August 26, 2004

Village council business—
Council debates surveying community on fiscal plan

By Robert Mihalek

At their meeting Aug. 16, Village Council members continued to discuss how to gauge public opinion about Village services and finances to help create what Council members have described as a “sustainable” five-year fiscal plan.

As a representative of the Center for Urban and Public Affairs (CUPA) at Wright State gave a presentation on survey methods, Council members debated the best mechanism for receiving community feedback: a random phone survey or direct mailing survey. The discussion showed a split on Council.

In addition, Council agreed to hold a special meeting Wednesday, Sept. 8, to discuss a six-page document by Council president Tony Arnett outlining information on the Village’s budget and listing options Council has identified to increase Village revenue, cut expenses and address infrastructure needs. The meeting will start at 7 p.m. in meeting rooms A and B in the Bryan Community Center.

Both Arnett’s financial primer and the Council debate center on a Council goal for 2004 to create a fiscal plan for the Village. Council hopes to have the plan put together by the end of the year.

Last week’s discussion focused on Council’s effort to involve the community in the creation of this financial plan.

Council member Jocelyn Hardman has proposed that Council hire Wright State’s CUPA to conduct a random telephone survey to get a scientifically based assessment of the community’s ideas and opinions.

David Jones, a research assistant at CUPA, told Council last week that the center could tailor a survey to meet the Village’s needs. The survey would include 300 households and would cost an estimated $3,000. Those funds are not budgeted for this year.

Hardman said that contacting every household in Yellow Springs, which she numbered at roughly 1,800, would cost $27,000.

She also said that the survey is “just the first step” in Council’s efforts to write the fiscal plan. Council members could present the survey results to the community and ask people if they agree with the findings, she said.

As she did in June, Council member Mary J. Alexander expressed support for conducting a community-wide mail survey that would allow all Yellow Springers to participate, if they want to. Alexander said that she feels “very strongly” about using a comprehensive mail survey instead of a phone survey that contacts a limited number of households.

In an apparent attempt to reach a compromise, Arnett suggested that Council could utilize both types of surveys. He noted that Council is engaged in a democratic process and “everyone should have an opportunity to express themselves.”

“We want something that in the end we know is representative and one we know gave everyone a chance to speak,” Arnett said.

Alexander also argued that Council needs to develop its own conclusions and present them to the community. “We on Council need to come to an agreement about what we want,” she said.

In other Council business:

• Council voted 4–0 to approve the second reading of an ordinance amending the regulations of the Village’s solid waste fund. Council member Denise Swinger was absent.

Among the chief changes in the ordinance is a provision allowing the Village to charge a fee for an annual cleanup event, traditionally called spring cleanup. The new ordinance also gives the Village authority to levy charges on property taxes for overdue garbage bills from owner-occupied properties.

Earlier this month, Council agreed to charge all solid waste customers $9 for the cleanup, which will take place during the third week of October.

• Arnett suggested that at a future meeting Council discuss forming a commission to review the Village Charter. He indicated that the commission would be created next year. It’s been 15 years since the last time a group reviewed the Charter, Arnett said.

• Council passed by a vote of 4–0 an emergency ordinance amending the Village’s Codified Ordinances. As an emergency ordinance, the measure was officially approved with one public reading instead of the normal two. The ordinance reflects changes made by Council to the Village code book as well as changes in state law since the Codified Ordinances last underwent a revision in May 2002.

• Council voted 4–0 to approve the second reading of an ordinance creating a DUI enforcement and education fund, as required by the state. Out of every fine collected for driving while intoxicated, the Village will deposit $25 for “public safety enforcement and education.”

• Council approved 4–0 a resolution accepting the alternative formulas of local government revenue and local government revenue assistance distribution from the state for 2005. The funds are actual local money that the state collects locally and returns to the Village. The resolution states the Village will receive an estimated $169,136 next year.

• Hardman and another Council member, either Pitstick or Swinger, will interview Tracy Logan and Julia Lightner for two positions on the Village Environmental Commission.

• Council’s next meeting will be held Tuesday, Sept. 7, because of the Labor Day holiday on Sept. 6. Regular Council meetings start at 7 p.m. in Council chambers in the Bryan Center.