Coal Grove Village Council took action on Wednesday evening to pass ordinance number 2017-13, approving a collective bargaining agreement with village employees represented by AFSCME Local 771-A.

Council took the action after returning from a long executive session where they discussed both the collective bargaining agreement and a separate issue, concerning a complaint issued against a public official.

Executive sessions take place behind closed doors concerning issues that the public and media are not privy to.
Council also moved to approve a new healthcare plan. Ordinance 2017-14 authorized the village to change the village employees’ health insurance plans from United to Humana.

“It’s better insurance, at a lower deductible, and a cheaper rate,” explained village fiscal officer Dylan Markins. “It’s just better all around.”

Council also moved to approve invoices, and to adopt a resolution sending a thank you letter to Tom LeMaster, recognizing and thanking him “for (his) support over the years.”

Council also entered into first reading of two new ordinances.

Ordinance 2017-15 would govern rummage sales within the village limits. Those wishing to hold a rummage or yard sale would need to apply for a $5 permit, and would be limited in the number of sales they could have within a given time frame. The exact limits, however, are still to be determined.

Ordinance 2017-3, which also had a first reading, would allow the village to retain new legal counsel. Markins explained that this is not related to current village counselor Mark McCown’s run for municipal judge, but was related to a separate issue that he was not free to discuss.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Coal Grove Village Council is at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 10.