Lodging tax funds approved
Wapakoneta City councilors authorized more than $29,000 in lodging tax dollars be split among three entities seeking supplemental dollars for new and on-going projects.
Dan Lee chairs the Lodging Tax Committee and told his fellow councilors during Monday’s meeting all three projects passed the rubric used to determine if the proposals fall within the allowable expenditures; each project was awarded the total amount requested.
The Waste Minimization Committee was awarded $12,050 for new recycling receptacles, which will match in style the existing trash containers. With the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area likely to become busier in the summer month, the committee wants to allow more opportunity for recycling instead of throwing all materials in the trash.
The Armstrong Air and Space Museum was approved for $11,200 to help pay for an indoor laser light show planned for July 20 as part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the museum’s opening in 1972, and to fund inflatables for July 16 and 17 on the museum grounds during the Summer Moon Festival.
Finally, the First of the Moon organization was awarded $5,788 to help pay for a spare helmet lens for the art installation at the Legacy Parkplatz location, a vinyl art wrap around a utility box outside Home Savings Bank, and for educational brochures that outline the different art installations the organizations has provided to the city over the last few years.
Councilors also heard an up-date on the status of the waterpark from Josh Little, CEO of the Wapakoneta Family YMCA. Little said weather permitting, plans call for the waterpark to be open from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekend; at present they have a staff of 54 lifeguards (40 are certified as of now with others pending) and 35 employees who will work in the Snack Shack, at the top of the slide and at the Y’s Splash Pad.
Clerk Terry Mcdonald announced the city’s original ordinances, dating back to 1853, have been digitized and preserved. She had some of the new books with the preserved pages on display prior to the meeting.
“There is really interesting history in those books,” Mcdonald said. “They were just crumbling in a locked cabinet.”
She said her inspiration came from former council clerk Carlene Koch, and she thanked
Chad Doll for finding the resources to preserve the handwritten records that date back to when Wapakoneta was still a village.
A public hearing regarding the expansion of the city’s D.O.R.A.
boundaries was set for June 6 at 7:15 p.m. The expanded area is set to include the Lee’s Famous recipe property along Harrison Street. Councilor Brandon Miller asked the revised ordinance also require all establishments providing D.O.R.A beverages use cups that can be recycled.
Two ordinances were adopted as emergency measures Monday; both related to property matters.
The first authorized a Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) agreement with Dearbaugh Place LLC. The agreement allows a 15-year, 50 percent real property tax exemption for the assessed value of the new building that will including six residential units planned for 512 Dearbaugh Ave.
The second authorized the purchase of property at 101 River Drive from Jon and Robin Derryberry for $60,000. The city wanted the property to to extend public access to and activities for Belcher Park on the north side of the river to match the revitalization efforts expended at Heritage Park on the south side of the river.
Also read for the first time was a resolution to provide fire protection and ambulance service to Pusheta Township, an ordinance making supplemental appropriations and an ordinance amending the sick leave portion of the city’s codified ordinances. Read for the second time was the ordinance authorizing the Legacy Parkplatz name.
Midway through Monday’s meeting, Ken Steinke, a self defined “real estate investor in Wapakoneta” walked into council chambers and, without speaking, passed out a 12-page document outlining separate grievances he has with the city. Once he distributed his papers, he left the room. No one stopped him, the meeting never paused and no one asked what he was doing.
The city’s Finance Committee will meet May 26 at 4:30 p.m. at city hall; the Streets and Alleys Committee will meet May 31 at 5 p.m. City council meets again June 6 at 7:30 p.m. in council chambers in city hall.