[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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],{"_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",6166297,"mediaKeyId","5415819-13643e225b9829709819ca8bcdc33841","parentId",5415819,"title","Council stalls vote to join SOPEC aggregation; officials debate price, governance and timing","audioSeconds",4294,"startMs",1467000,"endMs",5761000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5415819-13643e225b9829709819ca8bcdc33841&start=1467&end=5761","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5415819-13643e225b9829709819ca8bcdc33841/thumbnail_1467000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6166297/Ohio/Council-stalls-vote-to-join-SOPEC-aggregation-officials-debate-price-governance-and-timing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6166297-9cb308cf186b9a09b7a1546c9f3c793e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770507614&Signature=S9BSoMt1oUssIDGDtATqCNWwpgMU0IVz~6RKAQjJbqtNLQc4xksJ~n2JnfSP1byosNLe6SHl6~hV27v65WWCeqDxcMlhuf2W3EMK4eXblRFIW-o5z8unT-yiPAv~kI-pXDW77LZ9z0Ll1kHVXDJYw9da2iLnSEoG3qwHeLyoQ5RC4HIAcIOJ2EcA0XcZzTcRrJbu999CwWNZaUZw1XFWz2Nm~iJ6quk37k4d5q4-rBlG7ML5eNnRhuaKC5zwcDBehk~pj3rz4zgnU3Wcxp7~rVcMyDOtpjb8UmhW8Qu761TVeN3aMM10MDD2md3WFDrtSHucTZdAEMJ6wknu2e0NMw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of London OH","date","2025-07-18T03:58:02.153Z","article","The City Council on Monday received a presentation from the Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council (SOPEC) about a proposed electric aggregation program and the plan of operation and governance for joining the council-of-governments model. Council discussion focused on whether the city had evaluated enough options and whether the agreement would produce the most competitive price for residents.

Phil Leppla, SOPEC deputy director and general counsel, described SOPEC as “a regional council of governments under chapter 167 of the Ohio Revised Code” and outlined the organization’s structure, governance, and energy programs. He said SOPEC represents 49 communities and aggregates roughly 1.2 terawatt-hours of annual load, which the group uses to pursue bulk supply contracts and, by default, 100% renewable energy for aggregation participants.

Leppla explained that aggregation affects the supply portion of a resident’s bill in Ohio’s deregulated electricity market, while local utilities retain delivery and distribution service. He described the opt-out process required by statute: a mailed opt-out notice with a 21-day opt-out window and PUCO review periods.

During a lengthy question-and-answer period, Mayor Pat Klauser said he did not initially seek out SOPEC but welcomed the organization because its administrative costs appeared lower than the city’s current arrangement. “I wasn’t looking for the other products; I’m looking for the best deal for the citizens of London,” the mayor said, noting SOPEC’s lower administrative charges and broader services including natural gas aggregation and grant-writing support.

Several councilmembers urged more competitive comparisons. One council member warned the city had evaluated too few options and asked how the city could be sure the SOPEC approach produced the lowest end rate for customers. SOPEC representatives and some council members said administrative fees are only one element of the final customer rate; the delivered end price depends primarily on the commodity supply contracts the aggregator negotiates.

Council took a procedural motion to table the ordinance that would join SOPEC and adopt the plan, but the motion to table failed on a roll call (two in favor, three opposed, one abstention). Council left the ordinance and the companion resolution on the agenda for a later (fourth) reading so staff could continue to gather information and avoid an unplanned gap in aggregation at the end of the city’s current contract.

Council members and SOPEC staff also discussed where the renewable energy certificates (RECs) SOPEC offers come from and how administrative fees are used. Leppla said RECs the council purchases are typically sourced from regional wind in states such as Oklahoma and Texas and that administrative fees fund SOPEC’s operations, including a Central Ohio call center.

No final contract was signed at the meeting. Council directed staff to collect additional comparative information on administrative fees, program terms and how a SOPEC membership would be timed to align with the city’s existing contract expiration. The item will return to council for further consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","London City Council Meeting - July 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The City Council heard a presentation from the Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council on joining a regional electric aggregation program and left the proposed agreement on the agenda for further review after members requested more comparative pricing and governance information.","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},6166302,"Council adopts planning commission recommendation for London Landing PUD; developer outlines amenities, infrastructure concerns",4764,369000,5133000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5415819-13643e225b9829709819ca8bcdc33841&start=369&end=5133","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5415819-13643e225b9829709819ca8bcdc33841/thumbnail_369000.jpg","/articles/6166302/Ohio/Council-adopts-planning-commission-recommendation-for-London-Landing-PUD-developer-outlines-amenities-infrastructure-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6166302-0ddce5c53a90d88326761b0ea5f1babf/orig.mp4?Expires=1770507614&Signature=Ttf3xSTkZ-kg4Gr7NyVcrazijxoOn29EwGPEzkn3mjF6IZ2lZdo~FtgU8hkf7aaNomPUnR4r4ZuM9cUiUPwekhdoHP~kjwvxh-L0Coo6bazXTCQnaixgcYzu71ScirNX3d3qMW1Qq7C9g3ayRps554uQtcMf1e5s1OPG3xbRk8-Kr2lTsYCWxJHuFAnGMaiQbY8PjoFaDO2l8Doyuma4vO~HYhpVFZQRW~A3DKnilJDnWIgK4BayTeUPhtjMlxylB19M2vL52LQ9q43LWiyRghnNWyzVhCxYKZmrVd22W-nl8L2MVXizUAu-yLsg8~~G5Qq0SQygrSnWjpoyRKKoXw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Council on Monday adopted a Planning Commission recommendation to approve a planned unit development and preliminary plan for a 289-unit, age-restricted residential and commercial project at the corner of Betty Wilson Drive and State Route 42.

The resolution passed after the public hearing that featured a presentation from developer representative Paul Gross, who described the project—marketed as part of the London Landing area—as an empty-nester product with attached homes and a commercial frontage along Route 42.

The developer said the builder, K. Hovnanian Homes, will install a sizable amenities package before home sales begin, and that homes will be offered roughly in the $400,000 to $700,000 range. “They’ve got, I think, $4,000,000 they’re putting in the amenities before they get started,” Gross said. He added the developer expects to spend “close to a million dollars” on the entryway and other visible features, and that model homes and amenities will be built first with expected home occupancy beginning in 2027.

Council members pressed the developer on commercial uses, zoning lines and public infrastructure. Gross said interested businesses include a bank, a car wash and a hotel operator (Hampton Inn was specifically mentioned as a potential tenant), but he cautioned that large commercial users may be limited by current sewer capacity. “There’s only so much capacity until they do that sewer trunk line that…has been talked about for a long time now,” he said, referring to a county-area sewer project.

Gross told council he has contracted for a traffic-impact study and said two roundabouts are likely to be included to manage access and maintain flow on Route 42 as the corridor develops. He also said the developer expects to assess user-impact fees on high-traffic commercial users to help pay for related road improvements.

Council questions included why the front 20 acres were proposed as B2 commercial zoning and why the rest of the 90-acre site would be rezoned as PUD; staff and the developer said the change is intended to create a consistent PUD across the whole site and to allow design flexibility at the community entrance. Gross said the proposed PUD would establish design standards intended to avoid a “hodgepodge” of storefronts at the entry.

Council adopted the Planning Commission’s recommendation by resolution (Resolution 143-25). The action does not itself authorize construction; it approves the PUD zoning and preliminary plan consistent with the city’s review process and the comprehensive plan referenced by staff. Councilmembers also noted that the project will participate in previously approved NCA and TIF arrangements already on the city’s books.

The developer and council acknowledged outstanding dependencies: approval and construction of the Mid-Ohio sewer improvements and acquisition of easements, timing of the planned sewer trunk, the final alignment of commercial frontage along Route 42, and future agreements on user-impact fees and roadway improvements. Gross repeatedly emphasized staging—utilities and roads will be installed and turned over to the city before houses are occupied—and projected the first homes would be occupied in 2027 if sequence and approvals proceed on schedule.

Council’s adoption of the Planning Commission recommendation clears a major local land-use milestone; next steps are final engineering reviews, permitting, and the infrastructure approvals and easements Mid-Ohio and county engineers must complete. The developer said he will return with more detailed engineering and storefront-buildout plans as those items are finalized.

Sources: Presentation and public hearing remarks by Paul Gross (developer representative); council roll-call and Resolution 143-25 recorded in the meeting minutes.","The City Council approved a Planning Commission recommendation to rezone and adopt a preliminary development plan for a 289-unit empty-nester community at Betty Wilson and State Route 42. Developer Paul Gross described a multimillion-dollar amenity package and said sewer capacity and Mid Ohio easement delays remain major project risks.",{"_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},6166287,"Mayor names Steve Saltzman new safety service director; council approves temporary overlap period",4065,2434000,6499000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5415819-13643e225b9829709819ca8bcdc33841&start=2434&end=6499","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5415819-13643e225b9829709819ca8bcdc33841/thumbnail_2434000.jpg","/articles/6166287/Ohio/Mayor-names-Steve-Saltzman-new-safety-service-director-council-approves-temporary-overlap-period","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6166287-8fc5abb540a2d0ac18dd7d8f80a8d4c4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770507614&Signature=bH94~1wauzhYhfxknLayYV70plh7yuvS9hEXpa4v~5Rqni~vjMW6LwUCUj91QgB28Oo~TYkByeVXOjPTPfKFOI1kuhnV0t4eCFZSLaohpV7XUSXfoRpkGF79LJTZ-9Jfy6YUESqTjpDzF-US3aUWZrVOJ6Rd7LZmLNR25uw46dVABOWsnBQh8ZSL3kYhxdkEf5ndZRj-2msYAemOzP~WpBoUPKLY6sYNmpSfHmFirYRDL~HXZifmveY~aTnl9xfOt0HmyJP3Q0TbSf1A8xcuRPbqap~E4oFJjABjusu6cs42fVCoEy7WKF4-G6gmApeI~BCmEGuRHYCAZdLKTZlCBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mayor Pat Klauser announced that Steve Saltzman will be the new safety service director for the City of London, effective Aug. 15.

“Steve Saltzman will be the new safety service director for the city of London,” Mayor Klauser said, citing Saltzman’s experience as a battalion chief and assistant chief with the Columbus Fire Department and his law-enforcement background. The county prosecutor’s office will provide legal coverage during a two-week gap after the city’s law director departs.

Council also considered and approved a temporary job description and overlap for the safety service director position so the incoming director could transition with the incumbent. Council voted to suspend the three-reading rule and adopt Ordinance 157-25 establishing the temporary overlap assignment for August 4–15; the motion to suspend the reading rules and adopt the ordinance passed on recorded votes.

The mayor also announced personnel changes in the law department and on the Mid Ohio board: Law Director Jennifer Hitt has tendered her resignation effective the following day; the Republican Central Committee will fill the position by appointment on July 30. Joe Mosier, the city’s Mid Ohio representative, also resigned with an effective date of July 28; the mayor said he will provide a list of possible replacements.

The council action was limited to a temporary administrative employment arrangement and did not change permanent salary schedules or job classifications beyond the transitional period. Administration said it will return with any further personnel or contract items that require council action.

Sources: Announcement and ordinance language presented by Mayor Pat Klauser at the council meeting; council roll call approving the temporary job description and emergency suspension.","Mayor Pat Klauser announced the appointment of Steve Saltzman as the new safety service director, effective Aug. 15. Council approved a temporary overlap and a short-term employment arrangement to allow the incoming director to transition with the current director, and passed an emergency ordinance to formalize the arrangement.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6166292,"Council weighs ending city curbside recycling as sanitation crews face truck shortages and rising costs",0,7404000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5415819-13643e225b9829709819ca8bcdc33841&start=7404&end=7404","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5415819-13643e225b9829709819ca8bcdc33841/thumbnail_7404000.jpg","/articles/6166292/Ohio/Council-weighs-ending-city-curbside-recycling-as-sanitation-crews-face-truck-shortages-and-rising-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6166292-f6e4b939c540f755fc122bfd85344a6e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770507614&Signature=dbaR7vT0~91dHAhHuTZjt0BT0ais1HJaiOe~0dPnUPFMQ2kxbhjOsghHIh0q3Vm9OBVuZTfP~d-2TUCCRWTueI~0vh214kNsmbRLDWGaHA3okPIou3mkUVdRBmS6Oz7xGMmJVT4RHXZNFvf-B232Dzag8H9kYnlXmgAKFI-jYTIbXhVyCMRBbPfNk-XRUEEyfyBVvOL3DvYoaojgQRB9q6-slTU3hM108fnNsgaMSoS9McZEddXYqk4olBuzRL7XMgbIGMYi15yWNF2VwlDSQUUG10Hwe~kex6piQKmioR1EIYVSTSd3OaHE~XZCJHe-mAbRTCIt3TLeTAyOAXscbA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Council heard an extended discussion about the future of the municipal curbside recycling program after sanitation staff and council members described repeated equipment breakdowns, route duplication and contamination of recyclables that increase costs.

Sanitation supervisors told council the department has been running extra routes, making double passes to collect trash and recyclables, and operating with several trucks out of service. The city’s current recycle program requires staff to make a second pass to collect mixed recyclables; staff said roughly half of curbside recycling loads have contained nonrecyclable contamination and at times the recycler has refused materials at the facility, requiring those loads to be sent to the landfill instead.

A city sanitation representative summarized the operational strain bluntly: “It’s a money pit,” and said the department is short of reliable trucks; the city received a new-truck quote of about $389,000 with a 12‑month lead time. Council members said that timeline and the current level of equipment failures leave the department unable to meet the demands of a growing community.

Council discussed options: discontinue curbside recycling and provide drop-off containers (either city-hosted containers or third-party collection sites); contract with a private hauler; raise resident sanitation fees; or invest in immediate vehicle replacements. One council member proposed increasing the city’s curb-assistance fee (for collection at the curb instead of at the property line) to $20 a month; another member suggested $12. Officials noted the city’s existing discount/assistance policy: curb assistance remains free for residents 65 or older or those with documented disability.

Administration said abolishing curbside recycling would reduce route duplication, cut manpower needs and lower wear on equipment; staff also said the city would work with private collectors and regional partners to provide alternative drop-off options for residents who wish to recycle. The finance effect is complicated: the recycling disposal fee is lower per ton than trash disposal, but contamination and extra runs have increased overall sanitation expense. Staff said the program’s operating status and truck needs will require additional budget decisions and possible future appropriation.

No ordinance was adopted Monday. Council members asked staff to bring detailed cost comparisons for (1) continuing curbside recycling with immediate truck replacements, (2) privatization of pickup, and (3) a city-run drop-off model, and to include estimated timeline to obtain replacement vehicles and the budget impact of proposed fee changes.

The discussion also noted that even if recycling were discontinued, the city had options to maintain access for residents, such as third-party collection sites or Rumpke-provided containers, depending on contractual arrangements.

Sources: Sanitation department presentation and council discussion during regular meeting.","Council discussed a proposal to discontinue the city’s curbside recycling pickup after staff said contamination, broken trucks and staffing constraints make the current service unsustainable. Alternatives discussed include drop-off containers, third-party collection, or raising rates to cover costs; no final vote was taken.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council stalls vote to join SOPEC aggregation; officials debate price, governance and timing

Council adopts planning commission recommendation for London Landing PUD; developer outlines amenities, infrastructure concerns

Mayor names Steve Saltzman new safety service director; council approves temporary overlap period

Council weighs ending city curbside recycling as sanitation crews face truck shortages and rising costs