City Council Report

By Dottie McGrew

The November election has changed the composition of council and may alter its direction as well as the tone.

Doug Foltz (Ward 1) and Jon Snyder (Ward 4) were reelected. David Wright replaces incumbent Kathy Magel in Ward 2; Jeff Davies will represent Ward 3, taking over from Doug Lane who opted not to run. At-large representatives will be Pat DeOrio, Marcia Kiesling and Daryl Revoldt, replacing incumbents Susie Hines and Jim Repace, who chose not to stand for re-election.

The organizational meeting for the election of council officers is scheduled for Dec. 3.
City hall oracles are saying that Daryl Revoldt has the necessary four votes to become president of council. Ditto Jon Snyder as vice president and chairman of the finance committee. Neither would comment on the record.

Priorities for new council

The Budget
First on the agenda will be the 2008 budget. The former council in November made
provision for an interim budget, giving council as long as three months to come up with
a balanced budget for 2008.

Last year, the city operated until the end of January under an interim budget. The interim
budget allowed the city to close its books and accurately determine revenue and expenses for the preceding year. Previous budgets were based on anticipated revenue and expenses.

2008 will be a lean year, city officials say, but 2009 will be crunch time. The city will have income tax revenue from the remaining 800 Hoover employees through June 2008.
Council must work in 08 to get the municipal house in order for 09. But that gets done remains to be seen.

Street Maintenance
The city will keep up appearances with routine repair and maintenance. The Lipton Street project to correct flooding and drainage will be done. But other capital projects will be scrutinized.

Increased City Income Tax
Asking voters to raising the income tax from 1.5 percent to 2 percent is still on the table.
Likely that council will look first at other options and examine the downside of an income tax, which could be the relocation of small businesses

Economic Development Agreements with Plain and Jackson Townships
Without CEDA advocates Repace, Magel and Hines on council, it is unlikely the proposed economic development agreements will get speedy approval.

Schneider Street SE speed limit
Look for the speed limit on Schneider Street Southeast, between Pershing Street to the city limit at Southwood Lane to be increased from 25 mph to 35 mph. Residents asked for the increase and neither council nor the police department object. The existing
25 mph will be retained between Pershing Street and South Main Street because the busy business district is a high accident area.