Council seeks development job info

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

A meeting of Van Wert City Council that was otherwise unremarkable, except for the final passage of a number of updated building code measures, turned contentious when a question was raised about the economic development director’s position near the end of the meeting.

Councilman At-Large Jeff Agler questioned when officials from the Ohio State University Extension would be meeting with Council to discuss the economic development director’s position. Both he and fellow Councilman Stan Agler were unhappy with the fact that the OSU Extension has already posted the job description for the economic development director’s position before a meeting has been held with Council on the issue.

“They posted a job that I don’t what the responsibilities are,” Jeff Agler said. “They know the responsibilities … I don’t know them.”

Stan Agler said he was upset after learning that the economic development position had been posted without input from City Council.

“We weren’t interested at that point in making a new contract without further discussion,” Stan Agler said of the previous discussion on the issue. “We weren’t interested in having them hire and fire when we had nothing to say about it … this has all fallen in a crack and I don’t understand it.”

Fourth Ward Councilman Pete Weir also asked the mayor if the job description had been changed from what it was previously when Sarah Smith was hired for the position.

Mayor Don Farmer admitted that some changes have been made to the job description and that the job has been posted on the OSU Extension’s website, but he assured City Council that no one would be hired for the position until a discussion has been held with development representatives.

However, the mayor seemed to have a selective memory on the issue of changes, noting on the one hand that changes were made, but seeming not to know what those changes were, even though he sits on the committee that helped develop them.

“I have not viewed that job posting,” the mayor said. “I don’t have all your concerns.”

That statement didn’t mollify at least some City Council members.

Stan Agler noted that he feels that, while City Council has the responsibility to pass budget items related to the agreement with OSU Extension, he doesn’t feel it has been properly informed on what has been going on with that issue.

“We wanted to have input,” Stan Agler said. “That’s what we talked about up here and that’s what we talked about in the commissioners’ office.”

Meanwhile, Mayor Farmer suggested that, if something isn’t done on the issue by October 8, that City Council should request that someone from the Economic Advisory Group or OSU Extension attend the next meeting to answer questions and address job changes already made.

Also Monday, City Council approved on third and final reading ordinances that change portions of the city building code, as related to permits and fees, and also scheduled a committee meeting to look at increasing the speed limit on portions of three city streets. Weir, who chairs Council’s Streets and Alleys Committee, scheduled a meeting for 6:45 p.m. Monday, October 22, to discuss upping the speed limit from 25 mph to 35 mph on portions of South Walnut Street, Bonnewitz Avenue and Leeson Avenue near the airport.

Weir, who also gave the report for the Health Service Safety Committee in the absence of Chairman John Marshall, commended City Engineering Department Supervisor Bill Lawson and employee Vince Barnhart for their efforts concerning code enforcement issues. He also noted that, in the absence of a city code enforcement officer, city residents need to get more involved in code enforcement efforts by calling Lawson at 419.238.5775 when they see trash, junk or other problems in town.

A meeting of the Judiciary and Annexation Committee was also scheduled for 6:25 p.m. October 22 to approve an easement proposal for a local resident.

Council President Gary Corcoran also noted that a meeting with Van Wert Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Director Larry Lee on that agency has been rescheduled from November 5, which is an “off” night for Council, to November 12, a regular Council meeting night.

Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming also issued a reminder that the last brush pick-up date for this year would be held Monday, October 1, and noted that a Small Cities Grant in the amount of $1.7 million has been approved for the next phase of the West Main Street reconstruction project. That project will begin next year on a portion of the street running from Shannon Street to the Orchard Tree restaurant, while a second phase from the Orchard Tree to the city limits would be done later.

Fleming also noted that the city hopes to receive $47,000 in reimbursements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for costs incurred for debris cleanup related to the derecho storm back in June.

Finance Committee Chair Joi Mergy also noted that Council would resume its employee salary discussion during a meeting on the budget scheduled for Monday, October 8.

Council also approved legislation authorizing several supplemental appropriations and fund transfers.