January 15, 2003

Village Council business—
Council passes ‘04 budget

Village Council approved last week a $7.06 million Village budget for 2004. Total expenses are expected to rise 9.5 percent, or $612,000, this year, from nearly $6.45 million in 2003. Total revenue is projected to decrease just $1,600, or 0.02 percent, to $6,333,000 this year from almost $6,335,000 in 2003.

At its meeting Jan. 5, Council unanimously approved the budget with little discussion.

The budget, under the Village’s terminology, is considered balanced, or, in other words, anticipated day-to-day expenses do not exceed revenue. In fact, all five of the Village’s major funds are balanced.

In the multi-fund — which includes income-tax supported activities such as the police, streets and parks departments, the Village administration and Council — revenue is projected to increase almost 3 percent, or nearly $64,664, to $2.45 million this year from almost $2.39 million last year. The multi-fund’s expenses are expected to increase 7 percent, or $188,554, to $2.73 million in 2004 from nearly $2.55 million in 2003.

Revenue for the Village’s four utilities is expected to decrease slightly, while expenses are projected to increase in all but the solid waste fund.

The most dramatic shift is expected to occur in the water fund, where expenditures are anticipated to rise 49 percent, or $298,956, to $914,000 this year from $615,240 in 2003. The fund’s income is projected to decline by 2.5 percent, or $15,150, to $603,000 in 2004 from $618,000 last year.

The water fund’s big increase in expenses comes mainly on one project: the Village plans to paint one of the water towers at Gaunt Park for $300,000. Village officials labeled the project a priority because the paint on one of the tanks is deteriorating, leading the outside of the tank to rust.

The electric system’s revenue is projected to decline 1 percent, or $22,153, to $2,296,965 in 2004 from $2,319,118 in 2003. This fund’s expenditures are expected to increase 5 percent, or $102,217, to $2,383,104 this year from $2,280,887 in 2003.

The waste water system’s expenses are projected to rise 8 percent, or $60,464, to $805,309 in 2004 from $744,845 last year. Its revenue is expected to decrease 1 percent, or just $6,190, to $747,928 this year from $754,118 in 2003.

In addition to the water tower project, the Village plans to conduct over 20 capital projects this year. The more significant projects are upgrading the waterline and rebuilding Walnut Street between Dayton and Elm, for a total of $125,000; improving drainage in seven parts of town for a total of $38,200; remodeling the Public Works facility on State Route 343 and replacing overhead doors at the facility for $50,000; repairing the sewer system on Corry Street near Kieth’s Alley for $32,750; and upgrading the electrical distribution systems on Dayton Street, for $2,755, and around YSI Incorporated for $60,890.

During last week’s meeting, Council president Tony Arnett said that he was “very pleased” with the year’s budget, noting that the Village was able to pay for continuing activities with existing revenues. While he also highlighted several of the projects the Village plans for this year, Arnett emphasized that the Village has a “large number” of capital projects it still hopes to do over the next 10 years that total more than $12 million.

“We’re going to have some serious discussion with the community on how do we pay for that very large number,” he said.

In other Council business:

• Council met in executive session under the premise of “pending litigation” to discuss the Village’s lease with Caboose Bike & Skate. After the meeting, Arnett said that Council did not take any action following the executive session. He also said that John Chambers, the Village solicitor, is “still trying to work out” the Village’s next steps as it tries to bring the lease into compliance with a previous Council resolution that prohibited private installations on the bikepath. Council is also seeking to amend its lease with the Caboose to limit its business to rentals, instead of sales and rentals.

• Hillard reported that the Village received a letter from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency stating that the Village may have contributed hazardous wastes to the Tremont City landfill, which the EPA is investigating for contamination. The letter states that the Village and other possible contributors are liable for the investigation and cleanup.

Chambers said that the Village needs to determine what it contributed to the landfill and then ask the EPA to allow the Village to “minimally” participate in the project.

• Council unanimously approved four resolutions paying dues to several organizations: $680 to the Ohio Municipal League, as well as a $50 contribution to the league’s legal advocacy fund; $940 to the Miami Valley Regional Planning Committee and $789 to its Transportation Committee; $376 to the Miami Valley Hazardous Materials Response Team; and $451 to the Greene County Emergency Management Agency.

• Council unanimously agreed to reappoint William Slattery to the Village Cable Advisory Panel.

• Delaine Adkins, the chairwoman of the Village Environmental Commission (EC), presented Council with the commission’s 2003 report and discussed some of the group’s plans for the year.

She also asked that Council agree to amend the commission’s guidelines to allow Miami Township residents to serve on the EC. Adkins said that this might help decrease the “high turnover” of commission members. Council asked Council member Jocelyn Hardman, Council’s representative on the commission, to write an ordinance changing the group’s guidelines.

Currently, there are two openings on the EC. To apply, send a letter of interest to the clerk of Council, Deborah Benning, 100 Dayton Street, or dbenning@yso.com.

• Benning gave a report on the Village Records Commission, which is revising the Village’s out-dated records retention policy.

—Robert Mihalek