By Andrew Walsh
awalsh@wbcowqel.com
Galion City Council tabled legislation Tuesday that would detach property annexed more than a decade ago and in the process found another controversy.
An ordinance to detach 177 acres from the City of Galion, near the Ohio 61 and US Highway 30 interchange, was up for its second reading Tuesday night. The annexation was done in 2003, with residents of the area requesting to be brought in to receive the city services of water and sewer.
Residents have been patient in the intervening years, in the beginning acknowledging the extenuating circumstances brought on by the fiscal emergency. They have paid taxes in the meantime as well, but have decided that they would like to detach in order to pursue their own water.
During discussion at the first reading of the ordinance on Nov. 25 Mayor Tom O’Leary revealed that he felt $318,000 to provide water for six houses was not a good return.
After the ordinance was placed on the table, Councilman Steve Rowan opened discussion by reading a statement. Rowan was against this detachment at the previous meeting, and his statement elaborated why.
Rowan started with the idea that he would be against any sort of detachment on the principle that it shrinks the city. This detachment in particular, as it sits along the 61 and 30 interchange, vastly improves the importance of its retention.
Rowan continued by raising the notion that funds had been obtained in 2012 through the Ohio Public Works Commission to cover this project with a 30-year, 0-percent loan. Gene Toy was the city manager at the time, and had received $318,265. In the intervening change in government from charter to statutory, these funds were never fully realized and the grant lapsed. How this grant came to lapse sparked even further discussion.
There were some insinuations from Rowan that the mayor may have purposely let the grant lapse. These sentiments were echoed by some members of the audience, Don Faulds, Roberta Wade, and Gail Baldinger in particular. All of them were members of the city government in one form or another around the time of the charter switch, and they all questioned how such a deal could be allowed to lapse.
“I had no idea we were turning down this loan,” Wade said.
At this point the conversation turned to the timeline of events. The legislation to allow Toy to apply for the loan passed on Nov. 13, 2012, which was after the City Charter had been repealed. In the aftermath of allowing Toy to apply for the grant, changes to the appropriations and fiscal recovery documents were never made. These would have needed to take place should the city be awarded and wish to realize those funds.
As the discussion worked through the timeline of events, O’Leary took the opportunity to defend himself. He stated that this subject was brought up in 2013 with the funds still on the table.
However, there “wasn’t a lot of interest from council,” according to O’Leary in pursuing this endeavor. It would have required supplemental appropriations and adjustment to the financial recovery plan, and based on the reaction of City Council members when he brought it up O’Leary decided not to pursue it.
Eventually the motion to table did pass 5-2. Rowan promised to return it to his committee for discussion. He would like to put together a plan that would provide water to these residents and keep them in the city limits.
In other legislation, the sewer rate decrease was ratified. This will save the average Galion household $8.75 per month in their sewer rates. Also, the Freese Fund Advisory Board was given the final thumbs up. This group, beginning in 2015, will meet quarterly to recommend projects to City Council to receive Freese Foundation Funds. It will consist of the mayor, council president, safety/service director, and appointees from the mayor and council president.
There has been much talk of City Council’s decision to require attendance of city officials at council meetings. Law Director Thomas Palmer recently brought to light the fact that Treasurer Paula Durbin has not been attending, and asked whether it was City Council’s will that this rule remain on the books. So far no change has been affected.
During the roll call of non-elected officials, Durbin answered her name with a call of, “Here but with an objection of this practice of discrimination and intimidation.”
Wade went on to further criticize this policy, calling it “way too much time spent” on a minor issue when there are so many other things to discuss. The former city law director and council member added, “It’s gotten way out of control.”
“You are wasting tax payer money doing this whole roll call nonsense,” Wade said.
Wade cited Rule 26 of Council, which addresses how and when members can be absent or excused. Carl Watt pointed out that Wade failed to mention Rule 32, which spells out the rules for attendance.