BUCYRUS—In his annual address to city council on Tuesday, Bucyrus Mayor Jeff Reser spoke with optimism and pride about the direction and future of the city of Bucyrus :
2021 was a dynamic year in the history of Bucyrus as we celebrated our Bicentennial. We began planning for the celebration in 2018. The efforts of the commission and involved citizens culminated in a year-long celebration unrivaled in Bucyrus history. The celebration began with the Templeton Whisky event at the Speakeasy, with a special appearance by the ghost of Al Capone, and ended in a fun-filled night at the Pickwick Place as well as at the Schines Art Park with the first-ever New Year’s Bratwurst Drop. The events in between, including the kickoff event in May and the Homecoming Weekend celebration in July, were wonderful events.
The success of the Bicentennial could not have been possible without support from our many sponsors and many individual volunteers. Our Bicentennial Commission met for hundreds of hours to make the celebration special and they surpassed their goals. Kelli Patterson was the Chair of the commission and her positive leadership skills and unrivaled energy was felt by all that she led. Elaine Naples, Randy Fischer, Rhonda Rowland, Debbie Gifford, Fred Fischer, Emma Crawford, Cherokee Morrison, Mary Ellen Lust, and Linda Blicke also served on the commission and shared hours and hours of their time and talent for the celebration. Additionally, we are grateful to our honorary Chairs, Denny and Sue Ann Norton for their inspiration and encouragement during the planning stages and during the Bicentennial year. They were present at every event and meeting, beginning with the 2019 kickoff and ending with the Gala (virtually). The Norton legacy is alive and well in Bucyrus thanks to Denny and Sue Ann and family. Wasn’t it great to see all the Norton family in the Founder’s Day parade? We are indebted to the Nortons and all who spend many hours on making our birthday celebration a smashing success.
The theme of the Bicentennial was Community Unity. A modern challenge faced by city leaders is how to involve citizens and local activities and to take ownership of their town especially in times of many distractions, not the least of which is social media. I have said numerous times that all of us are “immigrants” to Bucyrus except for the few Norton descendants who live nearby. Our burden is to make our town an attractive, safe, and friendly place to raise a family and to engage our citizens to become Bucyrians by getting involved. Never lose sight of that obligation. The city cannot do it alone. We need good churches, civic organizations, and employers all working to make the quality of life in Bucyrus the best it can be. We hope that the benefits of a successful year-long Bicentennial celebration will resonate for generations to come.
The Legacy projects continue with the main project being the Norton Bicentennial Park. Wasn’t it great to see the #1 community eyesore removed last fall? Fundraising and grant applications are ongoing for the rest of the Park. Norton Bicentennial Park will be another gem for Bucyrus when completed and will be evidence to our residents and to those who drive through Bucyrus that we are serious about improving our community.
Downtown Renewal.
I have been a strong proponent of a vibrant downtown and I want to draw attention to the need for a renewal for the downtown business district. We have an attractive downtown and have been blessed with a fine group of historic buildings which continue to be, for the most part occupied. The pandemic has taken a toll on small businesses nationwide but we seem to have weathered the storm up to this point. Many towns our size have not been as fortunate. Let’s not rest on our fortune but look at how we can improve our business district and be able to attract more businesses and shoppers.
I would like to form a committee of business owners and citizens to study the plan from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to bring green spaces to our business district. Looking ahead, we will need to address the islands on Washington Square which are becoming overgrown and will need replacement in the near future. I will form a committee to give recommendations on this project as well.
Tree Plantings
Efforts to re-establish our tree canopy continued thanks to the generosity of the Cathcart family, Bucyrus City Council and the Bucyrus Tree Board. The Cathcart family, owners of Bucyrus Railcar Repair, established the Free Tree Program as part of the Bicentennial Legacy Projects. The program provides a free tree to residents of Bucyrus and was very successful. For those who signed up, treelawn plantings will continue over the next two years. The Norton Grove was created at the entrance to Aumiller Park in honor of our founders and was completed in the fall. Many trees were pruned and diseased or dead trees were removed as needed. The Tree Board has been very active and spent hundreds of hours watering new plantings in 2021. Thank you to Valerie Spreng, Mary Lee Minor, John Rostash, Brad Van Voorhis, and President Jeff Panovich. Trees provide a wide range of environmental benefits as well as proven psychological benefits. Thank you to the City Council for funding this worthwhile program.
EPA Stormwater Issues
Laura McGinnis from Arcadis met with the City Council in February regarding the status of the Consent Order. We are completing the first phase of the Federal EPA Agreement and continue to negotiate on projects for the second phase of the stormwater separation plan. Approximately 50% of the city has been separated at this time. We received a grant in 2021 from the State for $209,000 for engineering for the Northwest Trunk line modifications.
Water Expansion
Our Administration has been working on a goal of expanding water supply outside the city limits. We have good news to report: Stetzer Road expansion began in the fall and will be completed soon. We continue to work with representatives from Nevada to provide water and the project is progressing. Sulphur Springs and Oceola lines are also on our list. We thank the County Commissioners for having the vision to invest in safe drinking water in Crawford County. These projects are made possible with ARPA funds from the Federal Government sent to the county for investments primarily in infrastructure. We also are grateful for the forward thinking vision of the City Council in approving these projects.
Law Director’s Position
We said goodbye to long-time Law Director Robert Ratliff who took a job in Louisiana as a Federal Immigration Judge. Mr. Ratliff did some very important work for the City while in office. His work with the Community Improvement Corporation (CIC), especially in the removal of the run-down trailer park on East Mansfield street, resulting in the opening of Burger King was outstanding. We wish Rob the best of luck and thank him for his service. I appointed attorney Brian Gernert to his position and Brian is bringing energy, enthusiasm, and diligence to the position and we pledge our support. Thanks for taking the job, Brian!
ARPA Funding
Initial funding for American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) was received in May with the second distribution scheduled to be received in May of 2022. Approximately, $1.2 Million was awarded to Bucyrus. We were originally awarded about $2.4 Million but the award was reduced by the State in order to distribute funding to Townships. I expressed my deep displeasure with our State representatives about the reduction. The State promised to create funding for projects to help offset the reduction and this is why we received the grant for the Northwest trunk line.
We used the first distribution for the purchase of safety force vehicles. We are working on plans to use some of the second disbursement for quality of life improvements which have been tough to plan for since income tax revenue has been flat for many years. The improvements include a Splash Park for Aumiller Park as well as walking/biking trails for Aumiller and Unger Park. Kiwanis is working on funding for the Splash Park so we could have additional funds returned to us for spending on projects and this needs to be completed by the end of 2026.
Housing Issues
Bucyrus struggles with a lack of apartments and housing to fill our needs. If we are to begin growing again we must address this issue. Our apartment occupancy rate is near 100% and our supply of available homes to purchase is low. Let’s look at options on attracting builders to address this critical issue. The Federal Government will be distributing infrastructure funds in the future as part of the COVID relief plan and I am suggesting that we use every available grant and funding to partner with developers and builders to provide infrastructure in the form of streets, water, and sewer lines to improve our inventory of buildable lots. I would like to refer the discussion of possible areas to develop within the city limits to the proper committees.
Income Tax Revenue
2021 Income tax revenue increased by about 14% and this was the best year since 2016. Revenue has been flat for many years and this was very encouraging, especially as we weather the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. 2022 will be a critical year to see if the increase is sustainable. There has been upward pressure on wages due to a worker shortage and we expect the increase in wages to be maintained.
Economic Conditions
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have had profound effects on our local as well as the national economy. Supply chain issues have hampered store shelves and manufacturers and we have not been spared locally. Our small business climate has had many challenges but most of our businesses have stayed open. We have had new businesses opening, large and small including national grocer, ALDI and we thank them for their investment in Bucyrus.
Government programs including Payroll Protection Plans were critical in helping ease the burdens of staying in business during COVD and its variants including Delta and Omicron. Most, if not all of our area businesses are looking for workers. The Pandemic has changed many things about society and the supply of workers has been the most difficult to manage.
COVID-19
I have talked about the effects of COVID-19 on Bucyrus which is now almost two years since the initial cases. COVID fatigue has definitely set in and we are glad that the Omicrom variant is waning in effect. The vaccine and boosters have been effective in preventing death from COVID and for that we are grateful. Bucyrus and Crawford County remain one of the lower population rates for vaccines. It is an understatement to say we are forever grateful to the Crawford County Health Department, Avita Health, and Ohio Health systems as well as Wise Funeral Service and Munz-Pirnstill Funeral Service for courageous work in this challenging time. Let’s not forget our Safety Forces for their fine service. Mental Health issues have dramatically increased and we can’t forget the dedicated staff at the Community Counseling Center and all the area mental health facilities. Let’s hope and pray that the effects of COVID-19 are waning. We extend our sympathy to all who lost loved ones and for those still dealing with the effects of COVID.
EMS
2021 was a pivotal year for the Bucyrus Fire Department. Emergency Medical Service (EMS) was taken on by our department in November. The Fire Department has worked diligently at providing exceptional service to the community. The City contracted with several townships to provide EMS service and, at the time of this address, the department has been receiving positive reviews. Having EMS service in the Fire Department gives the citizens more consistent and professional service. Chief Schwemley is doing a good job of managing the transition.
Park System
Our park systems have seen unprecedented use during the Pandemic. The condition of the park system is critical to attracting residents of all ages. Just a few days ago I toured the parks and noticed how many citizens were enjoying activities. Of course, Aumiller is our main park and it will be receiving more amenities as mentioned earlier but it is important that we plan for the future by properly funding the entire park system. I made a presentation to the City Council in 2021 about the possibility of placing a small tax levy on the ballot and it was well received. I decided not to pursue the idea of a levy at this time and I will go into the reason later in this address. I hope that the City Council and all citizens are as committed to funding the parks as is our Administration. They are crucial to the success of the city in so many ways, including our mental and physical health and in attracting new residents who desire good quality parks and trails. A Parks Director would be an excellent addition to the city’s staff.
Income Tax Credit
As I mentioned earlier, income tax revenue increased in 2021. However, I am concerned about our ability to maintain the level due to several factors such as our aging population and lack of housing. These are roadblocks to growth. We do have many building blocks in place, including plentiful jobs, emphasis on quality of life issues, and preparing our students to be successful in the many jobs that the Bucyrus area offers. I thank the Crawford County Partnership for their innovative work in this area. We also are developing plans to attract spinoffs from the recently announced Intel plant opening in 2025. Safety Forces use the majority of income tax revenue (about 70%) and there are upward pressures on wages in both departments. The cost of vehicles has risen dramatically and now we must be concerned about maintaining our ambulances as we deliver EMS services.
Looking forward, I am concerned about the ability to maintain current levels of service based on our tax revenue. Many municipalities throughout the State with similar household income levels are at 2.5% tax rates. That is an issue for a future discussion that will need to be addressed but I have a short term solution to present this evening.
I would like to present an idea to you regarding increasing our tax revenues. Last year, I proposed to present to voters a small tax levy, possibly .0125%, which would fund the Park system, allowing us for the first time to have solid funding. We had to borrow $300,000 to repair the pool recently. A new pool costs over $3,000,000 according to recent estimates. Playground equipment can cost over $500,000—money that we don’t have available. I believe that we could raise an additional $200,000 to 300,000 by changing the amount of credit that we give for those who reside in Bucyrus but work in other towns. Currently we give 100% credit (up to 2%) to those citizens. So in effect, we have citizens living in Bucyrus tax free, utilizing our streets, receiving safety forces services, benefitting from our beautiful parks, without any “skin in the game.” In researching cities within a 50 mile radius I only found one city which did the same—Tiffin. All other municipalities ranged from zero credit to two-thirds credit on taxable income. Sandusky, Upper Sandusky, Fostoria and Kenton do not give any credit. Galion, Marion, Bellefontaine and Mansfield allow 50% credit. I am asking the City Council to strongly consider reducing the amount of credit earned by residents working outside Bucyrus which will bring in needed revenue and will allow us to properly fund our Park system. I would like to refer this discussion to the Finance Committee.
Closing
2021 was a special year for the City of Bucyrus for many reasons. Our Bicentennial celebration was a model for how a community should plan and then celebrate its heritage. Challenges continued along many fronts due to dealing with the Pandemic but, as our citizens have done for 200 years, they rose to the occasion. Bucyrians are tough but caring, hard-working folks who are ready to support those in need. The Pandemic has been a time for great suffering but has also been a time for personal growth and this will benefit our community in the future—good things do come out of challenging times. It’s ironic that one of our most challenging times comes as we have celebrated our 200th birthday and are entering into our third century. Our citizens are full of hope and optimism and I would also like to add that we are a grateful people, too. We are grateful to those who came before us; sacrificing to make Bucyrus a successful and vibrant Ohio community. No doubt that the Norton family, in 1819, thought about making their new home a wonderful place to live and raise a family, too. We, as leaders of Bucyrus, must focus on our responsibility in preserving, refining, and enhancing the Norton legacy so as to be faithful to our 200 year heritage. May God bless Bucyrus and all who work, live, and play here now and in the future as we begin our third century of quintessential small-town living.