January 13, 2005

Council goals for 2005 almost same as 2004

By Robert Mihalek

Village Council’s top goals for this year look very similar to those from 2004.

At its annual goal-setting meeting on Jan. 5, Council agreed to name as its top goals for 2005 the same five priorities identified last year, including goals supporting the creation of a Village financial plan, the promotion of business expansion and facilitation of housing growth.

Council members did add one new goal to its 2005 list: determine future goals for conservation zoning and green space preservation. This idea was suggested by Council member Jocelyn Hardman.

Without taking a vote, Council identified six top goals for 2005.

Each year, Council holds a goal-setting meeting to determine its priorities for the year. The top goals named by Council often reflect the projects Council members want to focus on during the year.

During last week’s meeting, which lasted less than an hour, Council members suggested few new goals. Instead, after agreeing that they still view their 2004 goals as priorities, Council members spent most of the meeting discussing further ways to carry out those goals.

Six goals for 2005
The only new goal for 2005 calls for Council to promote and identify conservation efforts. Hardman proposed that Council “determine future goals for conservation zones and [the] greenbelt” around Yellow Springs. She also said that Council needs to decide what to do with the Village green space fund, which Council agreed to drain last year to build a stormwater retention pond for the Glass Farm. Currently, Council has no plans to replenish the fund. Council members are waiting to determine the community’s level of support for the fund, through a financial survey Council released as part of its goal to create the Village financial plan.

Hardman said that Council needs to stress its support for green space preservation. She said that Council members’ support for conservation gets overlooked because Council is emphasizing housing and business development.

Council president Tony Arnett said that “there’s a lack of articulation about conservation” and land around Yellow Springs that is being preserved as open space.

Hardman indicated that identifying conservation as a priority would balance other goals Council has related to growth.

Council focused most of the meeting making suggestions about creating the five-year Village financial plan, one of five goals from 2004 that were carried over to this year as top priorities. The financial plan will include strategies to increase the Village’s revenue, reduce expenses and address the Village’s many capital improvement needs. Council members expressed interest in receiving the results of the two surveys released to gauge the community’s support for scaling back or reducing some Village services or raising revenue through such mechanisms as increasing taxes or utility rates or through residential and business growth.

Council member George Pitstick suggested that after reviewing the survey results Council “prioritize changes in services, cost reductions and changes…in revenue sources.”

As part of the plan, Arnett noted that Council would have to make decisions on the future use of the Glass Farm, the green space fund, service cuts and reductions and fee increases. In addition, he said that Council must determine how to pay for capital improvement projects.

Hardman proposed that Council conduct what she called services assessments every two to four years.

The two other significant goals reaffirmed by Council are support for business and housing growth.

Council members indicated that they support expanding the borders of Yellow Springs. Pitstick proposed that Council “take [a] proactive measure” to annex land within the urban service boundary, the area the Village can service with gravity-fed sewer lines, that the community wants to develop.

Both Arnett and Pitstick said that if a property owner in Miami Township wants to develop his property, the Village should ensure that the land is annexed into Yellow Springs and developed under the Village’s zoning regulations, provided that the community supports the development of that land.

Annexing property and developing it under the Village Zone Code would help “Yellow Springs continue to look like Yellow Springs,” Pitstick said.

Arnett noted that the Village’s current annexation policy says that the Village will not actively seek to annex properties, indicating that Council should change the policy.

Council member Denise Swinger suggested that the Village work with realtors to learn what plans property owners have for their land.

Hardman noted that the goal to promote housing development is in line with calls to increase the population to between 4,500 and 4,700. She also proposed that Council research how to inventory existing houses “in order to address underrepresented or need types” of housing, as well as using census data and Yellow Springs school enrollment targets to help set population and housing goals.

As part of its goal to support economic development, Council will work with Community Resources, the Chamber of Commerce and the “Balancing the Scales” project, the campaign by the Men’s Group to promote a positive image of Yellow Springs around the Miami Valley. Hardman proposed that Council address downtown parking as part of its economic development goal.

Another goal for this year is to increase the interaction between the public and the Village government. Council member Mary J. Alexander suggested that Council organize more town hall meetings or Council members start making presentations at the meetings of community organizations.

The final goal calls for the Village to continue working on priorities identified in previous years: implementing the Wellhead Protection Management Plan; improving communication with Council boards and commissions; and supporting the use of volunteers.

What didn’t make goal list
Council deferred one suggestion from Village Manager Rob Hillard to conduct a review of the Village Charter. Council members were hesitant to pursue this effort because of the possible expense in legal fees. Arnett called conducting a review of the Charter “no small measure.”

Reviewing the Charter would involve the formation of a Council-appointed commission. Any changes to the Charter would have to be approved by voters. Voters last approved changes to the Charter in 1990.

Arnett also suggested that the Village make a priority finding a resolution for the two cabooses, which the Village owns, in the Corry Street parking lot. Last year, Chris and Doug Roberts, who had been renting the cabooses from the Village, sold their lease to Yellow Springs Cabooses, LLC, which was formed by local resident Bruce Rickenbach. Rickenbach purchased the lease, then asked Council to terminate it.

Hillard said that he regularly receives calls about the cabooses. He said the structures could be moved or used, possibly as a “museum piece” like the caboose in Xenia.

Swinger suggested that Council promote a plan to raise funds for the Village through planned giving and endowment.

Hillard proposed two administrative goals, which Council did not adopt as its own priorities: purchasing new accounting software and updating the Village personnel policy manual.