T-L Photo/LENNY WITTENBROOK The Barnesville Police Department operates with a “skeleton crew” as Halloween approaches. Police Chief Rocky Sirianni said this skeleton had been making the rounds in recent weeks as his officers have been getting into the Halloween spirit.

BARNESVILLE — Mayor Jake Hershberger cast a tie-breaking vote that will result in the village undergoing a water and sewer rate study through Ohio’s Rural Community Assistance Program.

Hershberger had first raised the possibility of allowing RCAP to perform the free study during the Oct. 7 council meeting. The study will assess the village’s water and sewer assets and infrastructure before rate changes are recommended. Council decided that the Water and Sewer Committee should discuss the matter and make a recommendation.

During the Oct. 21 meeting, Hershberger said the committee had met and concluded that the village should proceed with the study. That was confirmed by committee member and Council President Tony Johnson. Hershberger reiterated that the village would be under no obligation to use the rates recommended at the study’s conclusion.

Councilman Steve Hill asked who was aware of what all the study would entail besides Village Administrator Roger Deal.

Councilman Terry McCort responded that he knew it was an extensive process in which the rates would be assessed in relation to needed improvements and that it would be anticipating those needs well into the future. He added that he suspected the recommended increase would be “ridiculous.”

“Not that there’s anything wrong with the study, but more than likely we’re not going to use the number that they come back with, but maybe it would be a good guideline,” McCort said, adding that he felt council had done a good job over the years of enacting smaller increases.

In response to a question from Hill about the water and sewer department funds, Fiscal Officer Jeannie Hannahs said she did not have the numbers in front of her, but Hershberger said the cost of construction of the Slope Creek Waterline had depleted that fund significantly last year despite the fact that the work was mostly funded with a variety of grants.

Deal argued that it didn’t make sense to go through the effort required to do the study if council has no plan to implement the recommended rate change when it is done.

Deal previously had said that he anticipated a recommended increase of around $5 per 1,000 gallons used as a result of the study.

Hershberger said he felt the study would be important to understand the scope of potential work well into the future and pointed out that the current rate per 1,000 gallons is not that different from Belmont County’s rate but noted that the county has a much higher base rate.

Johnson eventually made a motion that the village undergo the study. He pointed out that Deal is planning to retire in the next few years and said the study would give them important data.

The roll call vote on the motion resulted in a tie after Johnson and Councilmen Brian Yarnall and Les Tickhill voted “yes,” while Councilwoman Robyn Misner and Hill and McCort voted “no.”

Hershberger broke the tie with his “yes” vote, saying, “I think there will be valuable information.”

Meanwhile, Deal informed council that the areas around the manhole covers on Morgantown Avenue had been fixed, noting that he felt the village had gotten its money’s worth with the paving of that street.

Deal also said that the hill slip by the youth center in Memorial Park had been fixed.

Council also passed a motion requesting that Village Solicitor Richard Myser prepare legislation to amend an ordinance so that the Barnesville Park Board of Directors could meet quarterly rather than monthly after Misner explained the park board’s desire to do so along with its plan of attack with the new schedule.

Fire Chief Tim Hall announced run totals for September, saying the fire department had been dispatched 19 times while the EMS answered 92 calls and performed three transports for WVU Medicine Barnesville Hospital.

Council approved Police Chief Rocky Sirianni’s request to promote Barnesville K-9 handler Edward Kubat to sergeant.

In other business, council approved paying bills in the amount of $171,820.83 and approved building permits for Megan and Scott Perko to build a new garage at 738 E. Main St., for Donald Perdue to construct a shed at 200 Robinson Ave., for the First Christian Church to construct a new garage at 219 W. Church St., and for Neily Wilson to demolish a house at 119 S. Arch St.

Hershberger said the newest mural in the village, on the side of the Barnesville Antique Mall, was nearly complete and thanked Grenadier Energy, Belmont County Tourism Council and village council for funding the project along with Barn Artist Scott Hagan for painting the large mural.

Barnesville Village Council meets again at 7 p.m. Monday in the Municipal Building on Arch Street.