Zink says tough decisions are ahead in 2011 WATCH THE VIDEO

Hillsboro Mayor Dick Zink told members of the Hillsboro City Council that 2011 was going to be a year full of tough decisions, which may not always be popular, for elected officials, but they need to make sure that the city always puts its residents first. 

As President Lee Koogler began discussing dealing with the pressing budget issue, Hillsboro Safety and Service Director Ralph Holt asked council what its finance committee's role would be in addressing the budget. 

"As we begin our new year, we will be faced with several important issues to settle, and I look forward to meeting these challenges along with city council and coming up with the best solutions to support the citizens of Hillsboro," Zink said in his report to council Monday night during its regular meeting. "I realize we won't all agree on every issue. However, we must work together as a team, remembering the impact of our decisions on our citizens. This means that not all of our decisions will be popular. However, the welfare of Hillsboro citizens must be number one in decision making." 

Among some of the issues the city is facing in 2011 is a projected budget deficit of approximately $400,000 by the end of the year. 

"I will be glad to share any opinion we have in the administration on any subject," Zink said. "If council members care to stop in and ask questions, I will be glad to go over them.

Zink said that he would most likely give his State of the City in February when final numbers for 2010 were compiled. 

Hillsboro Auditor Gary Lewis reported that the funds reports balanced and that he had no legislation to present. 

Koogler asked Lewis, "I know we passed, last month, our temporary appropriations. That usually carries us through the end of February, is that correct?"

Lewis said that it was correct.

"We're going to, obviously, need to get moving on a budget for this coming year," Koogler said. 

Koogler asked that council finance committee chairperson Peter Pence take the matter and "start looking and working on that issue so that we can be ready to have that in place by the end of February."

Koogler asked if there were any additional questions, and Holt said that he wanted to know, "What will the finance (committee's) role be in determining what is required in 2011?"

"Finance's job is ultimately to make a recommendation of the budget that's presented and ultimately enacted by council," Koogler said. "The information, obviously, that is going to go into that, I think, would be critical coming from the administration and other various departments in terms of what the financial outlook looks like, what the requests are in terms of making that budget." 

Pence said that he would be setting up a finance committee meeting for some time next week, and he encouraged all members of council and the administration to attend and participate. 

During his report, Holt said that the city has received contracts from each of the seven townships contracting with the city for fire/EMS services, and that all but two townships have paid. 

He also reported that the city is continuing in negotiations with the FOP and IAFF (police and firefighter unions). In November, council voted to extend the negotiations with the unions. On Monday, Holt requested council go into executive session to discuss "contractual issues." Council met for nearly an hour in executive session but did not have any open discussion or decisions after entering back into regular session. 

In other business:

• Holt reported that the construction at the wastewater treatment plant is 60 percent completed. 

• Zoning and annexation committee chairperson Rod Daniels said that the committee was waiting on notification from the Highland County Board of Commissioners on an annexation hearing for a property at 8341 U.S. Route 62. The committee will next meet Jan. 18 at 5:30 p.m., he said, and they will discuss a request by Brad Roades to purchase city railroad property behind 111 Moore Road. Daniels said the committee would like input from the planning commission on the matter. Community enhancement committee chairperson Mary Brown Turner said that her committee would meet with the annexation committee because, "Community enhancement, it seems to me, just goes along with it." Daniels said the committees would also discuss a community reception survey. 

• Zink reported that he met with Katy Farber of of the Highland County Chamber of Commerce and Sid Raisch, the Highland County Enterprise Initiative Facilitator. Zink said that council should consider having Raisch in to address the city because he may be able to assist small businesses in their endeavors and they may not be aware of his resources. 

• Utilities committee chairperson Dave Shoemaker said that the committee is waiting on number compilations regarding users of water and sewer within the city in 2010 in order to make an informed decision regarding rates in 2011.