Council adopts ordinances on high‑grass special assessments, code updates and part‑time pay; five ordinances passed

At its March 26 meeting the St. Bernard council read, suspended additional readings, and adopted five ordinances covering special assessments for high grass, updates to the codified ordinances and revisions to part‑time employee compensation.

Clerk readings and motions: The clerk read Ordinances 11, 12 and 13 (each authorizing special assessments to reimburse the village for cutting, trimming and removing high grass and declaring an emergency). For each ordinance Mr. Schultmire moved to suspend the second and third readings; the council recorded seven ayes on the suspension roll calls and later adopted each ordinance on roll-call votes recorded as seven ayes, no nays.

Ordinance 14 was read next. It updates the codified ordinances, revises traffic and general offenses codes to comply with state law and was likewise suspended and adopted by roll call with seven ayes recorded.

Ordinance 15, introduced by the auditor, fixes compensation and hourly rates for part‑time and certain appointed employees and reflects increases tied to the state minimum wage for some positions. Council suspended the second and third readings. Members asked whether ethics rules required abstention when family members would be affected; staff confirmed immediate‑family household relationships could require abstention on adoption but not on suspension. On final adoption of Ordinance 15 the clerk recorded five ayes and two abstentions; the ordinance was adopted as read.

Votes at a glance:
Ordinance 11 (special assessment for high grass) — motion to suspend: 7 ayes; adoption: 7 ayes (mover: Mr. Schultmire; second: Mr. Morton)
Ordinance 12 (special assessment for high grass) — motion to suspend: 7 ayes; adoption: 7 ayes (mover: Mr. Schultmire; second: Mr. Colbertson)
Ordinance 13 (special assessment for high grass) — motion to suspend: 7 ayes; adoption: 7 ayes (mover: Mr. Schultmire; second: Mr. Colbertson)
Ordinance 14 (codified ordinances update) — motion to suspend: 7 ayes; adoption: 7 ayes (mover: Mr. Schultmire; second: Miss Housefeld)
Ordinance 15 (fixing part‑time/appointed compensation) — motion to suspend: 7 ayes; adoption: 5 ayes, 2 abstentions (mover: Mr. Schultmire; second: Miss Housefeld)

Council action summary: All five ordinances were adopted during the meeting; for Ordinance 15 two members recorded abstentions on adoption because of potential family‑member conflicts. The transcript does not specify the precise dollar amounts for all pay changes; the auditor presented the ordinance and asked for passage.