2010 Legislative Year in Review--Part 1

This is the first installment of a legislative year in review of 2010 for the City of Orrville.  I am an at-large member of City Council and it's just my take on things from where I sit.  I'm not trying to represent all of Council and there may be those who disagree with my view.  They can write their own blog or add their comments to this one.


JANUARY


The Budget


The budget pretty much sets the agenda for the year and reflects the priorities of the administration.  We had strong income tax revenues in 2009, so it was interesting to see what Mayor Handwerk's administration would want to do in 2010.  The answer?  Continue to save wherever possible.  I can't emphasize what I'm about to say enough.  This simply doesn't happen in government.  Normally governments want to spend every dime they have and then some.  Not this one.  Mayor Handwerk and the administration deserve a lot of credit for their sustained commitment to a conservative budget.


At the beginning of the year, we didn't know what would happen in state funding.  While it held strong in 2010, we're hearing now we may receive NOTHING in 2010.  That means half the money we spend on street improvements likely won't be there next year and further proves the wisdom of remaining conservative with spending in 2010.


New Trash Contract


The new year also brought a change in trash collection.  Our contract had switched from J & J Refuse to Waste Management and now we were switching back to J & J, saving residents about $2 a month.  


I had been pleased with Waste Management.  They had newer equipment than J & J at the time and I had a chance to see their impressive recycling facility firsthand.  When J & J came to us with a compelling rate this year, I shared my concerns with the administration about switching back.  The Mayor and Safety-Service Director visited the J & J facilities and assured me things were looking good there.  I took them at their word and voted for the switch.  They were right on.  J & J had indeed upgraded their equipment and have done a great job this year.


New Industry--Orrvilon


There are some votes that are more exciting than changing trash haulers, and voting on an economic incentive for Orrvilon (formerly Holtec--they even changed their name) to locate here ranks as a highlight for the year.  It's not every day a manufacturer decides to locate in your city and there is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to make it happen.  Mike Hedberg from the Office of Orrville Economic Development was instrumental for us.  He acted as the realtor for the building that was available, worked with the Utilities Department on making sure their considerable electrical power requirements would be met and worked with the state officials on the economic development package.


The incentive we offered Orrvilon is called a Job Creation Income Tax Credit.  The company commits to create a certain number of new jobs.  When that target is met, they can claim a portion of the income tax generated from those new jobs as a tax credit.  It's a great program as the incentive is tied to job creation targets.  The City wins because new jobs have been created and the company wins with the tax credit as a result of those new jobs.


FEBRUARY


Funds for a New Dog Park


In February we applied for a grant from the NatureWorks program to fund the development of a dog park.  That grant was eventually approved and the park is slated to get underway in the Spring of '11.


Orchard Glen Development


We also approved the street dedication and plat map for the Orchard Glen development on Hostetler Road.  This neighborhood is a version of the "rent to own" concept and provides a path to home ownership for those who would otherwise only be able to rent.  The development looks great and is proving to be an asset for the community.


MARCH


Law Director Salary Increase


March brought the first controversial topic of the year.  It had to do with a salary increase and it wouldn't be the last time Council would be divided over the topic.  The Law Director had served without any salary increase for a number of years.  He made it clear he would continue to serve without an increase but we needed to at least address the issue instead of letting it go year after year.


We tried our best to determine what Law Directors earn in comparable communities.  That task is difficult, as there are few communities of 8,500 people that have their own municipal power plant, which significantly adds to the responsibilities of the Law Director.  I made another of my famous charts from the data we were able to obtain which showed the proposed salary to be right in the middle of what Law Directors are earning.  Not everyone was convinced but there simply wasn't a perfect comparison available.  It was enough to get my support and the resolution passed.


Major Water Project


When it comes to spending money, you find that Council will spend a lot more time debating items that we are familiar with--purchasing a vehicle, setting someone's salary, etc--that in the big scheme of things are fairly low dollar items.  However, when it comes to the Utilities, the scale is so much larger you find yourself relying much more on the experience of the Utilities Director.


While there can be considerable wrangling over say, purchasing a vehicle, when the Utilities proposes spending say, $1.5 million on a new water project, how are we to know if that is a reasonable figure?  That's why the Public Utilities Board was created when Ron Amstutz was Mayor here in the 70's.  That board is broken down into committees that focus on the various areas of the utilities and we rely heavily on their recommendations.  


This year's project was to drill a new well just across the Stark County line in a different aquifer with much more output than the one we currently get our water from now.  Drilling the Stark County well wasn't as much about meeting today's needs for water, but securing a good supply of water well into the future at a cost much lower than it would be in the future.


Road Salt Contract


Another one of those items that we don't think about but is important is securing a good source for road salt.  There have been some wild fluctuations in the price of road salt.  Many communities find themselves scrambling during a hard winter and unable to get adequate supplies at a reasonable price.  In March, we secured a contract to participate with ODOT for road salt, insuring we'll have an adequate supply for the winter at a reasonable price. 


That will wrap up the first quarter of 2010.  Look for more posts as we move through the rest of the year.

The Purpose of this Blog

Back in the days of the Courier-Crescent newspaper in Orrville, OH, editor Paul L. Powell called Orrville "The Promised Land."


This blog is my attempt to remind us to live out the promise of Orrville each and every day.