SIDNEY — Sidney City Council finished up end-of-year work with the adoption of several housekeeping resolutions Monday evening.
The following three resolutions were adopted by City Council:
• To authorizing the city manager to enter into an information technology cooperation agreement for “new state of the art programs, software, hardware and various Information Technology (IT) upgrades.”
The city’s IT Manager Joel Glass said this will cancel the current shared services agreement and enter into a revised shared services agreement starting Jan. 1, 2022. Additionally, the revised shared services agreement will provide funding for the additional information technology position to be filled in the beginning of 2022. The agreement’s proposal outlines the services to be provided by the city; specifies the cost for the services, assigns the costs of software, hardware, etc. to the county. Rates for the services are $130 per server and $21.55 per PC. The new rates comprise of the increase in the cost of IT staff including the additional position. Since the county is effectively purchasing the use of the city’s IT staff, it is appropriate to align the increases to the increase in our staffing costs, Glass said.
• To authorize City Manager Andrew Bowsher to enter into an agreement with the Shelby County Public Defender Commission to provide legal counsel to indigent persons charged with criminal violations in the Sidney Municipal Court. The 2022 contract will remain substantially the same in content as in the recent past, except only for a few minor technical revisions, Law Director Jeffrey Amick said. The amount to paid to the commission by the city will remain at $55,000 per year.
• To authorize Bowsher to execute a participation agreement and related documents with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in connection with the settlement and release of claims related to the opioid crisis. It was noted passage of the resolution preserves the city of Sidney’s interest in the anticipated monetary settlement to be derived from the company.
• To adopt the 2022 master tree plan from the city of Sidney’s Tree Board, which included recent changes to the city’s tree ordinance which council adopted on Nov. 8.
At the end of the meeting during council comments, Council member Jenny VanMatre commended the city street department for keeping the streets clean and getting the weeds picked up.
Council member Ed Hamaker wished everyone a Merry Christmas and hoped 2022 will be a great year.
Mayor Mardie Milligan reminded the public there were holiday events coming up the Sidney Historic Theatre with Christmas carols this weekend and next weekend she said the community orchestra Christmas concert will be held on Dec. 21. Also on Dec. 19, another holiday concert will be held at Sidney High School.
She also thanked council members for putting their faith in her by giving her the opportunity to serve as the mayor of the city of Sidney. She also extended a “special thank you” to the previous mayor, Council member Mike Barhorst for “his extraordinary service to the city of Sidney” as mayor and making the mayoral transition smooth.
Finally, she wished everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. She said Vice Mayor Steve Wagner, who was absent Monday, also wished all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
In Bowsher’s absence, City Clerk Kari Egbert shared the following information for him:
• Public Works Director Jon Crusey was in New York Monday with Jobs Ohio talking to a business which may locate to Sidney. Also yard waste will be picked the second full week of each month though April. And there will not be an interruption to the city’s solid waste collection during the upcoming holidays, which fall on Saturdays.
City Hall and Sidney Municipal Court will be closed on Friday, Dec. 24, Monday Dec. 27, and Friday, Dec. 31, in observation of Christmas and New Years.
Bowsher’s final message was to inform the public that Sidney residents will be receiving the 2022 Sidney calendars soon in the mail.
