Utility bill payment issues arise again; community events set for October

Kyle Duff

Patrolman Kyle Duff with the Greenfield Police Department is the September Employee-of-the-Month. (Courtesy photo)


McCarty - council 9-2021

Judy McCarty (center) is pictured with (l-r) council members Eric Borsini, Kyle Barr, and Amie Ernst and city manager Todd Wilkin. McCarty was one of three citizens recognized for the Citizen-of-the-Month Award for their work with the village's Design Review Board. (Photo by Angela Shepherd)



By Angela Shepherd
Village of Greenfield



As previously reported, an issue is arising when people Google how to pay their water bill and  are directed to a third-party site called
doxo.com. This is not the correct way to go because, if the payment gets to the village at all, it is long after the water is shut off for non-payment. This third-party site is not affiliated with the village in any way. 

The secure and correct way to pay a water and sewer bill online is to go to the village’s website at greenfieldohio.net. Once there, click on “Pay Your Utility Bill Online.” You will be routed to Invoicecloud.com where you can pay. Additionally, those who register with an email address or cell number for online pay will receive an email or text message reminder with a link on which to pay every month. 

There is a convenience fee that comes with using a credit card to make the payment. A convenience fee for paying by phone has also been proposed, and will be discussed further at the next Finance Committee meeting. 

In addition, there is a drop box for water and sewer payments located in the first floor lobby of the city building and a drop box in the alley behind the city building, the latter of which is on a curb and does not require a person to exit their vehicle to drop the payment in the box. There is no additional fee to pay by check and use the drop box. 

In other business, three citizens were announced as recipients of the Citizen-of-the-Month Award for September. All have been a part of the Design Review Board and contributed to design policy for the downtown, including the development of the guidance for outdoor seating areas. Those awarded were Kandace Wilson, Judy McCarty, and Larry Hayes. 

Wilkin said people don’t always realize the time and effort it takes to research and develop policy and that what these people have done is all volunteer. It is volunteers like the recipients that help get things done in the village, he said, and it is the work of volunteers that helps ensure proper governance. 

McCarty was the only one able to make Tuesday’s meeting, but all three recipients will receive their own plaques for the recognition. 

September’s Employee-of-the-Month is patrolman Kyle Duff who has been with the Greenfield Police Department for more than five years. He’s not one that’s seen by many as he works third shift and is responsible for maintaining records and ensuring standards are met with the jail. 

Wilkin said the jail is projected to generate approximately $75,000 this year, and it is largely because of the efforts of Duff, as well as Sgt. Michael Fryer, who was last month’s employee of the month, that this is possible.

Wilkin reported that he recently met with CenterPoint gas, formerly Vectren, regarding street-opening permits. He said that it has been a problem for a while that contractors will come into the village to work on gas lines and not bother getting the proper permit to open the street, then they leave and the street is not built back to the required specifications. 

The city manager said the street-opening permit costs $2,000, but when the contractor finishes their job and builds the road back to the required specifications, the $2,000 is refunded. The meeting with the gas company was so that it would understand that the village will not tolerate being left with subpar street build-backs and a bill will be sent when the appropriate measures are not taken. 

If anyone sees a contractor cutting into a street, please contact the city building so that the administration can be made aware of the activity if they aren’t already. 

On other matters, work on Greenfield’s rail line is slated to begin in late winter or early spring, Wilkin reported. He said that was the same timeframe given for last year, too, but the pandemic put a halt to so many things last year, the rail improvements included. 

In 2020, Greenfield was awarded a federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant totaling more than $3.4 million for improvements on the rail line. This latest round of improvements will include tie replacement and bringing the rail from its current rating of 10 miles per hour to a 25-mile-per-hour rating, which will greatly help the industries that use the line. 

Please remember there is a suggestion box on the first floor of the city building by the elevator. It is for suggestions, complaints, award ideas and nominations, and it all can be done anonymously if one wishes. Suggestions may also be given by calling the village offices, by email, or by message on the village’s Facebook page.

Upcoming events: 

  • Fall Home & Garden Contest - entries should be submitted to the village by Sept. 24. The winner will be announced on Oct. 5.

  • Community Savings Bank - Community Shred Day - Oct. 9 from 9 a.m. to noon - a mobile shred truck will be in the bank’s parking lot for document shredding. This is a free service to the community. 

  • Rubber Duck Regatta - Oct. 16 at 11 a.m. - see Grow Greater Greenfield’s Facebook page for more information.

  • Pumpkin Carving and Painting Contest - Oct. 16 from 3-4 p.m. - see Grow Greater Greenfield’s Facebook page for more information.

  • Oktoberfest - Oct. 16 beginning at 4 p.m. - see Grow Greater Greenfield’s Facebook page for more information.

  • Halloween storefront decorating contest - storefronts should be decorated by Oct. 16. The winner will be announced on Oct. 19.

  • Beggar’s Night - Oct. 28 from 6-8 p.m.

  • Greene Countrie Towne Holiday Shopping Trail - Nov. 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The city offices on the third floor are closed to the public at this time. To reach the office by phone and to schedule an appointment, call 937-981-3500. You can reach the following by email: city manager Todd Wilkin, citymanager@greenfieldohio.netglewis@greenfieldohio.net; for permits and cemetery, email Sherry Parker atsparker@greenfieldohio.net or Sunny Taylor at staylor@greenfieldohio.net. To reach the water and sewer department, call 937-981-2082, email Kathy Patton at kpatton@greenfieldohio.net, or email Shawna McCoy at smccoy@greenfieldohio.net. Water and sewer payments can be made in the drop boxes located on the first floor of the city building and in the alley behind the city building, or online through the village’s website. 

The Greenfield Village Council meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers on the third floor of the city building. The meetings are also live-streamed on the village’s Facebook page. For information and updates, go to greenfieldohio.net or the Village of Greenfield, Ohio Facebook page. 

council 9-21-21

Greenfield Council members (l-r) Kyle Barr, Eric Borsini, and Amie Ernst are pictured Tuesday. Phil Clyburn was excused from the meeting and Brenda Losey joined remotely. (Photo by Angela Shepherd)