By Andrew Walsh
awalsh@wbcowqel.com
The primary pieces of business at Tuesday’s Galion City Council meeting were the first reading of the 2016 budget and revisions to the fiscal emergency plan.
Ordinances such as those typically involve a great deal of discussion and debate, yet both passed their first readings almost breathlessly. There was some slight discussion of relatively minor details needing ironed out, but by and large they went through without a peep.
The fact that they were treated so routinely could be seen as a sign of good things to come for the City of Galion. The mayor seemed to think so.
“I continue to believe we are heading in the right direction,” Mayor Tom O’Leary said.
O’Leary made his statement while pointing out that the 2016 budget projects a $4.5 million balance in the general fund at the end of next year. It also projects, admittedly a very far way out, a $2.7 million balance in the general fund at the end of 2020.
Not that there were no questions raised, and these were only first readings. Shirley Clark asked about the level of funding that would be going to the Health Department, slated at $290,000. She stated that this is a significant increase over years past.
The mayor explained that this is a substantial increase for them, he called it a, “recent all-time high,” but that it was far less than the $530,000 they were asking from the general fund. This is largely due to some significant accreditation costs that will be forthcoming.
Susan Bean also asked about the significant spike, 26.8 percent, to the mayor’s budget. She specifically asked if this was related to the newly created public information officer. Belinda Miller clarified that that percentage increase was mostly due to the economic development budget line, and O’Leary added that there will be some additional payroll expenditures for custodial staff, but the PIO was not included in those figures.
O’Leary was confident that the three reading format will give everyone time to raise similar type questions.
In other legislation, the much discussed ordinance on yard length levels, containing the exception for gardens, passed its final reading. The restructuring of the income tax collection, also complete with its exemption on the need for landlords to disclose tenant information, passed its final reading as well.
Council passed an easement on Grove Avenue, what Law Director Thomas Palmer called, “an attempt to correct about a 115-year old-mistake.”
Apparently the City of Galion at that time acquired a strip of land between 218 and 220 Grove Avenue, with the intention of establishing an alley. The land was never improved and no alley ever established. Residents of these two properties have always worked out their own arrangements. The two current residents decided it was time to formalize the situation and sought out an attorney for the establishment of an easement. The piece of land is a strip 10 feet wide and this easement will grant five feet to either property.
This is the first in a two-step process. The second step will be to have it formally surveyed, to find out which easements the city needs to maintain, and then the parcel will be divvied up between the appropriate properties.
O’Leary said he has seen a rough site plan for the Ohio 598 and Brandt Road hotel. However, a minor wrinkle has been discovered. When the city annexed that property in, they agreed to a tax-sharing plan with Jefferson Township. This may affect logistics for running utilities so and the city is investigating further.
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