Greenville City Council hears capital improvement requests

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GREENVILLE — During Greenville City Council meeting Tuesday, council members heard requests from city departments for capital improvements, learned the new city electric rate negotiated by Affordable Gas & Electric (AGE), and passed a resolution opposing the state’s municipality tax collection plan.

Safety/Service Director presented to council a list of capital improvement projects which would total nearly $1.6 million if approved.

Among the projects for which funding is being requested include: an aerial platform, chief’s vehicle and weather warning siren for the fire department; payroll software upgrade for the auditor; miscellaneous paving, Ohio Street sidewalk money, and a vehicle for the planning and zoning department; and for the street department a skid loader with attachments, excavator with attachments, ADA-compliant sidewalks and ramps for West Third, Fourth and Fifth Streets, replacement one-ton dump truck, application of reclamite, carryover of items not completed in 2016 for the Fourth and Sweitzer Street project, an Ohio/East Main Street loan payment, and new traffic light system for the Russ Road/Wagner Avenue project.

The estimated cost for all is $1,570,481.82. The CIP balance is currently $692,778. To pay for the entirety of the requests, the city would have to transfer $877,703.82 from the general fund.

“If all that money was spent, [it] would bring the CIP balance to zero,” he said. “Any subsequent years of requests would have to be funded out of the general fund.”

Council will consider the CIP expenditure legislation at its next meeting.

Garrison also announced that AGE’s negotiated rate for electricity for city residents will be 5.29 cents per kilowatt hour. The term of the contract with Dynegy, the chosen supplier, will be 36 months.

“AGE is reporting that this aggregated energy rate is 20 percent lower than DP&L’s going rate,” said Garrison.

Eligible residents and small businesses in Greenville will receive an opt-out letter from Dynegy in late March. Those interested should contact their electricity supplier to see if early termination rates apply. If termination fees do not apply, they may contact Dynegy by phone at 888-682-2170 beginning Mar. 24 and request to be enrolled.

For more detailed information, visit www.AffordableElectricRates.com or www.dynegy.com/electric-supplier/municipal-aggregation/faq.

Among the measures approved by council Tuesday was a resolution opposing the centralized collection of net profit tax returns by the state proposed by Ohio Governor John Kasich.

In passing the resolution, the City of Greenville goes on record in opposing the proposal, calling it “a clear attack on the home rule powers granted to municipal corporations by the Ohio Constitution” and asking the Ohio General Assembly to remove all language “pertaining to municipal income tax collection and administration, and should promote upcoming changes to the Ohio Business Gateway as a solution for businesses to file municipal income tax returns in a more simple and efficient manner.”

The Ohio Municipal League (OML) asserts the state cannot guarantee “the same level of auditing and enforcement of business filings currently performed by municipalities to ensure accuracy of filings and proper remittance of tax due.”

Another issue is how municipalities will be able to verify returns and refunds. As well OML feels the current Ohio Business Gateway system has too many programming and software flaws.

Greenville received $1.3 million from the local government fund, estate tax and state reimbursement of tangible personal property tax in 2009, according to the resolution. By the end of 2016, those sources had reduced Greenville’s revenue to approximately $235,000.

Greenville City Council meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the city’s Municipal Building. Council’s next meeting is March 21. Citizens are invited to address council during the Public Hearing portion of the meeting.

$1.6 million proposed for city departments

By Erik Martin

[email protected]

The writer may be reached at 937-569-4314. Join the conversation and get updates on Facebook search Darke County Sports or Advocate 360. For more features online go to dailyadvocate.com

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