On Tuesday, May 27, the Enon Village Council voted five to one to approve a resolution to designate Enon as an Enterprise Zone. Council member Lori Jenkins voiced her concerns for the amount of time involved to complete the extensive paperwork required for the designation. She noted that the process was very involved for the limited area which would qualify for the designation. According to Village Administrator Chris Lohr, the paperwork is at the front end of the process and assistance is being provided by Clark County. He believes that the effort is worthwhile despite the fact that no retail operations are included in the zone. The designation is for manufacturing expansion or development and the Village of Enon has a very limited area that qualifies for the designation.

Mayor Tim Howard praised the work of crews involved in cleanup following the flooding in the village which occurred during a period of heavy rain not seen in the area in many years. Howard noted that on Sunnybrook Trail and Matthews Avenue, two homes sustained heavy damage while three others suffered “substantial damage”. Howard noted that most of the homeowners had flood insurance, however one of the damaged homes did not. Council members Steve Trout and Rick Hanna joined the mayor in traveling the village during the flooding to check drains and the flow of water during the heavy rains. Howard went door to door in the area to check on residents. It was noted that the homes in this area had been built one foot above the flood plain and that areas that had never flooded before saw rising waters and damages. Councilman Jerry Crane suggested that the village needs to check on the standing water still present in some areas of Houck Meadows to see if the drains are blocked.

During the meeting it was noted that residents on Bob White and Nightingale Trail can expect to see street work as the drain pipe will be replaced. The current galvanized pipe was damaged and could not be repaired. The village will hire a contractor at a cost of $6,800 to replace the existing pipe with an 18-inch concrete pipe and then replace the asphalt covering for the street. Lohr explained that the current pipe is oversized and the replacement will be sufficient for the drainage. Lohr does not expect this repair to change the current budget for street work this year.

Mayor Howard questioned whether or not the fire hydrants along Dayton Road will be impacted during the current construction project. Lohr will be keeping an eye on the process but does not expect any disruption of services. Councilman Beard asked if the Houck Meadows fire pump has been repaired. Lohr reported that repairs have been made and the system has been tested.

Mr. Trout spoke in regards to the recent changes to property along Stine Road in the township. Trout asked if the agreement with the former White Oakes development group would still be viable now that the property has been sold. Mayor Howard stated that there was an agreement for a block of water resources between the village and Clark County that would remain in effect should this property be developed at a later date. Trout also expressed concern for any possible changes to the course of Mud Run and how this could cause problems for properties in the Village of Enon. Mayor Howard stated that the owner Calvin Hahn has not contacted the Village as of this time. Concerns were raised for the apartments across from the fields that have been cleared in recent weeks.

In follow-ups to the last meeting, Rick Hanna reported that the street and sidewalk committee confirmed the plan for this year. Cardinal Drive will be the number one priority for resurfacing this year followed by Skylark. Jerry Crane and Chris Lohr noted that the playground equipment has been ordered and they are waiting for a delivery date for the new items. Crane noted that he will be seeking volunteers to assist with installation of the new items once they arrive on site.

The village will hold a Finance Committee meeting on June 17 at 7 pm. A public hearing on the 2015 budget will be held on July 8 beginning at 7 pm.