City Council hears RLF plan, talks trash

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Monday evening’s meeting of Van Wert City Council was a busy one, with presentations supporting the consolidation of the city and county Revolving Loan Funds and Liberty Mobility, an Uber-style transportation service now being provided locally.

There were also a large number of city trash haulers on hand for a discussion of the city’s trash pick-up regulations.

Stacy Adam, executive director of the Van Wert Area Economic Development Corporation, attended the meeting to advocate for the consolidation of city and county RLF programs, noting that doing so would streamline the loan process and make it easier for prospective clients to apply for business loans through the program.

While a majority of City Council appeared to agree with Adam’s proposal, City Auditor Martha Balyeat was adamantly against the plan, noting her opinion that the city would permanently lose control of its RLF fund if the two plans were combined, which would open up more loans being approved outside the city, which she felt would not directly benefit Van Wert residents.

Others were of the opinion that, if outside businesses hire city residents, that is a benefit to the city in increased income tax revenues.

Also Monday, Kim Bruns, Northwest Ohio manager for Liberty Mobility, was introduced to City Council by United Way of Van Wert County Executive Director Vicki Smith. The United Way, Van Wert County Hospital, and the Van Wert County Health Department are collaborating with Liberty Mobility to provide reasonably-priced transportation for area residents.

The 24/7 service would fill a local need for transportation services in the community, while allowing utilization of existing public transit vehicles, including taxis.

Liberty Mobility provides Apple and Android apps for ride scheduling, as well as a call center for those without smartphones.

Approximately 80 percent of ride fares go to drivers, meaning the money stays in the community, while costs are reasonable at $1 per mile, with a $4 minimum, and a $1.25 booking fee.

Ellen Rager, hospital patient/community coordinator, said she feels the service would fill in a local transportation gap, allowing hospital patients better options on how to get to medical appointments, which she said was the area’s No. 1 transportation need.

The trash pick-up issue also was part of Monday’s meeting, as it has been for several previous meetings. A meeting of the Health-Service-Safety Committee was held prior to the regular City Council meeting to further discuss the issue. Several Council members seemed to favor a “back to the drawing board” approach to the trash issue.

Fourth Ward Councilman Steve Trittschuh was one of them.

“I like the idea of starting at the ground level and working up,” he told fellow Council members.

Committee Chair Bill Marshall said that the mandate given him by his colleagues was to “find a better way”, something he is working to accomplish. Marshall said he has done some research on how the issue is handled in other communities to get some ideas for a local ordinance.

Several of the trash haulers who attended the meeting were surprised that Council didn’t pass the original ordinance, with at least one noting that he felt nearly all the haulers were willing to abide by that measure.

Some Council members, though, didn’t feel that the original ordinance did enough to deal with city residents who don’t have a trash pick-up service, opting instead to “warehouse” trash bags in garages and backyards.

Britt Menchhofer, environmental health officer/sanitarian for the Van Wert County Health Department, said city residents who stockpile trash do constitute a health hazard to other city residents, noting that garbage draws rats and cockroaches, as well as promotes disease.

A special committee meeting will be held this coming Monday, starting at 5 p.m., to allow for more community input on the issue.

Council also approved a resolution opposing a state proposal for centralized business tax collections, while Mayor Jerry Mazur reminded city residents of upcoming town hall meetings on the proposed 0.28 percent income tax increase. The next town hall meeting will be at 7 p.m. this Wednesday, March 15, in Fricker’s party room, 735 Fox Road in Van Wert.

The next meeting of the Van Wert City Council will be at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 27, in Council Chambers, on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 515 E. Main St.