Port Clinton council advances plan to buy Key Bank building for new City Hall; finance ordinance set for special meeting

Port Clinton — Port Clinton City Council moved this week to advance a plan to purchase and renovate the Key Bank building at 201 Madison Street for use as a new City Hall, scheduling a special meeting for June 26 to consider Ordinance 19-25 on second reading.

Lisa Sarty, president of council, opened the regular June 24 meeting by noting the ordinance was time sensitive and setting the special meeting date. The ordinance would authorize the issuance of notes in a maximum aggregate principal amount of $2,250,000 in anticipation of bonds to pay costs of acquiring and renovating the building and related City Hall uses; the Fiscal Officer’s Certificate supporting the ordinance was provided to council.

Why it matters: City leaders say a downtown City Hall is intended to support downtown revitalization by placing city staff and visitors near businesses and increasing daily foot traffic. Mayor Snider told council that moving City Hall downtown would put roughly 25–30 employees in the downtown core and is projected to bring about 50 visitors to City Hall each weekday, increasing incidental business for shops and restaurants.

What officials said: Mayor Snider estimated the purchase price for 201 Madison Street at $775,000 and described renovation estimates between $1,000,000 and $2,000,000. The ordinance authorizes notes (to be issued in series) with an initial issuance at closing to cover acquisition, closing costs and immediate expenses; additional issuances for renovation would follow once contractor estimates are known. The administration told council funds from the planned sale, lease or other transfer of the existing City Hall at 1868 E. Perry Street are intended to offset relocation costs and minimize long-term borrowing.

Public concerns and administration response: Several residents spoke during the public-comment period. Devin Pinkelton asked why the city was relocating City Hall and questioned rumors the project would cost $3,000,000, adding that “there is nothing here for the kids” and urging more investment in youth programs. Mayor Snider responded that downtown revitalization and city finances were community priorities identified in past local surveys, and he defended the long-term economic benefits of a downtown City Hall. Resident Jake Trent pressed whether the Police Department would move downtown (the mayor said yes) and raised safety concerns about short-notice high-speed responses from a downtown station; Trent also urged the city to prioritize local contractors. Administration representative Mr. Below said the city will work with an architect on preliminary plans, then issue requests for qualifications and competitive bids under an evaluation/scoring process involving Mr. Colston.

Next steps: Council did not take final action on Ordinance 19-25 at the June 24 meeting; the ordinance was read for the first time and moved to second reading on June 26. The finance documents presented indicate notes would come due 12 months after issuance and that the first issuance would be timed to closing.