VW Muni Court salary measure approved

DAVE MOSIER/for the independent

Van Wert City Council unanimously approved a salary ordinance for Van Wert Municipal Court and also prepared salary ordinances for the Safety and Service departments, respectively, during its final meeting of November.

Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming said the prepared salary ordinances will include a 3 percent pay increase for non-bargaining unit employees if approved. 

Council also approved then-and-now certificates that would provide payments, respectively, of $12,864.30 to the Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association for legal services provided in connection with the failed city charter government ballot issue and $3,413.12 to the Van Wert County Auditor’s Office as the county’s share of a chipper machine recently sold via online auction.

City Auditor Martha Balyeat also requested preparation of an end-of-year supplemental appropriations ordinance, while also noting more supplemental appropriations will likely be forthcoming in December.

Prior to the regular meeting, Council members met as a “committee of the whole” to discuss the city’s temporary budget that would run the first three months of 2022. The proposed budget includes an increase of a big more than $200,000 for the General Fund — the fund which relies on city income tax revenues to operate — with most of the increases related to increasing costs for items such as salaries and benefits and gasoline.

While the proposed $7.66 million General Fund budget is a substantial increase, city department heads historically spend significantly less than their budgets call for. While this year’s budget included  a total of $7,454,232.10 in appropriations, actual General Fund spending is at $5,784,425.98 as of November 19 – approximately $1.6 million under budget with a little over a month remaining in 2021.

The temporary budget was read for the second time at Monday’s meeting.

Also during his report, Fleming noted that leaf pick-up will continue this week and for the next couple of weeks. In addition, the safety-service director said he would place some reflectors in the area of the new boulevard areas on South Market Street as a response to several accidents involving vehicles getting stuck in the boulevards after not realizing they were there. Fleming added that future placement of trees in the boulevard areas should hopefully eliminate most of the problems.

During his report, Mayor Ken Markward noted that Council will need to choose a replacement for outgoing member Joi Mergy, who will no longer represent the city on the Energy Special Improvement District. He also noted that members of the Van Wert County Regional Airport Authority would be attending the next Council meeting.

Fourth Ward Councilman Andrew Davis congratulated the Van Wert Cougar football team for being regional runner-up, while also noting that a new Main Street Van Wert executive director will be needed with the resignation of Mitch Price to take a position with Citizens National Bank.

Councilman At-Large Bill Marshall noted that American Legion Post 178 will be having a parade and other activities, starting at 6 p.m. this Saturday, November 27, in Memorial Park, to welcome Santa Claus to the city.

The next meeting of Van Wert City Council will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, December 13, in Council Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 515 E. Main St.