GALION — Galion City Council voted and approved legislation Tuesday night that will create a Tax Increment Finance district expected to fund the Brandt Road Development project.
Ground was broken earlier this week on a 62-bed hotel, which is part of the Brandto Road Development project.
That project is expected to cost $618,900 and includes the paving of a 520-foot street, curbs and gutters, a storm sewer system, a sanitary sewer system with a lift station and a waterline.
Construction will begin shortly by Makeever & Associates Inc., of Bucyrus. Makeever will work jointly with the construction of the Mainstay Inn & Suites.
The monies produced by the TIF does not include electric costs. Mayor Tom O’Leary said electric lines will be installed by the city’s electricity department for approximately $30,000.
The creation of a TIF district’s legislation appeared before council as a first reading and passed through its final reading after a recommendation from O’Leary.
“If we can move for suspension on the rules on this, that’s just one more big piece in place so we can get this thing moving,” O’Leary said.
By Ohio Revised Code, legislation must endure three readings before being passed as final ordinances. However, council can vote to suspend the rules to hasten the process.
In order to suspend the rules, a council member must make a motion to do so and all council members must vote “yes” unanimously. Once the motion is unanimously approved, the bill essentially moves on to a third and final reading and council votes again to pass it.
Council member Susan Bean was absent Tuesday night due to sickness. Bean has expressed concern for the creation of a TIF district in the past. She was quoted during a Feb. 24 council meeting:
“These things take a life of their own. I guess I’m just not sure what the rush is,” she said.
Bean said she was concerned that the project’s cost increased from $200,000 to over $700,000.
Although she said she would have contributed to a suspension of the rules on the creation of a TIF district, she is still concerned with how often legislation is pushed through council without its proper three readings.
“When you consider that all legislation is potentially depriving someone of their rights, through taxes or whatever, you do need to have three readings,” Bean said. “Those readings give a community the chance to discuss it amongst themselves, come to a meeting, call a council person and ask a question.
“When we pass it through after one reading, we don’t the chance to involve the community. That’s my concern.”
A related piece of legislation, also passed through from final reading with a suspension of the rules, allows the city to open the bidding process within the newly created TIF district.
In other news, council passed legislation on the Hesby Drive rezoning, changing it from residential to commercial. Council also passed legislation that will appropriate funds for a deputy auditor and the purchase of technology in the police department that will help detectives track down suspects more effectively.
Galion Police Chief Brian Saterfield declined to comment on what piece of technology will be purchased.
According to the ordinance’s language, the Galion Police Department is requesting an appropriation of $8,592.
Council also approved legislation that authorizes Galion’s Safety Service Director to submit an application for an OFCC Grant for the depot train station.
