Sitterly said there is no space to let someone pass, since drivers must leave the road
so the other vehicle can get through. He described the alley as looking like a bowling alley along the side
of the road, from his backyard extending all the way to the corner. When it rains, it will start damaging his
yard. The grass and dirt have disappeared because people are driving into his yard. Mr. Ehrman asked Mr.
Sitterly what solution he was suggesting. Mr. Sitterly said he wants the alley permanently converted to a
one-way street.
Ms. Chris Raftery asked if anyone else wanted to discuss this matter. Ms. Mindy Gies then addressed
Council. She expressed strong disappointment with Council members Ms. Tammy Schlachter and Ms.
Chris Raftery. She explained that when Council member Mark Miller offered to show them photographs
of the alley, they refused to look at them, saying they already knew the area because they drive through
it regularly. Ms. Gies felt this showed they were not fulfilling their responsibilities as public servants. She
was particularly concerned about Ms. Raftery's role as Council President pro tem. Ms. Gies compared this
to a doctor ignoring a patient's health concerns. She said that she grew up on Hollister Street and used to
roller skate through Herrick Alley when it was not busy at all. In her opinion, if Council allows the alley to
fall into the same poor condition as Hamilton Street did, people will stop using it. Mr. Sitterly pointed out
that Herrick Alley is not the only alley in town. Ms. Gies said there is another alley that connects Hamilton
Street to Herrick Alley. Mr. Miller asked if she meant the alley behind the American Legion. Ms. Gies said
no. She was talking about the alley that runs behind Hollister Street, where hardly anyone owns property.
Ms. Kathy Pocock addressed Council. She sees all types of vehicles using Herrick Alley because she lives at
the corner of it. The alley is commonly used throughout its entire length, not just near her home. It extends
all the way to Peans Pizza. There is cement behind the American Legion and behind the Cold-as-Ice drivethru area, where drivers can pull over. The alley itself remains the same width the whole way. There is
also a hill on the far end. She questioned why the village would change just one small part of the alley to
one-way traffic without making the same change to the rest of the alley.
Mr. Mike Keefe addressed Council. He said he used to work at the Huron County Engineer's Office. Around
20 years ago, someone completed a survey of Herrick Alley. Starting from behind the US Post Office and
heading south, Herrick Alley has only a 14 ½ foot right-of-way. Starting from Milan Avenue and heading
north, the right-of-way is about 40 feet wide. You cannot have pavement that wide because some
buildings on the north end of Herrick Alley sit within the alley right-of-way. He thinks the survey was done
to check if the pavement was wide enough. He knows that going south, there’s only about 12 ½ feet of
pavement, maybe; he is not certain. To help Council understand: there are two different right-of-way
widths. According to the state, anything below 20 feet wide is considered an alley. Anything wider than
that is a street. As an alley, he thinks it being converted to a one-way street could work. Ms. Chris Raftery
asked him to explain what he meant by "could work." Mr. Keefe said it is possible to change the alley to a
one-way street. The pavement is not wide enough for the alley to be a two-way street. At minimum, at
least 9 ½ feet is needed for traffic to move through.
Ms. Chris Raftery asked if anyone had more questions. Mr. Scott Summerlin addressed Council and
explained that he had been told twice that his speaking time was limited, but there was no actual timer
in the room. He said he had raised this issue before. He requested that Council purchase a timer because
he keeps getting interrupted before his allotted time ends. He noted that he had set his alarm for five
minutes, and it had not gone off when he was still talking earlier. Ms. Raftery said Council would review
the rules to see if they could add a timer. Mr. Summerlin said they have to add one because it is already
in Council policy. Ms. Raftery said Council would discuss this more at another meeting. Ms. Sue Rogers
said this should not be a problem and that Council should allow people to speak as long as needed. (Ms.
Raftery and Mr. Jim Ehrman were talking to each other, but their voices were too low for accurate
transcription.) Ms. Eunice Collene reminded Council members to speak louder so the tape recorder could
capture what they were saying. (Ms. Raftery and Mr. Ehrman continued talking, but their voices were too
low for accurate transcription.) Mr. Mark Miller said that public comments are on the meeting agenda.
Ms. Sue Rogers asked if Council could vote on the alley issue. Ms. Chris Raftery said that Council had
discussed this previously and planned to decide about the alley. Ms. Raftery stated a decision must happen
tonight. Mr. Miller disagreed. Ms. Rogers asked why. Mr. Miller said it was because of what Mr. Mike
Keefe just said. Mr. Miller said Council needs to check the law to see what it says. He knows the alley was
a two-way street before, but if it's not wide enough legally to be a two-way street, Council will look foolish.
Mr. Jim Barney said there is no law that says how wide an alley must be for two-way traffic. Mr. Keefer
suggested Mr. Barney contact the Huron County Engineer's office about that. Mr. Barney said he had
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searched for the definition of an alley. The Cleveland Municipal Code defines an alley with specific
measurements, but the Ohio Revised Code and the Monroeville Codified Ordinances don't have similar
definitions. In the Ohio Revised Code, an alley is treated the same as a street. Mr. Tom Sitterly said
Monroeville once had an ordinance about alleys. Mr. Andrew Brown said he doesn't think being an alley
is the real issue. What matters is whether it's wide enough for two cars to pass. Mr. Brown said there's a
one-way alley behind his house. It would be convenient to drive the wrong way, but they can't because
it's unsafe. You can't see people coming around the corner. However, people still drive the wrong way,
and he's almost been hit. Just because people drive down Herrick Alley the wrong way doesn't mean it
should become a two-way street again. If it's a safety concern and both the county engineer and Police
Department say it's too narrow for two vehicles, then it's not safe. Safety must come first, even if it means
taking a longer route around the block. Ms. Kathy Pocock pointed out that the alley Mr. Brown mentioned
has a blind corner where visibility is poor. Herrick Alley, by contrast, is open and clear. Mr. Brown
acknowledged the locations are different but still sees this as a safety concern. Ms. Rogers asked whether
Herrick Alley had experienced many accidents. Ms. Elisa Brown raised the question of liability if an injured
driver returned to the village claiming the alley was too narrow for two vehicles to pass safely. Mr.
Summerlin said he just sent Mr. Miller a Facebook message about Ohio Revised Code on this matter. He
explained that Ohio Revised Code 723.01 gives cities the power to manage public alleys. Ohio Revised
Code 723.02 lets cities make alleys wider or narrower through the proper legal steps. Ms. Raftery asked
Mr. Barney to explain this code. Mr. Barney said this shows what can be done when managing an alley.
The Ohio Revised Code allows municipalities to do this, and that is what the group is discussing now. Mr.
Brown said when Council first brought up the issue again, he thought they wanted to explore widening
the alley. The answer back then was no. Mr. Barney said he does not know the streets well, but Mr. Keefe
was explaining that there is only a 14-foot right-of-way and 12 feet of pavement. Even if widening were
possible, there is not much extra space to work with. Ms. Eunice Collene noted that Mr. Keefe had said
each vehicle needs 9 ½ feet to move in both directions. Mr. Sitterly mentioned he had seen delivery trucks
use the alley. Ms. Pocock said she owns a large yard along the alley and hasn't experienced anyone driving
through it. Ms. Raftery requested that Council vote on the matter. Ms. Collene asked Mr. Barney to
confirm her understanding: when Council first addressed this, they did it on a temporary basis and have
been reviewing it since. She asked if Council needed to decide tonight to either remove the restriction or
make it permanent before voting. Mr. Barney explained that if Council wants to act, someone needs to
make a motion choosing one direction or the other, and then they can vote. Mr. Miller asked about the
width of Herrick Alley. (Several people were speaking simultaneously, preventing accurate transcription
of the minutes.) Mr. Sitterly shared that former village employee Jack Turner widened the alley and shifted
it into his yard. When a survey is done, measurements start from the center of the road, and that center
point has been moved. Ms. Collene suggested Council needs a motion to either make it a permanent oneway alley or remove it, to make it a two-way alley. Ms. Chris Raftery made a motion to restore Herrick
Alley as a two-way alley, as it has always been, and to trust people to be courteous. Mr. Sitterly disagreed.
Ms. Raftery said yes. Mr. Sitterly said there is no room to be courteous. Ms. Rogers noted that Ms. Raftery
is simply making a motion. Mr. Sitterly noted there isn't enough space for two cars. Ms. Collene asked Ms.
Raftery if that was a motion. Ms. Raftery confirmed she had made a motion. Ms. Sue Rogers seconded
Ms. Chris Raftery's motion. Mr. Summerlin requested that Ms. Raftery state her motion again, since it
involved being courteous. Ms. Raftery said the part about being courteous was a sidebar. Ms. Raftery said
her motion was to convert Herrick Alley into a two-way street by removing limits and letting traffic flow
in both directions. Ms. Rogers confirmed she seconded Ms. Raftery's motion. Ms. Collene confirmed she
heard Ms. Rogers second Ms. Raftery's motion. Mr. Miller said Ms. Raftery cannot make a motion. Mr.
Brown disagreed, saying Ms. Raftery can make a motion. Mr. Miller noted Ms. Raftery is the mayor for
tonight. Ms. Raftery corrected him, saying she is on Council, not the mayor. Ms. Collene said she had a
motion and a second, and asked if Council wanted to discuss further. Ms. Collene asked Ms. Raftery if they
should vote. Ms. Raftery asked Ms. Collene to do roll call. Ms. Chris Raftery, Ms. Sue Rogers, and Ms.
Tammy Schlachter voted yes. Mr. Andrew Brown, Mr. Jim Ehrman, and Mr. Mark Miller voted nay. Ms.
Collene announced the vote was tied. Mr. Brown asked if the earlier motion from a past meeting was
meant to be temporary. Ms. Collene explained that from the start, she understood Herrick Alley becoming
a one-way street was temporary. Each time Council looked at this issue, they chose to extend it for another
30 days. Mr. Brown said even if Council made a motion to keep it the other way, it would still be a tie vote.
Council must wait for the mayor to break the tie. Mr. Barney explained that if a motion doesn't get
majority support, it fails, but the topic can come back later. Mr. Brown asked if the topic would need to
be discussed again, since it was made temporary at the beginning. Mr. Barney confirmed that the street
remains a temporary one-way street for now. Ms. Pocock asked him to repeat this information. Ms.
Collene clarified that the street would stay a one-way street temporarily due to a tie vote. Mr. Ehrman
began to ask a question, and Ms. Collene requested that he speak louder so the tape recorder could
capture his words. Mr. Ehrman explained that according to Robert's Rules of Order, Ms. Raftery is serving
as acting mayor for this meeting. This means she cannot make a motion, but she can request one. Mr.
Barney disagreed with Mr. Ehrman's statement. He said the president pro tem of Council can run the
meeting in the mayor's absence and still have all Council rights. Ms. Raftery announced this issue would
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Regular Council Meeting October 13, 2026
be discussed again at the next regular Council meeting when the mayor returns. An attendee requested
clarification about the situation. Ms. Collene stated that Herrick Alley is temporarily still a one-way street.
Mr. Barney said it doesn’t matter if a motion is made to make the alley a permanent one-way street or a
permanent two-way street. Council is tied on the decision. As a result, no motions will pass tonight. Only
the mayor can break a tie vote.
Ms. Chris Raftery opened the discussion regarding the open projects list. Ms. Sue Rogers asked for an
update on the downtown mural. Ms. Eunice Collene said she would add it to her list to research. The main
problem is paying for installation. Ms. Elisa Brown explained that the mural was supposed to go on the
corner building where the MMRG (Monroeville Model Railroad Group) is located. That didn't work legally.
A second location was suggested by the new municipal parking lot, on a building that Mr. David Luna
owns. Mr. Luna said yes, but the prior Village Administrator, Tom Gray, decided he didn't want the mural
there. This choice made costs go up for Janotta & Herner, who had planned to donate the brackets and
the labor to install the mural. Janotta & Herner stopped the project because they didn't want to pay the
extra money that Mr. Gray wanted. The mural is now in a warehouse. Ms. Brown thinks they need to start
fresh. The side of the building where the MMRG is located is an eyesore and is in need of repair. A beautiful
mural is sitting in a warehouse. People need to put aside their pride and focus on community needs. Ms.
Collene asked if putting the mural on Luna's building was still possible. Ms. Brown said yes. Ms. Rogers
asked if Janotta & Herner could be called and asked to move forward with installing the mural on Mr.
Luna's building. Ms. Collene said she would call Janotta & Herner to see if they still want to donate the
brackets and the labor. Mr. Caldwell asked how much the installation would cost. Ms. Brown said that
Janotta & Herner were going to install the mural on the building. They were going to donate the brackets
and the labor. Then Tom Gray wanted the mural to stand alone and have lights added, at additional costs.
Janotta & Herner said no to his idea. Ms. Collene said the extra cost would’ve been $30,000. They also
needed to check insurance for a freestanding mural. There were many unclear things, so the project never
moved forward. Ms. Rogers said she didn't think Council knew that Tom Gray had caused the project to
stall. Ms. Brown said Mr. Luna had to read Council meeting minutes to learn that the mural would not be
hung on his building.
Mr. Mark Miller brought up the noise problem at Industrial Parkway. He mentioned that the mayor said
the village no longer has a contract with the company. Ms. Collene asked if he meant the Gray Matter
contract or the Decimal Digital contract. Mr. Miller clarified he was talking about bitcoin mining. Ms.
Collene noted that the village still works with a court-appointed receiver. Mr. Miller pointed out that the
village doesn't need to prepay for electricity anymore. Ms. Collene said it's still good for the village to keep
the operation running now. Mr. Caldwell questioned if that's true since the company owes the village a
lot of money. Ms. Collene confirmed. Mr. Caldwell said he doesn't understand why the village is watching
over the receiver. He said that 20 years ago, he forgot to pay his $159 electric bill. He came home on a
Friday with three children, and the power was off. Now the village has a company that owes 1.3 million.
Ms. Collene explained that the people running it now are not the same people who owe the village money.
Mr. Caldwell said that doesn't matter. Mr. Barney said the village cannot shut off their power. A courtappointed receiver controls the site. A court order says the village cannot touch the power. If the power
gets disconnected, the village would have problems. Even though the village is owed money, having the
site working helps the village electric fund. Mr. Caldwell said he understands but asked how they got so
far behind without losing power before it went to court. Ms. Collene explained that an ESA (Electric Service
Agreement) was signed so the village could sell them a set amount of electricity. The village and the other
party made an agreement: the village would buy a set amount of electricity from a provider and sell it to
the other party. The other party agreed to pay the village for this electricity. If payments were made, the
arrangement worked well. However, the village must pay the provider for the full amount of electricity it
promised to buy. Mr. Caldwell asked if the village's contract with the other party had ended. Ms. Collene
said if power were shut off, the village could face legal action. Mr. Caldwell clarified he wasn't talking
about current situations but about past times when power wasn't shut off. He noted that Ms. Collene had
said the village agreed to provide power and the other party agreed to pay. Ms. Collene explained that
until the village paid off the debt just a month ago, this agreement was still in effect. She said she has
worked for the village for a year and a half, and during that entire time, the electric bill has been paid. She
believed the bill wasn't paid only at the very start of the ESA. Mr. Caldwell said that the village agreed to
supply electricity and the other party agreed to pay for it. Mr. Caldwell asked Ms. Collene to confirm that
they violated their contract by failing to pay the village, which should have resulted in a disconnection of
power. Ms. Collene said that she believed the power had been shut off. Mr. Caldwell said they should be
held responsible for breaking the contract they signed. Mr. Barney noted that the village is now
attempting to hold them accountable for that agreement. The village doesn't produce electricity; it buys
it from elsewhere. Mr. Caldwell acknowledged this. Mr. Barney explained that the village had one million
dollars of electricity. If the village had disconnected the power, they would have lost one million dollars.
Mr. Tom Sitterly said the village is still responsible for that loss. Mr. Barney added that if power had been
cut off, the village's loss would have been closer to three million dollars. If someone was running the site,
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Regular Council Meeting October 13, 2026
the village could at least cover its forward electricity purchases. Disconnecting the power wouldn't have
helped the situation, so it wasn't done. Mr. Caldwell expressed disbelief that the village was so careless
as to let things reach this point. Mr. Miller mentioned he had raised the noise problem multiple times, but
the receiver had never received a ticket for violating noise rules. Mr. Caldwell questioned why this was
kept quiet and how the bitcoin mining operation entered the village without notice. He pointed out that
90% of village residents didn't know about it until over a year later. Mr. Summerlin responded that this
was because residents weren't attending Council meetings. Mr. Summerlin asked Ms. Collene to identify
who discovered that amount of money. Ms. Collene said she didn't know, since it happened before she
started working for the village. Former Fiscal Officer Bonnie Beck explained that it wasn't "discovered".
The metering was done regularly, the same way it’s done for all the customers. The village couldn't collect
it based on what Mr. Barney was advising. The village's agreement with them was to buy X kilowatt-hours
of electricity. When the electric bill went unpaid, the village had no options. Mr. Summerlin asked Ms.
Beck if this was a contract violation. Mr. Miller asked Ms. Beck if she remembered when the power got
shut off. Mr. Miller said he recalls Decimal Digital's power being shut off on a Monday, with a Council
meeting the next day. Mr. Barney corrected him, saying it was Gray Matter, not Decimal Digital. Mr.
Barney said things are different now. Mr. Summerlin asked if Gray Matter's failure to pay was a breach of
contract. Mr. Barney confirmed that it was a breach of contract. The village turned off the electricity
because Gray Matter broke the contract. The village then owed three million dollars for electricity. If the
power stayed on and someone ran the business, the amount would be whatever it ended up being.
Turning off the power made no sense at all. Now they face a lawsuit for breaking their contract. This is
part of a court-ordered receivership. Early on, mistakes were made. The village was deceived, and the LLC
leaders used aliases when dealing with the village. These issues should have been caught but weren't.
Once the village discovered the truth, they took steps to protect themselves and recover their money.
They pointed to the receiver, who sold all assets, put them into receivership, and made improvements at
the Industrial Park. Mistakes happened. However, turning off the electricity at that time was the right call.
Mr. Miller said his concern is about the noise problem. There are ways to reduce it. Mr. Barney said the
noise issue has stayed the same for five months. Decimal Digital isn't paying the receiver what they owe.
The receiver has no funds. The receiver has a report and knows how to fix the problem. They lack money
because Decimal Digital isn't paying. The next step could be the receiver filing for bankruptcy. Mr. Miller
said this is important to discuss publicly since Decimal Digital wants to build a data center in the village.
Mr. Barney said this topic has come up many times. Mr. Brown said no one should be shocked by this. Mr.
Miller said there are ways to decrease the noise. Ms. Raftery said it's time to stop discussing this. Mr.
Miller said he still has more to say. Mr. Barney said he believes everyone here agrees the noise is too loud.
Mr. Caldwell asked how long the village must support this company if they keep not paying. Mr. Barney
said that's the receiver's decision. The receiver is working with the court to get paid. Ms. Elisa Brown
stated that going forward, the Forward Energy contract will end in October 2026. The village will no longer
buy large amounts of electricity ahead of time and be responsible for paying for it. Mr. Barney confirmed
what she said. Ms. Brown asked whether the village could turn off electricity if someone didn't pay their
bill. Mr. Barney answered that they are currently paying their electric bill. If they stop paying, the village
could disconnect their power. Ms. Brown then asked if that would mean the village wouldn't owe money
for the power bill. Mr. Barney confirmed. Mr. Barney added that the village is working to recover from
past issues and is moving in a better direction.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no other business to come before them, Ms. Chris Raftery asked Council for a motion to
adjourn. Ms. Sue Rogers made that motion, seconded by Ms. Tammy Schlachter.
Meeting adjourned at 7:43 pm.
____________________________________
Eunice A. Collene, Fiscal Officer
________________________________________
Council President pro tem, Chris Raftery
The minutes of this meeting were recorded by Administrative Specialist Heather Alicea. Fiscal Officer
Eunice A. Collene examined them for both form and content, subsequently approving them as transcribed.
THIS IS NOT A RATIFIED OR APPROVED COPY

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