City Council approves new traffic light

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert City Council restarted the process of putting a levy for a proposed aquatics center on the November general election ballot and also approved construction of a traffic light at the intersection of Fox Road and Shannon Street during its regular meeting Monday.

Council voted to prepare an ordinance that would place a levy on the ballot in November and also read the measure for the first time later in the meeting. City Law Director John Hatcher did note, though, that the legislation might need to be amended prior to its final passage to ensure it meets state election requirements.

The legislation should be ready well in advance of the August 2 deadline for placing issues on the November ballot.

City Council also began the process of approving an Enterprise Zone tax abatement request from National Door and Trim. The business plans to construct an addition to its facility in Vision Industrial Park that is also expected to add 15 additional jobs. Council unanimously approved preparing legislation related to the Enterprise Zone agreement, which would provide 100 percent property tax abatement for five years, with Mayor Don Farmer noting that additional sales tax revenues from the business’s higher sales would also benefit the county.

Council President Gary Corcoran also scheduled a special meeting for 7 p.m. Monday, May 20, to complete passage of the Enterprise Zone legislation prior to next Wednesday’s Van Wert City Board of Education meeting. The school board must also approve the Enterprise Zone agreement.

Also Monday night, City Council approved legislation allowing Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming to seek bids and award contracts to construct a traffic light at the intersection of Fox Road and Shannon Street. The intersection has become even more of a concern since the construction of Van Wert Elementary School south of the intersection.

Council also continued a discussion concerning fire and EMS service for unannexed portions within the city limits, with apparent agreement between the city and Ridge and Pleasant township officials on the need to provide city EMS and fire coverage to a portion of U.S. 30 and the east side of Marsh Road north of Vantage Career Center.

Mayor Farmer did acknowledge, though, that he doesn’t see a return to having the Van Wert Fire Department handle fire and EMS coverage for the portion of Pleasant and Ridge townships adjacent to the city, such as was done more than a decade ago, largely due to the “burned bridges” created by fire rate discussions held back in 2001.

The mayor also noted that discussions are continuing with the owners of businesses along West Ervin Road that are not annexed into the city to provide fire and EMS coverage in that area. If those businesses don’t agree to be annexed, however, a ballot issue would need to be approved by voters in Pleasant Township.

City Auditor Martha Balyeat had some good, and not so good, financial news for Council. Balyeat noted that the city has generated $2.3 million in revenues, as of the end of April, and has only spent $1.6 million, leaving $700,000 of unspent revenues.

The city auditor also noted her concerns about the city’s flat revenues, noting that, while the city shows an increase of approximately $356,000 in revenues, most of that increase comes from the final payment of inheritance tax revenues from the state and proceeds from an atrazine lawsuit settlement.

“I don’t really see that revenue is increasing,” Balyeat noted, adding, “It’s a little concerning.”

The city auditor also reiterated her support for a performance audit for the city, noting that she was disappointed that no City Council members, who mostly said they felt a performance audit could be done in-house, have asked to see performance figures released recently for area police and fire departments by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).

First Ward Councilman John Marshall, chair of the Health Service and Safety Committee, also talked about he and Councilman At-Large Jeff Agler’s recent tour of the city and the code enforcement issues they found, noting that he thinks the problem is getting worse, not better.

Hatcher said the problem is a difficult one, especially since many of those who violate code enforcement regulations “walk up to the line” — test the limits of code enforcement regulations, without violating them to the extent that they would be cited into court.

More discussion of that issue is likely, since several Council members appear unhappy with the number of trash and junk problems they have seen within the city.