City Council discusses income tax hike

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert City Council looked at the need to pass legislation to place the 0.28-percent income tax levy on the November 7 general election ballot, while also holding a discussion on the possibility of covenants on land in Vision Industrial Park and an adjoining parcel being sought as a food and beverage certified site.

City Law Director John Hatcher reminded Council members that legislation placing the levy back on the ballot would need to be approved at least 90 days prior to the election. That would mean legislation would need to be approved prior to August 7 — which would require passage at City Council’s next regular meeting on Monday, July 24, since the next meeting after that would be Monday, August 13.

A committee of the whole meeting was scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 19, to discuss ballot language and a strategy for passing the issue.

Van Wert Area Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Stacy Adam explained that an outside consultant who is working on the food and beverage site had identified the fact that there are no covenants (requirements) on the site where food and beverage certification is being sought.

Adam said that Vision Park also does not have covenants either, noting that Council would need to either look at having no covenants on either site or to discuss with owners of the food and beverage site and current Vision Park land owners to come up with covenants for the property.

Adam said covenants can be a positive, since they place limits on what kind of business could locate in Vision Park or the food and beverage site. Currently, no such limits apply in Vision Park.

Adam said placing covenants in Vision Park is more difficult, since all but four parcels are already filled in the industrial park, but the legislation prepared only includes the four parcels where no business is currently located.

It’s also possible that the city could discuss adding covenants with owners of already existing businesses in Vision Park, as well as the food and beverage site owners.

Also Monday, Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming said the Shelly Company is milling pavement on Ohio 118 now and will then move its pavement mill to Washington Street, from Ervin Road to the railroad tracks being milled on Friday and Saturday.

Paving should then start the middle of next week, Fleming said.

The Woodland Avenue and Fox Road/Westwood Drive intersection projects will also begin soon, with the Washington Street paving project completed in August, while the Woodland and Fox Road projects should be completed by October.

Council also approved a then-and-now certificate for invoices from Clemons Nelson legal firm.

During her report, City Auditor Martha Balyeat noted that General Fund revenues were up $153,546 over last year, while income tax revenues were also up approximately 2.5 percent over last year, which would be in line with projections for a 3-percent income tax increase in 2017.

“I think we’re probably on target to hit that,” Balyeat noted.

The auditor said that the city has taken in $3.2 million so far this year, and has spent $2.9 million, and has $221,000 more in revenues than expenses.

City Council also considered placing a moratorium on the use of medical marijuana in the city. A number of other Ohio cities currently have, or are considering, moratoriums of various lengths on this issue.

Main Street Van Wert Project Manager Dan Baisden was also at the meeting to talk briefly about a grant that organization received for a downtown alleyway improvement project.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of Van Wert City Council will be at 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 24, Council Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 515 E. Main St.