The BellefontIne city council met in regular session Tuesday night and tackled a light agenda.
Service/Safety Director Wes Dodd reported to the council that he has been working with Mayor David Crissman on capital budget items that he hopes would be in the council’s hands by the next meeting. He also informed the council that he participated in a tabletop exercise with several area first responders and the Logan County Emergency Management Agency in anticipation of the solar eclipse in April. He said that the agencies are ready to accommodate the crowds that are expected.
Dodds also passed along Mayor Crissman’s recommendation that Mandy Osterfeld be reappointed to a six-year term with the Bellefontaine Planning Commission. Osterfeld’s term is expiring and she has agreed to be reappointed. The council voted in favor of Crissman’s recommendation.
Logan County Chamber of Commerce President Ben Vollrath spoke to the council about a recent meeting hosted by the Harwood Institute that saw dozens of community members, elected officials, and business leaders meet for training and coaching to assess community needs and the overall civic culture. Vollrath discusses the sessions:
Vollrath also said he was impressed with what was discussed at the meetings:
There was one resolution adopted by the council in its legislative session. The council voted to continue the moratorium on any zoning permits or applications relating to cannabis cultivation, processing, or dispensaries in the city until the House of Representatives in Columbus provides guidance relating to State Issue 2, which was approved by voters in November.
While voters voted to allow recreational marijuana in the state, there are no rules in place that govern its cultivation or sale. The resolution continued the moratorium that had already been in place.
In other action, an ordinance that would make it easier for city employees to donate sick time to other employees was given its first reading and an ordinance that would amend the fund to pay for the deputy chief probation officer for the Bellefontaine Municipal Court was given its second reading.
The following ordinances were given their third and final reading and were adopted:
- 24-01 – An ordinance that would allow the service/safety to seek bids for the Garfield Avenue sanitary sewer improvement project;
- 24-02 – An ordinance that would allow the service/safety director to contract with Quality Care for ambulance service;
- 24-03 – An ordinance that would allow the service/safety director to advertise for bids for various street resurfacing projects;
- 24-04 – An ordinance that authorized the service/safety director to solicit bids for the Blue Jacket Park walking path project;
- 24-05 – An ordinance that would authorize the service/safety director to contract with Hickory Medical Direct Primary Care to provide health care benefits for city employees.
The council will meet again on Tuesday, February 27, at 7:30 PM.
