State of the Village

I believe the State of the Village is as strong as it has been for many years with the exception of 3 very important departments:

1. The Police Department. Lack of staffing, the inability to pay competitive salaries to retain quality officers and a police chief who is nearing retirement age. The need to then replace the chief from outside the department will be a struggle to find a qualified applicant that has the ability to rebuild a department and be a fit for a small, close knit community. Something I am not looking forward to!
2. The Dresden Swim Center, a state-of-the-art facility 30 years ago is now an aging money pit with no real plan to make the facility a viable business to sustain itself in the future. Transfers from the General Fund is not a solution for funding without providing Village residents free access to the pool should additional tax dollars be required to the very least school age children.
3. The cemetery funds that are available will be exhausted by 2024. There needs to be a plan in place to make the cemetery self-sustaining. Transfer from the General Fund is not a solution as these are tax dollars received from the village residents and the cemetery is used for more than just residents.

Solving these issues will be a the top of my list for 2023! I will share the positive with you now that I have the negative out of the way.

What was accomplished in 2022?

1. The passing of the street paving bond for the village deplorable streets. I thank the village residents for their confidence in Village Council, Fiscal Officer and the Mayor.
2. A multi-million-dollar sewer plant expansion nearly completed ahead of an EPA mandate. Once again, I thank the residents for funding this project and prompt paying or water and sewer bills.
3. The Village saved much needed time and labor savings due to the purchase of cost-effective equipment:
   a. Bobcat Mini Track Hoe with a jack hammer attachment
   b. Flailing mower
   c. A used dump truck with plow and salt spreader. This allowed employees the ability to plow and salt with 3 vehicles making the village much safer.
   d. 2022 was the year of the roof in Dresden. In my estimation, 20% of the residential and commercial buildings got new roofs which is huge in the preservation of the housing stock.
4. Due to the generosity of the Straker Foundation, the Dresden Swim Center received a new roof and additional much needed equipment.
5. The Straker Foundation also donated a “Free” swim day which generated nearly $12,000.
6. The Longaberger Foundation graciously paid for a new roof on the Senior Center.
7. Restoration of the Christmas Lights with cash donations from folks in and outside of the Village and the volunteer labor from our friends at Muskingum Starlight Industries.
8. Installation of new water tower making Village water supplies sufficient for many years.
9. Negotiations with Dollar General benefited with their funding full cost of the culvert collapse.
10. Dresden Swim Center second year with the Dorados Swim Team with 111 kids 4-18 yrs. and hosted 5 home meets. The TCAL championship Swim Meet was held this year which introduced 1,100 athletes and between 2,000-2,500 spectators to the Village of Dresden.
11. Income Tax Collection brought back to our local office.
12. Paving grant awarded for Bedford Place at no cost to the Village in 2023.
13. Anticipating a grant approval from the State of Ohio to help Appalachian Village.

I look forward to a very exciting year in Dresden, Ohio!