Council passes 2011 budget; business owners address parking, sign ordinance WATCH THE VIDEO
Lead Summary
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
The 2011 budget was passed 5-0 by the Hillsboro City Council Monday evening during a meeting in which area residents criticized some recent choices and proposed actions by council.
During previous council committee meetings, it was discussed that Hillsboro Auditor Gary Lewis, Hillsboro Safety and Service Director Ralph Holt and administrative assistant Kirby Ellison had cut more than $400,000 from the 2011 budget in order for it to balance. There will be a carryover of a projected $70,000 into the 2012 budget.
Rachelle Trefz, owner of Merle Norman and president of the Hillsboro Uptown Business Association, and Vince Turner, an owner of Town Square Jewelers, spoke out against proposed changes to the city's sign ordinance that they feel would place a greater hardship on area business owners.
The property maintenance and restoration committee, which also functions as the sign committee, met Jan. 18 and discussed rewriting sections of the sign ordinance. During the discussion, committee president Bonnie Parr had suggested there be a fee for temporary signs, and she proposed it at $50. Other committee and council members said they felt that was too high. At Parr's suggestion, committee member Peter Pence said he would work on the ordinance. During that meeting, Council member Bill Alexander suggested the committee contact the business community for their input. Parr responded by saying, "I know what they're going to say. Give them the leeway and they'll do whatever they want. They're pretty well doing that anyhow, so you've got a problem."
On Monday Trefz said, "As a business owner, I'm really concerned. There are a lot of businesses in our town that are barely hanging on, and now they're being asked that any time they have an event or anything they have to pay a $50 fee. Small businesses, like myself, we have to sell $100 worth of product just to pay for this permit. I think right now we need to do whatever we can do just to survive."
Pence told Trefz that council did not approve the proposed fee, so there is no charge for the temporary signs.
Turner told council that they should not pass new legislation that is restrictive to businesses, but rather enforce current laws that help businesses, such as the limited parking in the uptown area. Trefz had also stated her business struggles with having enough parking for her customers.
"People drive around the block to find parking," Turner said, which is an issue the city has not recently addressed.
However, he said, a sign his business has put out daily for the past seven years on the sidewalk in front of his business violates the temporary sign ordinance. Turner said that he was only informed Monday that the sign was in violation of the ordinance.
"We've got ordinances on the books that would help the businesses more than saying, 'we have an ordinance in place and you're not allowed to put out a sign,'" Turner said. "My sign does me a lot of business out there on the corner. To say you cannot put a sign out in front of your business to draw people in, or we're going to make more ordinances that create a problem for businesses, is counterproductive."
Turner asked council, "When was the last ordinance that was made to support businesses or to draw businesses into town? If we would work together with the business community as well as the city, the uptown area could be something that would draw people in."
Holt told Turner that he could get a copy of the sign ordinance at the mayor's office. They are also available online.
Holt said that since Turner had been a business owner in the city for seven years, "So, it looks like you would know what the laws are for Hillsboro, if you're going to be a business owner here."
Turner said that sign had been put out by the store's managers for 10 years prior to that.
"What I'm saying is, after seven years, to get a phone call that says that sign has got to be gone – which, it could have been gone seven years ago – but, why is it being enforced now? To me, when I heard there was a $50 fee on the books, it looked to me like an easy way to get 50 bucks out of a business owner whose sign helps me stay in business."
Holt reiterated that the city does not charge $50 for temporary signs; rather, it was only considered by the committee.
Turner said there are ordinances "that are not even coming close to being enforced when it comes to parking."
Hillsboro Mayor Dick Zink said that they are six officers down in the Hillsboro Police Department, and of the 16 members, there were three off in January due to illness or vacation days.
"Who are you going to get to enforce parking?" Zink said.
"Who's going to enforce the sign policy?" Turner said. "Is that up to me, being a law-abiding citizen, to do it?"
Zink said that his personal opinion on the matter was that, "We've got to be business-friendly. We've got to help small businesses."
However, Zink said that local businesses in the past have not helped the city to help them, and he referenced a survey the city hired to have done a few years ago in which only 10 people participated. Turner said that he has participated in every survey that has been submitted to him, and he believes that he must have been one of the 10.
Zink said the survey mostly regarded what businesses could be brought in to enhance the uptown area and "to work together to make it attractive. People didn't seem to want to get involved, so we dropped it."
Council president Lee Koogler said that as a business owner in the uptown area, he understands the parking issue, and it has been a problem in the city for years.
"It is something the city is going to have to continue to look at with the resources it has," Koogler said.
In 2006, council had considered hiring an individual as part of the HPD to write tickets and monitor parking in the uptown area. According to minutes from the March 2006 meeting, Holt said, "(HPD Chief) Nick Thompson sent me a letter advising me that the two individuals that he contacted about monitoring the parking uptown have both declined the position. At this time, he would like to have permission to hire a fulltime patrol officer. Of course, that’s up to Council to decide. I talked with Gary this week and it would cost probably around $50,000 a year with salary and benefits."
According to the minutes from the September 2006 council meeting, Zink told members of the then-newly formed HUBA, "The city does not have the finances available to be able to add a parking attendant, at this time."
At the end of the meeting, Parr said that anyone who has issues with proposals that have been made regarding the sign ordinance should attend the next meeting of the property maintenance and restoration committee. A meeting has not yet been scheduled.
During previous council committee meetings, it was discussed that Hillsboro Auditor Gary Lewis, Hillsboro Safety and Service Director Ralph Holt and administrative assistant Kirby Ellison had cut more than $400,000 from the 2011 budget in order for it to balance. There will be a carryover of a projected $70,000 into the 2012 budget.
Rachelle Trefz, owner of Merle Norman and president of the Hillsboro Uptown Business Association, and Vince Turner, an owner of Town Square Jewelers, spoke out against proposed changes to the city's sign ordinance that they feel would place a greater hardship on area business owners.
The property maintenance and restoration committee, which also functions as the sign committee, met Jan. 18 and discussed rewriting sections of the sign ordinance. During the discussion, committee president Bonnie Parr had suggested there be a fee for temporary signs, and she proposed it at $50. Other committee and council members said they felt that was too high. At Parr's suggestion, committee member Peter Pence said he would work on the ordinance. During that meeting, Council member Bill Alexander suggested the committee contact the business community for their input. Parr responded by saying, "I know what they're going to say. Give them the leeway and they'll do whatever they want. They're pretty well doing that anyhow, so you've got a problem."
On Monday Trefz said, "As a business owner, I'm really concerned. There are a lot of businesses in our town that are barely hanging on, and now they're being asked that any time they have an event or anything they have to pay a $50 fee. Small businesses, like myself, we have to sell $100 worth of product just to pay for this permit. I think right now we need to do whatever we can do just to survive."
Pence told Trefz that council did not approve the proposed fee, so there is no charge for the temporary signs.
Turner told council that they should not pass new legislation that is restrictive to businesses, but rather enforce current laws that help businesses, such as the limited parking in the uptown area. Trefz had also stated her business struggles with having enough parking for her customers.
"People drive around the block to find parking," Turner said, which is an issue the city has not recently addressed.
However, he said, a sign his business has put out daily for the past seven years on the sidewalk in front of his business violates the temporary sign ordinance. Turner said that he was only informed Monday that the sign was in violation of the ordinance.
"We've got ordinances on the books that would help the businesses more than saying, 'we have an ordinance in place and you're not allowed to put out a sign,'" Turner said. "My sign does me a lot of business out there on the corner. To say you cannot put a sign out in front of your business to draw people in, or we're going to make more ordinances that create a problem for businesses, is counterproductive."
Turner asked council, "When was the last ordinance that was made to support businesses or to draw businesses into town? If we would work together with the business community as well as the city, the uptown area could be something that would draw people in."
Holt told Turner that he could get a copy of the sign ordinance at the mayor's office. They are also available online.
Holt said that since Turner had been a business owner in the city for seven years, "So, it looks like you would know what the laws are for Hillsboro, if you're going to be a business owner here."
Turner said that sign had been put out by the store's managers for 10 years prior to that.
"What I'm saying is, after seven years, to get a phone call that says that sign has got to be gone – which, it could have been gone seven years ago – but, why is it being enforced now? To me, when I heard there was a $50 fee on the books, it looked to me like an easy way to get 50 bucks out of a business owner whose sign helps me stay in business."
Holt reiterated that the city does not charge $50 for temporary signs; rather, it was only considered by the committee.
Turner said there are ordinances "that are not even coming close to being enforced when it comes to parking."
Hillsboro Mayor Dick Zink said that they are six officers down in the Hillsboro Police Department, and of the 16 members, there were three off in January due to illness or vacation days.
"Who are you going to get to enforce parking?" Zink said.
"Who's going to enforce the sign policy?" Turner said. "Is that up to me, being a law-abiding citizen, to do it?"
Zink said that his personal opinion on the matter was that, "We've got to be business-friendly. We've got to help small businesses."
However, Zink said that local businesses in the past have not helped the city to help them, and he referenced a survey the city hired to have done a few years ago in which only 10 people participated. Turner said that he has participated in every survey that has been submitted to him, and he believes that he must have been one of the 10.
Zink said the survey mostly regarded what businesses could be brought in to enhance the uptown area and "to work together to make it attractive. People didn't seem to want to get involved, so we dropped it."
Council president Lee Koogler said that as a business owner in the uptown area, he understands the parking issue, and it has been a problem in the city for years.
"It is something the city is going to have to continue to look at with the resources it has," Koogler said.
In 2006, council had considered hiring an individual as part of the HPD to write tickets and monitor parking in the uptown area. According to minutes from the March 2006 meeting, Holt said, "(HPD Chief) Nick Thompson sent me a letter advising me that the two individuals that he contacted about monitoring the parking uptown have both declined the position. At this time, he would like to have permission to hire a fulltime patrol officer. Of course, that’s up to Council to decide. I talked with Gary this week and it would cost probably around $50,000 a year with salary and benefits."
According to the minutes from the September 2006 council meeting, Zink told members of the then-newly formed HUBA, "The city does not have the finances available to be able to add a parking attendant, at this time."
At the end of the meeting, Parr said that anyone who has issues with proposals that have been made regarding the sign ordinance should attend the next meeting of the property maintenance and restoration committee. A meeting has not yet been scheduled.
Also during public participation, area resident Ron Bryant addressed council and asked about community involvement.
"Do we have a budget review committee that involves the citizens?" Bryant asked.
"We do not," Koogler said.
"Might want to think about that," Bryant said. "Just to enhance some of the business owners, get them involved in a budget review committee that could meet with council ... They're part of the answers you're going to have to look for. That kind of draws everyone together as one instead of having to make closed-door decisions. Get them involved and you won't have to take so much heat."
Bryant questioned some reports from Lewis and suggested that the city apply for funds through Community Development Block Grants because, "That's easy money."
Holt asked Bryant to clarify where he lived, and then pointed out Bryant lived outside the city limits. Bryant said you didn't have to be a city resident to address council, and that he was speaking for friends who lived in the city and had businesses in the city who would not come and speak and question for themselves.
In other business, council voted 5-0 to pass the ordinance for 2011 to make appropriations and expenditures (the budget). The grand total appropriations is $13,296,793. (See sidebar for full appropriations.)
Council members Dave Shoemaker and Bryan Waller were not in attendance Monday, and council voted to excuse the absences.
In other business, council:
• At the recommendation of the finance committee, voted 5-0 to allow hiring a replacement for a police officer who is scheduled to retire at the end of February. Lewis had included the cost in the 2011 budget.
• Heard from Michael Bradford from the Hillsboro Festival of the Bells Committee. Bradford, committee president, requested council approve the dates of the festival for June 30, July 1, and July 2. Council voted 5-0 to approve the request.
• Heard from Andi Reno of Anna's Army requested that council approve the closing of Gov. Trimble Place for the annual Anna's Army Day. Holt said that the problem with closing the street was that the city's former safety building has been sold and there are business occupants in the structure. Holt advised Reno to speak to the property owner, who was in attendance at the meeting, and then discuss it with the city.
• Voted to waive the three-reading rule and voted 5-0 to pass a resolution authorizing the mayor, "to enter into a contract with Peggy E. Beekman for the research, preparation and filing of the city's FY2011 Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP) application." Zink told council the reason the legislation had to be rushed through was so the city could meet the April 1 filing deadline.
• Voted to waive the three-reading rule and pass 5-0 an ordinance adopting regulations for flood damage reductions for the city of Hillsboro.
• Voted 5-0 to pass a resolution for the transfer of various funds, including: $15,000 from the tax increment fund to the general fund. From the general fund, $636,536 was transferred to the following: $174,000 to the street fund, $95,668 to police pension, $173,868 to fire pension, $32,000 to recreation, $161,000 to general bond retirement. From the water revenue fund $450,344 was transferred to the following: $57,100 to water replacement, $372,244 to water debt retirement, $21,00 to water improvement. From the sewer revenue fund the following was transferred: $359,000 to sewer replacement, $207,500 to sewer improvement, $583,051 to sewer debt retirement.
• Heard the first reading of an ordinance requiring testing in the city for sanitary sewer overflows. Koogler put the ordinance in the utilities committee for further review. Zink said that if the legislation is passed, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency wanted a copy and would uses it to get other municipalities to pass similar legislation.
Also during public participation, area resident Ron Bryant addressed council and asked about community involvement.
"Do we have a budget review committee that involves the citizens?" Bryant asked.
"We do not," Koogler said.
"Might want to think about that," Bryant said. "Just to enhance some of the business owners, get them involved in a budget review committee that could meet with council ... They're part of the answers you're going to have to look for. That kind of draws everyone together as one instead of having to make closed-door decisions. Get them involved and you won't have to take so much heat."
Bryant questioned some reports from Lewis and suggested that the city apply for funds through Community Development Block Grants because, "That's easy money."
Holt asked Bryant to clarify where he lived, and then pointed out Bryant lived outside the city limits. Bryant said you didn't have to be a city resident to address council, and that he was speaking for friends who lived in the city and had businesses in the city who would not come and speak and question for themselves.
In other business, council voted 5-0 to pass the ordinance for 2011 to make appropriations and expenditures (the budget). The grand total appropriations is $13,296,793. (See sidebar for full appropriations.)
Council members Dave Shoemaker and Bryan Waller were not in attendance Monday, and council voted to excuse the absences.
In other business, council:
• At the recommendation of the finance committee, voted 5-0 to allow hiring a replacement for a police officer who is scheduled to retire at the end of February. Lewis had included the cost in the 2011 budget.
• Heard from Michael Bradford from the Hillsboro Festival of the Bells Committee. Bradford, committee president, requested council approve the dates of the festival for June 30, July 1, and July 2. Council voted 5-0 to approve the request.
• Heard from Andi Reno of Anna's Army requested that council approve the closing of Gov. Trimble Place for the annual Anna's Army Day. Holt said that the problem with closing the street was that the city's former safety building has been sold and there are business occupants in the structure. Holt advised Reno to speak to the property owner, who was in attendance at the meeting, and then discuss it with the city.
• Voted to waive the three-reading rule and voted 5-0 to pass a resolution authorizing the mayor, "to enter into a contract with Peggy E. Beekman for the research, preparation and filing of the city's FY2011 Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP) application." Zink told council the reason the legislation had to be rushed through was so the city could meet the April 1 filing deadline.
• Voted to waive the three-reading rule and pass 5-0 an ordinance adopting regulations for flood damage reductions for the city of Hillsboro.
• Voted 5-0 to pass a resolution for the transfer of various funds, including: $15,000 from the tax increment fund to the general fund. From the general fund, $636,536 was transferred to the following: $174,000 to the street fund, $95,668 to police pension, $173,868 to fire pension, $32,000 to recreation, $161,000 to general bond retirement. From the water revenue fund $450,344 was transferred to the following: $57,100 to water replacement, $372,244 to water debt retirement, $21,00 to water improvement. From the sewer revenue fund the following was transferred: $359,000 to sewer replacement, $207,500 to sewer improvement, $583,051 to sewer debt retirement.
• Heard the first reading of an ordinance requiring testing in the city for sanitary sewer overflows. Koogler put the ordinance in the utilities committee for further review. Zink said that if the legislation is passed, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency wanted a copy and would uses it to get other municipalities to pass similar legislation.
According to the proposed legislation, any property owner in the city of Hillsboro and any Hillsboro sewer customers shall obtain a certificate of compliance from the city prior to closing on the sale of a property. To obtain the ceritifcate, a property owner must complete a questionaire, available at the office of Hillsboro Public Utilities or online, and submit it 10 days prior to the anticipated sale. A fee could be established by the safety and service director to cover the costs of the program. Upon submission of the questionaire, the city can conduct tests or investigations of the property, "to ensure no possible infiltration and no possible overflows are present in the sewer lateral and the connections associated with the property." If such leaks or infiltrations exist the city will disclose the findings to the property owner, potential purchaser and any realtor involved, with recommendations for corrections. The owner will be responsible for making the corrections, and then reapplying for a certificate of compliance.
• Approved the recommendation of the zoning and annexation committee regarding the sale of 2.51 acres of city property behind 111 Moore Road to Brad Roades. The city will maintain an easement on the property in the event the city should some day get the funds to construct a bike path in the area. The city will have the property appraised, and a price will be determined. Council voted 5-0 to approve the motion. [[In-content Ad]]