South Lebanon City Council adopts 2025 code, approves salt contract and other emergency measures; sets hearing on pool-fence change

South Lebanon City Council on Feb. 20, 2025, unanimously approved a series of emergency measures and routine items including adoption of American Legal Publishing’s Ohio Basic Code 2025 edition as the city code, authorization of a contract with the Warren County Engineer’s Office to purchase road salt for the 2025–26 winter season, approval of updated local floodplain regulations, and the setting of a public hearing on a proposed zoning text amendment to change fence height rules for private swimming pools.

The actions were taken as part of routine business at the council’s regular meeting in South Lebanon. Council members also approved invoices and meeting minutes and heard reports from city staff on budgeting, public works projects and public-safety activity.

Council took its most consequential votes on an emergency ordinance to adopt the 2025 code and on a separate emergency resolution authorizing a salt-purchase contract. Both measures were first subject to motions to waive the two-reading rule and then adopted by title; each motion to waive and each adoption passed on unanimous votes of the five-member council. Council President Linda Allen and Council Member Lisa Feder led the adoption motions during roll-call votes.

Tina, the city’s finance director, told council that the proposed permanent appropriations ordinance for 2025 (first reading) would cover the period Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2025, and represents about a 3% increase in the total budget compared with 2024. "Overall, it's a 3% increase in the budget compared to last year," Tina said. The ordinance was entered into the record as a first reading; the administration plans a formal budget presentation and discussion at the next meeting after council members receive budget binders.

City Administrator Jerry reported that bids for a pressure-reducing valve project at the city’s connection with Greater Society Waterworks came in below the estimate; the administration expects to present an award for that contract at the next meeting. Jerry also said Warren County bids for a King Avenue Community Development Block Grant paving project were under estimate, permitting an extension of paving farther along King Avenue than originally planned.

Council approved an emergency resolution directing the city law director to file a complaint with the Warren County Board of Revision concerning a city-owned parcel at 706 Corwinix Nixon Boulevard. Council discussed a written history of an earlier tax-exemption application that the law director said was submitted in 2023 and that the Ohio Department of Taxation appears likely to deny. The city law director told council the county auditor currently lists the parcel with a taxable value of more than $400,000 while the city’s appraisal values the parcel at about $15,000; the law director described the Board of Revision complaint as the quickest available step to seek a reduction in taxable value. The law director said any taxes paid while the application remains unresolved would be subject to reimbursement if a later exemption is granted.

In other business, council completed the second reading of Ordinance 2025-3, adopting new floodplain regulations and repealing the prior ordinance; the second-reading adoption passed unanimously. Council also voted unanimously to set a public hearing on a planning commission recommendation to amend the zoning code regarding private pool-fence heights.

Public-safety and operations reports included an update from Sergeant Adams that the sheriff’s office is moving to deploy body-worn cameras for most deputies in the coming weeks, and that the office began policing services for the village of Mayville on Feb. 18 under a new contract. Public works updates included temporary closures related to River Creek Lofts work, a planned March bid for the Morrow Road project and recruitment for a maintenance-worker position with civil-service testing dates announced.

Votes at a glance

- Emergency ordinance adopting American Legal Publishing Ohio Basic Code 2025 edition as city code — Motion to waive two-reading rule (mover: Lisa Feder; second: Mary Anne Harrison) — vote: Allen yes, Carmack yes, Feder yes, Harrison yes, Spicer yes — Motion carries. Adopt by title only (mover: Linda Allen; second: Lisa Feder) — same unanimous vote — Outcome: approved.

- Emergency resolution authorizing contract with Warren County Engineer’s Office for purchase of road salt for the 2025–26 winter season — Motion to waive two-reading rule (mover: Linda Allen; second: Sharon Carmack) — unanimous yes — Adopt by title only (mover: Linda Allen; second: Sharon Carmack) — unanimous yes — Outcome: approved.

- Emergency resolution setting a public hearing to consider the planning commission’s recommendation to change private pool-fence height — Motion to waive two-reading rule (mover: Linda Allen; second: Lisa Feder) — unanimous yes — Adopt by title only (mover: Lisa Feder; second: Sharon Carmack) — unanimous yes — Outcome: approved; public hearing to be scheduled.

- Emergency resolution authorizing the law director to submit a complaint to the Warren County Board of Revision concerning city-owned property at 706 Corwinix Nixon Boulevard — Motion to waive two-reading rule (mover: Sharon Carmack; second: Lisa Feder) — unanimous yes — Adopt by title only (mover: Linda Allen; second: Sharon Carmack) — unanimous yes — Outcome: approved. Council discussion: law director said an earlier state tax-exemption application (filed 2023) appears to have been denied and the Board of Revision filing is the most expeditious method to seek a reduced taxable value; county-listed taxable value cited as more than $400,000 and city appraisal cited as $15,000 (figures described by city law director).

- First reading: Ordinance adopting permanent appropriations for 2025 (Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2025) — entered into the record as first reading; no final action taken. Finance director Tina said the draft represents roughly a 3% increase over the prior year. Formal adoption expected at a subsequent meeting.

- Second reading and adoption by title only: Ordinance 2025-3 adopting new floodplain regulations and repealing the prior ordinance — Motion to adopt by title (mover: Linda Allen; second: Sharon Carmack) — unanimous yes — Outcome: approved.

- Approval of invoices — Motion (mover: Mary Anne Harrison; second: Sharon Carmack) — unanimous yes — Outcome: approved.

- Approval of meeting minutes (Dec. 19, Jan. 2, Jan. 16) — Motion (mover: Lisa Feder; second: Sharon Carmack) — unanimous yes — Outcome: approved.

What’s next

Council will receive the full budget binders the week after the meeting and expects a formal budget presentation at an upcoming meeting with a vote planned on March 6. Council also anticipates bringing a contract-award item to the next meeting for the pressure-reducing valve project tied to the Greater Society Waterworks connection.

Sources and attribution

Quotes and attributions come from participants in the Feb. 20, 2025 South Lebanon City Council meeting as recorded in the meeting transcript: Tina (finance director); Jerry (city administrator); the city law director (unnamed in the transcript); Linda Allen (council president), Sharon Carmack (council member), Lisa Feder (council member), Mary Anne Harrison (council member), and Sergeant Adams (sheriff’s office).