Council hears results of community survey

Survey conducted by St. Marys Fire Department evaluates ways to improve

St. Marys Councilors agreed to a committee meeting that will address needed improvements and plan for the future for the city’s safety and services department at Monday’s meeting.

In October, fire Chief Doug Ayers conducted a community strategic planning survey that was administered to the public, local businesses, other city departments and members of council, aimed at processing input to what people believe needed improvement for the city’s safety services. The chief said the department received overwhelming support from the community.

The survey’s results were then broken up by external and internal stakeholders.

Internal stakeholders

consisted of members of council, city department heads and randomly selected businesses. External stakeholders consisted of people who participated in the survey via the department’s website and its Facebook.

Ayers said some of the biggest findings from the survey included continued training, personnel issues — which Ayers added there are no problems within safety services regarding personnel — as well as concerns with employees’ physical fitness — which Ayers added is also not a concern with his department remaining active in the fitness room and took into account the activity they partake in on service calls — which has tripled for the department over the years.

The results from external and internal stakeholders served as a litmus test of sorts to see if the department needs to conduct a feasibility study or put together a committee to address any needs. Based on those results, Ayers said there were questions regarding staffing and the condition and age of the public safety facility on Indiana Avenue.

The department currently has 13 employees — its lowest total in the department at the beginning of each decade over the course of the last 40 years — with a normal staffing level of four employees per shift and a minimum staffing of three, according to the report Ayers gave to council. The public safety building is 53 years old.

“Obviously these are not things that can be decided on right away but it may be something that we need to start thinking about more for the future on are we ready to increase [staffing]? Are we ready to do a major renovation or are we ready to look at another facility?” Ayers said.

Council President Jim Harris pointed out using the Safety Committee, which is chaired by councilman at-large Dan Uhlenhake to be able to put a strategic plan together.

Uhlenhake, along with council members Ken Koverman and Bob Fitzgerald — both members of

the Safety Committee — agreed to hold a meeting at 5:15 p.m. March 1 with Ayers and police Chief Jake Sutton — suggested by Ayers — with regards to discussion on the public safety building.

In other business, council:

• Heard public hearings about pertinent information regarding the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and rezoning 1.507 acres of land located in the Felix Sweigart Subdivision of outlot 91. No members of the public attended either hearing via Zoom or conference call.

• Voted to send a rezoning request to the Planning Commission. The request is to rezone 0.764 acre parcel of land on Freewalt Way from R-MHP (mobile home park) to C-2 (general commercial).

• Heard the third reading and passed of Resolution 2020-25, a resolution specifying May 4, 2021, as the date for submitting to the electors of the city of St. Marys for their approval the levying of an additional tax on income at the rate of .5% and collected and directing the Board of Elections of Auglaize County to conduct the election.

• Heard the second reading of Ordinance 202102, an ordinance rezoning 1.507 acres of land located in Felix Sweigart’s Subdivision of outlot 91 to the city of St. Marys. Council also heard a legal notice to rezone lots 1-9 in the subdivision, about 1.507 acres of land and is being requested to change the land from I-1, industrial to rezoning the entire area R-3, single family residential zone.

• Suspended the rules and passed as an emergency Resolution 2021-01, authorizing demolition assessment regarding a detached garage at 236 Lynn St. that was deemed a dangerous building. After notices were sent and no repairs were made, the structure was razed on Oct. 29 and $1,067.20 was assessed to the owner’s property taxes.

• Suspended the rules and passed as an emergency Resolution 2021-02, authorizing the mayor of the city of St. Marys to enter into a revolving loan fund administration agreement for certain Community Development Block Grant program funds with the Ohio Department of Development.

• Went into executive session to discuss litigation and land acquisition. No action was taken.