Village of Greenfield, OH

Lt. Brian McNeil of the Greenfield Police Department was named employee of the month for May. Not only does the award recognize his hard work and dedication to Greenfield for more than a decade, but it also serves to show appreciation to McNeil as he leaves the department to follow his dream in Oregon. 

By Angela Shepherd
Village of Greenfield

After suffering due to the restrictions of the pandemic the past couple years, this year’s Memorial Day Parade is planned to be back in full swing in Greenfield. 

Bruce Snavely, president of the Concerned Veterans of Greenfield, the organization that plans the event, spoke to the Greenfield Council at its regular meeting on Monday, May 16. This year’s event should return to what has been done in the past. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 30. It will depart from the colonnades on Fifth Street. Parade participants should be at the colonnades no later than 9:45 a.m.

This year’s parade grand marshal is Bob Ravenscraft, who is the oldest active member of the Concerned Veterans, Snavely said. The special speaker for the program at the cemetery following the parade will be Travis Snyder. 

Snavely also said that this coming Saturday, May 21, his organization, along with VFW members, will be at the cemetery replacing flags. 

In other business, city manager Todd Wilkin announced the award recipients for May.

The employee of the month is Lt. Brian McNeil, who has served with the Greenfield Police Department for more than a decade. He is being recognized for his hard work and dedication to the village. Wilkin noted that McNeil is leaving the department after next week to pursue his dream in Oregon. While the village is sad to see him go, Wilkin said everyone is excited for McNeil as he embarks on a new chapter. 

The citizens of the month for May are the students of the McClain FFA. Through FFA, these students have learned life skills that will serve them throughout their lives. Also through FFA, these students have represented the Greenfield community very well in competition, many of them at the state level.

The Spring Home and Garden Award was presented to Charles and Patti Hamilton of 646 Dickey Ave. Wilkin thanked the Hamiltons for their efforts that help keep Greenfield beautiful. 

In his report to council, Wilkin discussed a recent meeting with commissioners and that the village had applied for $550K of the county’s ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) dollars to fund the second half of the Facade Improvement Program downtown. Wilkin will update the council as more information regarding the application for funding is made known. 

The city manager also reported on the recent meetings that have provided information on  economic development efforts in the region and how regional entities can partner to vie for some of the $500 million recently announced by the state for Ohio’s Appalachian region. 

Last week the village hosted its second hiring event. Businesses set up throughout the city building courtyard, and Wilkin said he heard from businesses that many potential employees were set up with interviews from the event. This year’s event coincided with the annual McClain community service day so that high school students out and about in town could see first-hand the employment available to them in the county. The students’ access to the event is planned to be built upon more with future events. 

The mural in downtown Greenfield is completed, Wilkin said, adding that we have all watched its creation from start to finish. The mural, a product of G3, a state grant, and donations, Wilkin said the mural is a great representation of Greenfield, incorporating recreation, music, history, and the geographical features of the area. 

Council member Eric Borsini reported on a recent board of zoning appeals meeting and a variance sought for the signage at the Jefferson Street Business Center. This led to further discussion of that area and the need for changes to make things safer for pedestrians and drivers. Wilkin said they are exploring changing the whole intersection so it is safer for everyone coming in and out of the businesses. Additionally, there is still a plan for a pedestrian bridge there, and the village has an ODOT grant for that, but Wilkin said ODOT has that project slated for fiscal year 2024. A temporary bridge is being considered for the meantime because of the need for pedestrian safety.

Finance director Gary Lewis reported April’s numbers as follows: month-to-date revenue - $279,199; month-to-date expense - $380,049; year-to-date revenue - $1.52 million; year-to-date expense - $1.43 million; and the general fund balance as of April 30 as $328,201.

The Greenfield Village Council now meets in regular session the first and third Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers on the third floor of the city building. The first meeting of the month is set as a council work session. The meetings are always open to the public, and when possible, the meetings are live-streamed on Facebook. For information and updates, go to the Village of Greenfield, Ohio Facebook page and the village’s website at greenfieldohio.net.