By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
With the water treatment plant nearing completion on Beechgrove Road, Bucyrus Mayor Jeff Reser has a few ideas about the new facility.
During the Bucyrus City Council’s joint regular committee meetings, Reser spoke before the Public Lands and Buildings Committee about the possibility for signage and naming of the plant.
“I have been thinking about this for two years,” Reser said. “I think you should strongly consider naming it after the working force behind it and that is former mayor Roger Moore.”
Councilwoman Wanda Sharrock noted that she had overheard that the city had been working on getting the plant going for 20 years.
“The bigger issue, he was a driving force, but also did a lot for the city,” Reser said. “I don’t like naming things after politicians, but think of all of the organizations he worked with. He was a servant of the public, not only through his leadership of the city, and time on council, but the numerous civic duties that he did.”
Council President Sis Love suggested that an investigation be taken into how a few of the other city-owned areas were named.
Councilman Bill O’Rourke added that he didn’t think the water treatment plant warranted a name as it would be the city’s only one.
“You could use a name to tell the difference to people if we have four different ones,” O’Rourke said.
Mayor Reser added that he had reached out to 25 community members, with most of them responding back in approval.
Love noted that the plaque at the water treatment plant should have each mayor and council member listed for those who were part of the project. Councilman Dan Wirebaugh noted that with the project being in the works for as long as it has that a starting and finishing point would be needed for the signage. Councilman Mark Makeever echoed those thoughts by saying that the signage should include people from when the project first started and should include a list of the mayors.
The item was tabled for a further discussion.
The Public Lands and Buildings also discussed what to do with the Pines Reservoir and the Morton Subdivision pond.
According to Service-Safety Director Jeff Wagner, neither of the bodies of water are benefitting the city at this current time. Wagner suggested the possibility of selling the Pines Reservoir. Wirebaugh suggested selling the reservoir to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). Councilman Steve Pifer suggested donating the reservoir to either the ODNR or the Crawford Park District.
Wagner noted that he would check with both entities and report back to council.
A motion was made for an inquiry to see if someone would be interested in purchasing the city’s portion of the Morton Subdivision pond. Currently, the city owns two-thirds of the pond.
The Finance Committee approved to draft legislation for retroactive compensation for city employees not covered by collective bargaining contracts, but not without some discourse over one issue.
The legislation, which would be retroactively approved to January 1 in order for city workers to be paid, went fairly smoothly with the exception of compensation to Jerry Daiber. Daiber agreed to stay on for a few projects to help with the transitioning of his former post.
As City Law Director Rob Ratliff noted the changes made to the piece of legislation from the previous legislation passed, he noted that Daiber would be receiving his accumulated sick hours and vacation hours that had carried over in bi-weekly payments instead of a lump sum buyout spread over three years. Ratliff noted that after a retirement and buyout, the city worker could not accumulate those hours in the instance of that worker working after the buyout.
O’Rourke interjected at this point, questioning why the city still insured Daiber as he currently viewed him as an independent contractor.
Love noted that Daiber was without insurance. Wagner added that Daiber wanted to retire, but was willing to stay on with the city for a few projects.
After Ratliff finished with his report of the draft legislation to the committee, O’Rourke chimed in asking the cost to the city for Daiber, who would be working two hours per week and eight hours per month.
With the insurance costs being reported to $8,575 per year, O’Rourke didn’t agree with the costs to the city.
“Something should have been taken care of a long time ago,” O’Rourke said.
“You would still have to pay for it,” Love said.
O’Rourke noted that the city shouldn’t, but Love interjected again by saying that yes, the work should be compensated.
When O’Rourke noted that the compensation seemed too expensive, Reser noted the vast knowledge that Daiber has of the city.
“You have a guy who knows the city inside and out, above ground and underground,” Reser said. “To have someone with that knowledge is worth its weight in gold. You would never find a consultant at that cost.”
O’Rourke questioned how long the city had knowledge of Daiber’s retirement, to which Wagner said the city had six months prior knowledge, and that they had tried talking him out of retirement. Councilwoman Monica Sack added that the city is saving money by not hiring someone to fill Daiber’s shoes in a consulting role. Reser agreed.
“I am not even sure where to get a consultant, we are getting a bargain,” Reser said. “We wouldn’t be able to get someone at that price.”
O’Rourke countered by noting that people have retired and have been replaced before.
“How many times has it happened when someone retires, the company is like, ‘Where do we go, oh, what are we going to do’ and brings that retired person back,” O’Rourke questioned.
Both Sack and Love noted that it had happened at their place of employment, with Love noting that she stayed at her employer six months after retirement to help with the transition process.
Wagner added that with the 25 years of experience Daiber had, it couldn’t be just taken and laid down for someone to learn.
O’Rourke asked if people worked with Daiber, and couldn’t they have learned while working with him.
“In the next couple of years what we are doing will save money, but to have someone follow him around would take too long,” Wagner countered. “We can’t do a one for one in this situation.”
“Subcontracting is one thing,” O’Rourke argued, “but when people are getting insured from it I have a problem with that and I am not in favor of it.”
While city council pored over compensation and pay to city workers they did agree to increase the pay of the council positions. While discussing whether to keep the pay rate of $5,679 per year the same or to increase it, Wirebaugh gave his take on why they should increase the pay.
“Personally, I don’t care if council gets a raise or not, but you get what you pay for, and a pay increase might be incentive for others to run for council. We are not voting for a personal raise, but voting for a raise of the position that has to be won,” Wirebaugh said. “I am afraid if we keep the pay too low it may only attract a few people.”
Sack agreed and made a motion to increase the pay by $500 per year, but after the first pay increase keep the councilmember’s pay rate the same for the next two years.
The Financial Committee also agreed to increase the city treasurer pay to reflect other cities with similar populations. Currently, the city treasurer makes $8,392 per year in a part-time position. Finance approved a pay increase of $1,250 over a four-year period with a $500 raise the first year, and a $250 raise each subsequent year over the next three years.
The Financial Committee approved all items on the agenda to be sent for legislation including retroactive pay for city employees not covered by collective bargaining, manpower changes, and salaries for the council and treasurer.