By Kerry Rahm
krahm@wbcowqel.com
Ordinance 2016-22 was the center of some sharp exchanges between council member Susan Bean and Mayor Thomas O’Leary, and was the leading topic of discussion for much of the room at Galion City Council Tuesday evening.
On its third reading the ordinance was amended to remove the deputy auditor position, but Bean took issue with the addition of benefits for the newly appointed public information officer. Bean argued that the position was originally intended to be part-time only, and should not be allowed benefits as such. Bean urged her fellow council members “to vote against” the addition of benefits as stated in the ordinance. Bean countered that benefits were not discussed and that the addition was “under your nose, push it through.”
O’Leary argued that the pay and hours of the position were discussed at past meetings and stated that at 35 hours, city employees are entitled to insurance. “The suggestion that that’s somehow ‘shifting it under’ or ‘sneaking it by’ is really unfair,” and “That (the position’s terms) was clearly discussed at the meetings.”
“The city personnel policy sets the range for benefits. That hasn’t changed,” said O’Leary.
However, after much discussion from all sides of the room, the council ultimately decided to approve the ordinance by a 6 to 1 vote.
Ordinance 2016-31, concerning “the allowance of consumption of alcohol in public places in a controlled manner,” was removed from Tuesday’s agenda. City Council President Carl Watt cited that it had gone through committee but there had been changes to the proposal that needed clarification. The ordinance will be on the next meeting’s agenda.
New 1st Ward Council Member Bill Comerford was sworn in by Watt. Comerford’s family was in attendance for his first council meeting. “I just want to thank everybody for this opportunity, and I look forward to doing the best job I possibly can,” he said.
Public participants Jim Gerstenschlager and Roberta Wade separately addressed the council. Gerstenschlager spoke in favor of ordinance 2016-31 and intoned that if alcohol is handled correctly it can “bring a lot of assets to the city.”
Wade spoke about a “drainage problem” at East Park and produced pictures of a ball field that was flooded as the result of improper draining. Wade felt it was “common sense” to have future measures put in place to keep it from happening. She also spoke of her opposition to allowing alcohol in the park, and procedural issues within the council meetings.
Wade cited an editorial about “adding last minute items to the agenda,” and that “Council regularly changes that agenda after Friday,” which she feels should not be allowed, saying “This is the public’s business. They have a right to know what is going on.”
Terry Gribble spoke about having to raise the prices of pool passes and rates for the 2016 summer season due to the minimum wage increase of last year. The price increase this year is to compensate for the fact that rates did not increase in 2015. Gribble predicts that the pool will be open for 10 weeks this year, from June 6 to August 13, possibly adding an 11th week if staffing allows.