Council OKs building permit amendment

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert City Council narrowly adopted a controversial amendment to its building permit regulations during its first meeting in August on Monday, and also learned more about why Council meetings can no longer be live-streamed.

Council members voted 3-2 on third and final reading to adopt an amended building permit ordinance that would require permits for any project costing $300 or more. The previous limit was $1,000. Councilmen voting for the measure included Bill Marshall, Ken Markward, and Steve Trittschuh, while Joi Mergy and Warren Straley opposed the measure. Councilman Joel Penton abstained and Jeff Agler could not attend the meeting.

Local resident and retired contractor Tom Wise attended the meeting and sought to have the ordinance defeated, noting that nearly all projects, even minor ones, will likely require a building permit under the new ordinance.

“Three hundred dollars is ridiculous,” Wise said, noting that even painting a couple of rooms would likely cost $500, while it’s hard to purchase a new storm door for less than $300. Wise also threatened to place a referendum on the ballot to strike down the measure.

Wise’s wife, Juanita, noted that her hometown of Celina doesn’t even require a building permit unless an actual building is being constructed.

Also at Monday’s meeting was John Butler, former technology coordinator for Van Wert City Schools, who talked about the failure of a server at the school that prevents life-streaming of City Council meetings online. While Spectrum still streams the meetings on its public access channel, the server failure has prevented live-streaming on the city’s website.

Butler offered to provide online streaming for $260 a year ($5 a week), but noted he would likely be unable to provide live-streaming until around Christmas. He estimated that live-streaming would also cost an additional $10 a meeting. Until live-streaming is available, Council meetings would begin streaming the day after the actual meeting on the city’s website.

During his report, Mayor Jerry Mazur talked about the success of the visit of a Sister City delegation from Sumoto, Japan, and requested reimbursement from Council for $535 he spent personally to purchase Van Wert t-shirts and hats for the young Japanese students who recently visited the city.

City Auditor Martha Balyeat noted that the city spent $272,000 less than it took in, but also said she is still not seeing a big increase in revenue. One area that is increasing somewhat is the Hotel-Motel Tax, which funds local economic development efforts, as well as the airport and Van Wert Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Council later approved transferring Hotel-Motel Tax revenues from the General Fund to the Economic Development Fund.

Marshall talked about recent city code violations, noting that several were for placing used furniture at the curb. Council President Jon Tomlinson also addressed the practice, noting: “just because you put a ‘free’ sign on it doesn’t make it all right.”

In other legislative action, City Council approved an ordinance that changes the Regional Airport Community Reinvestment Area to the South Side Community Reinvestment Area. The CRA now also includes The Landing at Dickinson Farms proposed subdivision.

Council also adopted a resolution authorizing Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming to submit an application and executive contracts allowing the city to participate in the Ohio Public Works Commission’s State Capital Improvement and/or Local Transportation Improvement programs.

Nate Green, director-economic development for The Montrose Group LLC, also spent some time talking about the difference between Community Reinvestment Area and Tax Increment Financing programs, noting that a business can only take advantage of one of those programs for a specific project.

The next meeting of Van Wert City Council will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, August 27, in Council Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 515 E. Main St.