The Mirror Newspapers Reflecting Life Along The Maumee River
BY KAREN GERHARDINGER | MIRROR REPORTER — As clerk for Whitehouse Village Council since 2006, Sue Miller has attended hundreds of meetings, taking notes, preparing minutes and tracking votes.
“Thank you for taking care of us and wrangling us,” council president Rebecca Conklin Kleiboemer told Miller during the May 16 meeting.
Mayor Don Atkinson presented Miller with a certificate of appreciation and a plaque to thank her for her 17 years of service. Miller stepped down to focus on The Bubble, her therapeutic massage business set to open later this year at 10915 St. Louis Ave. in Whitehouse.
Nikki Hartbarger was sworn in as the new council clerk. A 15-year Whitehouse resident with 17 years of experience in accounting, software, supervision and client relations, Hartbarger was one of three candidates for the position.
“We had a hard time choosing among three wonderful candidates. We almost flipped a coin! In the end, we felt most confident in Nikki’s professionalism and familiarity with village matters,” said Conklin Kleiboemer.
In her letter to administrator Jordan Daugherty, Hartbarger explained that she’s attended numerous meetings over the years and has fresh ideas of how the clerk of council position could be a strong asset to council and the administration, including managing the online portion of the meetings.
“I have experience both professionally and in a volunteer capacity where extensive notes from meetings are necessary, time-sensitive information needs to be shared and working with different types of people and personalities is required,” Hartbarger said, referring to her role as president of the Whitehouse Parents Club, which hosts events to raise funds for classrooms and Whitehouse Primary School as a whole.
Hartbarger has both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in business administration and currently works as a senior financial close consultant for SandPoint Consulting. Her previous experience includes working as a commercial analyst with Owens Illinois North America, an accounting supervisor with Pilkington North America, accounting administrator with The Andersons and business analyst with Rexam Inc.
She is married to Joshua Hartbarger, who is the chief operations officer for the village.
During the council meeting, council members also:
• Agreed to table until January 1 an ordinance that would have amended residential waste collection regulations and removed a requirement that garbage bins be placed out of sight.
• Agreed to name the village’s newest park – located next to Veterans Memorial Park – as Village Social.
• Learned that the Board of Zoning Appeals approved a variance for John and Kendal Shaffer to build a front porch at 7000 Heller Rd.
• Reminded the audience of the Memorial Day service on Monday, May 29 at 10:00 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park.
• Thanked Destination Whitehouse and Louann Artiaga for purchasing wreaths for the first responder memorials at Veterans Memorial Park.
• Learned that the shelterhouse renovations are almost complete and the village is receiving phone calls about rentals, which are free for village residents.
• Heard that Police Sgt. Amanda Bradley has submitted a letter of retirement effective May 25 as she plans to take a position in another industry after 22 years in law enforcement.
• Accepted the resignation of part-time firefighter Robert Vossen.
• Heard Bob Keogh say that meetings have been held with area economic development zones and districts and that one with Waterville Township is “ready to go.”
• Listened to Artiaga ask council members to donate personal funds to the income tax levy campaign as a show of support.
