LUCAS, Ohio–Lucas Village Council approved a rezoning ordinance Tuesday evening that will allow Dollar General to build a store in the village. Council members heard the third reading of the ordinance that will rezone the properties at 15 Bond St. and 89 E. Main St. from residential to business.
The ordinance was approved 5-0. Council members in attendance were Joey Lawhun, Tom Sawyer, LauraJean Snyder, Harold Ferrell, Rick Gruver. Stephanie Lee was unable to attend.
Another concern for the council is the repair and paving of streets. The council will consider street improvement options with available funds of $18,000.
“There is approximately $8,000 in the ASAP funds and another $10,000 in the piggy-back sales fund, which everybody knows the piggy-back, Richland County has absorbed 50 percent of it now—actually more than that. We used to get $1,500 a month, and a now we’re down to $600. So that fund is really depleting,” Chief Fiscal Officer Patricia Constance said.
“I’ll bring it up again, we have for 12 years now, and I know nobody likes it, but we operate on very minimal funds. We’ve been trying to say that we are going to run out of money for paving, so would council entertain an income tax.”
The piggy-back tax refers to Ohio’s Permissive Sales Tax.
Village Administrator Tim Stallard was unable to attend but provided a report, which Constance shared. He recommended that the street committee revisit their previous review of street conditions. His priorities include spot-patching the worst areas, chip and seal measures of Brightwood Boulevard, and addressing sidewalks for the Dollar General.
Sawyer expressed concern for Brightwood saying, “I’m not sure it can go another two years without being repaired.”
Contance said Stallard’s notes stated that the street cannot be spot-patched because it’s “breaking up so bad.” It will need to be chipped and sealed. The council’s discussion suggested that taking care of Brightwood could cost as much as $60,000, an amount that considerably exceeds the $18,000 available funds currently identified.
The street committee will review streets on Sunday, June 21.
Council tabled discussion regarding a water meter break at the Lucas Community Center.
“There was a water meter break of great magnitude back during the winter,” Mayor Todd Hall said. A water main beak had occurred during the winter but after it was repaired, the overall usage of water in the village remained high and it took some time to isolate the problem to the community center because there was no ongoing activity at the center shortly after the first of the year.
Water was found running out of the building.
“The reason for the break was a faulty meter installation,” Hall said, “which we did not do. It was done by the guy that [the community center] had hired to it care of the building.”
The community center took responsibility for the faulty meter but requested relief on the total cost of their water bill. A recommendation was made to waive all sewer charges but two recommendations were made regarding the cost of the water: one that the community center be responsible for the full cost of the water bill and the other that the center perhaps only absorb 50 percent of the water bill.
Hall asked that decision be held till there is a full session of council.
The council also discussed pay increases for employees. Legislation will be generated for a three percent increase for all village employees.
