City Council Report

By Dottie McGrew

Council will reconvene on Jan. 8, following a three-week Christmas break. In December, members re-elected Doug Foltz (Ward l) and Kathy Magel (Ward 2) as council president and vice-president, respectively.

Money Matters

The 2007 city budget is top priority. Council’s Finance Committee is reviewing the $39-million budget submitted last month by the administration. The proposed budget is down from the $44.4 million budget of 2006. A new budget is expected to be approved by the end of the month. The city is currently operating under an interim budget.

The general fund revenue for 2007 is projected at $39.19 million, with a possible carryover of about $6 million, according to Finance Committee chairman Pat DeOrio.

“That’s a thin margin,” DeOrio says. “What if expenditures exceed revenues? What if expenditures remain the same but revenues drop below projections?”

Mayor David Held says the administration’s proposed budget reflects economies such as not replacing five employees who have either retired or obtained other employment as well as rotating employees between departments to meet seasonal needs.

But DeOrio believes there is still “fat to be squeezed out of the budget” in order to improve infrastructure, which he says is costing 15 to 20 percent more each year.

Income tax revenue from Hoover, with all jobs intact, is estimated at $5.9 million in 2007, down from $6.2 million in 2006, according to Held. He believes the city “will have plenty of work (on infrastructure) because of state and federal grants as well as partnerships with Stark County.

But DeOrio is cautious “We have to start moving the Titanic,” DeOrio said, comparing
the city budget to the unfortunate ship, “because the iceberg is there. The prospect of hitting the iceberg depends on what happens at Hoover. Then, it’s either move or get hammered.”

Looking for money in all the right places

Law Director Randy McFarren reported in December that the city collected $12,500 from one “entity” that had not paid income tax for more than three years.

In November, the city stepped up efforts to recover unpaid taxes, after four separate mailings yielded few results.

McFerren said that civil or criminal action would be filed against delinquent taxpayers in early January.

Contract negotiations with city employees

The city and the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association have accepted a fact finder’s report that calls for a two-year contract with three percent wage adjustments in each of the contract years. The fact f inder’s report also addressed overtime and healthcare issues. An official contract is in the process of being written. The police lieutenants are expected to approve a similar agreement.

Council rejected a fact finder’s opinion on issues concerning agreement with police dispatchers as well as the firefighters and paramedics.

In December, council appropriated an additional $10,000 for outside legal counsel Robert Schull, bring the cost for negotiations to $40,000. Talks have been on-going since July.
Six unions represent city employees.