City Council approves CRA legislation

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert City Council approved a Community Reinvestment Act agreement that would provide tax abatement to build a new senior residential development on Westwood Drive, while also adopting legislation that provides $20,000 to the Community Improvement Corporation to replace lighting in the Van Wert Innovation Center.

Council unanimously approved legislation authorizing Mayor Louis Ehmer to enter into a CRA agreement with the Haviland Company and RLH Partners, which are seeking to construct a multi-unit senior housing development on Westwood Drive.

Also Monday, City Council discussed possible zoning regulations for small, residential wind turbines that could be located in the city, since zoning regulations don’t currently prohibit the structures. Some Council members did not much favor having any wind turbines in the city limits, but others just wanted to ensure that there were good regulations in place to ensure the turbines did not cause problems to neighbors of those who might install them.

Council was nearly unanimous in not wanting large wind turbines in the city, but relatively small turbines — those 100 feet high or less — seemed acceptable to most Council members, if the proper regulations were in place.

City Auditor Martha Balyeat didn’t have much good news for Council, noting that revenues have been pretty much flat for the first seven months of the year. Balyeat said revenues were a bit more than $39,000 ahead of last year, but also noted that expenses outstripped revenues in the General Fund for the second month in a row — a trend she said did not bode well for the remainder of 2011. General Fund expenditures in July totaled $478,147.87, while revenues were $460,968.25, Balyeat noted, adding that the General Fund remained $256,000 in the black, but that might not last if the current spending trend continues.

“My projection right now is we will be flat with last year,” the auditor noted. “I don’t see anything that tells me we are going to be ahead.”

Health insurance was also on the agenda, with Council approving a new contribution level for city employees, as well as a supplemental appropriation.

Fourth Ward Councilman Stan Agler upset about the fact that City Council meetings are not being aired on the public access channel at the times indicated and said he was disappointed with the low priority Van Wert City Schools is placing on airing the meetings.

“I don’t know yet why it’s not done,” Agler noted, adding that Council pays $40 to record each meeting, which he feels is a waste of money if the meetings are not being aired. “It’s about time for

“Here’s the thing, to me TV Production also includes the concept that, if you’re going to say here’s the schedule it should be done, what kind of training is that for our youth?”

The councilman also said he would pay $25 out of his own pocket if Monday’s meeting is on at 11 Tuesday morning. “We have the right to ask this, we provided them with the equipment,” Agler added.

He also said he felt having the meetings aired was helpful to local residents, even if the proceedings weren’t always as professional as they should be.

“Is this a circus up here?” Agler said, adding his opinion that, “If it is, we ought to sell it; it’s good business.”

Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming gave an update on the Shannon Street project, noting that traffic flow wasn’t too bad Monday on the first day the intersection at Shannon and Ervin Road was closed. Fleming said he watched traffic for some time on Monday and saw few problems.

The safety-service director also requested that a meeting of the Streets & Alleys Committee be held to discuss the possibility of limiting parking to one side of the street on North Walnut, Burt and Congress streets. That meeting was scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, September 12.