WILMINGTON — Wilmington City Council discussed further recycling options for Wilmington residents and businesses on Thursday, and a resident rebuked council members over the G1 Gateway Zoning ordinance.
Council member Rob Jaehnig, who chairs the solid waste and recycling committee, said Solid Waste and Landfill Superintendent Braden Dunham had revised the landfill’s business plan to bring in more revenue.
“With this plan, I can officially say … the selling of the landfill, the leasing of the landfill, is clearly off the table,” Jaehnig said. “He’s got some very, very innovative approaches to how we can pursue some of these (initiatives).”
One of those projects include a new recycling truck that will allow the city to accept multi-unit and small business recycling.
“It gives us some real flexibility to take that next step forward,” he said. “Watch for that in July.”
“If you want to participate call Braden,” said council member Marian Miller, a member of the solid waste and recycling committee.
The Sanitation Department can be contacted by calling 937-382-6474.
During the judiciary committee’s report, President of Council Cindy Peterson asked if the committee would consider changes to the Gateway Zoning ordinance.
Jaehnig, who also chairs the judiciary committee, said, “I thought we should wait and let (the referendum to repeal part of it) settle and then bring it back.”
Jaehnig said, “If the gateway changes, then it may literally change how the map is looked at” and thus make moot the referendum.
Miller said they should be able to make changes to certain provisions without jeopardizing the referendum, which the council members later said they do not want to do.
“Even though it’s an orphan zone right now, it’s imperfect,” said Peterson. “So, why not use this time to take a look at it?”
She asked whether anyone on council would object to judiciary reviewing it. Council member Joe Spicer said he wouldn’t want to vote on it until after the referendum.
Vince Holmes, a Wilmington resident opposed to the legislation, chastised the council.
“What you need to do with this ordinance is repeal it,” said Holmes. “Do it tonight. You were wrong when you done it.”
“Council does feel that there are some items –” Peterson began.
“I understood what was said,” Holmes said. “But you’re going to go back and you’re going to monkey with it. … You’re going to monkey with it and you’re going to start it up again. You folks are wrong, that’s all there is to it.
“What is going on?” Holmes asked. “What is so important about this, and who is behind this? Is it just you folks? Or is there somebody else that’s driving this hard?”
Council also:
• Closed a public hearing for a rezoning request For The Love of Ink. Chris Walls, the owner of FTLOI, has withdrawn his rezoning request because he is moving to a downtown Main Street location instead.
• Declared a 1997 and a 2006 Ford Crown Victoria as surplus and authorized the sale of them on www.govdeals.com.
• Amended a traffic control map and file to remove 12 parking spaces from two locations because the spaces were either owned by a private company now or were inaccessible. Eight parking spaces near the Cotton Junkie were increased from two-hour parking to four-hour parking.
• Extended the term of a $100,000, no-interest loan to Downtown Wilmington Community Improvement Corporation by seven years. Jaehnig believes the loan can be paid in full once the building is sold. The loan was made in 2007 to develop 59 W. Sugartree St., where Quali-Tee Design.
• Passed a first reading on an indigent burial policy for Sugar Grove Cemetery, which is now owned by the city. As written, it would provide for the cremation of a person whose income does not exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty line.
• Accepted a number of grants, including $500 from United Way for police skate nights at the park, $20,489 from the Ohio Department of Public Safety for monthly basic riders’ courses for motorcyclists, $2,000 from Highland, Fayette and Clinton Safety Council for a “Drive to Survive Campaign” and $4,000 for bulletproof vests.
• Accepted a donation of Multi-Agency Radio Communication Systems radios worth about $114,000 from the Clinton County commissioners. MARCS is the new communication system in use throughout Clinton County.
• Approved a number of miscellaneous transfers and supplemental appropriations. The transfers totaled more than $112,000 and were used to pay for equipment, maintenance, incidentals, mowing and tree removal. The appropriations totaled more than $58,000, some of which came from grants, and paid for motorcycle safety education programs, income tax refunds and other items.
Reach Nathan Kraatz at 937-382-2574, ext. 2510 or on Twitter @NathanKraatz.
