BUCYRUS — An ordinance that would increase the radius in which a Bucyrus service-safety director may live within 6 months of being hired raised concerns from community members.
The ordinance, which would increase the eligible distance from three miles outside of the city limits to 20 miles outside of the limits, was kept to a second reading after citizens shared their concerns.
The first to address the council was former Crawford County Commissioner and mayoral candidate Jenny Vermillion, who sent council members a letter earlier on this week that she read into the record.
“It is my very strong belief that if we expand the radius of residency, that we are negating the efforts of the organizations here in town that try to draw people back into our community,” Vermillion said. “The purpose of residency restriction is to not only ensure that the individual is vested in our community, but to also garner their tax dollars. If we expand even to 20 miles as suggested, this individual would have the property and sales tax go to another community. There are qualified individuals who live within our city limits, as shown by the last election, and even individuals who are willing to return home for the position of safety service director.”
“The position of safety-service director is an unelected position, but in the past decades it has become the most powerful position in our town,” Vermillion continued. “This position is responsible for the day-to-day running of our city, oversees personnel issues, secures grants for our town, and works on city budget etc. It should be held by someone who is completely vested in our community—who buys a house in our community, eats in our restaurants, shops in our stores, and lives in our community. With a 20-mile radius, you reach into other communities and counties—Huron County, Morrow County, Richland County, Marion County, and Wyandot County.”
The next to address council on the issue was Lisa Alsept, who recently was elected to represent the Bucyrus fourth ward.
“I am against having an extended radius for the safety service director because I feel he or she should have a vested interest in our community,” Alsept said. “I have always felt like you take better care of your home if you own it rather than you rent it. The Safety-Service Director’s tax dollars (property taxes) should be given to our community.”
Sentiments were echoed by citizens, council president-elect Kurt Fankhauser and former Bucyrus City Council candidate Jim Mee.
“I don’t think anyone is questioning the current safety service director’s ability to his job—I think he’s doing a fine job—and I think he’s also a testament to show that even though he came from a different prior job, having been in retail, that somebody can learn this job from our community,” Fankhauser said. “With 12,000 people living in this community, I think that to extend the radius, it’s sending the wrong message—it’s almost sending a slap in the face to those 12,000 people saying that there’s nobody smart enough among them to do that job. I would ask that everyone on council not approve the radius expansion, and/or hold the vote to 3 readings. We have new people coming on council and we may, if this passes, we may have new council decide to put this right back into committee and change it back to 3 miles.”
Council member Dan Wirebaugh agreed with the concerns expressed by citizens, and said he was offended that it seemed like Reser didn’t think there was anyone in the community who is qualified enough to be able to take over this position one day.
“The mayor has said this is needed because we may not be able to find suitable candidates for this position within our city, and that may offend some people. It may be true, which I doubt, but there are absolutely no facts to that statement,” Wirebaugh said. “The Safety-Service Director knew when he took this job what the residency requirements were, should we change the law for him? This wasn’t an issue until bought property in Sulphur Springs. If you work here and are paid by Bucyrus taxpayer’s money, then I think you should live here.”
Reser responded with the argument of needing to live in city limits as being a moot point because, with the three-mile radius, those in the position already are allowed to live outside the city. His suggestion of the 20-mile radius matches the distance in which the fire and police chief must live from the city.
Also during the meeting, council suspended the rules on Resolution 241-2019 and adopted the legislation. The resolution allows and directs the mayor, on behalf of the city of Bucyrus, to enter into an agreement with AEP Ohio to accept a $94,000 grant for the construction of an electric vehicle charging station. The station will be located in Bucyrus Parking Lot No. 6.
Starting this weekend, the intersection of Whetstone Street and Southern Avenue will be closed for two weeks, barring no unforeseen circumstances, starting this weekend.
The Bucyrus Winter Wonderfest is this weekend, with the Santa Parade this Friday at 5:30 p.m., and Candlelight Christmas on Saturday from 5-9 p.m. The parade will run from City Hall to Mary Street. There will be a skating rink at Washington Square on both nights from 5-8pm, presented by FCBank.