GALION, Ohio — Galion’s city council had a vote-heavy evening at their monthly meeting Tuesday evening. They voted on six ordinances, including the controversial Power Cost Adjuster (PCA) revision.
Voted on and passed was the PCA revision of section 18 in ordinance number 2005-37. Section 18 includes a three-step process outlining the PCA’s formula, review and council action.
“We had a very long discussion over several months on this topic. What you see in front of you is the result of that,” said Third Ward Council Member Michael Richart. He referenced the revised version of the ordinance, which was made available to council members before the meeting.
Richart explained that the original PCA ordinance had the city manager, finance director and the electric superintendent collaborate to reconfigure the PCA. This revision, he said, moves that decision making into council.
Furthermore, the PCA will be reviewed by the Utility Department or the auditor twice a year, or as deemed necessary by either entity. And upon their review, Richart said if the PCA was found to be either equal or within ten percent of what is already being applied, no additional action would be required, according to the revised ordinance.
“We felt that this is a flexible way to revise the current PCA,” concluded Richart.
Council Member-at-large Dr. Thomas Fellner weighed in. “It (the revised PCA ordinance) also provides some information, publicly, on how it’s calculated. The council being involved as opposed to a small group of administration and then kind of silently approving or making those decisions.”
“So it’s going to have the public more informed on the steps that were taken,” he added.
The PCA revision was passed unanimously for a second reading.
Both ordinances 2015-23 and 2015-37 were voted on and approved by council members after they were declared emergencies. The Ohio Historic Preservation Office (OHPO) Programmatic Agreement (ordinance 2015-23) authorizes Galion’s mayor to coordinate with OHPO when using Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds.
Ordinance 2015-37 approved the appropriation of $2,000 to the Fire Demolition Account. The funds are to be made available through an increase in the city’s general funds.
Ordinances moving on to final readings include the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirement ordinance and a resolution of a nonbonding pledge between the city and State of Ohio concerning the Hotel project.
Also during council’s meeting, Utility Office Manager Dan Bute unveiled the city’s new website, which was a year in the making.
The new website was live as of Wednesday morning. It can be at www.galion.city.
