1. What does Village Council do?

Village Council operates under the general provisions of Title 7 of the Ohio Revised Code.

Village Council cannot make any decisions, or take any action, other than during an official meeting of Village Council. All meetings are public, and all decisions are made publicly.

Village Council has delegated some responsibilities to several standing committees (Finance, Service/Utilities, Legislative, Safety,  Employee Relations/ Grievance,  Revolving Loan,  (Fire Board Representative). These committees are comprised solely of members of Village Council. All committees meet publicly. These committees review matters under their jurisdiction, but must submit recommendations to Village Council for approval. Council may approve, amend, or defeat the recommendations of a committee.

Subjects which Council and its standing committees discuss include:

• Policies and procedures to guide actions of Village departments;

• Bylaws which affect various aspects of life in the Village; and

• Operating and Capital Budgets of Village departments.

2. How do citizens most often participate in Village Council's decisions?

You can participate in Village Council's decisions by:

• Making presentations at public hearings held to get public input into bylaws and other significant decisions such as re-zonings and discretionary use applications.

• Making presentations at Committee meetings in response to recommendations made by Village departments for any kind of project or initiative.

• Sending written submissions to Council about reports or proposed bylaws.

• Writing to Village Council on issues of concern.

3. How can I find out what is on the Council Agenda?

Agendas are normally published on the Thursday of the week preceding the meeting. They are available for viewing     in the Village Clerk's Office during office hours.

Many bylaws, especially land use bylaws, require advertising and a public hearing before Council may approve them. These are referred to as "statutory public hearings". These public hearings occur at the beginning of each Council agenda. They are advertised in the local print media in advance of the meeting, and notice is posted at the site in question.

4. How can I get an item of concern before Village Council or a Committee?

If you know that a particular report or issue is to be discussed at either Village Council or one of its standing committees, you may request to make a presentation during that discussion. You must mail or fax a letter to the Office of the Village Clerk, 2 South Main Street, P.O. Box 156, Monroeville, OH 44847. (Fax (419) 465-2259). If you wish to speak on the matter, your letter should say so. You can also bring forward a new matter for Council's consideration by writing a letter to Village Council, at the address noted above. You may also use this on-line form.

Your letter must clearly specify the issue which you wish to address, as well as a general outline of your concerns. Please note that, since all meetings of Village Council are public, your letter is considered a public document.

You are encouraged to contact the Village Clerk's Office at (419) 465-2922 to clarify the requirements for writing to Village Council.

5. Are there any deadlines which I should be aware of?

A letter to Village Council or one of its committees must be received in the Village Clerk's Office by 4:30 p.m. on the Wednesday preceding the week of the meeting. If the letter is received later than that, but relates to an issue which is already on the agenda, it may be placed on the agenda as an addendum.

You are encouraged to phone the Village Clerk's Office at (419) 465-2922 to clarify deadlines.

6. Is there anything which I need to know about making a presentation?

Items on an agenda are dealt with in the order they appear. Generally the Administration will make their presentation, followed by those individuals approved to speak on the item.

You will have five minutes to make your presentation. If you have more than one person wishing to speak you will only be allowed five minutes for the entire delegation. Following your presentation, you may be asked questions from members of Council or the committee.

7. Is there any audio-visual equipment available to use in making a presentation?

     For details, please contact the Village Clerk's Office at (419) 465-2922. 

Whether or not you use audio-visual assistance, your presentation may not exceed five minutes in length.

8. How will I know when a decision is made on the issue in which I am interested?

A motion will be made on all issues which require a decision or direction from Village Council or a committee. You may seek clarification from the Village Clerk or the Secretary of the Committee if you do not understand what has been decided.

You will receive a letter from the Village Clerk's Office advising you of the action taken by Council or the Committee and what will happen next, if anything.

Minutes for all meetings are available through the Village Clerk's Office.

9. Where can I get more information about the operation of Village Council and its committees?

Staff from the Village Clerk's Office can help you with any questions you may have regarding the above information. It is difficult to briefly outline all of the rules which apply to the many committees of Council, so you are strongly encouraged to contact the Village Clerk's Office for clarification.

Office of the Village Clerk
Village Hall
2 South Main Street
P.O. Box 156
Monroeville, OH 44847
Telephone (419) 465-2922
Fax (419) 465-2259