The state is considering collecting all municipal taxes and distributing money from Columbus.
The Washington City Council met Wednesday night & were quite busy passing two resolutions, placing three ordinances & a resolution on first reading.
The council passed a resolution expressing their opposition on a concept that is currently being talked about by state leaders on centralizing the collection of municipal income taxes. City Manager Joe Denen reported that he had recently met with State Senator Bob Peterson to express the local city leaders opposition to this idea.
The council also pass a resolution authorizing for the filing of 2012 CHIP/CDBG/HOME Application funding programs.
Council started to deal with the issue of properties in the city that has become rundown and causing a public nuisance. Three ordinances were placed on first reading to give City Manager Joe Denen authorization that would the allow the city to enter into a contract for abatement of those properties then collect the cost of that abatement from the owner of the properties.
Those properties are located at 106/108 West Paint Street, 110/112 West Paint Street & 213/215 East Temple Street in the city.
During Mr. Denen report he stated that bids received for the Leesburg Avenue project was unusually high & that a meeting was going to be held Thursday (April 12th) with ODOT on what the next step should be.
There is some feeling that some of the bid specifications such as deadlines & that traffic must be able to be maintain in the work area during the project work may be some factors of the higher than expect bids. Denen stressed that project will continue, but the meeting with ODOT is to gain advice on how to handle the bid work.
Eric Lamont Gregory who is a candidate for Bob Peterson former Ohio House seat asked to speak during the Public Comment segment of the meeting. He discuss his qualifications & discuss some of the things he has learned talking with officials in the area & announced he recently moved into Fayette County.
Finally, during City Council members comments several councilman express concerns about vehicles being parked on sidewalks & curbs in the city & that it not only is illegal but causes safety issues for walkers including children going to school.
