Written by On Tuesday, May 26th, the Galion City Council navigated a busy agenda, finalizing the distribution of local opioid settlement funds, approving an airport safety grant, and green-lighting a tax incentive for a new local business.
Here is a breakdown of the key decisions and discussions from the meeting.
Tracking the Opioid Settlement Funds
The most heavily debated topic of the night involved the distribution of $55,000 in One Ohio Opioid Settlement funds.
Rather than the city spending the money directly, the council opted to pass the funds to three local organizations. However, Mayor Satterfield expressed frustration over vague guidance from the State Auditor’s office regarding how the city is required to track this money. To protect the city during future financial audits, the council required each organization to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). These agreements guarantee that the money will be spent according to state guidelines and require the organizations to report their spending back to the city.
The funds were distributed as follows:
- Abilities in Action LLC ($25,000): Originally requesting more, the organization agreed to a scaled-back plan. They will maintain their direct client service hours but reduce administrative costs and increase their own in-kind contributions to make up the difference.
- May Justice Solutions ($25,000): This organization, which assists with addiction recovery and re-entry support, also received less than their initial $57,000 request. A representative noted they have already raised an additional $45,000 from local foundations and community support this year. The council asked detailed questions about the organization’s attempt to acquire a vacant church on South Market Street from the Port Authority. The transfer is currently stalled due to severe roof and water damage caused by previous contractors. However, the organization assured the council that even if the building deal falls through, their operations and this funding will strictly remain in Galion. (The ordinance passed 6-1, with Councilman Weber voting no).
- Marion Crawford Prevention Programs ($5,000): The organization initially requested $15,000 but recently secured a $10,000 donation from the local Elks lodge, meaning they only needed $5,000 from the city to reach their funding goal.
Economic Development and Infrastructure
Council unanimously approved two measures aimed at improving local infrastructure and encouraging business growth:
- New Storage Facility: Council approved a 15-year Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) agreement for Match Point LLC to build a modern self-storage facility at 910 Edward Street. The project includes three new buildings valued at nearly $1 million. The agreement grants the developers a 74% tax reduction on the new value of the property. City officials clarified that the city will not lose any current revenue; Galion will continue to collect 100% of the original property taxes, plus exactly $14,866 annually from the un-abated portion of the new development.
- Airport Weather System: Council authorized the administration to apply for federal grant money to install a new automated weather reporting system (AWS 3) at the Galion Municipal Airport. The upgrade will improve safety for pilots. The project is funded by a 95/5 split between the federal and state governments, meaning there is zero financial cost to the city.
Neighborhood Concerns
During the public comment period, a local resident addressed the council regarding an obstructed sidewalk on Harding Way East.
According to the citizen, an area where semi-trucks frequently park has been graveled over, removing the public sidewalk. This forces pedestrians to either walk through thick mud or step out into the busy street. The resident noted that the issue has been ongoing for about a month and urged the city to look into restoring safe pedestrian access.