City Council hears MSVW annual report

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert City Council heard its last annual report from Main Street Van Wert Program Manager Adam Ries, while soft billing for EMS runs, city trash collection, and feral cats were all discussed during Monday’s meeting.

Ries, who resigned his position with MSVW to take a job with First Federal Savings & Loan in Van Wert, effective April 7, talked about reinvestment in the downtown area during 2016, noting that nearly $1 million was reinvested in downtown through 13 CDBG grant building improvement projects totaling $319,750.94 and 18 non-grant building improvement projects totaling $624,182.55.

MSVW volunteers also clocked 2,698 hours on downtown projects and activities (worth an estimated $63,564.88 at $23.56 an hour) and MSVW had 137 business and private supporting partners in 2016, while accepting $5,273 worth of in-kind donated services and support.

In addition, Ries also noted that two long-vacant downtown buildings were purchased for future rehabilitation.

“We are so fortunate the people of Van Wert care about making our community a better place,” Ries said in the report. “The work of Main Street Van Wert would not be possible without the financial support and volunteer efforts of so many.”

Ries also noted that, while he is moving on to a private sector position, he will still be involved in MSVW through volunteerism and participation in the agency’s activities.

Councilman Bill Marshall, who chairs Council’s Health, Service and Safety Committee, also provided his thoughts on the city’s trash issues.

“After giving a great amount of time and thought, and listening to the different opinions offered by Council, waste haulers, (and) private citizens, I am of the opinion there are two primary issues that face how we handle the original concept of cleaning up the city,” Marshall said, noting his opinion that better regulation of trash haulers and better enforcement of nuisance issues, such as trash being left at the curb for days and garbage being placed in backyards, garages, and vacant houses, are what is needed to address trash issues within the city.

He said City Council needs to develop and apply ordinances that properly regulate trash hauling companies and provide a way to inspect equipment to make sure it is safe and appropriate for trash collection, with fines for those who violate city regulations.

A good start for the discussion, Marshall noted, were regulations proposed in 2010 by the Van Wert County Health Department that provide a number of guidelines for proper trash collection. The committee chair said he recommends that Council adopt at least some of those regulations as part of its trash collection ordinance.

Marshall also talked about the newly-created county land bank, which acts as a vehicle for getting derelict buildings demolish, noting it was a plus in ridding the city of such structures, but was not the only answer to the city’s clean-up issues.

“Our land bank has already started the process of buying (houses) and will shortly start tearing abandoned buildings down,” he noted. “While this is a good start, we still have properties in this city that owners, tenants, etc., seem to show no pride of ownership. Instead, they allow their property to deteriorate, leaving debris, abandoned cars, and, in general, a junky appearance that detracts from the neighborhood where people who have pride watch their property decline in value from a once-thriving area.

“Who do we blame this on or, better yet, how do we get the message across that we will not tolerate the denigration of parts of our city?” Marshall asked.

The committee chair said he feels that Council needs to work closely with City Law Director John Hatcher to become more proactive in meeting the problem head-on, and continue to cite, prosecute, and fine those who fail to meet community standards in maintaining their property.

“If we get a handle on this process, along with curbside trash pick-up, I believe we are on our way to changing our city in a positive direction,” Marshall concluded.

A discussion in committee was also held on the problem of feral cats in the city, with Council members reviewing an ordinance from Point Pleasant Beach that provides guidelines for controlling a feral cat population, including enforcement and limiting the number of such animals in a community. More discussion will be held on the issue.

Also Monday, Heath Smedley, an account manager for Medicount, which handles soft billing for Van Wert Fire Department EMS runs, gave a presentation to City Council on the difference between hard billing and soft billing.

Mayor Jerry Mazur noted that the next town hall meeting on the proposed 0.28-percent tax increase will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 29, at the Black Angus on Main restaurant.

Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming noted that signal work on city railroad crossings has started, while noting that the city’s will have a brush pick-up on May 1.

Legislatively, City Council unanimously approved the final 2017 budget on third and final reading, and also approved an ordinance changing the speed limit to 35 mph on both sides of South Washington Street, between Fox Road and the city limits. The southbound side of the street has been 50 mph for some time, but that was considered unsafe for the area.

Council is also moving forward on a proposal to merge the city and county Revolving Loan Funds, although not without opposition from City Auditor Martha Balyeat, who said the city would permanently lose control of its fund if the two entities were merged.

Council President Pete Weir also noted that city liquor permits were expiring in June, and referred action on that item to the Judiciary & Annexation Committee. Weir also noted that he received information related to a proposed housing development near Towne Center on Marsh Road, although he added that the development needs funding before it can proceed.

The next meeting of Van Wert City Council will be at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 10, in City Council Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 515 E. Main St.