Mayor Hoffee outlines 2026 projects for Millersburg, Holmes County including Smart Lights

Millersburg Mayor Kelly Hoffee told village leaders that Smart Lights for Historic Downtown Millersburg are a top priority for 2026, with a proposal under consideration that is estimated at just over $239,000 and “includes pricing for the first year and additional costs over five years.” A traffic study completed last spring, Hoffee noted, found that with the current system “traffic flow was as good as it was going to get,” prompting the village to explore adaptive signals to ease recurring congestion on the town’s main thoroughfares.

Downtown pedestrian and lighting work will move forward alongside the Smart Lights plan. The 2025 sidewalk project grew out of a grant funding discussion Hoffee had with Holmes County Commissioner Dave Hall, and municipal documents list a Community Block Grant of $136,400, ARC funds of $112,000, and another grant of $51,632 being used for the rebuild and for installation of conduits to allow street lighting west of town. “It’s going to be nice seeing the entirety of Millersburg lit up rather than having these dark spots, and it should make Millersburg that much more inviting,” Hoffee said.

Addressing the county’s housing shortage, the village invested in a housing study covering Millersburg and all of Holmes County; Hoffee said the study “is going to supply us with a lot of great data that will help us make some important decisions moving forward when it comes to zoning and the shortage of housing in our village and in the county.” To act on those findings, Hoffee formed a Business and Housing Committee that she described as “goal oriented in action, not just discussion.” The committee meets the second Wednesday of odd months and Hoffee invited interested residents to attend, stressing that “Local businesses invest locally, they support our schools, our organizations and scholarship opportunities for our kids.”

Officials continue to discuss reuse options for the Millersburg Elementary School property after students move into the building at the high school campus west of the village; no final decision on the property’s future was reported. Hoffee also attended a YMCA planning and informational meeting on May 29, where Holmes County residents Brodie and Allie DeHass outlined plans for a Holmes County YMCA that would piggyback on the Wayne County YMCA model but operate independently. The minutes note that the project aims to fill childcare gaps, establish before- and after-school programs, offer a pool and swim team, and organize trips and outings, and that work has begun to develop a board; the council recorded the YMCA presentation as informational only with “No action.”

Mayor Hoffee highlighted projects completed in 2024, amphitheater work, lighting and resurfacing, and credited partnerships with Historic Downtown Millersburg and the Holmes County Historical Society for adding events such as Garage Sale Day, trick or treat and Merry Millersburg. Hoffee said, “I felt like we made some really good decisions this past year that will lead to some great things in 2026.”

Operational items reported in council minutes include an ODOT District 11 safety study at Glen Drive presented by David Hoffman, listed as informational only, and routine procedural entries: minutes prepared by Fiscal Officer Bobbie Curry with signature date 6/12/2025 and attested 7/14/2025, a roll call vote recorded YES: 6 NO: 0 with Shoemaker, Hofstetter, Polen, Conn, Vaughn and Kellogg noted, an executive session that adjourned at 8:21 pm and returned at 8:38 pm with “No action,” and an adjournment motion by Shoemaker seconded by Polen. The next regular council meeting is scheduled for 7:00 PM on 7/14/2025 in Council Chambers at 6 N Washington St, Millersburg.