Clyburn: Greenfield voters should keep city manager form of government

By Rory Ryan
The Highland County Press

On May 8, 2007, Greenfield voters approved organizing the village under a new city manager form of government as provided in Ohio Revised Code 705.41-705.86.

The duties of the city manager shall consist of those prescribed in Ohio R.C. 705.59 and also the following additional duties prescribed below and any other duties as required by future ordinance or resolution. The duties of the city manager include:

• Serve as safety-service director and community development coordinator.

• Make recommendations concerning affairs of the village such as annexation, long-range and capital improvement projects.

• Make reports concerning operations of village departments, offices and other agencies that may provide direct services to the City that are under the City Manager’s direction and supervision.

• Prepare and submit annual reports on finances and administrative activities to the public, village employees and Council.

• Manage day-to-day operations.

• Appoint or remove any appointed officers and/or village employees in the classified service consistent with state laws and local ordinances.

• Make recommendations concerning the appointment and/or removal of unclassified officers and/or village employees to the City Council.

• Delegate duties and responsibilities to all departments, village officers and employees who are under his authority.

• Promote and develop the industrial park.

• Write and submit grants to promote the village, redevelop and develop the village infrastructure and public facilities.

• Administer village planning, zoning and economic development plans.

• Serve as staff liaison and support as needed for the Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, Recreation Commission, Civil Service Commission and Downtown Design Review Board.

Now, after almost 17 years of a city manager form of government, a group of citizens are working to have Greenfield return to a mayoral form of government.

During an April 9 special meeting of council, representatives of the “Greenfield Reform Group" said they had collected “almost 300 signatures” on their petitions to “adjust the village form of government.

“We are meeting with our lawyer to actually have them placed on a special ballot soon,” Amie Ernst said. “We’ll be getting that finalized with the Board of Elections through all the legal processes that our attorney advises us to, to be submitted soon for a special election.” 

Some of the community concerns expressed during the April 9 meeting were regarding the current administration, council and/or employees of the village; grants; village projects; communication between the village government and residents; water and sewer rates; treatment of businesses, citizens and/or village staff; and need for increased checks and balances. 

After hearing from citizens on April 9, council entered an executive session to discuss Wilkin’s employment. There was a 2-1 vote, with one abstention, to remove the city manager, which failed.

On Monday, April 15, Greenfield Council President Phil Clyburn met with The Highland County Press and encouraged voters to maintain support for the city manager form of government.

Clyburn said as he understands it, if the village returns to a mayoral form of government, voters will have to elect a new mayor, city auditor and law director. Prior to that vote in November, Clyburn said Greenfield would first have a special election to determine its form of government.

Contrary to some rumors, Clyburn also noted that a new mayor cannot remove current members of council, who are selected by the voters. 

Clyburn also produced a copy of an anonymous complaint to the Ohio Auditor of State Special Investigations Unit dated Dec. 6, 2023. After stating five allegations of "misuse of funds by various village officials," the state auditor's office concluded, "Caller stated his complaints are verifiable through the village Facebook page; the caller does not have any specific documents to provide."

When asked about the benefits of a city manager form over a mayor form of government, Clyburn said, "With a city manager, you have someone with knowledge of private-sector business and government and its many facets. The city manager can be selected from anywhere, based on his or her qualifications.

"With a mayor form, voters are limited to the adult residents of Greenfield; the same goes for city auditor and law director."

Clyburn also credited current Greenfield City Manager Todd Wilkin for securing millions of dollars in grant funds for village infrastructure and local business support. Clyburn also gave Wilkin credit for obtaining grant dollars to improve the railroad line that supports at least three local manufacturers. In addition, (not including retirement) the village employment level has maintained a turnover rate of approximately 5 percent during Wilkin's tenure, which is below the national average of 6.1 percent for government employees nationwide.

As reported in 2020, Greenfield was awarded a grant totaling more than $3.4 million for improvements on its 29-mile rail spur. The award came with the help of partnerships with the Highland County Board of Commissioners, the Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth), ODRC (Ohio Rail Development Commission, the Ohio Department of Transportation, the Governor’s Office of Appalachia and the Federal Appalachian Regional Commission. Through the partnerships, the match money of more than $1.7 million was raised for the 50/50 grant. That money was matched through the federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program.

"Adient, Huhtamaki and Candle-lite must have that railroad," Clyburn said. "Todd worked very hard to get those dollars for Greenfield. The village also has added 111 jobs since Todd took office."

In addition, Clyburn provided a list of more than 20 Greenfield businesses that have received money through Greenfield's revolving loan fund since Wilkin has been in office.

Since Wilkin was hired six years ago, the village:

• Was awarded a $3,881,035.00 CRISI Grant for the railroad that supports 1,200 to 1,800 jobs for Highland County – $125,000 is what the village is paying for this work. 

• The village worked with the council to provide employee raises every year and increase starting salaries for all employees, while working to ensure insurance monthly premiums were not increased in six years. 

• The village received more than $14 million in funding through grants and a few low-interest loans to rebuild failing infrastructure throughout the town. Of the $14 million, the village received $10,930,848.50 in grants it does not pay back, which is 76 percent of the total dollars coming into the village.

• The village started Industrial Round Table meetings in Greenfield with Adient, Corvac, Candle-lite, Greenfield Precision Plastics, Greenfield Products, Greenfield Research, Huhtamaki, Weastec, Wooden It Be Nice and other partners during Wilkin's tenure. These meetings evolved into the Highland County Think Tank, which Wilkin assembled with all the Highland County schools, Economic Development Office, Chamber of Commerce, Southern State Community College, Lt. Governor Jon Husted’s office, Southern Ohio ESC and other key partners, and the Highland County Think Tank then evolved into the Workforce Leadership Council, which created ACCESS. 

• When Wilkin started in April 2018, the General Fund was projected to be a $0.00 carryover into 2019. After recommendations to the 2018 budget, the village finished the year with a carryover of $199,000. After six years with Wilkin in office, the village started this year with an $877,000 carryover.  

• The village assisted Adient in expanding its tank storage facility, which represented a $6 million investment in the facility and secured jobs in Greenfield.  

• In 2018, the village: adopted its Economic Development Plan; the South Central Ohio Industrial Park was site authenticated by the state of Ohio; started working with RITA (Regional Income Tax Agency), grants awarded totaled $1.4 million; started enforcement of blighted properties; started the Industrial Round Table Meetings with all local industry.

• In 2019, the village received grants of almost $4 million. The village remodeled City Hall offices to combine the water and administration offices and was awarded almost $3.9 million in railroad grants and retained 1,800 jobs associated with the rail line.

• In 2020, $100,000 for a bike trail to connect Mitchell Park and Felson Park was announced, as was pavilion money for Felson Park. The village increased the General Fund carryover from $289,000 to $442,000 during the pandemic when other communities saw a loss.

• In 2021, the village started its Façade Improvement Program with $852,000 of investment. Weastec reopened in Greenfield. Greenfield Precision Plastics opened. The general fund carryover grew from $442,000 to $676,000. 

• In 2022, the Pipes of Christmas returned; the village started First Friday events, Movie Nights, Cookie Walk and Hocus Pocus. There were 14 ribbon cuttings for new businesses in the downtown area. The general fund grew from $676,000 to $790,000. More blighted homes and buildings were disposed of throughout town and new Johnny Paycheck signs were installed.

• In 2023, the general fund increased from $790,000 to $877,000. Fiber was installed throughout town. Water bills moved from postcard billing to mailed letters. The former Elliott Hotel was demolished.

While Clyburn admitted that he originally opposed Greenfield adopting a city manager form of government, he now supports it.

"If the village has an incompetent city manager, council can remove him," Clyburn said. "If we elect a less than qualified mayor, we're stuck for four years. I support staying with our city manager form of government."

Greenfield Village Council meets Monday, April 15 at 4:45 p.m. in council chambers at the village office.