WHITEHOUSE – Whitehouse Village Council will interview three clerk of council candidates during a special meeting following its Tuesday, Oct. 13 Committee of the Whole meeting, Council President Steve Fine announced during the Oct. 6 regular meeting.
The clerk attends all council meetings and most committee and board meetings, keeping a journal of proceedings and legislation, preparing official minutes, calling the role for attendance and voting, and other duties. The pay is about $3,000 to $5,000 per year, according to the job description.
Nikki Hartbarger, who served as council clerk for three years prior to being appointed to fill Louann Artiaga‘s vacancy on council last month, will come up with questions to ask the three candidates, including Sarah Carroll, Callie Kozakiewicz and Noel Vossen.
Carroll has a degree in public administration from Ferris State University and currently works from her Whitehouse home in the U.S. Customs field for a steel processor. She creates and tracks paperwork for exports and assists with coordinating logistics between plants, customers, dispatchers, brokers and freight forwarders. It’s a position that requires accurate reporting, reliable calculations and timeliness, she stated in her letter of interest. Her previous experience includes data gathering and writing newsletters, notices and website communications while working with business and neighborhood organizations in Michigan. Currently, she volunteers with the Anthony Wayne Fullbackers, but is looking for additional volunteer or part-time opportunities related to her degree.
Kozakiewicz is currently business operations manager for the State of Ohio’s Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities. During her seven years with the state, she has held several positions that have required strong organization, written communication, attention to detail and the ability to understand and follow policies and procedures, she wrote in her letter of interest. In her current role, she also supervises staff and coordinates administrative operations for offices throughout Northwest Ohio. While working for the City of Toledo Division of Building Inspection, she served as court recorder and secretary for several boards, preparing agendas and materials for meetings, maintaining records, preparing public notices and researching laws and procedures. She has a bachelor of business administration from the University of Toledo.
Vossen most recently served as a hearing officer for the Lucas County Board of Revision, researching and hearing cases on property values – a position that required reviewing evidence and hearing testimony from residents. While earning a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania, Vossen interned in the U.S. Senate, managing and archiving a large database of congressional bills, policy reports, letters and other official records. While earning her degree, she also co-authored the book Philadelphia: Capital of the Eighteenth Century. Since returning to her hometown of Whitehouse, Vossen worked as a field organizer for the Ohio Democratic Party, recruiting, training and managing 100 volunteers to do canvassing and phone banking.
During the Oct. 6 meeting, council also:
-Approved the use of the Whitehouse Park for a Trunk or Treat on Saturday, Oct. 31 from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
-Learned that Whitehouse was awarded a $438,400 grant for resurfacing Waterville Street. Work will take place between 2030 and 2032.
-Heard Mayor Rich Bingham‘s appointments of council members to serve on boards, including: Hartbarger, Tree Commission; Joe Bublick, Fire Dependency Board; and Jake Heilmann, Fallen Timbers Union Cemetery District Board. Heilmann’s appointment is pending approval by the whole FTUCD board during a special Monday, Oct. 12 meeting at 6 p.m. in Waterville City Council Chambers.
-Set a Coffee With the Mayor and Council for Saturday, Nov. 14 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Copper Press Roastery, 5905 Weckerly Rd.
-Noted that village offices will be closed on Nov. 11, 26 and 27 for Veterans Day and Thanksgiving.
-Congratulated the Public Works Department for winning two America In Bloom national awards.
-Heard that plans are underway to raze a 1901 home and three outbuildings at 10125 Waterville St., which the village purchased for $200,000. Once cleared, the 2.3-acre property along Blue Creek will remain green space until staff comes up with more detailed plans. The demolition completion is targeted for the end of the year, but is dependent on Toledo Edison disconnecting power lines.
-Learned that the village is applying for a zoning change for the 6.5-acre parcel on the northwest corner of Finzel and S.R. 64, which was recently sold to the Toledo Lucas County Public Library for $620,000. The Planning Commission will consider a change from C-3 General Commercial to C-4 Highway Commercial on Monday, Nov. 2 at 6 p.m.
-Heard Fire Chief Jason Francis say that 100 people came to the fire station open house, where they were able to see much of the new equipment.
-Learned that part-time firefighter Blake Reed will be on deployment for six months beginning Oct. 10.
-Listened to a recap of a meeting that Police Chief Allan Baer had with other area chiefs and legal counsel about coming up with some shared regulations on e-bikes. A proposal will be coming back to Council soon on regulations.
-Heard Baer share data from radar signs posted around the village. On Oakbrook Drive, 1,840 vehicles traveled one way during a two-week period, but speeding wasn’t much of an issue. On Finzel, a three-month snapshot during the summer months showed 147,014 vehicles traversing the roadway in one direction. He plans to move the radar sign around the village to gather more data.
-Discussed concerns about teens gathering after school at The Shops at Blue Creek, especially after seeing social media posts about one using a realistic-looking toy gun that was pointed at people. Baer said he met with the business and property owners, as well as school staff to come up with options. While that area is targeted for increased patrol, business employees need to call 911 immediately to report suspected disorderly conduct.
-Learned that 1,700 homes participated in a recent bulk pickup, for a total of 61 tons of refuse.
-Heard that leaf collection starts Oct. 19 and a map is posted at whitehouseoh.gov.
