Deadline for March/April Newsletter is Friday, February 21st.
From the Mayor
By: Gary Griffith 740.768.2632
Hopefully everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! With a new year being welcomed in means some new things for the Village. One of those things is finally, after 10 years of trying, grants were received by the Village for paving First Street, Star Hill. The grant was obtained by working with Springfield Township so the Village can obtain a $212,000.00 Community Block Development Grant from the State of Ohio. The Village will still need to come up with $30,000.00 to complete the project from Washington Street to Valley View. The Springfield Township part will be from Valley View to the top of the hill. I want to thank the Springfield Township Trustees, Bergholz Village Council, and especially Bergholz Fiscal Officer, Jeff Kemmer, for doing all the paperwork and obtaining the bids.
For the second year in a row the Village has tried to obtain funds from the Ohio Public Works to pave 3rd Street. We were turned down once again!
I always get asked questions of different things about the Village. All the Village Council Meetings are open to the public. Anytime someone wants a question answered, we will answer to the best of our ability! Meetings are the Second Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm. Here is a list of some of the facts about the Village.
Mayor: Gary Griffith
Fiscal Officer: Jeffery Kemmer
Solicitor: Aaron Richardson
Council:
1. Ron Gower (President of Council)
2.TJ Balint
3: Ben Carpenter
4: Clint Carpenter
5: RuthAnn Kirkman
6: Michael Smyth
The Village obtains its funds from several different sources through-out the year. Here is a list of our sources and what the Village Revenue is for 2025.
Property Taxes: $59,000.00
State Assistance: $17,125.00
Other: $1,000.00
Interest: $3,950.00
Rent: $10,338.48
Donations: $30,814.40
Fuel Taxes: $32,300.00
License Fees: $11,450.00
Total Revenue: $165,977.88
Expenditures for 2025
Contracted Services: $2,450.00
Software and Audit: $2,536.00
Grounds Maintenance: $8,411.89
Internet and Phone: $6,478.80
Local Share Paving: $60,000.00
Other Financing Uses: $32,000.00
Police Operating Supplies: $4,000.00
Police Salaries: $19,741.95
Streetlights: $11,800.00
Street Supplies: $3,000.00
Tax Collection Fees: $2,500.00
Utilities: $4,387.90
Village Backhoe Payments: $9,397.65
Village Office Supplies: $1,000.00
Village Salaries: $21,733.98
Total: $189,438.17
Other Financing Uses
Village Garage Repair: $12,000.00
Village Insurance: $8,000.00
Camera Maintenance: $6,000.00
Other Expenses: $6,000.00
People will ask how do you make this work when the expenses are more than the income? The answer is that over the years because of a Street Worker, Mayor, or Council member volunteering, we have been able to save enough money to have enough of a carry over each year, the amount of one year’s expenses if something happened and we didn’t get any income that we draw from.
Any money that comes in from taxes for Fire and EMS goes directly to them twice a year. As everyone can see, if we must pay out more money, above and beyond what we already have, we will have to raise taxes. We don’t want to do that! As you can see, we manage to provide Police protection from the income we have without asking for a Police levy.
As always I want to thank all Village Residents, both past and present, for what you do to make Bergholz the envy of the Valley
Mayor Gary Griffith
Springfield Twp Trustees
By: Jason Champion
The Trustees of Springfield Township would like to announce the brand new addition to the 7th Street Park in Bergholz. We now have a regulation Pickleball Court for everyone to enjoy. We would like to thank Blackies Paving for redoing the asphalt and Vasco for sealing and painting the court. They also installed the net. The rules for the court are as follows.
Inauguration Day Quiz
- On what date have US presidents been sworn in ever since Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s inauguration in 1937?
a. New Year’s Day
b. 20 January
c. 2 January
d. 10 January - Do both the vice-president and the president take the oath of office, or only the President?
a. Only the president takes the oath of office
b. Both the vice-president and the president take the oath of office
c. Vice-presidents used to take the oath of office, but no longer do
d. It’s up to the vice-president. - Which of the following people wrote “Let the Eagle Soar”, which was one of the songs sung at the January 2005 inauguration ceremony?
a. John Ashcroft
b. Colin Powell
c. Condoleezza Rice
d. President Bush, Senior - What have most US Presidents placed a hand on when taking the oath of office?
a. Bible
b. Copy of the Declaration of Independence
c. Sword
d. US Constitution - Where in Washington D.C., is the inauguration ceremony held?
a. The White House
b. A church directly across from the White House
c. The Jefferson Memorial
d. The Capitol Building - Which of the following words did President Bush mention more than twenty times in his second inaugural address?
a. Patriotism
b. Freedom
c. Oppression
d. Justice - What song is played when the president is announced to the crowd?
a. The National Anthem
b. Our President
c. America the Beautiful
d. Hail to the Chief - Who was the first man ever to be sworn in as President in Washington, D.C.?
a. John Adams
b. Thomas Jefferson
c. Theodore Roosevelt
d. James Madison - How many pastors prayed at President Bush’s second inaugural ceremony?
a. 3
b. 0
c. 2
d. 1 - Who gave the longest inaugural address ever?
a. Theodore Roosevelt
b. William Henry Harrison
c. Grover Cleveland
d. John F. Kennedy
WEBA Food Pantry
By: Ann Wiley 740.543.3972
The WEBA Food Pantry continues to serve approximately 150 families each month. Clients must now have their ID card when they come for food. This ruling comes from Mid-Ohio who supplies our food each month. If you come without your ID card, you will be unable to get food.
On the 3rd Friday of each month, clients can come for fresh produce. Take advantage of this pass out. Pantry pass out remains on the 4th Saturday of each month. During holiday months, November and December, the dates will fluctuate.
Pantry and produce dates for January through June 2025 are listed below.
Produce January 17;
Pantry January 25.
Produce February 21;
Pantry February 22.
Produce March 21;
Pantry March 29.
Produce April 18;
Pantry April 19.
Produce May 16;
Pantry May 24.
Produce June 20;
Pantry June 28.
East Springfield Community Recreation & Service Center
By: Sue Call 740.543.3700
I hope everyone had a wonderful, blessed time of Thanksgiving and Christmas. We usually don’t schedule too many activities during these cold, icy months at the Center, but springtime is right around the corner. We will soon be back in full force with our monthly meals and other activities. Before you know it, it will be time for the Memorial Day Parade. It’s not too early to start planning your parade entry!
Check social media or flyers posted in the community for details of all Center activities. The Center is available to rent. Please contact me for prices and availability. Happy New Year from all of us at The East Springfield Community Recreation & Service Center.
Something to Think About
By: Dave Miller
Sometimes the time between issues of the Bergholz Foundation Newsletter quickly passes. That is the situation for this issue. I thought I would share some of the personal activities that have taken place or will take place in the coming days. For as I write these words, Christmas is just two days away. On December 14 was the Bergholz Firefighter and EMS Dinner. We were served a wonderful and delicious dinner. It was good to see the men and women of the Fire Department and EMS Squad recognized for their service to our community. When emergencies arise, any time day or night, they respond.
Then, on Friday, December 20, one of the ladies of Fellowship of Mt. Zion Church prepared a magnificent dinner for the church family. In addition to preparing and providing the food for the night, she made 16 pies for the occasion! It was a night of great food and fellowship.
On Sunday morning, December 22, the Worship Leader at church prepared a Special Service. She took the Scriptures of the birth of Jesus in Luke 2, divided them into Responsive Readings and added appropriate carols. It was a very beautiful and inspiring part of our Worship Service.
Sunday noon found us invited to dinner with friends on Pine Grove Ridge. Two of the women there have been friends for more than seventy years. Sunday evening found us at the Mt. Pleasant Church outside of Carrollton to listen to their Christmas Concert. They have a great choir and the presentation was inspiring. Although they have a very large sanctuary, extra chairs had to be brought out because the attendance was so great.
Tomorrow night is Christmas Eve, and there are several Candlelight Services in the area. I know it is too late to encourage your attendance at one of them, but you would surely be blessed if you did. We plan to attend the service at the Pine Grove Ridge Church at 5pm.
On Christmas Day our family will gather at my house for the day to enjoy being together and sharing the joy of the coming of our Savior as the Baby of Bethlehem.
In addition to all the activities, there have been a few extra doctor’s visits this month as some blood pressure problems have developed. Thanks to a change in medication, things are going well. In addition, there was time spent on preparing six sermons for the Advent and Christmas Season.
As I write, I know families have experienced loss. I’m hearing of cancer diagnosis and financial struggles. May God’s peace be with you and yours.
Faith Community Church
By: Chad Thompson 740.768.2835
740.512.3238
Happy New Year to our wonderful Bergholz Family! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas season filled with friends, family, and fellowship. We were blessed with so many special moments while celebrating the Birth of our Savior, and we would like to thank all of those that joined us, supported us, and celebrated with us. We also want to thank ALL of those that donated hats and gloves to our Giving Tree and socks to Eddy’s Sock Tree.
It is hard to believe that 2024 is now behind us, and we are welcoming in 2025 already. Last year brought with it many challenges for people, but it was also so full of abundant blessings. Some of those blessings have come in the form of new opportunities; opportunities to meet new people, make new connections, and opportunities to build lasting friendships. We, at Bergholz Faith Community Church, are always grateful for every opportunity to see a new face, make a new friend, and build a new relationship. We are so excited about each opportunity God blessed us with in 2024, and we are looking forward to all that God has for us in 2025. I pray we each embrace the opportunity to partake in new adventures and challenges that are ahead of us while holding onto the many lessons we have learned from last year and each year before it.
As many of us look to make resolutions and positive changes, of physical, mental, emotional health, I pray that we will not neglect our spiritual health. I pray that we all would put our relationship with Jesus at the top of our priorities list. All of us at Bergholz Faith Community Church would love to have you join us for worship on Sunday! Don’t worry about the kids, because we have a great children’s ministry and nursery available if you would like to utilize it. As always they are welcome in service as well if that’s what you choose. Come and join us at 10:45 Sunday morning or visit us during one of our events this year. You are not only wanted, but we hope and pray for the chance to share our fellowship with you.
For the list of upcoming events/info, please check us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/fellowshipwithfaith/
Church Services are Sunday Mornings at 10:45am, Fearless Faith Tweens meet Wednesday at 5:00pm. Blaze Youth Winter session will meet Wednesday at 6:00pm. On Thursdays at 6:30pm, AA Meetings.
Please know that we are praying for you and here if you need us or have any questions. Happy New Year!
God Bless You.
Pastor Chad Thompson
Bergholz Fellowship /Chestnut Ridge Churches
By: Pastor Lee Iden
330.894.2389/330.614.4395
The Christmas season is upon us! It seemed like it would NEVER come, and now, HERE IT IS!
For the four Sundays of Advent, we have been looking at the attributes of the Advent candles: Hope, Joy, Love, and Peace, and it amazes me how much each of those themes are important throughout scripture! The word hope is mentioned 114 times in the King James version of the bible, the word, joy, 165 times, the word, love, 186 times and the word peace, a whopping 408 times! And those figures do not account for any of the derivatives of those words!
We live in a world where hope, joy, love, and peace are sometimes not common except for those of us who trust in the Lord our God with all of our hearts, souls, strength, and minds! We can go before Him with ANYTHING on our minds and He is always there to help us! Pretty cool stuff! Too many individuals today have no hope in their lives: no joy; no love, and certainly no peace. We can help them with that. We can pray with them and for them and we can invite them to our respective churches!
We were very blessed at Bergholz Fellowship and Chestnut Ridge Church this past December 8th with an open mic event featuring Christmas music! IT WAS GREAT! We had musicians come in to share their gifts of music that God has given them, and it was beautiful! We had amateurs who had rarely played in front of anyone except family members to a man who had been in a very successful band overseas! And just about everything in between! The music was good, the fellowship was great, and the meal afterwards was good and well received and well eaten!
I don’t think that this article will reach you before Christmas, but we are having a Christmas Eve service at Bergholz Fellowship Church at 7:00pm on Christmas eve and I always look forward to that! The reading of the
Christmas story, of Mary and Joseph traveling the 93 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem, by donkey, finding no rooms at the Inn and being forced to stay in a stable always gets to me! Reading of the shepherds who left their flock of sheep in the field to go and see this baby that a HOST OF HEAVENLY ANGELS told them about! Can you imagine! WOW!
I look forward to this reading every year and this year is no different! I CAN’T WAIT! I know that
Christmas day is important, but for me, it is Christmas Eve that is exciting! The scripture, the music, the expectation, and finally the ARRIVAL of that baby that would be King! THAT IS GOOD STUFF!
If you don’t have a home church and are looking for a place to worship and call a home church, come visit us, check us out! We worship at 11:00 every Sunday, even months at Bergholz Fellowship Church, 266 2nd Street Bergholz and odd months at Chestnut Ridge Church, 1177 Cinder Road SE Bergholz, Ohio also at 11:00.
Hope to see you soon!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!
Shalom Pastor Lee Iden
Spellbound
Emily Brontë
The night is darkening round me,
The wild winds
coldly blow;
But a tyrant spell has bound me
And I cannot, cannot go.
The giant trees are bending
Their bare boughs weighed with snow.
And the storm is fast descending,
And yet I cannot go.
Clouds beyond
clouds above me,
Wastes beyond
wastes below;
But nothing drear can move me;
I will not, cannot go.
Amsterdam Community Church of God
8247 Bear Road SE
By: Tony Kovalesky 740.543.4041
Pastor David Guess
Church:740. 543.3927
Parsonage:740. 457.1231
[email protected]
Our 2025 theme will be “FOCUS” and comes from Colossians 3:1-2, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” With all the distractions around us our goal for the year is to stay Christ-centered.
In February we will start a six-week small group study entitled “UNOFFENDABLE: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better”. In this six-session Bible study, based on the bestselling book of the same name, Brant Hansen shares practical ways to live life with less stress and more care by becoming unoffendable. In his highly entertaining style, he seeks to lift the religious burdens from our backs and allow us to experience the joy of gratitude every day of our lives—flourishing the way God intended. Call the church for information when the class will begin at 740.543.3937.
The Youth will be going to Winter Retreat at Camp Fitch in PA, January 24-26. Youth is open to those in 6th through 12th grades and meets on Sundays at 6:00 for games, food, and lessons. For more information call the church at 740.543.3927.
Sunday, February 9, we will have our Seventh Annual “Souper Bowl Luncheon” from 12:15 – 1:30 and will offer over 10 different soup choices to enjoy. We serve the soup in small bowls so you can enjoy several kinds. Donations will be received for the WEBA Food Pantry, and everyone is welcome to attend and enjoy a variety of soups. February Missions focus will be raising funds for the WEBA and Northeast Jefferson County Food Pantries.
We continue to offer a women’s Bible study on Tuesday nights (6:30), a men’s Bible study on Thursday nights (7:00) and a combined Bible study on Wednesday evenings (7:00).
Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered program with large and small groups for anyone struggling with any hurts, hang-ups and habits and offer the 12-step program as needed. CR weekly meetings are held on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm. Classes are also available for children and youth called Celebration Place (4-11). We can also accommodate children under 4. A meal is also served most weeks. Celebrate Recovery is a safe place to find community and freedom from the issues that are controlling our life.
Our Sunday morning worship service starts at 10:30 each week with Kids Church. Everyone is welcome as we are Becoming A Christ-Centered Church By Growing Christ-Centered Followers bringing Jesus to the communities where we live.
Some good goals for 2025:
- Read the Bible regularly.
- Attend church faithfully.
- Invest in your most important relationships, your marriage at the top of that list, your children a close second.
- Give others the benefit of the doubt, especially your Christian brothers and sisters.
- Treat folks with kindness.
- Work on complaining less, being thankful more, being prayerful always.
- Speak up about things that matter. Resist controversies that don’t..
- Read more, scroll less.
Inauguration Quiz Answer Key
1. On what date have US presidents been sworn in ever since Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s inauguration in 1937?
Answer: 20 January
The swearing-in takes place on January 20, no matter what day of the week it lands on. If the 20th is a Sunday, he is sworn in privately on that day, with the public inauguration ceremony taking place on Monday 21 January.
2. Do both the vice-president and the president take the oath of office, or only the President?
Answer: Both the vice-president and the president take the oath of office
The vice-president is sworn in before the president. Although both the vice-president and the president are sworn in, only the president delivers an inaugural address.
3. Which of the following people wrote “Let the Eagle Soar”, which was one of the songs sung at the January 2005 inauguration ceremony?
Answer: John Ashcroft
John Ashcroft was the attorney-general for President Bush’s first term but resigned in January 2005. Vice-president Cheney requested that Ashcroft’s song be heard at the inauguration.
4. What have most US Presidents placed a hand on when taking the oath of office?
Answer: Bible
President Bush used his personal bible, which First Lady Laura Bush held. Their twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna, stood with them while the judge delivered the oath of office to the President. Not all Presidents have used a bible. John Quincy Adams and Franklin Pierce used a law book. Lyndon Johnson used JFK’s missal when sworn in on Air Force One.
5. Where in Washington D.C., is the inauguration ceremony held?
Answer: The Capitol Building
The beautiful Capitol Building has been remodeled several times. The President must walk through the Capitol Building and outside to the podium, where he looks down on thousands of spectators.
6. Which of the following words did President Bush mention more than twenty times in his second inaugural address?
Answer: Freedom
Freedom and liberty for all were definitely the dominant themes in President Bush’s speech. He made many references to helping other countries attain freedom.
7. What song is played when the president is announced to the crowd?
Answer: Hail to the Chief
A live band plays this majestic song as the president enters.
8. Who was the first man ever to be sworn in as President in Washington, D.C.?
Answer: Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson loved simplicity and demonstrated this by going on foot to the Capitol for the swearing-in ceremony and returning to his boarding house afterwards for dinner. After his second Inauguration, however, Jefferson rode a horse from the Capitol to the President’s House, which is now known as the White House.
9. How many pastors prayed at President Bush’s second inaugural ceremony?
Answer: 2
Up until the very day of the inauguration, a citizen of the US was trying to outlaw prayer at the ceremony, but did not succeed.
10. Who gave the longest inaugural address ever?
Answer: William Henry Harrison
In 1841, President Harrison delivered an 8,445 word speech that lasted nearly two hours! President Bush’s 2005 speech lasted a little over twenty minutes.
A Tribute to President’s Day
Llewelyn Ellsworth Dahlien
Some will be remembered
Others will fade with the past
But all gave their something
To make this country last
A nation blessed by our maker
And tempered by constant storm
They were all called to lead
To face challenges not the norm
May the sunset of today
Leave hope for the early morn
For they must shoulder the burdens
Of a world that’s tattered and torn…
Mooretown Monument
By: Virginia Boyd Glenn
740.768.2365
We have the Mooretown Monument website, yellowcreekmonument.com up and running. The grounds at the monument are in great shape except for a little reseeding that Greens Landscaping will complete in the spring. Also, some work on the bank still needs to be completed. We were able to use grant funds to complete some of the projects.
We have had several people call us about the condition of the Morgan’s Raid Kiosk outside of Bergholz. We contacted Scottie Fabian at the Jefferson County Engineers Office, and he informed us that several of the kiosks on the Civil War 150 Morgan’s Raid Trail in Ohio, that were facing the afternoon sun, have deteriorated. He has been working with Lyle Zerla at the south end of Jefferson County to resolve the problem. I emailed my contacts at the Ohio History Connection, and after a lot of research, I was told the Ohio Civil War 150 Committee has been dissolved and no provisions for the care of the Morgan’s Raid Trail Markers were made.
I contacted Andy Verhoff and Amy Rowmiller from the Ohio History Connection, who have worked with us on our Ohio Historical Markers at the Mooretown Monument, the Pittinger Marker in Knoxville, and the Forest Buchanan Marker. (Mike Stone oversaw this marker and because of time restraints went to Sewell Productions in Marietta, Ohio for the marker at the Amsterdam Veterans Memorial Park.) Andy Verhoff got me in contact with Megan Wood, the Executive Director of the Ohio History Connection. She told me that all of the state and county road departments were responsible for directional signs in each county involved in the Ohio Civil War Raid. Actually, the counties and ODOT put the signs up as a consideration for the safety of where the signs were put. The company, Folio, that manufactured the signs has gone out of business and is bankrupt. That leaves us with a choice about what to do with this abandoned project.
We can investigate who and how to repair the markers, maybe investigate what it would take to repair or replace them financially. Maybe they just all need to be removed and taken down. We could begin the process of grant writing if there is enough interest. Please let us know your thoughts.
Also, at the same time, Scottie Fabian, told me he removed the old 1913 stone from Morgan’s Burnt Bridge over Elkhorn Creek and put it in storage. The 1913, Fiftieth Year Anniversary of Morgan’s Raid in Jefferson County was commemorated by school children collecting money, by subscription, to put up the old stone markers we see along the raid route. This project was headed up by Joseph B. Doyle who wrote the book, Histories and Biographies of Belmont and Jefferson Counties (1910). The plaque from the bridge on the old commemorative stone south of Bergholz was taken long ago, so the plaque on Morgan’s Burnt Bridge was removed and put on the stone at the bridge over Yellow Creek, by the old Allen House Property. We are now going to try and find the money to have a plaque made to replace the missing one at Bergholz Bridge.
We will put the right plaque back on Morgan’s Burnt Bridge marker at Elkhorn Creek with the original text. We would place the newly conditioned marker at the junction of State Route 164 and Elkorn Creek Road, Jefferson County Road 49, for better visibility and access. Although the replacement that was built for the burnt bridge is still there, it is not accessible to the public.
We were involved with moving the 1913 Morgan’s Raid Marker that was at the corner of State Route 43 and County Road 60 IN East Springfield. It had already been moved to the opposite side of the road by Terry Bell because it was being run over by oil trucks, and then it had to be moved again. By working with the United States Postmaster General, I was given permission to place the East Springfield Marker on the corner of State Route 43 and County Road 39. I asked for a 99 Year Perpetual Easement at the current East Springfield Post Office Property for the marker, but only got permission to set it there, with no promise that it would stay perpetually. Salem Township Trustee, Tom McConnell, moved the marker and reset it for us.
The Bergholz Foundation Community Newsletter is fortunate to have original cartoons by local artist Jim Carlton. We will meet our artist and learn more about Jim in the March/April Newsletter. Thank you Jim for your contributions.
January
1 – New Year’s Day
6 – Epiphany
7 – Orthodox Christmas
20 – Inauguration Day
20 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
February
2 – Ground Hog Day
14 – Valentine’s Day
17 – Presidents’ Day
