GALION, Ohio — Galion City Council started discussions on the city’s financial outlook for the next fiscal year at Tuesday’s regular meeting.
Both pieces of legislation related to 2016 budget revisions passed swiftly, a process that historically causes headaches, according to Mayor Tom O’Leary. After they passed with minimal questions and concerns raised, O’Leary was surprised.
“We’ve got another couple weeks to study it and ask some questions,” he said. Despite increases and changes in balances, O’Leary sees the city moving in the right direction.
“I continue to feel like we’re heading in the right direction,” said O’Leary.
The outlook, if passed, could include spending increases for city departments and services. The Health Department could see a 10 percent budget increase from approximately $512,000 in 2015 to $560,000 in 2016.
In addition, the health department applied for a general fund increase of approximately $400,000 — they were only approved for $290,000, which city council needs to approve.
Council member Shirley Clark expressed concern.
“I’m concerned about the amount of increase for the health department. We’ve had the health department in place for several years and they’ve managed on considerably less than what they’re asking for,” said Clark.
Mayor Tom O’Leary answered Clark.
“There was a sheet that was used at the board of health committee meeting that showed the last several years of the general fund subsidy of the health department. It’s really around $250(K) to $260,000,” said O’Leary.
“So $290(K), while it’s not going to make anyone happy within the health department … it’s far more than has gone in recent history.”
Council member Susan Bean raised a question about the 26 percent increase in the Mayor’s budget. She wondered if the increase reflected an appropriation for the public information officer position.
O’Leary’s budget increase, however, according to City Fiscal Supervisor Belinda Miller, reflects the economic development budget line and additional payroll expenditures for a part-time custodial position.
Other city departments that could see an increase in budgets and spending are the civil service department’s and the Law Director’s budgets.
O’Leary reiterated his statement that the city is heading in the right direction.
“We’re looking at having $4.5 million in excess in the general fund by the end of the year. And in 2020, we’re looking at $2.7 (million in excess),” said O’Leary.
In his report to council, O’Leary said representatives from JobsOhio will visit both the HTI and GE buildings early next week.
Both vacant buildings might be good candidates for the state organization’s site revitalization program.
After the meeting, O’Leary said a couple local people are interested in the HTI building, which may or may not help it qualify for funding from the state program.
“If you have somebody that is interested, sometimes that really helps you move up the list versus, ‘boy, you have a really good site here Galion, but there’s no nibbles,’” said O’Leary.
In other legislation, council approved an ordinance that recognized an easement between two property owners that happen to share a 10-foot alley between 218 and 220 Grove Avenue. The process is step one of two, said Law Director Thomas Palmer.
The second step is to survey the alley space to determine which part of the parcel will be maintained by the city. The rest will fall under the property owners’ responsibility.
The next City Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. in the city municipal building.
