Organizers of Centerville’s August and December festivals are seeing growth and making updates.
Archway Days committee members say the 35th annual gathering on Aug. 25-26 will be the biggest celebration in a decade, with more than 100 vendors and a lot of entertainment.
Council learned at its Aug. 8 meeting that Maplewood Park will be sprayed Aug. 21 for bugs as part of annual preparations.
This year’s theme is “Big Hearts in a Small Town,” and honorees include police Sgt. Josh Millsaps and utility foreman Virgil Shaw.
Organizers will work with Centerville Christian Church to coordinate vendors’ arrival on the evening of Aug. 24 around the church-sponsored concert by My Brother’s Keeper at the park.
In addition, William White provided an update on plans for the downtown Christmas in Centerville on Dec. 2. Participants are sought for the lighted parade, which will be followed by an outdoor movie.
A Twinkle Tunnel will be this year’s focal point at the park, and a fire pit is planned for making s’mores there.
White asked town officials to open restrooms based on feedback from last year’s event, but those facilities are shut off earlier to prevent frozen pipes. Council suggested portable toilets.
In other business
Centerville hired Andrew Jordan as a second school resource officer. He was previously Liberty’s police chief. Chief Ed Buchholz called Jordan “a great addition not only to the school system but to the department as a whole.” When school is not in session, Jordan will patrol streets.
Council approved a $15,000 bid from Bond Trucking & Excavating to demolish 309 N. Fourth St. on land donated to the town in exchange for tearing down the former meat market.
Code enforcement worked on 28 cases in July, investigating violation reports for grass (11), vehicles (four), trash and rank weeds (five each), and zoning (three).
Council approved taking two-thirds of the $80,550 cost to update water plant systems from COVID relief funds and one-third from economic development income tax.
Council approved $4,318.40 for upgrading security systems at both fire stations. Its software is so outdated that entry cards can’t be programmed for new volunteers.
Preparing for Wayne County’s conversion to more advanced first responder technology, Buchholz bought five radios compatible with other EMS agencies and police at a state surplus sale for $25 each. He will share three with Centerville Fire/Rescue.
State Board of Accounts is currently conducting the town’s two-year audit.
Councilor Joshua Tudor said the town’s electric vehicle charging station is slowly being used more each month, and no issues have been reported.
Council’s work session will be 7 p.m. Aug. 29, and a public hearing to pursue a fire station remodeling grant is set for 7 p.m. Sept. 12, both in town hall. An executive session to discuss real property and employee job performance was to take place Aug. 10.
A version of this article appeared in the August 16 2023 print edition of the Western Wayne News.