The Council of the Village of Riverlea met on the above date at the Old Worthington Library. The following Council members were present: Council President Pro Tempore Emily J. Saving, Jeffrey L. Amick, Charles T. Bell, Jeffrey Mussman, Kent Shimeall, and Suzanne K. Surface. Also present were William Charles, Street Commissioner, Bryce Jacob, Planning Commissioner, Greg Bonk, Web Manager, Leah Reibel, Solicitor and Joshua C. Mehling, Clerk-Treasurer. At 6:31 p.m., the President Pro Tempore called the meeting to order.

Minutes

The minutes of the regular Council meeting of May 18, 2026 were not read since each member had received a copy. Shimeall moved and Amick seconded the motion that the minutes be approved as submitted by the Clerk-Treasurer. The following vote was recorded on the motion: Yea: 5, Amick, Bell, Mussman, Shimeall, Surface; Nay: None; Abstain: None. The motion carried (5-0).

Report of the Clerk-Treasurer

Amick moved and Surface seconded the motion to approve the payment of bills and to accept the financial reports for May 2026 as submitted by the Clerk-Treasurer. The following vote was recorded on the motion: Yea: 5, Amick, Bell, Mussman, Shimeall, Surface; Nay: None; Abstain: None. The motion carried (5-0).

Report of the Mayor

  1. The President Pro Tempore reported that John Morehead with the City of Worthington had requested use of a Village utility manhole as part of the upcoming water line relining project. The Solicitor confirmed that a letter from the Village expressing this consent is sufficient.
  2. The President Pro Tempore reported that the Infrastructure Committee will pursue a grant for the funding of the Village’s portion of the upcoming water line relining project.
  3. The President Pro Tempore reported that the Village had received the May report from the Worthington Fire Department and that there had been two EMS calls
  4. The President Pro Tempore stated that the Village had received the May report from the Worthington Police Department and there were 131 patrols and one miscellaneous report with no writeup, concerning a vehicle registered in the area that had been left in Licking County.
  5. The President Pro Tempore stated that the Mayor had contacted Rank the Vote Ohio concerning the potential lawsuit by Ohio municipalities against the state for the withholding of state funds if voters elect to adopt ranked choice voting. They informed him that he needs to contact Fair Vote, as they would have the best information on requirements to take part in the lawsuit. The Mayor will reach out before the end of June for this information.

Report of the Solicitor

  1. The Solicitor reported that she had spoken with Stephanie Kline, the North American Graves and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) Coordinator for the Ohio History Connection, regarding the Native American skeleton that had been uncovered during construction along the Olentangy River. Kline had consulted with area tribes, who wished to have the skeleton repatriated and reburied. Kline is exploring possibilities of where this reburial could be located.
  2. The Solicitor stated that she is drafting language grandfathering existing houses into the proposed upcoming revised zoning code language surrounding fences. She felt that the Village may need to inventory the existing fence heights throughout the Village before passing legislation dictating heights. She also felt that the Village should fill the Marshal position to enforce the ordinances if there are to be additional restrictions. Shimeall stated that he had previously served as Marshal and if the Village wishes to fill this position, they will need someone who is willing to confront their neighbors.

Saving inquired as to whether it would be worth the potential legal concerns to include language in the ordinances concerning restrictions on the demolition of houses. The Planning Commissioner stated that he felt it was important to protect the architectural integrity of the area and did not wish to see it diluted. Given the concerns about legal exposure, he suggested that the ordinances instead include language concerning restrictions on how houses may be rebuilt if torn down. Amick stated that he agreed this sort of language could be included, but that restrictions on demolition would probably be challenged.

  1. Amick inquired if there had been a response from the letter to a resident concerning the feeding of deer. The Solicitor stated that she had delivered the letter to a residence on High St and did not see any sign of the feeding of deer and that she had not received a response. Amick stated that he had requested a letter be delivered to a residence on Riverglen and asked the Solicitor to draft another letter and deliver it there.

Report of the Street Commissioner

  1. The Street Commissioner stated that there are several houses along the east side of Olentangy for which their drains do not flow properly to the storm drain. He is planning on having an analysis performed on why this is not draining the way it should.
  2. The Street Commissioner reported that he had not yet received word from AEP on fixing the light in the ravine. Amick asked if the Village could draft a letter to AEP explaining that the Village considers this to be a safety issue. The Solicitor stated that she would work to draft such a letter.
  3. The Street Commissioner stated that he had recently found several credit cards and gift cards laying on the ground along Dover towards Melbourne while on a walk. The cards belonged to several different people and did not appear to belong to residents. He reported this to the Police, who stated that this has happened before, usually due to thieves collecting them and dropping them.

Report of the Planning Commissioner

  1. The Planning Commissioner explained that the Commission is working on clarifying and simplifying the building ordinance language and not complicating it.
  2. The Planning Commissioner stated that he feels that the Village should update and simplify the Planning application fees. He suggested a flat $150 application fee, vs the current structure of charging per dollar spent in the project. Bell inquired if it would be this same cost for all types of applications, such as fences, additions, or new builds. The Planning Commissioner replied that this is open for discussion, but other cities have tiered pricing. Amick stated that his previous municipality had a fee schedule that was reviewed and adopted each January and recommended implementing a similar policy for Riverlea. Mussman recommended that the Planning Commissioner present a proposed fee schedule.

Comments from Residents on Agenda Items

There were no comments from residents on agenda items.

Old Business

  1. Committee on Infrastructure

There was no Infrastructure Committee meeting in June.

  1. Web Manager

The Web Manager reported that he had installed standard updates and plugins. Bell informed him that there are some personnel items on the site that need to be updated.

  1. Communications Committee

There was no report from the Communications Committee.

  1. Stop Signs

Amick reported that he had contacted Franklin County to request a traffic survey for the Village to assist in the potential addition/adjustment of stop signs throughout the Village and his call was not returned. The Planning Commissioner stated that a resident had contacted him to request a stop sign be placed in front of their house, which is not located at an intersection. The Solicitor will follow up with the City of Worthington for any information that they are able to provide on traffic within the Village.

  1. Circle Park Tables

Amick reported that he had contacted the painter that Council had selected to repaint the tables and benches in Circle Park and this work will likely take place in July.

  1. Tree Maintenance

Bell reported that he had reviewed the bids received from Masters Arborists and Davey Tree Company concerning work to be performed on several trees in the Village, most notably the removal of dead trees in Circle Park and the Ravine. He felt that the overall bid from Masters was the best one to accept and after redlining some suggestions that he felt were not needed, the revised total was about $10,700. Saving moved and Mussman seconded the motion to authorize the expenditure of no more than $12,000 for the maintenance and removal of trees as detailed in the quote. The motion passed (5-0).

  1. Tree Program

Surface stated that she had researched the tree program that the Village implemented in 2019 and was prepared to organize another such offer to residents. Peabody Landscape Group is interested in taking part in the program again and is currently reviewing their list and deciding what to offer in this latest round. Bell inquired if the pricing for residents would again include planting, and Council felt that it should be included. Bell recommended that crabapple and dogwood trees be included in the offering. Amick moved and Mussman seconded the motion to approve offering a program to assist residents in purchasing and installing trees in the fall of 2026. The motion passed (5-0).

New Business

  1. Deer Feeding

Amick stated that he had received a complaint including photo documentation of continued feeding of deer. The Solicitor stated that she had delivered a notice of violation to the address on High Street, but had not yet received a response

  1. Ordinance 02-2026

Ordinance 02-2026, An Ordinance to Approve a Modification and realignment of Ordinance 02-2025, the Annual Appropriation Ordinance (Village), and to Declare an Emergency was introduced by Amick and had its first reading. Amick moved and Bell seconded the motion to waive the three readings of this resolution in order to submit the updated appropriations to Franklin County in a timely manner. The motion carried (5-0). Amick moved and Bell seconded the motion to amend the line to Provide and Maintain parks to $41K and to approve the resolution. The motion carried (5-0).

  1. Mosquito Spraying

Shimeall inquired as to whether the Village has a signed agreement for the spraying of mosquitoes and the Clerk-Treasurer replied that there is currently a contract that covers 2024 through 2026 for these services.

Expenses

Surface moved and Bell seconded the motion to approve the below expenses:

$10,929.92 – Sharon Township Board of Trustees – 2025-26 Snow removal

$     933.75 – Gudenkauf Corp – Water & gas line locating

The motion was approved (5-0).

Comments from Residents on Non-Agenda Items

There were no comments from residents on non-agenda items.

Next Meeting Announcement

The next regular meeting will be Monday, August 17, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at the Old Worthington Library.

Adjournment

There being no further business, Amick moved and Mussman seconded the motion to adjourn.  The motion was approved unanimously (5-0). The meeting was adjourned at 7:55 p.m.

 

Bryce Jacob, Planning Commissioner

Josh Mehling, Clerk