From left, are Council Member Jason Hanes, Council Member Susan Klinefelter, Council President Keith Claassen and Clerk-Treasurer Patti Cook. InkFreeNews photo by Liz Shepherd.

By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

ETNA GREEN — The town of Etna Green is holding a Christmas decorating contest.

The contest, announced at council’s Dec. 8 meeting, is open to anyone who resides in town limits. Judging will take place sometime between Dec. 21 and 23, with gift cards to the Etna Green Café as prizes. A $20 gift card to the café will be given to the first-place winner, with second- and third-place each receiving a $10 gift card. Council Member Susan Klinefelter and Clerk-Treasurer Patti Cook will serve as judges.

Council also voted to renew an annual contract with Bourbon Public Library regarding library cards for town citizens. In January, Etna Township decided to end its partnership with the library; part of this partnership included the yearly distribution of up to 100 library cards to township residents. However, the township ended this agreement, citing a lack of money as reasoning for no longer providing library cards to township residents.

Bourbon Public Library Director Nick Treber told council that 45 families from Etna Township signed up for library cards, 19 of which were inside Etna Green town limits. Treber noted that sign-up numbers were lower than usual due to COVID-19.

Council Members Jason Hanes and Keith Claassen immediately showed an interest in continuing the town’s contract with the library; Klinefelter questioned if taxes would need to be raised in order to continue providing the service to town residents. Claassen said funding for the cards came out of the town’s Economic Development Income Tax fund.

In other business, Hanes asked about the town establishing an ordinance for trash can placement. He offered to write the ordinance and present it to the other council members and the town attorney during the council’s January meeting.

“We’ve had one (trash can) that’s been pushed out on the sidewalk in downtown three times,” said Hanes. “We’ve called the tenant but we can’t make them do anything because we don’t have an ordinance on where that trash can is supposed to be. I just want to make sure it’s even across the board so when we have a problem, we’ve got a solid ordinance to say ‘This is what you’re supposed to be doing.'”

Council agreed to have Hanes draft an ordinance for presentation at the council’s January meeting.

The council will hold its end-of-the-year meeting at 3 p.m. Monday, Dec. 28. Council’s next regular meeting is at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 12.