LONDON, Ohio — City Council on Thursday approved adding 245 homes to the London Gateway Community Authority district and authorized bids for a 55-space parking lot expansion at Park Avenue, among other actions during a meeting that also saw a failed attempt to alter street superintendent job requirements.
Acting President Rich Hayes presided over the May 14 meeting, with Council President Peter absent due to a senior parade for his daughter.
Council voted 7-0 to adopt Resolution 133-26, which adds parcels for the Madison Reserve housing project to the New Community Authority district. The district funds infrastructure and provides a percentage to safety services. A public hearing drew no public comment.
A more contentious debate emerged over Resolution 132-26, which revised job descriptions for the street department. Councilman Boyd moved to strike the street superintendent position from the changes, citing concerns about requiring a commercial driver's license and herbicide license before hiring.
“We need to be able to hire qualified people, but we also need to be practical about what we require upfront,” Boyd said during the discussion.
The amendment failed 1-6. The original resolution then passed 6-1, with Boyd casting the lone dissenting vote.
Council unanimously adopted Resolution 134-26, authorizing a request for qualifications to hire advisors for tax increment financing and New Community Authority funds. Officials said the advisors would be paid from those funds, not the city's general fund.
The council also voted 7-0 to suspend the three-reading rule and adopt Resolution 136-26 as an emergency, authorizing bids for resurfacing and expanding the Park Avenue parking lot by 55 spaces. The project has a not-to-exceed amount of $225,000, potentially funded through impact fees.
Council left Ordinance 140-26 on second reading, which would place a natural gas aggregation program on the November ballot. The program would allow residents to opt-in for lower rates, similar to the city's existing electric aggregation. A public hearing is scheduled for July 2.
In other business, the city received a single bid from Rumpke for sanitation services at $20.75 per month.
During public comments, residents raised questions about a low-mileage dump truck slated for sale and the need for ward redistricting. Hayes said a presentation on redistricting would be scheduled in the future, noting that some wards are “illegal” due to population disparities.
“We started to address this a couple years ago. It didn't go anywhere,” Hayes said. “I thought having a fresh set of eyes would be great.”
The meeting adjourned at 7:43 p.m.