By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com

The Bucyrus City Council passed four ordinances Tuesday night including one that reduces the cut-off age of firefighters hired into that department.

Following Ohio Revised Code 124.42 Bucyrus City Council passed with emergency Ordinance 30-2013 which will raise the upper age eligibility limit from 36 to 41.

When asked by Councilman Bruce Truka for his input, Fire Chief Jay Keller said, “I don’t see a problem with it at all, if a forty-one year old can pass the same agility test as a twenty-five year old.”

During Fire Chief Keller’s report to council he informed council that the 2012 Safer Grant which gave priority to fire departments which experienced layoffs will be running out in June of 2014.  The grant allowed for two firefighters to be brought back from layoff and two additional firefighters to be hired.

The Bucyrus crime rate is down compared to August of 2012. While the number of incidents decreased from 436 to 353, the number of service phone calls increased from 830 to 719.  In his written report, Chief Dave Keopke noted that the service calls were largely generated by the Neighborhood Watches, Guardian Angels, and the police tip line which hopefully may have caused the reduction in criminal offenses committed.

After being reviewed in the Economic Development Committee city council agreed to accept the Enterprise Zone and Reinvestment Area Tax Abatement Recommendations from the Tax Incentive Review Council (TIRC.) The four businesses that were recommended by the TIRC were Bucyrus Precision Tech Inc. #3, Bucyrus Precision Tech Inc. #4, Mennel Milling Company, and Weithman Bucyrus LLC.

Two items were also passed that were discussed last week in the Bucyrus Financial Committee meeting which includes appropriating $2,500 to the Materials and Supplies for an additional copy machine for the Neighborhood Watch Program.  $1,000 will also be transferred from Materials and Supplies to Contractual Services for services provided by the Humane Society.

Council President Sis Love was absent for the City Council meeting. Truka took her role as council president for the meeting.