City passes emergency resolution for Bell's Opera House funding
Lead Summary
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
The Hillsboro City Council voted 6-1 to pass an emergency resolution that could potentially facilitate funds toward the restoration of the Bell's Opera House.
As reported earlier this week by The Highland County Press, the resolution was to authorize the Mayor of the City of Hillsboro to submit an application to the Ohio Department of Development for Discretionary Funds to Provide Funding for stabilization/restoration of Bell’s Opera House and Declare an Emergency."
Council member Dave Shoemaker asked why it was necessary to pass the measure as an emergency. Hillsboro Mayor Dick Zink said the department of development has "that money up there that they hadn't spent, and they needed to know what we were going to do 'now.' In other words, if we don't apply now, then we will probably not get it."
Shoemaker also asked questions regarding any financial obligation the city might have as a result of passing the resolution.
"These funds are grant money, but they are going to be loaned to the owner of Bells' Opera House," Shoemaker said. "Do we know what rate of interest we are going to be receiving back on that?"
"As far as I know, we won't be (receiving interest) That's state money," Zink said. "It's got nothing to us. This is to allow me to sign the papers so the state can give him the grant."
Shoemaker said, "But, you understand the word 'loan.'"
Zink said that, "It's his loan, not the city's."
Opera House owner Drew Hastings has told The Highland County Press that he is currently in the process of forming a non-profit group, led by area residents, who would oversee the opera house renovations and functions.
Hastings has not denied recent assertions that he intends to run for the Hillsboro mayor's office in 2011.
Council president Lee Koogler described the city's role in the grant/loan process as "the middleman."
"We're just passing it through. In one hand and out the other," Zink said.
Zink said that the city would have no financial obligations as a result of the resolution. Hillsboro Law Director Fred Beery said that he had reviewed the legislation. Koogler asked him if he would concur in the opinion that it would not create a financial obligation on the part of the city.
"I don't think we'll even get to handle the money. I think we'll just have to account for it," Beery said.
Hillsboro Safety and Service Director Ralph Holt said that the only way the city would have to handle the money would be if "it becomes a revolving loan for a portion of the money that he has to come up with. That has nothing to do with this."
According to the resolution, "There is a need for stabilization and restoration for this historic building to preserve the value of the city's downtown historic district. It is the intent of the city of Hillsboro to provide a portion of the overall funding by filing (the) application and entering into agreement with DOD for a grant of the discretionary funds to be loaned to the owner of the Bell's Opera House. This project has been approved by the Ohio Historic Preservation Office, with improvements declared to have 'no adverse effect on the property of the downtown historic district.'"
Peg Beekman, a grant writer for the city, said that the funding is for approximately $150,000, which would be in the form of a grant, and it will not cost the city anything. "The city is applying for funds to come into the city, and it would then be loaned out."
Council member Mary Brown Turner made a motion to waive the three-reading rule, which was seconded by council member Bonnie Parr. The motion passed 6-1 with Shoemaker voting against it. Council member Brian Waller made a motion to pass the resolution, with Parr seconding the motion. The measure passed 6-1, with Shoemaker as the only no vote.
Shoemaker told The Highland County Press that he voted against it due to the principle of the emergency nature of the resolution. Shoemaker said that emergency action should be for the health, welfare and protection of the city, which this was not.
"That is not to say I am against funds going to the opera house," Shoemaker said. "I am all for that. It was the principle of the thing."
In other business, during the report of auditor Gary Lewis, council was informed that, "Over the course of the year we have received more revenue than originally anticipated in the general fund. We have several areas, however, where we will experience some overruns from what was originally appropriated. In the next couple of weeks Mr. Holt and I will review where appropriations may need to be increased."
Lewis said he and Holt will report to the finance committee so that they might make a recommendation to council in November.
After the meeting, Lewis said that the area in question was primarily the city's health insurance.
"At the beginning of the year we had a very tight budget and we made it as skinny as possible," Lewis said.
The city will address the matter, he said, so that appropriations do not exceed the actual revenue, an auditing issue that could result in a citation.
Other areas include "looking at some payroll issues," Lewis said, but "they are kind of minor.
The appropriations will be in the general fund - "the fund that has, and continues to have" the most issues, according to Lewis.
The city is facing a potential deficit by the end of 2011. Some measures have been taken to address the pending deficit by the city. Officials have said that more decisions regarding the 2011 budget will be made toward the end of 2010 when more accurate figures are available.
Lewis said that there have been some increases to the fund, such as an unexpected increase in the estate tax, as well as the $74,000 the city received from selling the former safety building. However, he said, there have been some other unexpected increases in expenditures.
Council voted 7-0 to pass a resolution "accepting the amounts and rates as determined by the budget commission and authorizing the necessary tax levies and certifying them to the county auditor."
Koogler said the resolution was a "housekeeping procedure."
In other business, council:
• Heard a report from Zink stating that the city did not receive a grant for police funding that it had applied for. Additionally, he said that water revenue is down $232,147 from last year's year-to-date funds, and the sewer revenue is down $282,265. The city has contacted Waye Cannon of the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP), which had helped Hillsboro in coming up with a system of incremental raises in the utility rates so that capital improvements could be made to the water and sewer systems. Zink said the decrease is "primarily due to construction being down this year and approximately 45 less customers from last year."
Shoemaker, chairperson of council's utilities committee, said that as soon as Cannon contacts the city they will hold a meeting to make a recommendation to council.
• Heard a report from Holt stating that the construction with the wastewater treatment plant was continuing smoothly, and that the weather has been a big help in that. The city has also begun negotiations with the Fraternal Order of Police, he said.
• Heard a report from the finance committee from chairperson Peter Pence. (See attached link regarding finance committee meeting). Council had no questions for the finance committee.
• Council member Mary Brown Turner, chairperson of the community enhancement committee said that she was able to facilitate some landscaping and beautification at Samaritan Outreach through Cundiff's Tree and Landscaping. She is also attending meetings with the Hillsboro Uptown Business Association, and is looking to improve the landscaping at the fire station.
The Hillsboro City Council voted 6-1 to pass an emergency resolution that could potentially facilitate funds toward the restoration of the Bell's Opera House.
As reported earlier this week by The Highland County Press, the resolution was to authorize the Mayor of the City of Hillsboro to submit an application to the Ohio Department of Development for Discretionary Funds to Provide Funding for stabilization/restoration of Bell’s Opera House and Declare an Emergency."
On Tuesday, during council's October meeting, council member Dave Shoemaker asked why it was necessary to pass the measure as an emergency. Hillsboro Mayor Dick Zink said the department of development has "that money up there that they hadn't spent, and they needed to know what we were going to do 'now.' In other words, if we don't apply now, then we will probably not get it."
Shoemaker also asked questions regarding any financial obligation the city might have as a result of passing the resolution.
"These funds are grant money, but they are going to be loaned to the owner of Bells' Opera House," Shoemaker said. "Do we know what rate of interest we are going to be receiving back on that?"
"As far as I know, we won't be (receiving interest) That's state money," Zink said. "It's got nothing to us. This is to allow me to sign the papers so the state can give him the grant."
Shoemaker said, "But, you understand the word 'loan.'"
Zink said that, "It's his loan, not the city's."
Opera House owner Drew Hastings has told The Highland County Press that he is currently in the process of forming a non-profit group, led by area residents, who would oversee the opera house renovations and functions.
Hastings has not denied recent assertions that he intends to run for the Hillsboro mayor's office in 2011.
Council president Lee Koogler described the city's role in the grant/loan process as "the middleman."
"We're just passing it through. In one hand and out the other," Zink said.
Zink said that the city would have no financial obligations as a result of the resolution. Hillsboro Law Director Fred Beery said that he had reviewed the legislation. Koogler asked him if he would concur in the opinion that it would not create a financial obligation on the part of the city.
"I don't think we'll even get to handle the money. I think we'll just have to account for it," Beery said.
Hillsboro Safety and Service Director Ralph Holt said that the only way the city would have to handle the money would be if "it becomes a revolving loan for a portion of the money that he has to come up with. That has nothing to do with this."
According to the resolution, "There is a need for stabilization and restoration for this historic building to preserve the value of the city's downtown historic district. It is the intent of the city of Hillsboro to provide a portion of the overall funding by filing (the) application and entering into agreement with DOD for a grant of the discretionary funds to be loaned to the owner of the Bell's Opera House. This project has been approved by the Ohio Historic Preservation Office, with improvements declared to have 'no adverse effect on the property of the downtown historic district.'"
Peg Beekman, a grant writer for the city, said that the funding is for approximately $150,000, which would be in the form of a grant, and it will not cost the city anything. "The city is applying for funds to come into the city, and it would then be loaned out."
Council member Mary Brown Turner made a motion to waive the three-reading rule, which was seconded by council member Bonnie Parr. The motion passed 6-1 with Shoemaker voting against it. Council member Brian Waller made a motion to pass the resolution, with Parr seconding the motion. The measure passed 6-1, with Shoemaker as the only no vote.
Shoemaker told The Highland County Press that he voted against it due to the principle of the emergency nature of the resolution. Shoemaker said that emergency action should be for the health, welfare and protection of the city, which this was not.
"That is not to say I am against funds going to the opera house," Shoemaker said. "I am all for that. It was the principle of the thing."
In other business, during the report of auditor Gary Lewis, council was informed that, "Over the course of the year we have received more revenue than originally anticipated in the general fund. We have several areas, however, where we will experience some overruns from what was originally appropriated. In the next couple of weeks Mr. Holt and I will review where appropriations may need to be increased."
Lewis said he and Holt will report to the finance committee so that they might make a recommendation to council in November.
After the meeting, Lewis said that the area in question was primarily the city's health insurance.
"At the beginning of the year we had a very tight budget and we made it as skinny as possible," Lewis said.
The city will address the matter, he said, so that appropriations do not exceed the actual revenue, an auditing issue that could result in a citation.
Other areas include "looking at some payroll issues," Lewis said, but "they are kind of minor.
The appropriations will be in the general fund - "the fund that has, and continues to have" the most issues, according to Lewis.
The city is facing a potential deficit by the end of 2011. Some measures have been taken to address the pending deficit by the city. Officials have said that more decisions regarding the 2011 budget will be made toward the end of 2010 when more accurate figures are available.
Lewis said that there have been some increases to the fund, such as an unexpected increase in the estate tax, as well as the $74,000 the city received from selling the former safety building. However, he said, there have been some other unexpected increases in expenditures.
Council voted 7-0 to pass a resolution "accepting the amounts and rates as determined by the budget commission and authorizing the necessary tax levies and certifying them to the county auditor."
Koogler said the resolution was a "housekeeping procedure."
In other business, council:
• Heard a report from Zink stating that the city did not receive a grant for police funding that it had applied for. Additionally, he said that water revenue is down $232,147 from last year's year-to-date funds, and the sewer revenue is down $282,265. The city has contacted Waye Cannon of the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP), which had helped Hillsboro in coming up with a system of incremental raises in the utility rates so that capital improvements could be made to the water and sewer systems. Zink said the decrease is "primarily due to construction being down this year and approximately 45 less customers from last year."
Shoemaker, chairperson of council's utilities committee, said that as soon as Cannon contacts the city they will hold a meeting to make a recommendation to council.
• Heard a report from Holt stating that the construction with the wastewater treatment plant was continuing smoothly, and that the weather has been a big help in that. The city has also begun negotiations with the Fraternal Order of Police, he said.
• Heard a report from the finance committee from chairperson Peter Pence. (See attached link regarding finance committee meeting). Council had no questions for the finance committee.
• Council member Mary Brown Turner, chairperson of the community enhancement committee said that she was able to facilitate some landscaping and beautification at Samaritan Outreach through Cundiff's Tree and Landscaping. She is also attending meetings with the Hillsboro Uptown Business Association, and is looking to improve the landscaping at the fire station.