City Council expected to have busy night

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Monday night’s meeting of Van Wert City Council could be a rather lengthy one.

Council meets on the second and fourth Monday of each month but since June had five Mondays, three weeks have elapsed since the last meeting. The June 22 meeting had a somewhat short agenda, but the meeting still took nearly two hours. Discussion of several topics, including a potential new noise ordinance and possible changes to the city’s junk and rubbish laws, were discussed at length and will likely be revisited tonight.

 A handful of legislative items are on the agenda as drafts.

One would allow Mayor Ken Markward to sign a lease agreement with Butterfly Meadows Solar Project LLC for use of approximately 38 acres of city-owned farmland off of U.S. 127. If the project moves forward, the city’s property would be about one percent of it. Overall, the solar farm would occupy approximately 4,000 acres of land in Hoaglin, Union and Pleasant townships. If eventually approved at the state level, construction would likely begin in 2028.

Another ordinance would authorizing Markward to sign a petition for the annexation of approximately 50 acres of land owned by the Business Development Corporation or Ohio Power Company (AEP) into the city.

The drilling of private wells within the city limits is also listed on the agenda. If approved, no new private wells would be a permitted use, but instead would be conditional use in all zoning classifications.

Amendments and updates to the city’s laws regarding door-to-door salespeople is on the agenda and could be passed on first reading as an emergency.

An ordinance creating a third handicap parking spot on N. Washington St., south of Jackson St. is expected to get its first reading.

A draft of an ordinance that would do away with the city’s Tree Commission is on the agenda. It was established in 1981 but according to the ordinance, it hasn’t been in use in decades.

Along with administrative and council committee reports, two public speakers are on the agenda. As he has done at previous meetings, city resident Mark Davis is expected to address speed on Frothingham St., and Nick White is listed to speak about Fox Rd. sidewalk history.

All regular meetings of Van Wert City Council begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 515 E. Main St., and are streamed live on the city’s website, vanwert.org, then are archived for on-demand viewing.

15 minutes prior to the meeting, at 6:15 p.m. a public hearing will be held for the city’s tax budget, which is expected to be approved on its third and final reading during the regular meeting.