City Council OKs Enterprise Zone accord

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert City Council adopted permanent appropriations legislation and also approved an Enterprise Zone agreement with Elmco Engineering during its regular meeting Monday evening.

City Auditor Martha Balyeat first gave council members some last-minute adjustments to the budget before unanimously approving the legislation on third and final reading.

The budget includes a $21,000 appropriation for the Van Wert County Regional Airport Authority, which was approved following a presentation by Steve Bailey, president of the Airport Authority, and an airport consultant.

Elmco Engineering will receive what is effectively 90 percent tax abatement for 15 years for a $1 million expansion of its Vision Park facility that will add 15,000 square feet to the building. An estimated 10 new jobs would also be created by the expansion.

Council also approved a two-year contract with the Ohio Development Services agency needed to continue the city’s Revolving Loan Fund, retroactive to January 1, and also passed legislation allowing Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming to sign a contract to buy road salt under a cooperative purchase agreement with the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Two measures that would increase pre-tax employee contribution limits for both the fire and police department pensions were also prepared and introduced.

Mayor Don Farmer apparently won’t be going to Japan this year. The outgoing mayor withdrew his request for $3,500 to pay for expenses so he could visit Sumoto City, Japan, Van Wert’s sister city, after Council members questioned whether the city should pay for the junket.

It was noted by Finance Committee Chair Joi Mergy during a meeting held prior to the regular Council meeting that former mayor Eugene Bagley had paid his own expenses of his trip to Van Wert’s sister city more than a decade ago. Fourth Ward Councilman Steve Trittschuh said he felt Council could look at paying expenses if the trip was for business, but it appeared most of the mayor’s portion of the trip would be ceremonial in nature.

Mayor Farmer had planned to accompany City Economic Development Director Cindy Leis, who is being provided funding by the Community Improvement Corporation to make the trip, but noted he would not pay for his own expenses.

“I will not be able to do that myself,” the mayor said. “I am not going to pay for a trip to Japan.”

It was also noted that a state development official is also traveling to Japan on economic development business at the same time as Leis.

Fleming also noted changes to the city’s brush pick-up program, now approaching its 11th year of operation. Instead of monthly brush pick-up, the city would be collecting brush on three dates only this year: Monday, May 4; Monday, July 6; and Tuesday, September 1.

It was also noted that Monday’s City Council meeting was again being telecast live on Time Warner Cable Channel 6, the city’s public access channel.