City Council held a first reading on Tuesday for legislation to redirect leftover Community Development Block Grant funds toward the demolition of blighted homes. The funds, which total $30,284, came from the CDBG program and sat in an account for several years. Money must still be used for one of the primary objectives of the program, which includes removal of slum and blight.

If council passes a final reading, it will authorize the mayor to submit a waiver request to the Ohio Development Services Agency in order to spend these funds. The city should be able to perform three or four demolitions. Target houses are yet to be determined.

Ord. 2019-5, which would enact a new zoning district in the city’s zoning code, was sent back to committee. Concerns were raised by citizen Harry Weir regarding the stipulation that new manufactured homes must be manufactured within the last 10 years. City officials questioned whether or not the same requirement applied to other residential zoning districts. The Laws and Ordinances Committee will further review the legislation during its next meeting on March 5.

Ord. 2019-7 amended 2019 appropriations. Several items were certifications of funds for payroll in various departments and two items were for severance pay for retiring employees. Also, an additional $135,000 was appropriated to the Street Improvement Fund for the annual paving program.

Ord. 2019-8 amended 2019 appropriations to transfer $21,000 into the Airport Fund in the maintenance and repair line item. It will cover repairs to the fuel pump as well as the dual-axle work truck used at the airport.

Resolutions 2019-2 and 2019-3 were both appointments to the Board of Health. Brittany Craft and Zabrina Spillman were both approved.