Clerk of Council Michele Newbanks conducts the first reading of an ordinance during a Marietta city council meeting Thursday evening. The ordinance is for related transferring money from the general fund to other funds in relation to union contracts the city approved in the spring. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)
Marietta City Council conducted the first reading of two ordinances and resolutions Thursday, including an ordinance for union-related transfers.
Council conducted the first reading of an ordinance related to transfers of money from the city’s general fund and certain other funds to cover salary and personnel benefits related to union contracts the city passed in the spring.
Ordinance No. 83 (24-25) has multiple sections each with several transfers listed in them as follows: section 1 has transfers totaling $167,545 from unappropriated general fund to general fund police; section 2 has transfers totaling $165,245 from unappropriated general fund to general fund fire; section 3 has transfers totaling $42,920 from unappropriated general fund to general fund lands, buildings and parks; section 4 has transfers totaling $6,910 from unappropriated general fund to general fund equipment maintenance; section 5 has transfers totaling $27,715 from unappropriated general fund to general fund utility maintenance; section 6 has transfers totaling $51,755 from unappropriated street fund to street fund maintenance and repair; section 7 has transfers totaling $121,500 from unappropriated fire levy fund to fire levy fund; section 8 has transfers totaling $1,310 from unappropriated parking lot fund to parking lot fund; and section 9 has several transfers totaling $43,120 from unappropriated water fund to water fund transmission/distribution.
All of the transfers are being made to cover salaries and wages, overtime, Medicare, retirement, workers compensation and personnel benefits associated with union contracts the city negotiated and agreed to in the spring.
The transfers were first mentioned during a Finance Committee meeting June 11, during which some council members expressed concern over receiving the transfers on the day of the meeting and that the transfers would eat away at general fund savings brought about by a plan from Mayor Joshua Schlicher for spending cuts that council deemed necessary after a negative city performance audit.
No further action was taken on the ordinance after the first reading was conducted Thursday.
Council also conducted the first reading of Ordinance No. 84 (24-25), which is an ordinance to adopt the city’s Active Transportation Plan.
According to the ordinance, active transportation is defined as human-powered travel, which includes walking, biking, mobility devices such as wheelchairs and scooters, skating and skateboarding, and more and active transportation is the fundamental transportation mode for many Ohio residents.
The ordinance said the Active Transportation Plan will be incorporated into the Reminagine Marietta Comprehensive Plan and that the plan outlines the vision, goals and strategies needed to support safe, convenient and accessible active transportation options.
No further action was taken on the ordinance after the first reading.
Council conducted the first reading of Resolution No. 23 (24-25) which authorizes the city’s Director of Public Safety and Service Steven Wetz to supervise the installation of a marble bench at Gold Star Park. The resolution said the bench will have two plaques on it, one commemorating Howard Kitchen, who served in the U.S. Army and Coast Guard, and one commemorating Marty Kitchen and his service to the city of Marietta as the city’s recreation director.
No further action was taken after the first reading.
Council also conducted the first reading of Resolution No.24 (24-25), which authorizes 12-year-old Marietta resident Skye Elliott to install three blessing boxes near Flanders Field, the Marietta Armory and on Third Street near the Washington County Homeless Project’s site of what will be an overnight emergency shelter.
Elliott presented her project to council during a Public Lands and Buildings Committee meeting on July 15 and explained that they are small weather- and animal-resistant food and toiletry containers with 24-7 accessibility that allow people to leave what they can and take what they need. She said during that meeting that the blessing boxes are her project for the Girls Scouts Silver Award.
Council took no further action after the first reading.
There were five council members present at the meeting due to Ward 2 Councilman Bret Allphin not being able to attend the meeting and At-Large Councilwoman Cassidi Shoaf serving her last day on July 13. Shoaf previously told The Times she is resigning because she is moving to Ritchie County, where she grew up, due to personal reasons. City Law Director Paul Bertam has previously said that six council members must be present at a council meeting to suspend the rules and dispense with the second and third readings of an ordinance or resolution.
Shoaf’s resignation was briefly discussed at the meeting.
“Councilor Shoaf recently resigned her at-large position,” Council President Susan Vessels said during the call on officials portion of the meeting. “Her last public meeting was our special meeting on July 11. There she was recognized informally for her service. In the near future she will be formally recognized with a resolution.”
Vessels said the Washington County Republican Party Central Committee is beginning the search for her replacement.
“The deadline for selecting a replacement will be on the 45th day following the resignation or Aug. 27,” Vessels said. “Anyone interested in being considered, please reach out to me or any other member of the county Republican leadership. We will be happy to speak to you personally and answer any questions.”
She said an initial meeting for potential replacements is expected to be held in early August.
The next regular council meeting will be 7:30 p.m. Aug. 1 in Room 10 of the Marietta Armory.
There may also be an Employee Relations Committee meeting soon as well. Schlicher requested a meeting be set to discuss a foreman II position in the city’s public works department and a water meter setter position in the city’s utility billing department.
Ordinance No. 74 (24-25), which abolishes the foreman II position, which was not filled, was passed unanimously by council on July 3.
Schlicher told council during an Employee Relations Committee meeting June 27 that if the foreman position was cut the city should look at bringing back some of its mowing contract because there would be less employees to mow.
At the June 27 meeting, council discussed abolishing the water meter setter position and ultimately passed ordinance No. 81 (24-25) which abolished a utility billing clerk position instead.
