Lima City Council approves most ordinances; alley vacation fails and two items deferred

Lima City Council on Monday moved a batch of ordinances through initial readings and votes, approving contracts, grant applications and changes to the property-maintenance code while rejecting a request to vacate a short alley and tabling two employment-related ordinances for further review.

The council approved most items by roll call votes of 6-0, including budget, procurement and grant actions. A proposal to vacate an alley segment off Grand Avenue between Elizabeth and Main Street failed on its reading with two yes votes, three no votes and one abstention. Two ordinances related to the Human Relations Commission and authorized employment positions for council were tabled so the full council could hold further discussions.

Why it matters: The routine approvals authorize contracts and grant applications that will allow the city to proceed with resurfacing and infrastructure work, apply for federal and state funds, and update administrative and enforcement fees for property maintenance. The failed alley vacation affects neighborhood access and a school playground proposal; the tablings signal the council wants broader participation in policy changes.

Key outcomes

- Ordinance 1 12 25 (adopting the 2026 tax budget) — passed on reading, 6-0. - Ordinance 1 23 25 (vacating alley off Grand Avenue) — failed on reading; vote recorded as: Councilor Wilkerson: yes; Councilor Jordan: no; Councilor Jones: yes; Councilor Glenn: abstain; Councilor Dixon: no; Councilor Gordon: no (2 yes, 3 no, 1 abstain). - Ordinance 1 26 25 and Ordinance 1 27 25 (amendments regarding the Human Relations Commission and authorized council employment positions) — motion to table approved to allow a council-of-the-whole meeting on June 23 for further discussion. - Ordinances passed on reading by 6-0 include: 1 28 25 (2025 annual budget amendment); 1 29 25 (Cintas; employment uniforms); 1 30 25 (Kleinfelder Inc., public works); 1 31 25 (Lima Community Aquatic Park admission and program rates); 1 32 25 (Pavement Technology Inc., public works); 1 33 25 (apply for Safe Streets and Roads for All grant); 1 34 25 (Smart Start Ohio LLC, municipal court); 1 36 25; 1 37 25; 1 38 25 (Assistance to Firefighters Grant); 1 39 25 (govdeals.com disposal); 1 40 25 (AEP easement to Lovers Lane Rivergate control); 1 41 25 (WSRLA construction loan application, Ohio EPA); 1 42 25 (industrial gear gearbox repair); 1 43 25 (network infrastructure upgrades); 1 44 25, 1 45 25 and 1 46 25 (property maintenance notice, administrative fee schedule and penalties) — all passed on their readings, generally by 6-0 roll calls. - Ordinance 1 35 25 (Coleman Professional Services, municipal court) — recorded with one abstention due to employment and lacked the necessary votes to pass at this meeting; the clerk said it will be placed on reading at a later time (effectively postponed).

Councilors and clerk conducted roll-call votes for items that required formal readings. The roll-call participants recorded for each roll included Councilors Wilkerson, Jordan, Jones, Glenn, Dixon and Gordon; most passed items recorded identical yes votes from that group.

Several approvals authorize the mayor to execute contracts (public works contracts, professional services, court-related vendors), apply for federal grants, and update administrative practices; the ordinances passed on June readings will return to council in subsequent steps where required by ordinance code.

Looking ahead: Two items were specifically held for a council-of-the-whole meeting set for June 23. The failed alley vacation will remain on the agenda for a future reading if proponents revise the proposal or reach additional consensus.