submitted by the Village of Dresden and Mayor Morrison
I believe the State of the Village is as strong as it has been for many years with the exception of 3 very important departments:
- The Police Department. Lack of staffing, the inability to pay competitive salaries to retain quality officers and a police chief who is nearing retirement age. The need to then replace the chief from outside the department will be a struggle to find a qualified applicant that has the ability to rebuild a department and be a fit for a small, close knit community. Something I am not looking forward to!
- The Dresden Swim Center, a state-of-the-art facility 30 years ago is now an aging money pit with no real plan to make the facility a viable business to sustain itself in the future. Transfers from the General Fund is not a solution for funding without providing Village residents free access to the pool should additional tax dollars be required to the very least school age children.
- The cemetery funds that are available will be exhausted by 2024. There needs to be a plan in place to make the cemetery self-sustaining. Transfer from the General Fund is not a solution as these are tax dollars received from the village residents and the cemetery is used for more than just residents.
Solving these issues will be a the top of my list for 2023! I will share the positive with you now that I have the negative out of the way.
What was accomplished in 2022?
- The passing of the street paving bond for the village deplorable streets. I thank the village residents for their confidence in Village Council, Fiscal Officer and the Mayor.
- A multi-million-dollar sewer plant expansion nearly completed ahead of an EPA mandate. Once again, I thank the residents for funding this project and prompt paying or water and sewer bills.
- The Village saved much needed time and labor savings due to the purchase of cost-effective equipment:
a. Bobcat Mini Track Hoe with a jack hammer attachment
b. Flailing mower
c. A used dump truck with plow and salt spreader. This allowed employees the ability to plow and salt with 3 vehicles making the village much safer.
d. 2022 was the year of the roof in Dresden. In my estimation, 20% of the residential and commercial buildings got new roofs which is huge in the preservation of the housing stock. - Due to the generosity of the Straker Foundation, the Dresden Swim Center received a new roof and additional much needed equipment.
- The Straker Foundation also donated a “Free” swim day which generated nearly $12,000.
- The Longaberger Foundation graciously paid for a new roof on the Senior Center.
- Restoration of the Christmas Lights with cash donations from folks in and outside of the Village and the volunteer labor from our friends at Muskingum Starlight Industries.
- Installation of new water tower making Village water supplies sufficient for many years.
- Negotiations with Dollar General benefited with their funding full cost of the culvert collapse.
- Dresden Swim Center second year with the Dorados Swim Team with 111 kids 4-18 yrs. and hosted 5 home meets. The TCAL championship Swim Meet was held this year which introduced 1,100 athletes and between 2,000-2,500 spectators to the Village of Dresden.
- Income Tax Collection brought back to our local office.
- Paving grant awarded for Bedford Place at no cost to the Village in 2023.
- Anticipating a grant approval from the State of Ohio to help Appalachian Village.
I look forward to a very exciting year in Dresden, Ohio!