City Council OKs bond issue legislation

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert City Council had a makeup day, so to speak, on Monday.

At full-strength again, City Council was finally able to approve legislation related to a bond issue needed to purchase and renovate a building as a new Van Wert Municipal Court, as well as a measure approving a new contract for city firefighters.

The excused absence of three Council members at the January 27 meeting – two because of illness and the other because of a family death – left Council without enough votes to suspend its own rules requiring three readings of an ordinance. A suspension of rules is necessary to pass legislation on first and final reading, something typically done with emergency measures with a short timeline.

On Monday, Council approved legislation authorizing a new three-year contract with city firefighters, who will be receiving wage increases of 1½ percent in the first and second years and 1 percent in the final year of the contract.

Legislation was also adopted to authorize the issuance of $1.5 million in bonds to purchase and renovate the former Main Street office of First Financial Bank for use as a new site for Van Wert Municipal Court, and also to create a new city fund to provide debt service of that bond issue.

In addition, new legislation authorizing Mayor Don Farmer to sign a Community Reinvestment Act agreement that would allow the local Arby’s franchise owner to build a new restaurant at 872 N. Washington St.

Some discussion of the current economic development situation was sparked by a question from Third Ward Councilman Jerry Mazur, who sought information from Mayor Farmer on the status of the city’s economic development agreement with Ohio State University’s Extension service.

City Law Director John Hatcher, who is seeking more information on the matter, said he hopes to craft a legal opinion on whether the current contract with OSU Extension is still valid following the receipt of information from OSU.

Hatcher said he has already received information from the Van Wert County Board of Commissioners stating the county’s opinion that the contract is no longer valid, because the county is no longer a party to that agreement.

Council President Ken Mengerink said he would schedule a meeting with the commissioners to further discuss the current economic development situation after Hatcher provides a legal opinion on the matter.

City Auditor Martha Balyeat also gave a brief update on the city’s finances, noting that expenses in January were approximately $83,000 higher than revenues for the month. She did add, though, that it is typical to have expenses higher than revenues in January, since revenues from grants and other revenues sources have not been received, while expenses do need to be paid.