[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6182473,"mediaKeyId","5105197-166ec781eb52ce59d8afd27d8d886444","parentId",5105197,"title","Safety service director announces resignation; council plans transition and candidate review","audioSeconds",113,"startMs",4206000,"endMs",4319000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5105197-166ec781eb52ce59d8afd27d8d886444&start=4206&end=4319","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5105197-166ec781eb52ce59d8afd27d8d886444/thumbnail_4206000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6182473/Ohio/Safety-service-director-announces-resignation-council-plans-transition-and-candidate-review","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6182473-5f917d0bbf839bd773bab4f923cde088/orig.mp4?Expires=1774963380&Signature=C19b8o3c~3NVOQc8L1V64o8DZ~cc9EMVeS-vtvoHU1-5vJ9LIx1YOX7FSkW6l~uTyzUtblvUi-Z0~gUbVy5SVyHesRywew1ZjAJUX3pbFrGDzPBXyueEJPFVRQKoMNg-YFbscUnOqm4UxbHkpINRBW8zmUN5OZNkncsVXSDsevBnWBzW1YWirwO~jyHMeNPj41wLF1XmYv9SM8unq8pVnmWC-Tl8s0Ja34dpXQ0BBpc0zJOT78N6ANzK0vljGkpDjWkmV~yBlLo3K0soi-xMJfB-yTr6Xq32dm42iNiG1nyz94YWcn9fw0989f7xS5PiHOS3k2yDvBNwy-VonffBQA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of London OH","date","2025-06-30T19:56:49.883Z","article","Rex Castle, London’s safety service director, told council he will step down in mid‑August in order to move out of state to care for family.

\"After about a year of deliberation ... I've decided to step down as safety service director and moving south and taking my mom with us and so I can care for her more easily,\" Castle said. He told council he has enjoyed working with the mayor, council and citizens and that his last day will be in mid‑August.

The mayor (present at the meeting) thanked Castle for his service and said the administration will begin a transition process and candidate review. The mayor said a short two‑week overlap with the incoming safety service director would be proposed so the new hire could train with Castle before his departure.

Council members and administration staff said they will meet with committees and the mayor to finalize a short list of candidates and consider suspending the regular hiring timing if necessary to permit overlap training. The mayor said he plans to present a candidate and an overlap plan for council consideration at a future meeting.

No personnel appointment was made at the meeting. The mayor said he will bring transition and strength‑ordinance items to council in the coming weeks so a successor can begin a short handover period with Castle.

Castle’s announcement triggered procedural discussion about next steps; council members praised Castle’s work on departmental operations and said they will assist in the search and transition process.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","London City Council Meeting 6 26 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City safety service director Rex Castle announced he will resign in mid‑August to move out of state; the mayor and council discussed overlap and a short transition window to bring a successor on board and preserve institutional knowledge.","taxTitle","London City Council, London, Madison County, Ohio","taxId",70685,"location","Ohio","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6182478,"Council debates raising curb‑assistance fee as sanitation staffing and recycling challenges surface",587,6742000,7329000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5105197-166ec781eb52ce59d8afd27d8d886444&start=6742&end=7329","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5105197-166ec781eb52ce59d8afd27d8d886444/thumbnail_6742000.jpg","/articles/6182478/Ohio/Council-debates-raising-curbassistance-fee-as-sanitation-staffing-and-recycling-challenges-surface","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6182478-2ca17b242444d847ff44db3060073bbb/orig.mp4?Expires=1774963380&Signature=Bl3tfi-PF4uZXKpN9xQFbwIszuXekwAe0quisVk01HICrUYxLsCVFG7PcePqpZMhnaNOyGIGo~qDYPGstkwNiIi-aMt0rDNY2XZK6~P~qt-Trvm6xNmSVeoXeW6QStQLQFXoA74R2Zpyh4nOHr6xekR0z2~3VGHI7Ul26TFFhuXJAROPpA660J5NtqBFFRXba0fdOMJZg18smwJEP0~OjNZKPvZDeMAMvwefo5BtySs5v1iZdY~ntNvHI68MjwXKn8bjsuk2Kgq5yzkRyq-n8Vjl6NWWAQeNhDQzrrvkvRMRtl8M2h~bKv~P-GHwlkki4Vd0lsthrDdSzZGzykDgJw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","London City Council discussed a proposed increase in the monthly fee for curb assistance and broader sanitation operations, including recycling contamination and staffing shortfalls.

The pending ordinance would raise the optional curb‑assistance fee paid by customers who request the city to set out and retrieve cans. The fee discussed at the meeting would move from about $3 per month to $12 per month for able‑bodied customers; the city intends to keep curb assistance free for residents who are 65 or older or disabled and who request it.

Council members and sanitation staff said the low current fee encourages able‑bodied customers to purchase curb assistance and leave cans at the curb, which lengthens the route and reduces collection efficiency. A manager described how double pickups and the need to retrieve cans from driveways slow routes and sometimes require overtime.

Staff also described persistent problems with recycling contamination. A sanitation speaker said recycling loads are often rejected or require disposal as regular trash because of contaminants such as diapers, greasy pizza boxes and non‑recyclable toys. That contamination can force a mixed load to the landfill, increasing cost.

Council and staff discussed tradeoffs: raising the fee could reduce unnecessary curb service requests and speed routes but would be a new cost for residents; maintaining the current fee would keep the service affordable but might require more staffing, overtime or equipment. Council asked for a financial analysis of the sanitation fund and of the cost implications of either raising rates or altering recycling policy.

No final ordinance was adopted at the meeting. Staff will provide additional costings and operational options, including whether to continue curbside recycling or collapse recyclables into a single pickup, and will report back to council for a future vote.","Council considered raising the monthly curb‑assistance fee for non‑disabled residents to improve route efficiency while sanitation staff and council members described staffing constraints, equipment issues and contamination problems in curbside recycling.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6182482,"Council debates speed feedback signs, movable bumps and covert monitors for traffic calming",3363,3226000,6589000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5105197-166ec781eb52ce59d8afd27d8d886444&start=3226&end=6589","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5105197-166ec781eb52ce59d8afd27d8d886444/thumbnail_3226000.jpg","/articles/6182482/Ohio/Council-debates-speed-feedback-signs-movable-bumps-and-covert-monitors-for-traffic-calming","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6182482-32543b39b012bbfbb1d4c9dca44cea4e/orig.mp4?Expires=1774963380&Signature=DYu~1yyOyUNO85LuNSACiX7lJr2jHouJV5rPWcVLdEFFQexgggup9hZjMMr0nMVq1s9pKNFGCGmql0ttoh1CkHacCU999PBM1cvGzmSw-a~0PrEoQRC7vnIzmcmDW5MxslOCL~C~R5wxu5N-NEREFEPJVmY-ewJUx-9WCA7Gvzm-mFbFLwEIKurtARQclofkx6PFTwNsrKBToDLO-aqAfgkHF-BY6spAdU~D8U0p~zvxZGAKXTYdZVjQa~hVlQIT7RjWPm6w3~RfXfTmIyXS1spuHUZ0e2GuBqycoN9Lv5XfPuzLEuYIIP4uC9oP4GkjYJWYmBwCz9jtXxCkCiVxKg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","London City Council discussed several traffic‑calming measures after residents reported widespread speeding on neighborhood and collector streets.

Raymond Anthony, a London resident, told council he observes speeding on Lafayette Street, East High Street and other thoroughfares and asked how the city will determine when and where to place speed bumps or signs. \"Is there a plan in place to where a city council approves speed bumps?\" Anthony asked.

Council members said existing committees have discussed portable speed‑feedback signs, movable speed bumps and covert monitoring devices that record speed data without being obvious to drivers. One council member described the covert units as devices \"placed in unknown locations to get a realistic ... statistics as far as what kind of speeding is going on in a certain area.\"

Finance and service committee members said the city already has one covert unit in the police department and discussed appropriating funds to add additional units and several moveable feedback signs. Proponents argued the combination of covert data and mobile signs would allow objective placement of longer‑term traffic‑calming installations rather than relying on the loudest complaints.

Opponents cautioned that visible signs are widely ignored and that hard devices such as bumps can reduce accidents but may shift traffic. Councilmembers asked staff to develop clear placement criteria and to use monitored data rather than anecdote for decisions.

No final appropriation vote was recorded at the meeting; council considered resolutions to increase appropriations for traffic calming and to purchase covert monitors and moveable signs and directed staff to return with criteria and data from pilot locations.","After resident complaints about speeding across multiple streets, council members discussed acquiring movable speed‑feedback signs, temporary speed bumps and covert 'stealth' monitors to gather objective data before placing permanent devices.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6182486,"Council hears public concern and planning recommendation for Betty Wilson senior housing project",267,2607000,2874000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5105197-166ec781eb52ce59d8afd27d8d886444&start=2607&end=2874","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5105197-166ec781eb52ce59d8afd27d8d886444/thumbnail_2607000.jpg","/articles/6182486/Ohio/Council-hears-public-concern-and-planning-recommendation-for-Betty-Wilson-senior-housing-project","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6182486-162219d13345f0ac4dc2c7bf1c1b0842/orig.mp4?Expires=1774963380&Signature=Kinv6u0Sy6bmdupPq33fnajf9in7Qhsyvt-eae0RMJ708-7-5OXsBBm3E93PIDszWXOk4rjytq4Qf5Fci5xICpE8j5R1PzcXkZMMKGKFrcoYr9b7VypoBA9-cG49tI6CYgNYezp7ALdPHmOacsQOCMfaobSLMl9kcQ2O2SV-PLLD5aLEkgzAXmMOTfkaKjYUCpTmSikNWA6baDVwWh923aWXuNI~mNy5dJE5VbBM~NS4jTZ~HhOhHIRPFU0eq394bu25GnNSRQgtYyXRmeIIXdEfZ6RVy2QPaIB2XG7hmcdqhgbhln8BJqQdhjeDSiYC~HBD2H5pio1JX-RULtSLhA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Council members reviewed a Planning Commission recommendation and public comment on a proposed senior housing subdivision off Betty Wilson Road in the Lafayette area.

Cooper Hudson Love, a London resident who gave public comment, said the planned senior development appears out of step with local household incomes and argued the city should prioritize \"middle housing zones\" such as duplexes, townhomes and priced-at‑workforce units. \"I really think we should shift our housing focus towards more affordable, workforce oriented homes,\" Love said.

Council and planning staff described the developer's proposal as a 55‑plus community of 289 single‑family homes, and public materials indicate the project was presented to the Planning Commission and scheduled for further hearings. A planning recommendation tied to the project was listed as a resolution with a public hearing set for July 17, 2025.

At the meeting, council members and developers discussed traffic impacts on Betty Wilson Road, the project's timing, and the tax revenue and infrastructure investments a large development might bring. A developer representative said the contractor is contractually bound to begin construction with infrastructure work and expected lot deliveries tied to crop cycles; he cited a substantial initial infrastructure investment and an early set of lots to be developed.

Councilmembers said they expect more detailed fiscal-impact and traffic-flow information in the upcoming public hearing and noted that developers routinely provide projected tax revenues and service‑cost estimates at later hearings.

No final council action was taken at the meeting on the Betty Wilson project; the item remains scheduled for subsequent public hearings and third‑reading consideration.","Council discussed a Planning Commission recommendation on a proposed 289-unit, 55+ housing development on Betty Wilson Road; residents urged more workforce and middle‑income housing and raised traffic and service-capacity concerns.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6182491,"Council holds first public hearing on SOPEC electric aggregation plan",76,446000,522000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5105197-166ec781eb52ce59d8afd27d8d886444&start=446&end=522","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5105197-166ec781eb52ce59d8afd27d8d886444/thumbnail_446000.jpg","/articles/6182491/Ohio/Council-holds-first-public-hearing-on-SOPEC-electric-aggregation-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6182491-36b6d7cd4b9fd6cc025769e40f01db7e/orig.mp4?Expires=1774963381&Signature=mpXVPRwm9Orfiwwu6nnt-qymjQ4sI-gEe38lswYSBNX6-ttlGLa60t7lU6wQEpvk3wtmWEVPV0rQlsfgyjIbkxAWGRK85eCLBMYuJ5oWt84XBKWGsk5LQtvdf6OZjGWAJixO~mqNxmzvPUD3JooVIE3irdgZqtAoVq-dKYGjvyiBNIKu-2zjFb6kO4tC0HTlN2z52ITYbyzd8ZjHypNqL-922iVk4J0Rz3d0USI1WPRsJsiN89nAHMvUWTI5YBPzqnCR7wruanw806tJlnzRmp3~yBjBU-RXb4V8QqemeiVqutW~GejWB9qib9AUMf0n5q3qBu42rP~KFum826LIyA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","London City Council held the first of two required public hearings on a proposed electric aggregation plan with the Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council, a regional public energy program, during its regular meeting.

Phil Leppla, deputy director and general counsel for SOPEC, told the council the plan of operation and governance is required by state law and that the city must hold two public hearings before joining. \"Section 4,928.2 of the Ohio Revised Code, is where this is required to have these 2 public hearings,\" Leppla said.

The plan would change the supply portion of customers' electric bills by setting a new default supplier rate for eligible residential and small commercial accounts (under 700,000 kWh per year). Leppla emphasized participation is voluntary: \"An individual will be notified of their inclusion in the program, but they have the opportunity to decline that service or opt out for no charge.\"

Leppla described SOPEC's governance and services, saying the organization is governed by its member communities and currently contracts AEP Energy as its retail supplier. He said programs typically use fixed-term pricing and recommended shorter terms (for example, one year) while market prices are volatile. \"We watch the energy markets on a daily basis and receive veil pricing from AEP Energy,\" he said.

Council members and audience members asked about how multi‑year contracts work, whether the city could reprice if market prices fall, and how customers opt out. Leppla replied that a community can choose terms longer than one year but that a locked rate for a community cannot be lowered retroactively once purchased; communities considering successive years can adopt hedging strategies or buy blocks of future load.

Leppla also described customer service and enrollment mechanics: communities typically mail opt‑out notices and provide a 21‑day opt‑out window, with phone and QR‑code options. He said SOPEC does not charge early termination fees and that customers can opt back in at any time.

The public hearing was opened and closed during the meeting; council took no final vote on joining at the session. A second public hearing and additional council consideration are scheduled for July 17, 2025, according to the agenda materials presented.

Council staff and SOPEC representatives said the full plan and related documents are available at city hall and on SOPEC's website for residents seeking details on enrollment, rates, and renewable content options.

For next steps, the council will hold the second public hearing and may consider ordinances to approve SOPEC membership and the plan of operation and governance at a subsequent meeting.","The London City Council held the first of two statutorily required public hearings on joining the Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council (SOPEC) electric aggregation program. SOPEC representatives described how the program would set a single supply rate by default and how residents may opt out.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Safety service director announces resignation; council plans transition and candidate review

Council debates raising curb‑assistance fee as sanitation staffing and recycling challenges surface

Council debates speed feedback signs, movable bumps and covert monitors for traffic calming

Council hears public concern and planning recommendation for Betty Wilson senior housing project

Council holds first public hearing on SOPEC electric aggregation plan