Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ordinances Votes topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
St. Bernard council adopts demolition contract, approves fund transfers and compensation changes; energy aggregation measures sent on regular course
Summary
Council voted unanimously to adopt ordinances including a demolition contract (Ordinance No. 3), transfers and appropriations (Ordinance No. 4), and compensation changes (Ordinance No. 5). Ordinances to place electric and natural‑gas aggregation questions on the ballot (Nos. 6 and 7) will proceed by regular course for further review.
At its Feb. 20 meeting, the St. Bernard Village Council approved a set of ordinances that will affect a demolition project, village finance accounts and employee compensation, and moved two utility‑aggregation ballot measures forward for additional review.
Ordinance No. 3, as read by the clerk, authorizes the director of public safety and service to contract with a wrecking company to demolish buildings located on Vine Street and declares an emergency. Council voted to suspend the second and third readings and then adopted Ordinance No. 3 by roll call (6–0).
The council also approved Ordinance No. 4, authorizing the auditor to transfer $8,000 from the general fund to the criminal‑forfeiture cash account and to appropriate funds tied to demolition costs that are expected to be reimbursed (the transcript did not provide a clear, unambiguous reimbursement amount). Ordinance No. 4 was suspended and adopted by roll call vote (6–0).
Ordinance No. 5, which fixes compensation for certain part‑time and appointed village employees, was similarly advanced and adopted by unanimous roll call (6–0).
On energy policy, the clerk read Ordinance No. 6 (governmental electric aggregation with opt‑out provisions pursuant to Ohio Rev. Code § 4928.2) and Ordinance No. 7 (governmental natural‑gas aggregation pursuant to Ohio Rev. Code § 4929.26). Director of Law Van Valkenburgh emphasized that these ordinances simply authorize placing ballot questions before voters and do not commit the village to aggregation. After questions about timing and whether both measures should appear on an August special election ballot, the council voted 6–0 to allow both ordinances to proceed by regular course so administration staff can confirm details and ballot logistics.
Ordinance No. 8, a package of codified ordinance updates (traffic and general offenses) to comply with state law, was placed on the table earlier and then adopted as written by unanimous roll call (6–0).
Why it matters: The demolition contract and related appropriation allow the village to move forward on removing specified properties; the transfer and compensation ordinances adjust village accounts and employee pay; and the aggregation ordinances begin the statutory process to permit voters to decide whether the village should pursue a municipal aggregation program.
What’s next: Council scheduled a special meeting for March 13 to consider the interim director contract and to handle any remaining reading or certification steps tied to pending resolutions or ordinances.
