City administrators address Board of Realtors
Lead Summary
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
Hillsboro mayor Drew Hastings, safety and service director Rick Giroux and deputy law director Laura Curliss were the guests at the Highland County Board of Realtors Thursday at the Hillsboro Ponderosa Banquet Center.
Board of Realtors President Robyn Coomer opened the meeting by discussing a number of legislative issues that will have an impact on the industry. Coomer also said she is excited about 2012 and the real estate market in southern Ohio. She specifically cited the new Wilmington Route 73 bypass and also said she is excited about Hillsboro's new mayor and administration.
After announcing committee assignments, Coomer introduced Realtor Jill Yochum of Prudential Chambers Realty, who discussed a number of bills pending in the Ohio House and Senate.
Yochum specifically mentioned:
• Senate Bill 43, which would amend sections 169.02, 1349.20, 4735.18, and 4735.24 of the Ohio Revised Code to require earnest money for the purchase of residential real estate to be deposited in an interest-bearing account to be used to fund foreclosure prevention programs.
• House Bill 32, which woud enact section 4733.011 of the Revised Code to exempt certain plans and measurements relating to household or small flow on-site sewage treatment systems from the Professional Engineers and Surveyors Law, and to authorize the use of the enforcement provisions of the Household and Small Flow On-site Sewage Treatment Systems Law to enforce existing rules governing household sewage disposal systems until those rules are superseded by rules that are required to be adopted under that Law.
• House Bill 105, which would amend section 3113.31 and to enact sections 9.131, 4113.80, 4113.81, 5321.171, 5321.172, 5321.173, 5321.174, and 5321.175 of the Revised Code to allow an employee who is a victim of domestic violence to take unpaid leave for purposes relating to the incident of domestic violence, to allow an employee who is a victim of domestic violence to file a civil action against that employee's employer if the employer terminates the employee as a result of the employee taking unpaid leave for purposes relating to the incident of domestic violence, to allow a tenant who is a victim of domestic violence to terminate a rental agreement or have the tenant's name removed from the rental agreement under certain circumstances.
• House Bill 106, which would amend section 5321.01 and to enact section 5321.20 of the Revised Code to enable members of the armed services and the Ohio National Guard to terminate a rental agreement when the member receives military orders to deploy or for a permanent change of station.
• Senate Bill 50, which would amend section 5747.98 and to enact section 5747.85 of the Revised Code to authorize an income tax credit for residential landlords who improve a rental unit's energy efficiency.
Yochum encouraged Realtors to familiarize themselves with these legislative issues.
After being introduced by Coomer, Hastings told members of the Board of Realtors, "This job is a lot more than I bargained for. It's also all that I bargained for. Without this team, we could never address our problems. We're going to raise the standard in Hillsboro. We're going to solve the problems. We have a good team assembled, with Rick, Laura, Debbie Sansone. We've got it all covered."
Hastings said his administration is initially focused on:
• Balancing the budget. "We were handed a huge budget deficit, which we have addressed."
• Economic development. "We have created an economic development department within the city," Hastings said.
• City township Fire and EMS negotiations. "I assure you there will be a solution in 2012, with options for the city and anyone who wants to participate," Hastings said.
During a question-and-answer session, Hastings referenced an alleged "drug house" in the city of Hillsboro.
He told Realtors that he went to the occupants of the house and told them, "I just want you out of here. Go to Ironton, go to Huntington, or back to Dayton. Take it out of Hillsboro." The audience responded with a round of applause for the mayor's initiative.
Giroux said he is pleased to be in the Hillsboro community and happy to be part of Mayor Hastings' team. "I am here for the people in Hillsboro. We will be responsive to your needs. There are some dysfunctional things in the city that need to be addressed."
Giroux said property maintenance issues and the city code related to building maintenance will be revised and updated.
"We need to re-draft the exterior building maintenance code," Giroux said. "Our first intent is to protect our property values and enhance the quality of life in Hillsboro."
When speaking to the board, Curliss referenced the downtown revitalization efforts in the city of Wilmington, particularly after the loss of the DHL jobs. She said a big portion of her efforts in Wilmington included securing grants for city revitalization, and she expects to be a part of the grant application process for the city of Hillsboro.
"I am happy to serve you in any way I can, and I am happy to serve Drew's administration," Curliss said.
The January meeting was sponsored by Merchants National Bank.
The Board of Realtors' February meeting will be held in the Highland County Senior Citizens Center.[[In-content Ad]]
Board of Realtors President Robyn Coomer opened the meeting by discussing a number of legislative issues that will have an impact on the industry. Coomer also said she is excited about 2012 and the real estate market in southern Ohio. She specifically cited the new Wilmington Route 73 bypass and also said she is excited about Hillsboro's new mayor and administration.
After announcing committee assignments, Coomer introduced Realtor Jill Yochum of Prudential Chambers Realty, who discussed a number of bills pending in the Ohio House and Senate.
Yochum specifically mentioned:
• Senate Bill 43, which would amend sections 169.02, 1349.20, 4735.18, and 4735.24 of the Ohio Revised Code to require earnest money for the purchase of residential real estate to be deposited in an interest-bearing account to be used to fund foreclosure prevention programs.
• House Bill 32, which woud enact section 4733.011 of the Revised Code to exempt certain plans and measurements relating to household or small flow on-site sewage treatment systems from the Professional Engineers and Surveyors Law, and to authorize the use of the enforcement provisions of the Household and Small Flow On-site Sewage Treatment Systems Law to enforce existing rules governing household sewage disposal systems until those rules are superseded by rules that are required to be adopted under that Law.
• House Bill 105, which would amend section 3113.31 and to enact sections 9.131, 4113.80, 4113.81, 5321.171, 5321.172, 5321.173, 5321.174, and 5321.175 of the Revised Code to allow an employee who is a victim of domestic violence to take unpaid leave for purposes relating to the incident of domestic violence, to allow an employee who is a victim of domestic violence to file a civil action against that employee's employer if the employer terminates the employee as a result of the employee taking unpaid leave for purposes relating to the incident of domestic violence, to allow a tenant who is a victim of domestic violence to terminate a rental agreement or have the tenant's name removed from the rental agreement under certain circumstances.
• House Bill 106, which would amend section 5321.01 and to enact section 5321.20 of the Revised Code to enable members of the armed services and the Ohio National Guard to terminate a rental agreement when the member receives military orders to deploy or for a permanent change of station.
• Senate Bill 50, which would amend section 5747.98 and to enact section 5747.85 of the Revised Code to authorize an income tax credit for residential landlords who improve a rental unit's energy efficiency.
Yochum encouraged Realtors to familiarize themselves with these legislative issues.
After being introduced by Coomer, Hastings told members of the Board of Realtors, "This job is a lot more than I bargained for. It's also all that I bargained for. Without this team, we could never address our problems. We're going to raise the standard in Hillsboro. We're going to solve the problems. We have a good team assembled, with Rick, Laura, Debbie Sansone. We've got it all covered."
Hastings said his administration is initially focused on:
• Balancing the budget. "We were handed a huge budget deficit, which we have addressed."
• Economic development. "We have created an economic development department within the city," Hastings said.
• City township Fire and EMS negotiations. "I assure you there will be a solution in 2012, with options for the city and anyone who wants to participate," Hastings said.
During a question-and-answer session, Hastings referenced an alleged "drug house" in the city of Hillsboro.
He told Realtors that he went to the occupants of the house and told them, "I just want you out of here. Go to Ironton, go to Huntington, or back to Dayton. Take it out of Hillsboro." The audience responded with a round of applause for the mayor's initiative.
Giroux said he is pleased to be in the Hillsboro community and happy to be part of Mayor Hastings' team. "I am here for the people in Hillsboro. We will be responsive to your needs. There are some dysfunctional things in the city that need to be addressed."
Giroux said property maintenance issues and the city code related to building maintenance will be revised and updated.
"We need to re-draft the exterior building maintenance code," Giroux said. "Our first intent is to protect our property values and enhance the quality of life in Hillsboro."
When speaking to the board, Curliss referenced the downtown revitalization efforts in the city of Wilmington, particularly after the loss of the DHL jobs. She said a big portion of her efforts in Wilmington included securing grants for city revitalization, and she expects to be a part of the grant application process for the city of Hillsboro.
"I am happy to serve you in any way I can, and I am happy to serve Drew's administration," Curliss said.
The January meeting was sponsored by Merchants National Bank.
The Board of Realtors' February meeting will be held in the Highland County Senior Citizens Center.[[In-content Ad]]