Millersport news: Patriotic Birthday Celebration is the theme for boat parade

The theme of this year’s Fourth of July Boat Parade is Patriotic Birthday Celebration. Boaters will be decking their boats out with vibrant birthday and patriotic décor for the parade on Thursday. The parade will begin at 11 a.m. at Lieb’s Island and travel to Waterfront to be judged. The Grand Marshals for this year’s parade are the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. This year’s prizes are:

1. Most Patriotic - $200.00 Award – Sponsored by the Buckeye Lake Chamber of Commerce
2. Most Creative - $200.00 Award – Sponsored by the Buckeye Lake Area Civic Association
3. People’s Choice - $200.00 Award – Sponsored by Marnita Swickard & Michelle Blizzard – eMerge Real Estate

Lions Club

Three Millersport Lions are active with the Harmony Project, a non-profit that raises funds by presenting concerts featuring their 500-voice choir. An example of a recent service project was to provide custom-made business suits to incarcerated men so they have something to wear for job interviews and to help affirm to them that they have value as human beings. The choir performed May 9 at the Columbus Convention Center. Millersport Lions members Michael Gardner, Sharon Steingass and Michael Starr are members of the choir.

Three students of the Class of 2024 of Millersport High School were presented Millersport Lions Scholarship at the May 21st Awards Assembly at the High School. Scholarship recipients are Ryan Turner, Kayla Huntsman and Allison Foltz. All three are Millersport Lions Leos.

Village council

The Village of Millersport Council met June 11 in the Municipal Building.

Councilor Butler reported on the Activities Committee. The next activity will be Sweetwater Band at Mathias Miller Park on Saturday, July 7.

Meter replacements are approximately 99% complete and the iron filter project is delayed by half a year, hopefully to be completed by the end of 2024. John Wood passed out a timeline for the iron filter project as rewritten by CT Consultants.

Extreme Coating estimated $11,000 to seal the cracks in the village streets, hopefully to be sealed before winter of 2025.

Millersport Police Chief Mark Consolo sent statistics for the month of May. The department issued 6 traffic warnings and had 2 mutual aid runs.

Walnut Township Fire Chief Robert Price sent the run totals for the month of May. Station 631 made 54 runs, Station 632 made 11 runs, and Station 633 made 31 runs. The department made 19 mutual aid runs.Solicitor Kevin Bush presented an ordinance concerning the guidelines for Air B&B and short-term rentals based on Lancaster and the Village of Buckeye Lake. Council will discuss fees.

A resolution was passed closing Canal Drive and Chautauqua Boulevard for the Sweet Corn Festival 5K. A Resolution was also passed for a Notice to Proceed with General Fund Renewal. An Ordinance updating The Regional Income Tax Authority policies and procedures was passed. The first reading of the 2025 Operating Budget was given.

The Village of Millersport will be celebrating its Bicentennial in 2025. Anyone who is interested in serving on the committee to form the plans for the celebration next July should contact Vince Popo at 614-562-7320.

This year’s Memorial Day service and ceremony at the cemetery highlighted Veterans that served in Vietnam. John Yorde was the main speaker describing his job as a medic. Lee Gilkerson performed a song that he wrote about one of his friends that did not make it back home. Stephen Warner sang “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” honoring all Veterans. Chaplain Terry Amspaugh introduced and closed the ceremony emphasizing that Missing in Action Veterans are still being found and returned to the United States and must not be forgotten. Thanks to all those who helped make the ceremony a success. Rick Thompson, Craig Cooperrider, Steve Cooperrider, Dan Phelps, Mayor Matheny and Gilbert Arnold mowed and trimmed the cemetery. Theresa Ralston, Tamara Parker-Stephens, Mike Starr, Mike Gardner, and Sharon Steingass placed flags and crosses on Veterans’ graves. Don Gordon drove the 1928 Model A Fire Truck in the parade. Millersport Marching Band, Millersport Sign Club, Millersport Lions Club,

Millersport American Legion, Police Chief Consolo, and Fire Chief Price participated in the parade. Donna Holycross of Commodore Bank and Carol Kitzmiller organized the bike decoration contest. Shawn Carter manned the sound system. Thanks to all who participated in the ceremony.