While Galion?s City Council considered several items at their first regular meeting of December on Tuesday night, lengthy discussion on two measures in particular resulted in a marathon session lasting two hours and forty minutes.
Because of that length, we will have coverage in two installments.
One of these items concerned the adoption of the City?s 2013 Budget, which in turn necessitated that Council decide between two proposals, one of which would add an officer to both the Galion Police Department and the Galion Fire/EMS Department. The other concerned the continuing question of whether to create a specific zoning home for tattoo parlors and body piercing facilities.
After initial matters, Council first considered entering into a contract with the Ohio Auditor?s Office relative to the compilation of City financial statements. This agreement would be for two years instead of the usual three, with no reason shared for the change, and would have a cap of $22,000. The measure passed unanimously.
The next two measures involved the proposed adoption of the City?s 2013 Recovery Plan and Budget. Both City Manager Gene Toy and Belinda Miller of the Ohio Auditor?s Office indicated that the only change from the Recovery Plan discussed at the recent Special Meeting was a revision to include the Fire Department?s recent receipt of a FEMA grant.
At this point, Councilwoman Roberta Wade shared some questions relative to the City?s recently-received bill from AMP. In particular, Wade asked Miller about items labeled ?debt? in that bill, to which Miller responded that those items ??are not really debt,? and are part of the City?s actual power cost. Prairie State debt, she continued, is not relevant to the Recovery Plan.
Councilwoman Cathy George asked Miller about the timing of the City?s possible release from fiscal emergency. Miller said that the City still needed to prove that accounting methods had been changed since the date of emergency and that the City has been operating correctly for a period of time, in addition to having three-month positive carryover balances in key funds. To do so, she said, her office will meet with the City Finance Department shortly after the beginning of the year to begin that process. Miller cautioned that the actual release would likely not occur until near the end of 2013 at the earliest.
The Recovery Plan was then unanimously passed.
When the 2013 Budget was then considered, Councilwoman Roberta Wade made an observation and motion that set the stage for an hour of discussion and debate. Wade shared that the Council needed to consider doing something else with the funds which would pay for the additional Police and Fire personnel. Instead, she argued that the City should do something important for the citizens who have been paying high utility bills. Instead of full time employees, Wade suggested that both departments should explore the use of part-time and volunteer labor. This would result in substantial cost savings, she claimed, as the total cost over five years for the two new officers would be approximately $953,000. And, as later discussion revealed, $442,000 of that sum would be in the form of benefits as full-time employees.
Talk then moved to questions of what cost savings part-time assistance would actually create. Councilman Walt Keib noted that the departments now spend $70,000 in overtime each year. Council President Gail Baldinger asked if the proposed additions represent actual empty positions or are really augmentations to the force. Captain Ric Biglin of the Fire Department said that there is an open firefighter/EMS position at present. Police Chief Brian Saterfield shared that as recently as 2004, the City had a higher number of patrol and firefighter positions. These new positions would allow the GFD to have five individuals on every shift and more patrolling on city streets. Much of the conversation then dealt with the special levy funds authorized some years ago by City voters for police and fire protection.
Wade continued her argument. Part-time employees have now been successfully used in dispatching, she said, and asserted that the same could work at this level. $200,000 of the benefits are in health insurance, she pointed out, providing certain cost savings.
At this point, several audience members joined in. Bob Cerar claimed that Wade?s ideas actually masked an attempt to ??get rid of the police and fire departments.? By failing to increase staff, he said, she would be ?taking the most difficult job in the City and making it harder.? Brad Gibson asked Council to ?leave police and fire alone,? and questioned recent expenses on new City vehicles. John Smella noted that the City?s population is less than when higher police and fire staff numbers were in place; Biglin responded that while that might be true, call volumes today are actually substantially higher. Judy Gibson asked what size force is needed by a typical city Galion?s size, and Dennis Long talked about successful recent efforts to combat drug use that might be put in jeopardy should the Police Department?s effectiveness be impacted.
Council members again spoke. Wade told Council members that ?spending is not sustainable.? Keib said that while that is true, the increases will not result in any rate increases for citizens. Councilwoman Cathy George added, ?Can you put a price on your safety?? Wade repeated, ?We need to stick with the basic budget and find other ways to cover police and fire.? Councilman Dr. Thomas Fellner shared that if the basic option was passed, Council would have no appropriated funds to pay for any part-time assistance. Those funds are needed to be flexible, he said.
After additional discussion, Wade?s motion was defeated, 7-1, with Wade the only members voting for the measure. The second Budget option, that including the police and fire officers, was then moved, seconded, and passed unanimously.
The tattoo parlor and body piercing ordinance, which would allow them in General Commercial Zoning Districts and subject to Adult Entertainment restrictions (not within 1500 feet of any school or church, etc.) was then considered on a Second Reading. City Building Inspector Matt Ross again reviewed the situation, telling Council that what was on the table was a measure which was recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission. Council had multiple options, he continued. It could pass the ordinance as written, which would have the cumulative effect of allowing these establishments on only two or three lots in the City. It could strike the Adult Entertainment clause, which would allow them in any General Commercial District (such as the Galion West Shopping Center). Or, Council could chose to take no action, which would continue the status quo ? every applicant would be required to make a case to the Planning and Zoning Commission that it would be a ?similar use? to those in an existing zone. Once allowed in that zone, future applicants could do so as well.
Councilwoman George told Council that without legislation, the City would have no real control over where the parlors could operate. Councilman Fellner agreed, noting that the impact of the measure would actually make it easier for parlors to open, as they would not need to make a similar use argument if a particular location met all adopted requirements. Again, however, the measure would actually make opening almost impossible as almost no locations exist in the City that do meet those measures.
A local pastor rose to speak, claiming that he had done a study that showed that such operations ?bring in unwanted people.? Some discussion took place about what the Commission actually recommended; Chair Bob Cerar indicated that he believed the Adult Entertainment restrictions were added to the recommendations not because of what takes place inside, but because some of the artwork which would be displayed in the windows of the sole applicant to date appeared ?almost pornographic.? Other citizens, including Russell Henkel and Katie Strickler, suggested that Council pass the measure without reference to Adult Entertainment restrictions.
The measure then passed unanimously as originally written.
Before the Council meeting began, L to R: Council Members Ken Bodkins, Paul Flannery, Cathy Geroge, Walt Keib, and City Manager Gene Toy.
Related posts:
- Council Rejects Police Bargaining Agreement
- Galion Has a New Fire Chief
- Tattoo Parlors, Alley Vacations, and Farmers Markets
- Council Approves Fire Truck Purchase in Tense Meeting
- Police and Fire Rally ? Continued
Source: http://galionlive.com/2012/12/12/council-acts-to-add-police-fire-and-to-allow-tattoo-parlors/
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