MIDDLEFIELD — Village council at its November meeting recognized community advocate Rick Seyer for his many years of service to the community, including being mayor at one point.

He was elected to village council in 1974 at the age of 27 and has served more than 35 years in public office, including as a member of the Cardinal Local School District Board of Education. He stepped down from his council seat in September because of a hearing loss that made it difficult for him to keep track at meetings.

Seyer was presented with a plaque by Mayor Ben Garlich, who said Seyer is considered a local historian and could assist anyone seeking information about the development of the township or village.

Matt Klein from RCAP (Rural Community Assistance Partnership) gave a presentation and commended council on the excellent job it has been doing with development in the village. Klein presented several elements involved in properly managing a community’s water and sewer system, and offered his assistance if needed.

During the ambulance report, Jennifer Nugen, operations supervisor for Community Care Ambulance, said mutual aid was received four times and given 36 times. She said there were 20 canceled transports, which she said was high, and she is still looking into the reports.

Average ambulance response time overall is four minutes and 46 seconds. Calls are down this year compared to last by about 270. The mayor questioned if those receiving mutual aid are being billed and Nugen said she had met the company’s new chief financial officer and would make a point of discussing it at the meeting.

Garlich reported for the fire department, which was kept busy with a variety of calls in October, including 32 runs for the month. Runs are up 54 for the year compared to last years’ which was at 810.

“There were six building fires, a couple of vehicle fires, and brush and grass fires have gone up in the past week,” he said.

A couple of years ago the fire department donated its old fire truck to Auburn Township and now that Auburn has a replacement, officials there are giving it back to Middlefield. Two possibilities of what to do with it are to either scrap it or sell it overseas. Garlich said a burn ban remains in effect until Saturday.

Police Chief Joe Tucholski gave a report for the police department, which issued 47 traffic citations, seven parking citations, filed three charges, gave 96 verbal warnings, assisted with 15 traffic crashes, responded to 481 calls for service, 19 lockouts, five alarm drops, two thefts, one domestic, five assists to outside agencies and five warrant arrests.

He said he will make a final decision on the body cameras and cruiser dash cameras probably this month and will need to find money to purchase them at the beginning of the year. He said the department could use another part-time officer.

The Middlefield Historical Society’s annual Festival of Trees will take place Dec. 7 and 8 and Dec. 14 and 15, and council members will donate poinsettias. The Shop with a Cop program will take place Dec. 14, with officers and participants meeting at 5:30 p.m. at Walmart. This program has been a community outreach for at least 20 years.

Another of the police department’s programs is “fill a cruiser,” which takes place three times a year at Walmart and benefits approximately 90 to 130 families. The collected items are taken to the Catholic Church’s Samaritan food bank, which oversees distribution.