City Council OKs financial legislation

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert City Council introduced legislation to increase water and sewer rates, adopted a number of financial measures and also held a lengthy discussion on the propriety of raising the speed limit on a portion of South Walnut Street during meetings held Monday night in Council Chambers.

Council approved preparation of legislation that would increase water and sewer rates 3 percent over current rates and also up bulk water rates $2 per 1,000 gallons, from $6 to $8.

The increases are needed to cover rising costs, city officials have noted in the past.

Council also approved a temporary budget and various salary, supplemental appropriation and fund transfer legislation on Monday.

In connection with the utility cost issue, Councilman At-Large Jeff Agler also again brought up what he feels is an unfair situation, in that those who water their lawns and fill swimming pools are charged sewer rates, as well as water rates, even though the water does not go through the city’s wastewater treatment system.

City Law Director John Hatcher said that, while the situation is a bit unfair, there is no good way to monitor water usage for those types of usages. Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming noted that city residents with swimming pools can always buy water in bulk from the Water Treatment Plant or hire someone to truck in water for them, although he admitted that the cost of doing so is probably just as expensive as paying the sewer fees.

Fleming likened reworking the current situation to “opening Pandora’s Box,” while Water and Sewer Committee Chair Brent Crone added: “I have not had this problem brought forward ever.”

Also during the meeting, Council introduced legislation that would increase the speed limit from 25 mph to 35 mph on portions of Bonnewitz and Leeson avenues and South Walnut Street, although there appears to be increasing opposition to raising the limits on Walnut Street.

Council members Stan Agler and Joi Mergy have both spoken against the speed limit increase on South Walnut, from Ervin Road to the current 35 mph portion that runs to Hospital Drive, with Mergy noting than an increase in speed limits on Walnut could create safety problems for those who bike, walk and jog along the street, which has no sidewalks on its west side.

Local resident Dave Myers, a former teacher and guidance counselor for the Van Wert City Schools, also came to Council to speak against raising the speed limit on Walnut.

City residents are urged to provide input on the issue by calling or emailing their Council representatives, but an advisory vote on the issue indicates that the Walnut Street ordinance would not have the votes for passage.

During his report, Mayor Don Farmer noted that the city is ready to move forward on bidding for the railroad spur and bridge portion of the Jobs Ready Site project north of the city. Council approved legislation that would authorize the city to seek and award bids for that part of the megasite project.

Fleming noted that the water tower on Glenn Street is now filled with water and operational again, and reported that the Wall Street improvement project is also nearly complete.

City Council also discussed problems with “nuisance” properties in the city, while the mayor reported that action would be forthcoming on the Home Guard Building, a longtime nuisance in downtown Van Wert.

Mayor Farmer also reported on a meeting he attended on House Bill 601, state legislation aimed at increasing conformity in municipal tax collection.

The mayor also noted, though, that the measure doesn’t have much support, adding that even other state legislators have said sponsors of the bill “didn’t do their homework.”

State legislators don’t expect the bill to even come out of committee, while the mayor said it appears that sections of the measure would violate “home rule” sections of the Ohio Constitution.