WWTP equipment, blighted properties, administrators' pay distribution reviewed at Hillsboro City Council meeting

Hillsboro City Council members approved nine items of legislation — including signing off on a new piece of equipment for the Wastewater Treatment Plant and identifying blighted parcels in the city — during a relatively brief monthly meeting Thursday, Nov. 16.

After hearing from Hillsboro Wastewater Treatment Plant Supervisor Tyler Warnock, council voted to suspend the three-reading rule and to adopt a resolution authorizing the Safety and Service Director to purchase a New Holland W80C HS loader through the State of Ohio Cooperative Purchasing Program.

According to an exhibit attached to the resolution, the quote for the equipment is $90,369.28. Warnock was invited by Safety and Service Director Brianne Abbott to discuss the need for the loader.

“Right now, we currently use a 2007 open cab skid steer to haul sludge,” Warnock said. “This basically would take the place of that.

“It’s kind of worn out. When we went to using a press, four years ago, we started appropriating every year for this, hoping to get a loader, but as you know, we had COVID. Last year, we had a bunch of issues with the pumps.”

It was requested that council would suspend the three-reading rule so they could use funds from the 2023 budget to make the purchase.

“Part of the reason why we're trying to get it passed this year, is because we have the money appropriated,” Warnock said. “Hopefully nothing breaks down to the next month or so, and it can come out of this year's budget.”

Council voted 7-0 to suspend the three-reading rule and 7-0 to approve the legislation.

In unrelated action, a resolution identifying blighted properties in the City of Hillsboro was passed by a 7-0 vote following suspension of the three-reading rule.

Abbott said the legislation was introduced to be submitted to the land bank board for consideration for “programs for blighted property abatement” and that they needed suspension of three-reading rule in order “to meet their deadlines.”

The properties listed included properties on South High Street, West Collins Avenue, East South Street (two), Bigelow Street, East North Street, North High Street (two), East Walnut Street (two), East Beech Street and Johnson Street, according to the legislation.

As previously reported, Highland County will have a $500,000 set-aside through the next round of the Ohio Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program, as announced by the Governor’s Office Oct. 31. The Highland County Land Reutilization Corporation (land bank) board has already identified 30 possible properties for the program, including 12 in the City of Hillsboro.

Approved as an emergency by a 7-0 vote, after suspension of the three-reading rule, was a resolution for the distribution of administrative services and costs.

The legislation was recommended by city auditor Dawson Barreras to repeal a 2010 resolution splitting the salaries of the “Service Administration Office” — the mayor and safety and service director, according to Abbott — among four different funds. Under that resolution, those salaries were being paid out of the water, sewer, storm and general funds, according to the resolution.

Under the new emergency resolution, both positions will be paid solely out of the general fund, according to Abbott and Barreras.

“Our pay had been split from different departments in the past to take some of the burden off the general fund, but now the general fund is thriving, and so we're taking it back to its original funding source,” Abbott said. “Both the mayor and myself will be paid through the general fund only.”

Council president Tom Eichinger said the 2010 change had been made as a result of “some tight times on the general fund,” and the resolution passed Thursday will “put it back the way it was originally intended.”

A resolution authorizing the mayor to prepare and submit an application to participate in the Ohio Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Grant Program also passed as an emergency, after suspension of the three-reading rule.

Abbott said the legislation would have to be passed as an emergency “in order to meet the deadlines for this grant,” which would be used for previously announced Beech and Railroad Street capital improvements.

Three appropriations-related ordinances introduced Thursday were approved, each by a 7-0 vote.

The first was an ordinance making supplemental appropriations to “make payments on loans not budgeted for,” according to Barreras. Funds were appropriated as follows: 504.513.526200, Interest, $11,290.99; and 504.513.526100, Debt Retirement, $17,755.41.

Next was an appropriation transfer in the amount of $14,000 “to cover wages for the Law Director” for the remainder of 2023 due to “incorrect budgeting.”

Finally, approved was an $8,000 appropriation to the Building and Structures line item to account for a donation for an archery range at Liberty Park. “This will allow us to use that money to actually spend it,” Barreras said.

Of the eight ordinances and resolutions introduced Thursday, the only one having a reading only was a resolution to adopt the 2023 version of the City of Hillsboro policy and procedure manual.

There was no discussion of the ordinance, which was recommended by the civil service/employee relations committee. However, according to the description, some of the changes include:

— Increasing compensation time accrual from a maximum of 80 hours to 120 hours;

— Updating a section to read that “paid time off will be considered active pay status for employees on call for the purpose of calculating overtime;” and

—Adding language about insurance to read: “City employees are eligible to enroll for insurance benefits 30 days after the month of hire. Benefits will begin the first day of the month following the 30-day waiting period after the month of hire.”

In other action, after its third reading, an ordinance amending Section 34.17 of the codified ordinances of the City of Hillsboro pertaining to the Clerk of Council passed unanimously.

The current ordinance, which has been in place since 2004, says: “The salary of the Clerk of Council shall be payable semi-annually from the General Fund, in an amount established by ordinance from time to time.”

The new legislation reads: “The salary of the Clerk of Council shall be determined by the President of Council and shall be paid bi-weekly.”

Also approved 7-0 after three readings was an ordinance amending certain language referencing the tax commissioner and deputy tax commissioner in the codified ordinances of the City of Hillsboro.

As explained by city law director Randalyn Worley in September, “We have references in our code for tax administrator and tax commissioner. The Ohio Revised Code refers to a city tax administrator, not tax commissioner, so we're cleaning up our codified ordinances.

“All references to the tax commissioner will now be tax administrator, and deputy tax commissioner will be deputy tax administrator.”

A third ordinance — modifying the zoning classification of parcel 25-14-101-003.00 — was up for a vote following its third reading but died for lack of a motion, following comments from zoning and annexation committee chair Jason Brown.

The change had been proposed to modify the zoning of that parcel from Business “C” to Residential “B.”

“As the chair of that committee, our committee made the recommendation to approve that change,” Brown said. “However, after hearing the concerns at the public hearing, and then afterward speaking to multiple members of the Planning Commission, I am now going to recommend we leave it like it is.”

After a question from Eichinger, Brown clarified that it was his “personal opinion” and not an official committee recommendation. However, no motions were made by any council members, so Eichinger said, “I guess this ordinance will die.”

Council also heard the second reading of the following legislation, with no discussion:

• An ordinance amending Section 34.079 of the codified ordinances of the City of Hillsboro pertaining to income tax regulations.

• An ordinance to authorize and direct the Safety and Service Director to enter into an agreement with the Highland County commissioners to provide for indigent defendant counsel in the courts for calendar year 2024.

• A resolution transferring real property to the Hillsboro Community Improvement Corporation.

In other discussion, council heard reports from two administrators, as Mayor Justin Harsha was absent, and one council member.

During the SSD report, Abbott told council that the city held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Roberts Lane extension project. The ceremony was held Oct. 17 on state Route 73 to mark the start of construction for the long-planned project. (For more information and photos, see the story at: https://highlandcountypress.com/city-hillsboro-holds-construction-groun….)

“You’ll see that the dirt work is underway,” Abbott said of the Roberts Lane project.

In other infrastructure updates, Abbott discussed storm sewer, lead line and paving projects in the city.

“The work continues on the phase three storm sewer project, with anticipated completion by the end of the year,” Abbott said. “North High Street lead line replacement project is set to begin in the spring of 2024, and various paving projects on Willow, Beech and Collins Avenue are complete.”

Abbott also spoke about another grant application submitted for Crossroads Park and its proposed amphitheater for the park on West Main Street.

“Hillsboro was paired with Ross County for an Appalachian Community Grant for our Crossroads Park and amphitheater project,” she said. “Grant applications should be completed and turned in within the upcoming weeks. Hopefully we'll know something early to mid-2024 on that grant application.”

Abbott reported 14 commercial and 15 residential building permits issued by the city in the past month, while she also gave an update on some of the private developments in the city in various stages of construction.

“Marshall’s department store opened [Thursday], and Five Below construction continues,” she said. “They are completing their final inspections with our building department. The Marriott Hotel project is awaiting a drawdown from the Department of Development for their revolving loan portion of the funding.”

Abbott concluded her report by encouraging the community to attend several upcoming Christmas events and to “shop local” this holiday season.

On Dec. 1, the City of Hillsboro will host a Christmas tree lighting uptown from 5-8 p.m. The event will also include photos with Santa provided by Merchants National Bank; free carriage rides; free face painting; a photo booth; and more.  Children's Christmas activities will be hosted by many uptown businesses at their storefronts and at the old firehouse. Music will be performed by the Hillsboro Bible Baptist Church and Hillsboro High School choirs, and there will also be vendors set up at the old firehouse as well as food trucks.

The following night, Dec. 2 at 6 p.m., will be the annual Christmas parade in uptown Hillsboro. This year’s theme is “Past, Present and Future.”  

“Remember to support your small businesses,” Abbott said.

For her Hillsboro Planning Commission report, Abbott said that the commission “reviewed, and approved with conditions, two certificate of appropriateness applications” at their most recent meeting.

• In his report, Barreras gave an update on the city’s 2024 budget rough draft, as well as its Treasury Investment Board.

“The 2024 budget will be in the hands of the finance committee on Monday morning,” Barreras said. “It has been completed, so it’ll get in Mary’s [finance committee chair Mary Stanforth] committee, so we’ll work on that for the next couple weeks and hopefully pass it at the December meeting.”

As previously reported, the finance committee met over the summer to discuss the Treasury Investment Board, at Barreras’ request. Stanforth said in August that the board includes the mayor, auditor, treasurer and law director as members, and Barreras’ suggestion was to “add a fifth member to the board who would be an independent member, not associated with the city or the city’s investments, but very knowledgeable in investment banking.”

Barreras said that Alan Carroll has been appointed to the city’s Treasury Investment Board. The auditor said he is still wanting to overhaul the board’s policies and procedures, “which hasn't been done since the ’90s,” which will be done by the board members and reviewed by the finance committee.

• The lone committee report was given by parks committee chair Don Storer. According to Storer, the committee met with Jeanine Bagshaw of the Hillsboro Swim Organization Oct. 30 to continue discussions of the HSO’s proposal for the city to assume responsibility of their pool. No action has been taken yet.

“We discussed the monetary points of running the pool on a day-to-day basis, and we also discussed the factors of insurance and a transitional period to better understand the operation of the pool,” Storer said. “At the end of the discussion, we all thought we needed more of the information on the insurance and so forth to make a better decision.”

• Although he did not have a committee report, utilities chair Greg Maurer gave an update on the results of the city’s new electricity aggregation program, which is in effect. Eichinger had asked in October if Maurer could get “a number of households that opted in” to the program.

“I’m pleased to let you know that 73 percent of the people that were able to be part of the aggregation program are a part of it,” Maurer said. “Starting this billing cycle, there will be a lower electric rate.”

• Under communications, it was noted that the city had received a notice from the Ohio Division of Liquor Control regarding the Hillsboro Event Center LLC (Hillsboro Orpheum). With no objections from council, Eichinger said the information would be sent on to the state.