The Bellefontaine City Council met in regular session on Tuesday evening.
Mayor Ben Stahler reported to the council that 5 vacancies on boards that help govern the city. The Board of Zoning Appeals has 1 vacancy and Brian Osterfield will be filling that role. The Shade Tree Commission has 3 expiring terms, however, the current people filling those spots will continue; Joanne Ritter, Joe Antrum, and Sherry Wilkins. They will fill a three-year term Bellefontaine has three representatives on the Bellefontaine-Logan County Finance and Development Authority, one term is expiring Tom Simon wishes to continue to fill that role. (These were all voted on by the council and unanimously appointed.) Mayor Stahler went on to swear in Bellefontaine’s newest firefighter, Jordan Simon. Chief Andy Fissel has more details about Simon.
Wes Dodds, Service Safety Director reported leaf pickup within the city will begin soon. (See more details next week.) Solar Eclipse event planning for downtown as well as emergency services has begun. Dodds is the president of the LUC Planning Commission and invited council members to the annual dinner held on November 16th at TRC.
Law Director Stolly informed the council that a recent petition to place an amendment on the November ballot for the current city ordinance about Adult Entertainment was overturned Sunday by the Ohio Supreme Court. Stolly went on to caution the council that if the public should urge changes to be made to ordinances at the city level, that it not be taken lightly and to look at the enforceability of changes that could be proposed.
Auditor Fred Brentlinger reported that the 2022 financial audit has been completed.
Bellefontaine Police Chief Chris Marlow reported their recent tailgate event was well attended and thanked Brentlinger for his tremendous help at the event.
City Engineer Jim Bischoff mentioned to the council that sidewalk projects are underway within the city and they are halfway completed. Painting and striping bids for the city were wrapped up and those projects should commence in the next 7-10 days.
The council went on to approve the following ordinances:
Ordinances for 1st reading
- Resolution 23-66 a. A resolution approving the Bellefontaine Community Reinvestment Area project application of Platinum REI LLC and authorizing the city to enter
into a Community Reinvestment Area agreement with said applicant and directing the housing officer and City Auditor to take all necessary actions to effectuate the tax exemptions granted therein. *This was adopted by a 100% vote*
Ordinances for 2nd reading
- 23-63 a. An ordinance authorizing the Service-Safety Director to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Bellefontaine-Logan County Finance and Development Agency for the installation and provision of Peak Fiber internet service to the Municipal Airport and declaring an emergency. *The three-reading rule was waved by a 100% vote. This was passed on 2nd and final reading by a 100% vote. This was adopted by a 100% vote.*
- 23-64 b. An ordinance making supplemental appropriations and amending the permanent appropriations ordinance for purposes of incidentals-capital
improvements #2 and declaring an emergency. *This was passed on second reading only by a 100% vote.*
Ordinances for 3rd reading
- 23-56 a. An ordinance making supplemental appropriations and amending the permanent appropriations ordinance for purposes of state audit expenses –
auditor and capital equipment – police and declaring an emergency. *This was adopted by a 100% vote.* - 23-59 b. An ordinance amending Chapter 1313 flood damage prevention of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Bellefontaine and declaring an emergency. *This was adopted by a 100% vote.*
A special hearing for an alley vacation within the city was set for Tuesday, October 24th at 7 p.m.
The next City of Bellefontaine Council meeting is set for Tuesday Tuesday, October 24th at 7:30 p.m.
