Hillsboro City Council members discussed adding a new parks director position to the city’s pay scale, as well as talks of raising wages for elected officials, during their Thursday, Aug. 17 meeting.
The finance committee was asked to look at adding a proposed parks director position to the city’s existing pay scale ordinance, which they did at a meeting held July 31, according to chair Mary Stanforth. She reported that the finance committee recommended council pass the amended ordinance and “suspend the three-reading rule but not declare it as an emergency,” in order for the city to move forward on posting a job description for the position.
The “ordinance to adjust compensation for certain city employees” was introduced Thursday, with the only modification to the existing pay schedule being to add the recreation parks director position. It has a proposed salary range of $52,000 to $66,560.
Council member Jason Brown asked if the city had a “job description” prepared for the position. Safety and service director Brianne Abbott said that it had been a position in the past, but a revised description had not been drafted as they expected the new hire to help “develop what is needed.”
“It could change,” Abbott said. “I mean, we’re looking at adding a pool [from the Hillsboro Swim Organization]. We have Crossroads Park that we’re trying to get an amphitheater, and we’re going to have new trails. I guess nothing is set in stone right now just because it is a new position, and the description is going to change as parks develop.”
Abbott added that the city had to determine the pay scale for the position in order to get applicants interested.
“Wouldn’t this be a whole new position, since we have the six parks?” Stanforth asked.
“It’s not going to be a whole new position in that it hasn’t already existed in a previous pay ordinance, because it has, but the duties of that position are going to look a lot different than what it used to,” Abbott said.
She added that she and public works superintendent Shawn Adkins have already discussed “what we need” for the position. Adkins added that they have researched similar job descriptions and pay ranges “in other areas,” and that their proposed pay range is “lower” than other areas.
Stanforth asked if they had a projected date in mind to hire the director.
“We hope to have somebody hired by the end of the year,” Adkins said, adding that they want the new hire to “shadow” at the existing parks with their youth sports leagues, such as football and soccer.
In response to a question about Stanforth about whether the director would have “a crew,” Abbott said that initial plans are to start with a director, and that the goal is to eventually be able to staff “a whole department.”
Although the finance committee had recommended passing the ordinance, there was no motion Thursday night, so council president Tom Eichinger said it would move to a second reading in September.
Also recently reviewed by the finance committee was the salaries for elected officials, Stanforth said. An ordinance to adjust the salary of the City Auditor was introduced and subsequently tabled Thursday night.
The rates the finance committee discussed were raising council members’ pay to $7,200 and the auditor’s pay to $70,000, while the law director would be paid $50,000; the mayor, $40,000; and no action was taken on the treasurer’s position, pending further review.
“If allowable by law, each of these positions will be given a yearly three-percent cost of living raise based on merit and the amount of funds available as stated in the pay ordinance,” Stanforth said. “The cost of living increase will be confirmed with the Law Director to see if it is allowable for elected officials.”
According to Stanforth, the committee agreed to recommend raising the pay for council members and for the city auditor, although the city auditor’s pay was the only one included in the tabled ordinance introduced Thursday.
Brown asked if it was correct that the committee voted to “double” council’s pay.
“That’s what was suggested, yes,” Stanforth said.
Brown then pointed out that council had already voted within the last year to raise the auditor’s salary, “and now the recommendation is to give another basically 22 percent on top of that.”
As previously reported, council voted in July 2022 to increase the city auditor’s salary through an emergency ordinance. As noted in the ordinance, the city auditor’s salary had not been increased since 2008. That ordinance set the position’s annual salary at $57,500, effective immediately— up from its previous rate of $45,000 per year.
If the now-tabled ordinance is approved, it is proposed to raise the auditor’s salary to $70,000 effective in January 2024, meaning that the position would see a raise of $25,000 within 18 months if approved by city council.
“That was the recommendation,” Stanforth said. “I will add this. I had done further research, and in the state of Ohio, the average auditor’s pay is $64,740.
“I think we need to have further discussions of these amounts.”
Council member Jo Sanborn said that the treasurer’s salary also needs to be “brought up,” and Stanforth agreed but added that they need to “really clarify what are the duties of the treasurer and just how much time is spent in that position.
“I had no idea,” Stanforth said. “That’s why nothing was done, until we get some more information.”
Based on the discussions earlier in the meeting, Sanborn made a motion to table the legislation for the auditor’s salary when it was introduced, with her motion passing, 6-0.
In other legislation:
• After a debate on its wording and a recess for Adkins to call grant writer Kirby Ellison, council agreed to pass an ordinance adopting an anti-displacement and relocation assistance plan for the City of Hillsboro and declaring an emergency.
“This is something that the state requires for CDBG funds, and for the grant writing process,” Abbott told council. “It’s typically something that we present, I believe, every three years to council, so that has been passed before. We need to pass it again to comply with the state, and we are needing to do so immediately.”
Council member Greg Maurer asked if the policy meant the city is “on the hook for replacing the properties that are demolished.”
“No,” Abbott said. “The CDBG funds are for the revolving loan.”
Brown agreed with Maurer, pointing out language in the policy. It reads that the city “will replace all occupied and vacant-occupiable low-to-moderate income (LMI) dwelling units demolished or converted to a use other than LMI housing as a direct result of activities assisted with funds provided under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974.” It also says the city “will provide relocation assistance … to each LMI household displaced by housing demolition or conversion of an LMI dwelling to another use as a direct result of assisted activities.”
Abbott said the city previously had a housing revolving loan program and is “no longer” doing that, with the CDBG funds they obtain going toward business loans. “That portion really isn’t applicable to the city,” she said.
City law director Randalyn Worley said the language came directly from the state to Ellison, “and it’s my understanding that we had to use that document.” The policy reads that it “must be updated every five years,” and that it is “required by all grantees prior to funding, whether or not demolition activities are planned.”
“It just seems like the city or property owners would be put on the hook to be rebuild low-income housing,” Brown said.
Eichinger said he didn’t “know how we move forward on this.” Abbott said Ellison notified her that they needed to pass the updated policy in order to “apply for a grant” recently.
Adkins offered to call Ellison, with council taking a brief recess until he got the explanation.
“With all CDBG grants, you have to have a plan in place in case the grant project that you’re working on happens to displace somebody from their home, whether you’re removing lead or whatever,” Adkins said. “The grant would pay for that, not the city.”
Based on that information, Maurer then made a motion to suspend the three-reading rule, with that motion and the subsequent motion to pass the ordinance passing by a 6-0 vote.
• A resolution authorizing Aspen Energy, on behalf of the City of Hillsboro, to advertise and solicit bids for the electric aggregation program and declaring an emergency passed unanimously.
“This will allow Aspen Energy to solicit bids for the electrical aggregation program, and then that will allow the city to enter into contracts with the lowest and best bidder for the program,” Abbott said. “We would request suspension of the three-reading rule and passage by emergency just so citizens can take advantage of the program sooner rather than later.”
In June, council approved an emergency ordinance approving a plan of operation and governance for the municipal electric aggregation program of the City of Hillsboro. The ordinance was in response to the ballot issue on aggregation approved by voters in the May primary election.
The goal of the program is to allow participants to have lower energy rates. Participation is voluntary.
According to the resolution approved Thursday, the city will enter a contract with the “lowest and best bidder, upon recommendation from Aspen Energy, as the exclusive provider of retail electric supply to the members of the electric aggregation program.”
Eichinger said he believes Aspen is “trying to get this rolled through for us by November.”
• Council voted 6-0 to suspend the three-reading rule and to approve and adopt an ordinance to authorize the disposition of unneeded municipal personal property pursuant to Ohio Revised Code section 721.15.
As noted by Abbott, the legislation is to sell a 1992 dump truck “not needed for municipal purposes.”
• A resolution awarding the 2023 construction contract for the 2023 High Street lead service line replacement project and declaring an emergency passed by a 6-0 vote, following suspension of the three-reading rule.
According to the recommendation from DLZ Inc., a bid opening was held July 18 for the project, with Distel Construction submitting the lowest and best bid in the amount of $886,001. The engineer’s estimate was $900,000.
“We are requesting suspension of the three-reading rule and passage by emergency so we can enter into the contract and get the supplies ordered,” Abbott said.
Adkins added that there is a nine-month lead time for those supplies.
• Council heard the first reading of an ordinance repealing sections 32.038, 32.040, 32.042 and 32.043 of the codified ordinances of the City of Hillsboro.
Abbott said the ordinance was introduced to remove “several sections of the current city code” that contradict the collective bargaining agreement with the Hillsboro Police Department.
The affected sections involve the number of police dispatchers; the hours in a work week for Police Department staff; an annual “allowance” for uniform purchases; and residency requirements for Police Department employees.
If approved, all of those sections will be “repealed in [their] entirety,” the ordinance says.
• Several appropriations-related items were also unanimously approved after their first readings, beginning with an ordinance making appropriations transfers in the amount of $10,000 for the Drive to Succeed grant.
According to city auditor Dawson Barreras, a previous appropriations transfer for the grant listed the wrong fund, so this legislation is “to move that money to the correct fund.”
An emergency resolution approving a “then and now” certification by the city auditor for the payment of DLZ Engineering passed, 6-0.
The payment is in the amount of $38,441.41 for engineering for the Roberts Lane project.
“We have been waiting to get the money and just got it recently,” Barreras said. “It’s time to divvy it up and make the payments we were supposed to make a while ago.”
Also approved was an ordinance making appropriation transfers for the Storm Sewer Project, transferring $688,935.18 and $254,000 among line items.
• An ordinance proposed to “establish Johnson Street as a one-way thoroughfare traveling only northbound” was introduced, following a public hearing Thursday. For more on that proposal, see the story at: https://highlandcountypress.com/residents-johnson-street-neighborhood-s….
• After their respective third readings, two pieces of legislation were approved by a 6-0 vote, with no discussion. Those included:
— An ordinance amending section 36.056 and repealing section 36.052 of the codified ordinances of the City of Hillsboro pertaining to petty cash and change funds. When the legislation was introduced in June, Worley said that it was “by recommendation of the state auditor” to clear up “a discrepancy that’s yet to be reconciled from years ago.”
The ordinance will “effectuate a city-wide cash handling policy to ensure adequate controls to account for the handling of the City’s municipal cash.” It will include procedures (such as written documentation of authority and “random drawer audits”); delegation of authority; record-keeping measures; responsibility and accountability for fund collections; duties of city personnel; liability for loss; establishment/increase of cash funds; termination of cash funds; security of cash funds; cash drawer guidelines and procedures; tracking overages and shortages; regulation of petty cash; establishment and/or closing of petty cash funds; and petty cash procedures.
— A resolution adopting a new fixed asset policy for the City of Hillsboro. The legislation repeals a resolution approved in 2008 and implements a $5,000 threshold instead of $1,000.
“Our fixed asset policy as it stands is anything over $1,000 must be labeled as a fixed asset, which is kind of ridiculous,” Barreras told council in June. “Any industry standard is a minimum of $5,000.
“For example, we bought a laptop for I think the police department for $1,024. Now that’s got to get formed out as a fixed asset, which we don’t handle in house. This will cut down on paperwork and time, and fixed assets are supposed to be like land we own, buildings, things of that nature, not computers.”
• Council also heard the second reading of an ordinance amending section 155 of the codified ordinances of the City of Hillsboro pertaining to signs. There was no discussion of that proposed legislation.
In other reports:
• Abbott highlighted the city’s Revolving Loan Fund, as well as the committee’s willingness to help local businesses obtain funding, during her report to council.
“If you’re aware of any businesses within the city that are in need of low-interest loans for either startup or expansion, the revolving loan fund committee would love to help,” she said.
The committee just met this week, according to the city website, and holds “quarterly” meetings. For more information on attending a meeting or to get in contact with the committee, call (937) 393-5219.
For infrastructure updates, Abbott reported that the city has received a new grant-funded water meter device, after obtaining $10,000 in state monies earlier this year. Work on the Roberts Lane and Crossroads Park projects is also ongoing, she said.
Looking at city events, Abbott said the “Movies Under the Stars” program has been “a huge success,” with the final event scheduled for Sept. 1 at Crossroads Park. The Hillsboro Farmers’ Market also continues to be held each Saturday morning uptown.
“Mark your calendars for the Jeepers Creepers event happening on October 20,” she said.
In other updates, Abbott said the city issued 31 commercial and nine residential building permits in July, with construction on ongoing private business developments including Five Below, the Marriott Hotel, Marshall’s, Papa John’s, Patriot Public House and Sassafras Kitchen. The Hillsboro Planning Commission also “reviewed several commercial site plans applications as well as some road name proposals” at their most recent meeting, she said.
• In Stanforth’s report of the July 31 finance committee meeting, she also spoke of their consideration of the city’s Treasury Investment Board.
Barreras had asked that the Treasury Investment Board be placed in committee for further review. Stanforth said that the board currently includes the mayor, auditor, treasurer and law director as members, and Barreras’ suggestion is to “add a fifth member to the board who would be an independent member, not associated with the city or the city’s investments, but very knowledgeable in investment banking.”
“When the position is filled, the board will continue to rewrite and update the policy,” Stanforth said. “Upon completion, the new policy will be given to the Finance Committee to review.”
• Parks committee chair Don Storer discussed a recent meeting with committee members touring the Hillsboro Swim Organization’s pool and learning about its history and maintenance.
Stanforth asked about the reasoning for the visit.
“They would like the city to take over operation of the pool,” Storer said, and added that the HSO is looking at “upgrading equipment” before turning it over to the city, if approved.
“We’ve got a lot of things to discuss,” he said.
• Committee member Sanborn read the street and safety committee report as prepared by chair Adam Wilkin, who was absent. The committee had been asked to look into security for city parks due to incidents of “vandalism and theft,” the report said.
“We discussed looking into the possibility of adding cameras and door alarms that would feed to our city police station for monitoring,” Sanborn read from Wilkin’s report. “The ideas of having cameras and door/window alarms are obvious. The tougher problem we need to figure out is how to connect all the areas that do not have internet coverage all while staying within a reasonable budget.”
According to Wilkin, the committee will be meeting again to discuss input from Police Chief Eric Daniels.
• Barreras said that he expected to have preliminary 2024 budget information for council ahead of their September meeting.
• During citizens’ comments, former council member Ann Morris asked why pets are not permitted at the Crossroads Park. Abbott said it was due to “several safety issues” with people bringing dogs to the Movies Under the Stars events this summer.
“If your dog’s on a leash, there’s a leash law, and that shouldn’t be a problem,” Morris said. “You can walk your dog at any other public park in town.”
Resident Jeremiah Ogden said that he was submitting a petition to the Highland County Board of Elections for a proposed ballot issue “changing drag shows to have them listed as adult cabaret performances and not accessible to minors.” He had made a request in June for council to “amend the city ordinance for adult entertainment to include drag shows and drag queen story hours” after a pride event was held in the city.
“It is important that as a conservative, Christian community, that we be a beacon for this state,” Ogden said.
The majority of the citizens’ comments portion of the meeting, however, was backlash from property owners concerned about the projected loss of parking spots in the uptown district due to a planned pedestrian safety project. For more on those comments, see the story at: https://highlandcountypress.com/hillsboro-business-owners-criticize-pro….
• At the beginning of the meeting, council voted 6-0 to excuse council member Wilkin’s absence. Mayor Justin Harsha was also absent.
