VW Council approves permanent budget

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert City Council approved the city’s permanent appropriations measure during its regular meeting on Monday, while also learning that the city is looking at the possibility of easing up on its hiring freeze, especially in the police and fire departments.

Council unanimously approved the 2018 permanent budget bill, which runs retroactively from January 1 through December 31 of this year.

During his report, Mayor Jerry Mazur noted that the cost-savings measures implemented last year have built up carryover funds from 2017 to the point that the city can look at possibly hiring to replace some fire and police positions. The mayor noted that the fire department is down one firefighter at this time, while the police department could be looking at five vacancies by the end of next year because of retirements and other attrition.

Mayor Mazur said he would be talking to both Police Chief Joel Hammond and Fire Chief Jon Jones to ascertain just exactly what workforce needs they have before bringing a more concrete hiring plan to City Council. The mayor said some of the needed expense for the hiring could come from using a third of the 0.22-percent Safety Capital Tax revenues.

Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming noted during his report that he would be coming to Council for legislations that would support efforts to obtain a grant to complete the current bike/hiking trail that runs adjacent to the YMCA’s Camp Clay facility to the Rotary Soccer Complex on John Brown Road. Plans are to take the trail through Smiley Park to South Shannon Street. Fleming said the grant, if obtained, would pay for 95 percent of the project.

Council also approved appointing Fleming to the District 13 Public Works Integrated Committee.

Also legislatively, City Council introduced an ordinance to allow the city to move forward on a $1.87-million project to eliminate flooding in the area around Vision Industrial Park and also introduced an annexation agreement related to the Dickinson Farm Subdivision behind Chief Supermarket on Van Wert-Decatur Road.

Final action on the annexation agreement cannot take place until the measure has been available for review by the general public for 60 days.

Mayor Mazur also received a commendation from Julie Kirk, a representative of Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted’s office, honoring Van Wert for being selected as the 64th best micropolitan area in the United States in 2018 by Site Selection Magazine. Kirk noted that 18 Ohio cities made the Site Selection Magazine list — the most of any state.

The mayor recognized Van Wert Area Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Stacy Adam and her office for playing an integral part in the city’s being selected for the honor.

“…If it were not for our economic development director, Stacy Adam, I don’t think we would be standing up here tonight with this honor,” the mayor said. “It’s indeed a pleasure … an honor for us to receive this.”

Council also heard from two city residents concerning the city’s animal ordinance. The first person was upset over recent changes to the ordinance that prohibits people from feeding cats that are not on a person’s property 24/7. Council President Jon Tomlinson explained that the ordinance change is an attempt to cut down on the number of stray cats in the city — something that has become an increasing problem the past few years.

The other resident complained about there being too many stray cats and dogs around her residence. She was advised to contact the dog warden or the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office about the problem.

The next meeting of Van Wert City Council will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 9, in Council Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 515 E. Main St.