BUCYRUS — Bucyrus resident Melanie Ellis came to the Bucyrus City Council meeting Tuesday evening to give her input on a proposed amendment to an ordinance that governs the residential requirements for the city service safety director.
At the council committee meetings Dec. 6, council member Kevin Myers said several people have suggested increasing the current three-mile radius beyond the city limits to five miles. He said a house purchased recently by the city’s current city service safety director Jeff Wagner in Sulphur Springs is only 4.7 miles from the city limits.
Ellis said that she contacted her ward’s council member but did not receive a response, so she opted to speak at the meeting.
“It is three miles that the person can live outside the city limits and it was proposed to be changed to five miles, then 20, and now back to five,” Ellis said. “Why now? If it has been three miles for 19 years, why change it?”
She said it is her opinion, and many others she has read on Facebook and of people she has spoken with, that the city’s service safety director should reside inside the city limits.
This legislation was held to a first reading and sent back to the finance committee for discussion at its meeting Thursday at 6 p.m. on Thursday. The meeting is open to the public.
Tuesday’s meeting was the last regular council meeting that council president Sis Love will preside over. She did not seek re-election and is looking forward to spending time with her children and grandchildren.
Mayor Jeff Reser thanked all council members who were attending their last council meeting. Those members included Dan Wirebaugh, Monica Sack and Andrew Schoch.
“Your service to the Bucyrus community continues a tradition that began nearly 200 years ago and now you have completed your service as a member of city council and are part of a great legacy,” Reser said. “Thank you, Mr. Wirebaugh, Mr. Schoch and Ms. Sack, your city is grateful. Ms. Love, your service to the Bucyrus community has been more than consequential. You have helped lead your hometown in many different roles and I know that you will continue to be involved in Bucyrus as we enter our third century.”
He said Love’s visionary leadership, combined with either a firm or gentle touch as the situation required, leaves a model for future council presidents.
Love’s position will be filled by council president-elect Kurt Fankhauser, while the vacant council seats will be filled by Lisa Alsept, Candy Yocum and James Mee. They will be sworn-in during a ceremony Dec. 30 at 6 p.m.
Also during the meeting, the 2020 city budget was approved by council along with several advances, appropriations and reductions.