Walk this way: Treadmill possible for 911 workers

Commissioners weigh safety, health benefits for center’s long shifts.

TROY — A proposal to buy a work station treadmill to help interested Miami County911center telecommunicators get more physical activity during 10- to 12-hour shifts sparked discussions on employee wellness, liability and other issues.

In the end, the county Communication Center Board of Directors agreed Nov.15to recommend the purchase to the county commissioners if an outside funding source, such as a foundation, would pay for the treadmill. A LifeSpan Treadmill suggested by center Director Jeff Busch was listed at $1,399.

The cost of the treadmill was not a key issue in discussions.

Busch told the county commissioners during apresentation Nov. 15 that he thought the work station treadmill would help employees who wanted to use it offset some of the effects of the sedentary nature of the telecommunicator job by allowing them to move more. The treadmill, which is designed to bequiet, also could help with stress, he said.

The unit would be placed at one of the dispatch center’s work sta-

amended to align with the state’s zoning code language of “transient guest lodging,” as opposed to “short-term rentals.”

Transient guest lodgings are defined as rooms being rented for 30 days or less. Short-term rentals are defined as lodgings that are rented out for longer than 30 days, but less than a year.

Homeowners who rent one or more rooms for fewer than five days each year would not need to pass along a lodging tax to their guests.

Bates said more people in the village are renting out their homes and rooms through Internet listings and businesses, such as Airbnb. Any property owner who wants to rent one or more rooms more than five times a year will need to be certified by the village, which involves getting approval from the Planning Commission.

Village Solicitor Chris Conard has proposed that the commission consider four questions when making such determinations:

■ Whether the essential character of the neighborhood would be substantially altered or whether adjoining properties would suffer a substantial detriment as a result of the conditional use.

■ Whether the conditional use would adversely affect the delivery of governmental services.

■ Whether the conditional use will negatively impact affordable housing and/or whether the conditional use will decrease the potential income tax that the village could collect.

■ Whether the spirit and intent behind the zoning requirement would be observed and substantial justice done by granting the conditional use.

Bates said the village will be monitoring whether the change negatively impacts the availability of affordable housing.

Conard advised council members that villagers may be able to afford to live in town by renting out space, but if too many homes are turned into “transient-guest lodgings,” it could result in a shortage of affordable dwellings.