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Chillicothe council adopts year‑end ordinances, approves cybersecurity policy; 0.2% tax levy set for May ballot
Summary
At its Dec. 22 meeting, the Chillicothe City Council unanimously adopted multiple year‑end ordinances — including payroll appropriations and an arborist salary ordinance — waived three‑reading rules on emergency items, adopted a cybersecurity policy to comply with state requirements (policy text retained privately), and directed a 0.2% municipal income‑tax levy for the May 5, 2026 ballot.
Chillicothe City Council unanimously approved a slate of year‑end ordinances and resolutions at its Dec. 22, 2025 meeting, including emergency payroll appropriations and a new city cybersecurity policy required by the state.
The council moved through 10 agenda items and voted to adopt ordinances and resolutions after multiple votes to waive the three‑reading rule on emergency items. Among the measures approved were an ordinance amending parking rules for metered and unmetered zones and municipal lots, an ordinance appropriating funds for payroll, fringe and pensions for the remainder of 2025, and an ordinance establishing a salary range for the city arborist that incorporates Inflation Reduction Act grant funds received through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
The council also adopted a resolution affirming city support for the Chillicothe Fire Department’s application to host a safe‑haven baby box at Fire Station No. 1, with acquisition and installation costs to be paid through private donations. A separate resolution to submit a 0.2% municipal income‑tax levy dedicated to paving and street construction for 10 years was introduced and directed to be placed on the May 5, 2026 ballot; that measure received its first reading and will return on a future agenda for further consideration.
The cybersecurity policy — added to the agenda by amendment earlier in the meeting — was adopted as a resolution. Council stated the action was being taken to comply with state requirements; the meeting record notes the city distributed the policy text earlier to council and indicated the attorney general’s office requires public adoption while allowing the policy content to remain private because it pertains to cybersecurity.
Votes at a glance (key items adopted at or during the Dec. 22 meeting): - Ordinance — Amend Codified Ordinances §353.02 (parking zones, meters, enforcement hours): adopted (roll call unanimous). - Resolution — Authorize application for safe‑haven baby box at Fire Station No. 1 (private funds for installation): adopted (roll call unanimous). - Ordinance — Appropriation for payroll, fringe and pensions (remainder of 2025) and emergency declaration: three‑reading waiver passed; ordinance adopted (roll call unanimous). - Ordinance — Remove unnecessary appropriations from city books (emergency); three‑reading waiver passed; ordinance adopted (roll call unanimous). - Ordinance — Establish salary range for city arborist; three‑reading waiver passed; ordinance adopted (roll call unanimous). - Resolution — Adopt cybersecurity policy to comply with Ohio requirements and information‑security standards: three‑reading waiver passed; resolution adopted (roll call unanimous).
The meeting record shows unanimous roll calls on the adopted items; Councilmember Creed was excused and did not participate in votes. President Shoemaker closed the meeting with holiday remarks: "I will echo what the mayor said about wishing everybody a Merry Christmas and happy holidays."
What happens next: the 0.2% levy measure will be placed on the May 5, 2026 ballot after the clerk files necessary documents with the Ross County Board of Elections. Items that had only first or second readings will return to a future agenda for further consideration.
