By Martha Jacob

Ripley Council met in regular session on Oct. 9 and got right to business following the approval of the minutes and roll call.

Matt Layford, electric Department supervisor, was a scheduled guest and asked for an executive session to ask council for a pay rate increase. Council went into executive session at the end of the meeting.

In other business, resident Debbie Scott spoke briefly to council and asked when they thought the drinking water in the village was going to improve. She expressed her concerns over the condition of the water and it needed to improve.

The village set Trick or Treat night on Oct. 31 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Mayor Tom Leonard talked briefly about the upcoming Ohio Valley Manor 5K Run Walk set for Oct. 27. The event will be held in the Village of Ripley. Proceeds will go to the local Food Bank.

Pete Renshaw, village administrator spoke briefly about the condition of the Wastewater Treatment Plant where the erosion is eating away behind it.

“Well several bore holes have been completed now,” Renshaw began, “The did three bore holes and went down 90 feet and could never hit bedrock. The samples are being analyzed and then there will be more surveys done to determine what we need to do to stabilize the pilings. and alleviate any further damage.

“Once they get the information they need, we should know the plan on how to fix it by the end of October.”

Councilman Charles Poole who has been instrumental in trying to get the Corps of Engineers more involved, as well as the governors office in helping finance the project.

Unfortunately, Renshaw informed council that as far as he could tell, the Corps of Engineers had no plans to help fund the project.

Renshaw said he had not heard anything from the governors office and has already spoke with RCAP (Rural Community Assistance Partnership) about a OWDA (Ohio Water Development Authority) Loan.

Poole said he was not happy about not hearing anything from the governors emergency fund and that he would contact them again about helping the village.

Mayor Leonard said the ‘Clean-up Day’ in the village was a big success and residents filled 3 containers at a cost in access of $1,000.

Renshaw also told council that he received 9 applications for the part-time laborer position.

Council entered into executive session to discuss the pay scale of the supervisor of the electric department, Layford and met for about half an hour.

Following discussions about giving the raise to Layford, council members took a vote with members Poole and Travis Arnett voting against the increase from $25.85 to $28 and council members Nowana Bingaman, Tiffany Regenstein and Kathy Lewis voting in favor of the raise which passed.

During the round table discussions Councilman Poole talked about the poles downtown and a shredded flag at Ripley Metal Works.

Also discussed was a repayment of a roofing loan and replacement of broken windows at Metal Works.

Mayor Leonard said that the work at Metal Works should be completed by next week.