HASKINS — The harsh winter this year – and its effects – were a concern at village council Tuesday night.

Snow, flooding and salt supplies were among the topics discussed by Village Administrator Colby Carroll.

“We’re just kind of at our wit’s end with snow and where to put snow,” Carroll told council.
He discussed some issues regarding unshoveled sidewalks in the village, and the fact that police officers
circulated information about the village’s shoveling ordinances.
The village last month approved the $30,000 purchase of a Ford F-350 truck to supplement Haskins’ small
fleet of vehicles. The truck is to be outfitted with a plow, and the purchase was completed earlier this
month.
Carroll also expressed concerns about flooding in the village when warmer weather comes to melt the snow.

He further addressed Haskins’ salt supplies. They ordered 25 tons last week and have an additional 25
tons on order.
“We’re actually sitting pretty decent on salt,” he said.
However, Carroll noted salt use by the village this winter has been well in excess of that in a usual
year. Normally, the village uses between 40 and 60 tons of salt; he said that by the end of the winter,
Haskins will have used 100 tons, nearly double the standard amount.
And the looming issue is where to put it all.
“We need to take a serious look at salt storage” for the future, he said, noting that the current
container covers about the same area as a long parking space, and can only hold 25 to 30 tons.
Tuesday’s meeting also marked the first full meeting for new village councilman Keith Hollicker.
Hollicker submitted a letter of interest for the council seat vacated by Todd Heft, who formerly served
as president pro tempore in 2013 but did not run for the seat again last November.
Hollicker addressed council at its Feb. 3 meeting. He had been told about the vacancy by his neighbor,
councilman Phil Tipton.
He was unanimously approved to fill the seat.
Hollicker is the fourth new member appointed to the six-person council in a year – current council
members Helen Bonnough, Julienne Snyder and Tipton all joined council in 2013 after other members
resigned their seats. All three were elected to full terms of their own in November.