The Bellefontaine City Council held its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday night in council chambers.
Service-Safety Director, Wes Dodds, reported to the council, residents, and guests that RITA (Regional Income Tax Authority) will soon be a thing of the past.
In 2016, the council voted to move income tax collections and filing out of house and use the Northern Ohio-based company.
Since there have been many complaints by the residents of Bellefontaine and the company has not performed as expected, the city will end its agreement with the entity at the end of December 2025.
Dodds talks about the decision:
He went on to say the first year of this change will financially break even, due to software updates for the city, but every year after, it should save funds.
This move was ratified by the council later in the meeting, approving the hire of two tax employees. (See ordinances)
Dodds also elaborated more after the meeting about the funds appropriated for the Logan County Animal Shelter.
A $100,000 animal agreement between the city and the shelter will last for five years and be reevaluated at that time.
The shelter will house stray animals found not only within the city limits, but county-wide.
Dodds also says several properties are being demolished in the city, including 101 North Elm Street, 300 North Detroit, and 305 East Sandusky, as part of the city’s efforts to clean up.
Bellefontaine Police Chief Chris Marlow reports that his department recently raised just over $8,000 from their recent K9 Chicken BBQ Fundraiser.
The funds will go toward the care of K9 Pyro and retired K9 Boodik.
Fire Chief Brian Wilson reported that Engine 22 is at the repair shop in Lima for a wiring issue, and two in-house medics are now certified.
Moving on to the legislation portion of the meeting, the following action was taken:
Ordinances for 1st reading:
- 25-59 a. An ordinance authorizing and creating a second full-time Tax Superintendent for the Bellefontaine Tax Department, authorizing the City Auditor and Service-Safety Director to hire said second Tax Superintendent, and declaring an emergency. (1st and final reading, passed and adopted)
- 25-60 b. An ordinance authorizing and creating a new full-time Revenue Collection Specialist for the Bellefontaine Tax Department, authorizing the City Auditor and Service-Safety Director to hire said Revenue Collection Specialist, and declaring an emergency. (1st and final reading, passed and adopted)
- 25-61 c. An ordinance amending the service workers’ pay scale to include compensation for a Revenue Collection Specialist. (1st and final reading, passed and adopted)
- 25-62 d. An ordinance accepting application for annexation of certain territory/real estate to the City of Bellefontaine, Ohio, containing 143.138 acres, owned by Andrew G. Detrick and Barbara Detrick, located in Harrison Township adjacent to the City of Bellefontaine, Ohio, establishing zoning classification therefore, amending the zoning map, and declaring an emergency. (1st reading only by a 100% vote)
- 25-63 e. An ordinance amending certain provisions of Chapter 923 Water of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Bellefontaine, Ohio, and declaring an emergency. (1st reading only by a 100% vote)
- 25-64 f. An ordinance amending certain provisions of Chapter 925 Sewers of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Bellefontaine, Ohio, and declaring an emergency. (1st reading only by a 100% vote)
Ordinances for 2nd reading:
- 25-54 a. An ordinance making supplemental appropriations and amending the Permanent Appropriations Ordinance for purposes of the Bellefontaine Police Department and declaring an emergency. (2nd reading only by a 100% vote)
- 25-55 b. An ordinance to approve, adopt, and enact the 2025 replacement pages to the codified ordinances and declaring an emergency. (2nd reading only by a 100% vote)
- 25-58 c. An ordinance authorizing the Service-Safety Director, on behalf of the City of Bellefontaine, to enter into an emergency repair agreement with Levan’s Excavating, Inc. regarding a ruptured storm water line under Canby Street and declaring an emergency. (2nd reading only by a 100% vote)
Ordinances for 3rd reading:
- 25-50 a. An ordinance authorizing and directing the City Auditor to appropriate funds for a contribution to the Logan County Animal Shelter and declaring an emergency in the City of Bellefontaine, Ohio. (Adopted)
- 25-51 b. An ordinance authorizing and creating nine new firefighter/paramedic positions in the Bellefontaine Fire Department and authorizing the Service- Safety Director and Fire Chief to take the necessary action for the hiring of said new firefighter/paramedics. (Adopted)
- 25-52 c. An ordinance authorizing and creating nine new police officer positions in the Bellefontaine Police Department and authorizing the Service-Safety Director and Chief of Police to take the necessary action for the hiring of said new police officers. (Adopted)
- 25-53 d. An ordinance amending the franchise agreement set forth in Ordinance 86-105 granting to Logan County Cooperative Power and Light Association, Inc., its successors and assigns, the right to acquire, construct, maintain, and operate in the streets, thouroughfares, alleys bridges and public places of the City of Bellefontaine, Ohio, lines for the distribution of electric energy to parts of said city and the inhabitants thereof for light, heat, power and other purposes and for the transmission of same. (Adopted)
The meeting was then adjourned, and the next will be held on September 9th at 7:30 in Council Chambers.
