Circleville council reviews budget priorities, storage needs, cemetery GPR and park plans

At the May 15 meeting, the Circleville Town Council reviewed multiple operational priorities, including budget items, storage for maintenance equipment, clinic improvements, cemetery work and park planning.

Budget discussion touched on painting the Town building, splitting the road plan budget, adjusting employee wages for cost‑of‑living, and improvements to the Town fire bell; no other budget lines were changed that day. For maintenance storage, Council member Shirl Fox proposed a 40' x 20' storage shed built from conex boxes and TGI materials with material costs estimated around $27,000 and advised that bids will be solicited before proceeding. The council also discussed using the old firehouse for storage or converting it to a historical museum and tasked an inspection.

Clinic improvements were discussed, with a windbreaker wall proposed for the clinic’s back side and additional bids requested; the Town has one bid on file from Roger Zingleman and the Town Clerk will solicit further estimates. The council noted a previously installed Riverside Drive pipeline lacks documentation and said it cannot maintain accountability for a line without owner documentation; the Town will provide water meters if lot owners supply the necessary documents.

Planning & Zoning reported cemetery data entry is nearly complete; Amy Berry will return June 15 to reinstall prepared headstones. Millers offered to perform Ground Penetrating Radar work at no charge; council members said remaining grant funds could be allocated to that effort and directed that the cemetery fence project be put out to bid for both decorative and barbed wire fencing.

The council also reviewed America250 Committee work on historical plaques to be installed in the new Town park and discussed a school district offer to donate used playground equipment if removed by the district; Stacie Gass expressed interest in reusing usable pieces for Circleville’s park while Mayor Westwood raised concern about affecting Kingston’s opportunities to receive equipment. The council discussed additional park items including a possible pickleball court, north‑side park road paving, and restrooms funded through outdoor recreation grants.

Shirl Fox moved to approve bills and the budget variance and to adjourn; the motion passed unanimously and the meeting ended at 5:49 PM.