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Council adopts 0.2% street levy resolution for May ballot, updates fire inspection fees, approves grant unappropriations
Summary
Chillicothe City Council on Jan. 12 adopted a 0.2% municipal income tax levy for street maintenance to appear on the May 5, 2026 ballot (with emergency language), approved updated fire safety inspection fees, and adopted an ordinance adjusting 2025 grant unappropriations after waiving the three‑reading rule.
Chillicothe City Council unanimously adopted three items on its Jan. 12 agenda, including a 0.2% municipal income tax levy dedicated to paving and street construction to appear on the May 5, 2026 ballot, an update to fire safety inspection fees, and an ordinance adjusting unappropriations of 2025 grant projects.
The council first heard from Councilmember Timothy Creed, who said he would move to add emergency language to the levy so it could be placed on the ballot: “Id like to make a motion to amend the legislation to add emergency language.” That amendment, seconded by Miss Dunn, passed on a unanimous roll call. After the amendment the clerk called the roll on the levy resolution (0.2% for 10 years); the resolution was adopted unanimously.
The fire safety inspection fee measure (an amendment to Chapter/Section 21.14 of the codified ordinances) was presented as a third reading and adopted on a unanimous roll call. The ordinance updates the citys inspection fee schedule for fire and safety services as shown in the third‑reading notice.
Item 3 on the agenda proposed additional unappropriations for grant projects from the 2025 books and declared an emergency. Councilmember Creed moved to waive the three‑reading rule; Mr. McCourt seconded and the waiver was approved unanimously. The council then adopted the ordinance amending ordinance 73‑25 (additional unappropriations) on a unanimous roll call.
Record of recorded motion leaders and votes: the minutes show motions for the minutes and for each of the three ordinances, with roll call tallies recorded as unanimous yes votes by councilmembers Bennett, Payne, McCourt, Barnes, McKeever, DeMint, Preston, Dunn and Creed.
The street levy, if placed on the May 5 ballot by the Ross County Board of Elections as directed by the council, would be for a 10‑year period and dedicated to maintenance and construction of streets and paving.
The council did not record dissent on any of the three final actions. Next procedural steps include the Clerk of Council filing required documents with the Ross County Board of Elections to place the levy question on the May 5 ballot and implementation steps for fee changes as laid out by city staff.
