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Bellefontaine council approves staffing, annexation, utility and emergency-repair ordinances; one abstention recorded
Summary
The Bellefontaine City Council adopted multiple ordinances including new tax-department positions, nine firefighter and nine police positions, an annexation, emergency stormwater repairs and franchise amendments; one council member abstained from the firefighter/paramedic vote due to a family conflict.
The Bellefontaine City Council on an evening session adopted a slate of ordinances that create new city positions, approve an annexation and authorize emergency repairs.
Council voted to create a second full-time tax superintendent and a full-time revenue collection specialist to bring more income-tax work in-house as the city transitions away from the Regional Income Taxing Authority. The council also amended the service workers pay scale to add the revenue collection specialist position. Motions to waive the three-reading rule were moved and the measures were passed and adopted by roll call.
Council approved an ordinance accepting an annexation application for about 143.138 acres owned by Andrew G. Dietrich and Barbara Dietrich in Harrison Township, establishing R-1 zoning and amending the city zoning map. The council moved and passed the measure on first reading.
On infrastructure, council passed measures to amend water and sewer code provisions and to adjust future water and sewer rates to reflect management, maintenance, operation and capital needs. It also authorized the service-safety director to enter an emergency repair agreement with Levance Excavating Incorporated for a ruptured stormwater line under Campey (Cammie) Street.
On third reading the council adopted a contribution to the Logan County Animal Shelter and enacted staffing authorizations to create nine firefighter/paramedic positions and nine police positions; those staffing ordinances were moved, seconded and approved by roll call. Council member Missus James announced an abstention on the firefighter/paramedic motion because a family member is on the candidate list; the abstention was noted and the ordinance was adopted.
The council also adopted an amendment to a franchise agreement granting rights to Logan County Cooperative Power and Light Association (successors and assigns) to construct and maintain electric distribution lines in city rights-of-way; the motion carried by roll call.
The clerk reported a new liquor-license application for Bellefontaine Hospitality LLC (Cobblestone Hotels and Suites on Dowell Avenue); with no objections, the application will be mailed. Several other first- and second-reading ordinance items (including drone-related appropriations and codified ordinance replacements) were moved forward as noted on the agenda.
The meeting concluded with communications from council about downtown parking and the farmers market and a motion to adjourn.
Votes at a glance: ordinance numbers and outcomes were recorded on the council docket and moved by members on the floor; roll-call responses in the transcript recorded affirmative votes by the present council members for the measures listed above and an abstention by Missus James on the firefighter/paramedic hiring ordinance. The transcript records the motions and roll-call confirmations but does not list every council membervote as a separate numeric tally for every item.
