RIPLEY — Count Ripley in as one of the most patriotic towns in the state of Ohio.

Ripley Mayor Tom Leonard signed a proclamation declaring September 17-23 as Constitution Week in the village. The proclamation honors the creation of the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787, which was later ratified on June 21, 1788.

The proclamation reads “Now, therefore I, Tom Leonard, Maor of the Village of Ripley, do hereby proclaim September 17 through 23, 2015, to be Constitution Week in Ripley, Ohio, and ask our citizens to reaffirm the ideals the Framers of the Constitution had in 1787 by studying the constitution, and reflecting on the privilage of being an American with all the rights and responsibilities which that privilage involves.”

Vicki Carrington with the Ripley Daughters of the American Revolution brought the proclamation to Ripley’s regularly scheduled Sept. 8 village council meeting, where it was signed by Leonard.

During the meeting, Administrator Pete Renshaw updated village council on a number of matters.

Renshaw said he spoke with Gary Williams of the engineering consultants Jones and Henry, who designed the town’s new sewer plant, on a plan of action to deal with water discoloration out of certain resident’s taps. There have also been issues with a build up of calcium and manganese in the pipes.

Williams recommended that the village flush the lines and eventually move to flushing the water lines on a semi-annual basis, once in the spring and once in the fall.

Renshaw also said that the village had received another application for a loan through their U.S. Department of Agriculture revolving loan fund, though the individual applying wasn’t sure if he wanted to take the loan. However, all the paperwork for the loan had been submitted, just in case. The village has already handed out two loans from the fund.

A USDA auditor will be at the village offices on Sept. 16 to make sure the village is taking all the right steps in the process to provide these loans to local businesses.

Following up on their discussion about American Electric Power from two weeks ago, Renshaw updated village council that the village actually only owes around $115,000 in capacity costs, after AEP discovered that they lumped Hamersville’s payment into Ripley’s. Leonard said he didn’t want to pay for AEP’s mistakes, and no action was taken on what to do about the outstanding bills.

Renshaw said that every ten years the state audits each village, and 2015 is Ripley’s year, so a state auditor will be down on Sept. 14 to look over the village’s financial books.

In addition, the village agreed to hold a village-wide yard sale from Oct.1-3, which is the weekend of fair week.

Lastly, Solicitor Thomas Mayes discussed with village council the need to update their village income tax code, after the state legislature approved some changes to the ORC regarding income tax credits.

The new income tax code would make residents of Ripley pay income tax in both Ripley and in Kentucky if they work across the river, whereas in the past and in other cities, Ripley can offer tax credits if there is a difference in income tax percentages.

Vicky Carrington, of the Ripley Daughters of the Revolution, reads a proclamation for September 17-23 to be Constitution Week in Ripley.
https://www.ripleybee.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_VickiCarringtonRipleyVC-DanielKarell-.jpgVicky Carrington, of the Ripley Daughters of the Revolution, reads a proclamation for September 17-23 to be Constitution Week in Ripley.

By Daniel Karell

dkarell@civitasmedia.com

Reach Daniel Karell at 937-378-6161. Follow him on Twitter @GNDKarell