Village of Sebring

The Village of Sebring is looking at a more stable financial
future than in past years, according to its mayor, John
Smith.
"We are very fortunate that the citizenry of Sebring passed a .5-
mill income tax increase for the village this year and a one percent
income tax was granted to the school board," Smith said.
Smith is also confident in the village's economic future, as all
buildings in its industrial park are now occupied. An old electronics
building, vacated for several years, is now in use by Buckeye
Plastic Recycling.
"Financially we see the light at the end of the tunnel," Smith
said. "I think council and the administration have put forth a lot of
effort in turning our finances around."
The village's primary goal for 2008, said Smith, is meeting an
EPA mandate at the village's wastewater treatment plant.
"We will have a retaining system within the next three years
where overflow of wastewater to our plant must be retained to be
treated at a later date," Smith said. "We need something to manage
our overflow."
The mandate must be set in place by 2011. The project will cost
$3 million but the village's new plant will be paid off by 2010.
"We shouldn't have to raise any sewer rates because with one
paid off, we will replace it with another bond to satisfy the mandate,"
Smith said.
Smith said the village has brought about $2.4 million in grant
dollars into the Sebring community in the past four years and
council plans to continue seeking grant funding for projects within
the village. One such grant the village has applied for would fund
a new sewer line which would be approximately 1.5 miles and run
from Johnson Road to Route 62.
"The sewer line will encompass Perkins Restaurant and 16
residential homes," Smith explained.
Another possible project the village is seeking grant money
for is the development of a 75-acre piece of land located directed
north of Perkins within the Village of Sebring. Should the grant be
approved, the village would receive funds in 2008 and complete
the project late in the year.
"If we get this grant, we think it's a good project and we're very
optimistic that this could be funded," Smith said. "It would serve a
great purpose not only for the residents but it would go through a
portion of Smith Township and would help Smith Township as well."
Smith said council will continue applying for state and federal
funding for other projects this year.
"It takes a lot of legwork and a lot of study by administration and
council. I think that we have some
real valid projects," Smith said.
Included in Sebring's historical
places of interest are the historic Strand
Theater, which was a nationwide venue
for the Viktor Schreckengost National
Centennial Exhibition; the Sebring
Model Railroad Club and the Sebring
Mansion Inn and Spa. Through contributions
of the Paul Schreckengost family,
the corner of Oregon Avenue and
15th Street has become a focal point
of the downtown. Schreckengost Park
includes landscaping, decorative walkways,
a gazebo for special occasions
and murals depicting pottery scenes.
The following is a directory of the
top elected officials who serve the
Village of Sebring. All offices are
located at 135 E. Ohio Avenue and
can be reached at (330) 938-9340, unless otherwise noted.
Mayor: John W. Smith, 523 W. Oregon Ave., Sebring. Term
expires Dec. 31, 2011.
Village Manager: Doug Burchard, 576 W. Ohio Ave., Sebring.
(330) 938-2723.
Village Solicitor: Andrew Zumbar and Lundgren, Goldthorpe,
and Zumbar.
Deputy Service Director: Bill Sanor. Appointed by the village
manager. (330) 938-6922.
Fire Chief: Jim Cannell, (330) 938-6053; fire telephone, 911.
Police Chief: Ray Heverly, (330) 938-6114.
Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent: Todd Carle, (330)
938-6000. Appointed by the village manager.
Water Superintendent: Jim Bates, (330) 821-7020. Appointed
by the village manager.
Clerk of Council: Malea Sanor.
Village Council: Meets the second and fourth Mondays of the
month. Work session begins at 7 p.m. and council begins at 7:30
p.m. The mayor serves as president of council and appoints a
President Pro Tem at the first council meeting of the year.
Susan Risbeck, 312 Bennington Dr. Term expires Dec. 31, 2009.
Michael Pinkerton, 645 S. 15th St. Term expired Dec. 31, 2011.
Terry Frasher, 446 W. Virginia Ave. Term expires Dec. 31, 2009.
James Harp, 215 W. Indiana Ave. Term expires Dec. 31, 2009.
Charles Mercer, 526 W. Maryland Ave. Term expires Dec. 31, 2009.
Andy Safkow, 596 W. Maryland Ave. Term expires Dec. 31, 2011.
Civil Service Commission: Meets as needed. Meetings are
open to the public. Members: Dorothy Alcorn, Bud Cobbs and
Sonny Schrickel.
Fair Housing: Meets as needed. Members: Michael Burnett,
JoAnn Jones and Rosemary Lee.
Fireman's Dependency: Meets as needed. Members: Bill
Williams, acting secretary, citizen representative. Two council
and two fire department representatives are appointed by the
mayor each year.
Parks and Recreation: Meets the second Thursday of the
month at 7 p.m. in the F.A. Sebring Community Center. Meetings
are open to the public. Members: Frank Barrett, Marvin Aberegg,
Karen Heavener, Chris Cannell, Jerry Seavy and Tina White. A
representative from council is appointed by the mayor.
Planning and Zoning: Meets at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of the
month. Members: Ken Zeppernick, Rick Posity, Dan Schuette, John
Schoeni and Lewis Woods. A council representative is appointed
by the mayor each year.