MANSFIELD — Mansfield voters can anticipate seeing the PRIDE tax on the ballot this May.
The PRIDE tax, approved by voters in 2013, generates approximately $12 million over a four-year period. It supports safety services and parks and recreation, and it helps fund street lighting and demolitions.
According to Third Ward Councilman Jon Van Harlingen, the tax generated around $778,000 for parks and recreation, $283,214 for street lighting, $708,235 for demolitions and $1.77 million for safety services in 2015.
In other news, Mansfield council agreed to table legislation concerning taxicab services that operate in the city until further discussion can take place at a future safety committee meeting.
The motion to table the taxicab ordinance, made by Safety Committee Chairman and At-Large Councilman Don Bryant, came after Charles West, owner of Mansfield’s lone taxicab company (C&D Taxi), expressed concern during caucus Tuesday night.
West said he wasn’t informed of the legislation until Thursday of last week; although, the ordinance was introduced to council at its Dec. 6 meeting and was discussed at two other council meetings on Dec. 20 and Jan. 3.
Law Director John Spon said that one of C&D’s representatives visited the law director’s office and was made aware of the legislation.
West said he mostly agrees with the legislation, but one item in particular he’s concerned about has to do with the issuance of licenses. According to the ordinance, no license to drive a taxicab shall be issued to any applicant that has been convicted of any drug or drug-related offense within the past three years.
West used the example of someone who was arrested for marijuana possession, served their sentence and has been rehabilitated.
“We have to say, ‘Hey, you can’t work?’ he asked.
“We’re trying help people out. We’re trying to help people just getting out of jail that are trying to rehabilitate themselves.”
Spon said it’s not the city’s intent to cause people to lose their job.
“However, we don’t want any people smoking dope while involved with public transportation,” he added.
West said that the company would never employ anyone who would endanger the public.
Council unanimously approved tabling the ordinance in an 8-0 vote.
Council also approved an ordinance which authorizes and licenses developer Walt Hunsinger to continue with the extension of the city water system in phase four of his development (Tower Lakes Subdivision) on Straub Road.
“In this particular instance, Tower Lakes Subdivision is building a subdivision right in line with where the proposed 16 inch loop would connect, so it makes sense to let the developer put a 16 inch water line in instead of an eight inch (line) that’s required, and for the city to pay for the difference,” said City Engineer Bob Bianchi. “This is past practice; this is nothing new.”
Bianchi said this measure is one step closer to making this particular water system into a loop, which is ideal, as loops help mitigate the number of people who would be without water in the event that a water line breaks, he said.
The extension is about 850 feet and costs the city $42,400, which will be paid for out of the Water Fund, Bianchi said.
“We believe that once this water line is eventually looped and connected, the circulation of water and the controlled movement of water through those pipes would be favorable to the system and its users,” he said.
Council briefly discussed the proposed Backyard Chickens Ordinance. Matthew Stanfield, chairman of Citizens for Mansfield Backyard Chickens, said his group has collected around 325 signatures from people who support the idea of raising chickens in Mansfield, about 225 of whom are Mansfield residents.
He said that people are already keeping chickens in Mansfield.
“What we’re trying to do is give them a legal set of parameters that they can do this under and not have to do it under the radar,” he said.
Fifth Ward Council Jason Lawrence, who chairs the city’s zoning committee, said there will be zoning committee meetings in the future which will address this topic.
Also, Mayor Tim Theaker presented a proclamation in commemoration of Religious Freedom Day on Jan. 16.
“Religion contributes $1.2 trillion to the United States economy every year,” he said while reading the proclamation.
He added that Richland County has over 200 churches and synagogues and Mansfield has been known as the “City of Churches.”
Ben Mutti, Richland Community Family Coalition spokesperson, and Rev. El Akuchie thanked the mayor and council for the proclamation.
Akuchie, a Nigerian native, said religious freedom is not something he takes lightly. He said he recently received a message from his brother that about 200 Christians were killed in Nigeria.
“It’s something that really goes deep into my heart to know in America we have religious freedom,” he said.
