Another 'then-and-now' certificate coming to Mansfield City Council

MANSFIELD — There are just five pieces of legislation scheduled for Mansfield City Council on Tuesday evening.

But one of them is a pesky “then-and-now” certificate, the type of legislation that created such a furor in July.

Local lawmakers will be asked to approve a $7,097.50 payment to the Richland County Land Bank, half of the total bill for installing new curbs at 80 Marion Ave. The Land Bank is also paying half.

It’s the site of a former gas station that the Land Bank agreed to demolish in 2023 for $61,160, fully funded by Ohio Department of Development demolition grant funds.

According to legislation, the Permitting and Development Division of the Public Works Office contracted on Aug. 20 with the Land Bank to pay for half of the $14,195 curb work before submitting a purchase order to the Finance Department.

Council is asked to approve “then-and-now” certificates when work is contracted before a purchase order is signed.

Lawmakers frequently express concerns over such requests.

In July, At-large Councilman David Falquette and 6th Ward Councilwoman Deborah Mount expressed frustration about a $3,800 “then-and-now” certificate request for parking lot work at Liberty Park.

Both of them voted against it, though it was approved, 5-2.

The July request came from the city Parks Department. Falquette, chair of the finance committee, criticized the department for seeking too many such requests — eight in the last five years.

“(Parks) is the only department that has had a ‘then-and-now’ each year since 2021,” Falquette said in July. “Something needs to change. It’s a lot of then-and-nows. I just wanted to make sure you knew that I knew.”

Also on Tuesday, council is scheduled to:

— vote on the approval of a $220,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services for specialty dockets in Mansfield Municipal Court. The grant, which requires no local match, pays a portion of the salary and benefits for probation officers associated with four specialized court dockets.

— vote on proposed changes to the city’s off-street parking ordinances, creating two spaces in the Municipal Building parking lot for electric vehicle charging spaces.

— vote on a resolution of support for the city’s Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report for the July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025, program year. The report details the city’s accomplishments for programs through federal Community Development Block Grant funds.

— vote on a request to transfer a vacant Adams Street parcel to the new Mansfield Community Improvement Corporation. Mayor Jodie Perry said the parcel will then be sold to Richland Newhope Industries, which owns surrounding parcels.