Osgood Town Council has new president

Beth Rumsey, Staff Writer

The Town of Osgood held an organizational meeting on Thursday, January 8 with Attorney Mary Ann Gay giving the oaths of office to Clerk/Treasurer Tamara Wilhoit and new council member Vickie (DeDee) Holliday. Linda Krinop was unanimously elected as the town council president.

The motion to retain all the superintendents in their current positions was unanimously approved. Steve Wilhoit will continue to serve as the superintendent of the gas and street department; Chuck Gill will serve as water superintendent; and Tony Wood as the wastewater superintendent. The town marshal will continue to be John Hegge.

The town council will serve as the Board of Finance and as the Board of Public Works and Safety. These appointments met with unanimous approval.

Resolution 2009-1, with the Osgood Volunteer Fire Department providing services to the town, was unanimously approved with a budget of $29,500. Resolution 2009-2, an agreement between the town of Osgood, the Osgood VFD, and Center Township, will provide the residents of Center Township with fire protection, emergency medical transport, and extrication services for one year for the negotiated consideration of $23,000.

In other business:

• The motion to retain Attorney Mary Ann Gay was unanimously approved. A retainer fee of $4000 will be paid in four installments, with additional services at a cost of $150 per hour.

• Meetings will continue to be held on the third Tuesday of every month beginning at 7 p.m. at the town hall.

• The town council will consider the purchase of a computer program and computer for the police department. The program will aid in the tracking of cases, and the computer will coordinate with other community police departments.

• After researching a salt alternative, brine, town council unanimously approved the motion to proceed. The town, along with the Ripley County superintendent and the commissioners will have a 50/50 ownership of the system, allowing other municipalities to enhance their road treatment capabilities. The system should be up and running by February 1.

Board members in attendance were Linda Krinop and DeDee Holliday, with Norman Kappes absent. Also attending were Clerk/Treasurer Tammy Wilhoit and Attorney Mary Ann Gay to advise. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 20 starting at 7 p.m.