Liberty Town Council (LTC) reflected on the Fourth of July Festival held over the previous weekend at its July 5 meeting.

Union County Development Corporation (UCDC) organizes the annual event drawing big crowds to Liberty's downtown square. LTC president Matt Barnhizer commended Liberty street and utility superintendent Matt Reuss and his team for their work ensuring the town's infrastructure was ready for the event.

“The town looked really good for this past weekend. Downtown looked real nice, all the streets looked nice. I think everybody really had a great time and town's really shaping up,” said Barnhizer.

LTC member Ross Keasling asked Reuss if there were any issues he noticed that could be addressed before future events. Reuss referenced the fencing installed on Fairground and Seminary streets. The fencing blocked off sidewalks, pushing pedestrians out into the street amid heavy traffic. Reuss suggested requiring more detailed plans in future street closure requests and ensure applicants understand the importance of keeping sidewalks open.

As part of the more detailed plan, Reuss suggested street closure requests include an accurate event setup schedule. An accurate event schedule will allow Reuss to dispatch his team to ensure the site is ready when event workers and attendees arrive.

Also discussed:
-LTC approved a fund transfer to ensure the street and utility supply budget was funded through the rest of the year. Reuss explained his team had been working on a lot of extra projects recently with a lot of painting and signage expenses.

“I appreciate your help on these special projects, I know we throw a lot of stuff at you. From what I see from an outside perspective, you've got a hell of a team, I think the boys are doing a great job,” said Keasling.

-LTC reviewed bulk text communication services, allowing the town to send out text alerts to participating residents. Liberty clerk-treasurer Melissa Shepler had been contacted by two different companies offering similar services, Alert Services and TextMyGov. LTC vice-president Keith Bias voiced his support for TextMyGov, which offers more of a flat-rate billing option than its competitor. Keasling made a motion to try the service for one year; LTC voted to approve.

TextMyGov offered an annual service contract for $2,500 and a one-time setup fee of $1,250. Shepler secured a $250 discount on the setup fee. The service will allow the town to send out alerts to residents for issues such as water main breaks, inclement weather or trash service updates.

-Liberty Fire Department Chief Jim Barnhizer reported the department's newly acquired tanker truck is nearly completed and is expected to be in service next week. Barnhizer noted the department is in need of new recruits.