Sylvania Council approves annexation, fee changes, contracts and budget fixes in Dec. 15 meeting

Sylvania City Council on Dec. 15 approved a slate of routine and project-related measures, including an owner-requested annexation, updates to the citys rate-and-fee schedule, several construction change orders and fiscal year-end budget adjustments.

The council voted to adopt Ordinance 1 38 2025, accepting annexation petition 2025-2 for a single parcel on Acres Road and providing interim zoning; Miss Bridal described it as the final procedural step following township review and the statutory waiting period. Mister Haynam moved adoption; the motion passed on voice vote.

Council also passed Ordinance 1 39 2025 to consolidate chapter 17 of the Sylvania codified ordinances into an updated rate-and-fee schedule. Mister Shaw told council departments undertook a six-to-eight-month review and that most changes were modest, including some permit-fee increases to reflect labor costs. Mr. McCann introduced the ordinance; it passed as an emergency measure.

The council approved two construction change-order ordinances. Staff said Change Order No. 1 on the Heron Road and Ravine Drive traffic signal project at Flower Hospital resulted from both savings (reduced undercut and shared field-office costs) and added work (a missing water-quality structure and extra electrical tie-ins), producing a $10,313.77 net decrease in the contract from $1,401,475.50 to $1,391,161.73; Mr. Richardson moved the ordinance to authorize the mayor and finance director to approve the change order and it passed. Separately, a final change order for storm-sewer replacement at Frickers added $4,200 for asphalt trench work, increasing that contract from $42,900 to $47,100; the council authorized the change order.

Finance matters included Ordinance 1 43 2025, the fiscal year 2025 adjusting ordinance to reconcile original appropriations with actual expenditures. Finance Director Toby Shroyer told council municipal court expenditures ran nearly 30% over budget in multiple line items and that the city experienced several significant health-care claims; council approved the adjustments. Council also ratified then-and-now certifications for November and approved Ordinance 1 44 2025 to authorize payment of those purchase orders.

Finally, council adopted Ordinance 1 45 2025, approving a 4% pay increase for nonunion employees for 2026 to match union contract adjustments. Mr. Shroyer noted a legacy $1,000 deferred-compensation footnote remains for some positions and is being phased out by attrition.

All measures were presented and passed as emergency measures or by voice vote during the meeting; council set its organizational meeting for Jan. 5, 2026 at 6:15 p.m.