All right, it's 7 o'clock, so the May 5th, 2025, City of Vandalia Council meeting is now called to order.

We'll begin with a moment of reflection, then followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

Thank you.

This time I'd like to invite uh Logan Martin uh from Boy Scout Troop 307 and his troop to come up and lead us with the pledge if we can all stand.

Under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

All right, thank you very much.

Troop 307.

All right, next we have the approval of minutes.

Uh council, you've had an opportunity to review the council study session minutes along with the council meeting minutes of March 3rd.

Are there any comments or corrections?

Being none, they stand approved.

And that brings us to communications petitions and awards, where we have several proclamations here tonight.

So uh at this time I'd like to invite Mr.

Chuck Smith of the Bicycle Committee to join me at the podium.

Don't mess that stuff up.

I have it in order.

Yep.

All right.

Okay.

Well, Chuck, this is uh something that Vandale has always been very proud of is the work that you've done on the bicycle committee, and um obviously the Vandalia and City Council's really behind the uh the bike path and the help that you guys have done with uh bringing that all to fruition, which extending the bike path uh from Vandalia down to Taylorsville.

Um I also am sporting my Ohio Bicycle Federation socks, yeah.

Ohio bicycle federation.

You know how hard it is to match a tie to those?

See these?

Yeah, but the motors will see you out there, particularly if you pull up your yeah, of course you'll be wearing shorts anyway, but they'll see that yellow going up and down.

All right.

Well, on behalf of uh our city council and myself, we want to uh uh proclaim that May is bicycle month here in the city of Andalia.

So I'd like to present you with this.

Thank you.

And also make a note that uh I believe you have two vacancies right now on your committee.

We have one.

One one vacancy right now.

So if anyone is interested in joining the bicycle committee, anybody?

We're we'll be taking applications right outside the door here.

So if you would like to say a few words, go right ahead.

Uh yes, I do want to thank you, Mayor and the Council and all the city staff for your great work in supporting uh bicycling over the years, and particularly now, after 30 years, uh, we will uh get that that trail through, actually connecting uh Vandalia bicyclists and pedestrians to the great Miami Trail going uh through Taylorsville Metro Park.

And we're very excited about that.

Really want to uh thank the the great work on staff and and the support of the city council.

Thank you very much.

All right, well, thank you.

All right, next we have a proclamation for police week.

So who will be joining me up here for police week?

Be shy, come on up.

You know everybody's speeding through town right now.

Got all you guys here.

Okay.

Whereas Congress and the President of the United States have designated May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which May 15th falls as National Police Week.

And whereas the members of the Division of Police of the City of Vandalia play an essential role in safeguarding the rights and freedoms of Vandalia, and whereas it's important that all citizens know and understand the duties, responsibilities, hazards, and sacrifices of the division of police, and that the members of the division of police recognize their duty to serve the people by safeguarding the life and property, by protecting them against violence and disorder, and by protecting the innocent against deception and the weak against oppression.

Whereas Thursday, May 15th, 2025 is designated as Peace Peace Officer Memorial Day in honor of all the fallen officers and their families.

So now, therefore, I, Richard Herbst as the mayor of Vandalia, do hereby proclaim May 11th through the 17th, 2025 as police week here in the City of Vandalia.

Thank you.

All right.

And last but not least, we have National Public Works Week.

Van and Jake.

Well, again, congratulations for everything you guys do, uh, keeping the streets of Vandalia clear during the snowy season.

And we say this every year as we we see you guys out there repairing the water leaks that always happen on the coldest days.

Uh so Vandalia appreciate you, and we uh just appreciate everything that you do throughout the whole city to keep it running as smoothly as due.

So, what I'd like to do is issue this proclamation.

Whereas public works and services are essential to daily lives of Vandalia residents, and whereas the dedicated staff of the Vandalia Public Works and Development and Engineering Service Departments maintain vital systems such as the roads, water, sewer, waste collection, construction inspection, street lighting, and more.

And whereas their expertise supports the city growth, safety, and overall appeal.