Council approves series of bond anticipation notes, policy updates and zoning change in unanimous votes

Huber Heights City Council on Thursday approved a slate of ordinances, resolutions and administrative items — including multiple bond anticipation notes totaling tens of millions of dollars for new and renovated city facilities — in a series of unanimous 8-0 votes.

The measures approved included a rezoning request (RZ25-07) for 4341 Taylorsville Road, several bond anticipation notes for public buildings and infrastructure, adoption of an organizational chart and wage ranges, a newly adopted debt management and budget stabilization policy, and administrative actions such as an energy-aggregation agreement and grant applications.

The council approved the rezoning from R-2 to I-1 for parcel P70040090057 (RZ25-07) on second reading. The meeting then moved through a long roster of bond anticipation-note ordinances that the city said will be issued in anticipation of bonds to fund projects that include a new governance center, a public works facility, multiple fire-station projects (including new construction and renovations), water-system improvements (including replacement of radio-read water meters), recreation and municipal building improvements, and land acquisitions to support economic development. Each ordinance was presented with a brief staff explanation and adopted after a motion to waive second reading in most cases.

Key financial measures adopted include (amounts are maximum principal amounts stated in the ordinances): $1,600,000 for Station 25 furnishings and equipment; $3,019,365 for the Meadows infrastructure project; $14,044,165 for a new governance center; $20,117,161 for a public works facility; $3,349,125 for renovations to Fire Station 23; $6,183,000 for infrastructure serving the Carriage Trails development; $3,382,000 for renovating city hall facilities; $15,876,105 for municipal waterworks improvements (the city said this primarily funds radio-read meter replacements); $5,000,000 for a multipurpose recreation facility (preconstruction, design and site work); $7,248,244 to acquire and prepare approximately 19.5 acres near Brant Pike and Fishburg Road for economic development; and $2,397,431 to acquire roughly 16.5 acres on Executive Boulevard for economic development. Each of those ordinances was adopted after the council voted to waive second reading and then to adopt; recorded votes were unanimous in favor.

Other actions adopted included: directing the clerk to file a “no objection” response with the Ohio Division of Liquor Control on a corporate change for Centerpoint BP (liquor permit 36788970165), a resolution establishing the city organizational chart and staffing levels, a companion resolution setting salary ranges for newly authorized positions, a resolution to solicit bids to realign Powell Road, and a resolution authorizing application for a NatureWorks grant (Ohio Department of Natural Resources) to help redevelop the splash pad at Club Park. The council also authorized elevator modernization contracts for city hall and the police building and approved participation in the Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council (SOPEC) energy-aggregation program.

Councilmembers asked a few clarifying questions on several items (see separate article on the debt policy discussion for more detail). For the water-meter project, staff said the meter replacement program will take about three years. For several projects staff noted that the presented ordinance amounts were maximum principal amounts stated in the legislation and the actual financing and timing will follow further procedural steps.

All recorded roll calls in this group of items resulted in an 8-0 vote in favor. No item in this set was reported as failing, tabled, or postponed at Thursday's session.