SIDNEY – Sidney City Council adopted an ordinance changing requirements for its Stormwater Appeals Board’s “establishment, membership, and appointment” to must “have an economic interest in the city” Monday evening, along with several resolutions intending improvement.
Near the beginning of the meeting was the first of two public hearings on the Community Development Block Grant, which allocates federal funds to the state of Ohio from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The Ohio Development Services Agency (OSDA), in Columbus, is responsible for distributing funds to Ohio communities. The city is eligible for $76,000 of Community Development (Allocation) Program funds (CDGB). With this grant, the city expects to fund up to three projects benefiting low and moderate income persons, based on HUD’s definition of low and moderate income. CDGB requests for eligible entities are due to the city’s Community Services Department by May 8, 2016.
The second public hearing will be held early in June as OSDA requires the Community Development’s application by June 17, 2016.
Prosecutor William Zimmerman Jr. requested allocation of two or three parking passes for the prosecutor’s office. Zimmerman said there is not enough parking for extended periods of time within a close proximity to the courthouse. He said prosecutors “shuffle and move” their cars when in court longer than two hours during Grand Jury dates, jury trials, and arraignments dates.
It is “a quarter of a mile from parking now to where they are required to be” said Zimmerman when answering Council Member Ed Hammaker on where they currently park.
Mayor Mike Barhorst told Zimmerman they “will get back to him and let him know.”
Several resolutions were next adopted:
• An authorization for City Manager Mark Cundiff to renew a Shared Service Agreement with Shelby County for Geographic Information System (GIS) software and services.
• The reappointment of David Gross to a new three-year term on the Downtown Design Review Board.
• The reappointment of Ross A. Moore III and Sarah Anne Sharp to the Tree Board for a three-year term.
• Approval of Stolle West Industrial Park for the re-plat two lots to create one new lot at the the northwest corner of the intersection of Lester Avenue and Howard Street.
• An approval authorizing staff to apply for a 30-year construction loan from the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA) for repairs and renovations of the city’s primary lime lagoon.
• Acceptance of the recommendations from the Tax Incentive Review Council regarding Enterprise Zone Agreements, Community Reinvestment Area Agreements, and Tax Incentive Financing Agreements.
Later, Police Chief William Balling provided council with requested information, saying 86 individuals were charged last year with felonies due to drug activities.
Cundiff reminded of upcoming “Arbor Day at the middle school. If you are free that day, Go out and plant a tree.”
The Sidney Middle School celebration is Friday at 9 a.m.
