Millersburg council to decide dispensary policy as infrastructure plans advance

Millersburg Village Council met Jan. 14 and set a timetable for several decisions that will shape the village’s downtown, housing strategy, and regulatory landscape. The most immediate item: council will take a formal vote on Jan. 26 about allowing a marijuana dispensary in Millersburg after last November’s nonbinding advisory question.

The advisory ballot last year sent the dispensary question to voters rather than leaving the decision solely to the six-member council. Because the language on the ballot was nonbinding, council members retain final authority to approve or deny a dispensary. Council leaders scheduled discussion and the formal vote for the Jan. 26 meeting; residents with strong positions are being asked to make their views known before that date. Submit opinions to Nathan.troyer@millersburgohio.com, which will be shared with council members.

Council elected Brent Hofstetter as 2026 council president, assigning him a leading role as the village navigates several near-term projects. On Jan. 15 council planned to meet with engineers and Holmes County officials to review preliminary design plans for Downtown Sidewalk Project Phase 1, a step toward reconstructing sidewalks and improving pedestrian access in the village center. Officials also reported that installation scheduling is pending for downtown smart traffic signals, intended to modernize traffic control and improve flow through core business corridors.

Stakeholder interviews are underway for a housing study aimed at assessing local needs and informing policy responses. That study could factor into zoning, development incentives, and long-term planning decisions that affect affordability and community growth.

Millersburg has applied for an Environmental Protection Agency grant to fund a backup generator; the village is awaiting notice of selection. If awarded, the generator would help maintain municipal services during outages, an increasingly important consideration for emergency preparedness and continuity of operations.

The council also reminded residents to sign up for the new water and sewer billing online account and highlighted available payment and billing options. Updating accounts will ensure timely bills and access to electronic payment features the village now supports.

This week’s decisions tie public input to concrete outcomes: the dispensary vote will determine local regulatory policy, sidewalk and signal projects will reshape downtown accessibility, and the housing study will frame future land-use choices. Residents who want to influence the dispensary vote should contact council via Nathan.troyer@millersburgohio.com before the Jan. 26 meeting and consider attending that session to register their views in person. The council’s actions in the coming weeks will set the direction for infrastructure, public safety, and economic policy in Millersburg.