Ordinances
Ordinance A: Sets property tax levies to be collected in 2011. Millage 1.4 Mills (10 Mill cap) : Unanimous
Councilman Budding shared that of the property taxes that are collected by the City, only 3% of a resident’s property tax goes to the City, with the lionshare going to the schools.
Ordinance B: Multi-year agreement for the Christmas Lights. Dee Gills and Pat Hale are sponsors of this ordinance
Prior to any vote, President Hale opened up the floor for public comments. Here are some quotations from some of the public that attended (about 50) the council meeting.
Resident Comments
Matt Owen, Chamber of Commerce CEO and Downtown Tipp City Partnership President submitted 322 signatures of residents and concerned individuals who supported the installation of Christmas lights downtown. The signatures were collected by Kelley Andary, owner of Urban Ava and Harrison’s Restaurant.
Heather Bailey plans this year’s Christmas in the Village, the Christmas lights contribute to the added lasting impression when visitors come to town. Bailey suggested that just like the Tavern on the Greene that keeps its white twinkling lights up all year round, could Tipp City leave them up all year long?
Ruth Safreed, a concerned resident congratulates the City for recognizing that the downtown area is an important part of the area. “I have been concerned that some say that the downtown is only a small part of the City. If you don’t keep the heart healthy then the whole body suffers. The quality of life you have to keep the heart healthy”. Safreed concluded, ” the lights are something that the entire area enjoys and perhaps removing it would weaken the heart of the City”.
Terri Bessler, owner of Midwest Memories speaks to the care that we show for the community. “As a merchant I would love to help and assist for the lights but I can tell you that the profit that I earn in the holiday time would not give the City any assistance”. Bessler shares,”To me… taking my kids into the downtown is important, my kids really look forward to the downtown and it says a lot about how we feel about or downtown”.
Council Comments
John Kessler – “I initially opposed to the lights, but then spent some time listening to residents and non-residents”. Kessler shared, “I remember going down to see Rikes at Christmas time. It is an intangible benefit. I have since changed my thinking about the lights and are now for them”.
Bryan Budding – “I have not changed my thinking about it”. Budding continued, “I am a fan of the lights and I am willing to donate my time and money to the cause, but I will not vote the money from someone elses pocket”.
Katie Black – “I disagree with you Bryan. We chip in for fire, we chip in for police. The lights provide something for everyone. We put our money into the same pot. It brings something beautiful to the City and I always remember the lights in the downtown. Loved them then and then.. love them now. It is improant to vote yes for this”.
Joe Gibson – “I have receive several facebook entries on this, all of them, overwhelmingly in favor of the lights. The City has scaled back the contract significantly. You can applaud the City for cutting costs, but since we had the money budgeted like last year, we have cut back and we will now be missing the snowflakes and candycanes”. While for the Christmas lights downtown, Gibson continued, “At the same time we are locked into a three year obligation with Christmas Decor”. The City has put together an alternative plan (where the City installs the lighting, rather than contracting it out) that is similarly expensive”. In closing, “If this is passed, I would call on the City, merchants downtown….we have a three year opportunity to discuss this luxury item”.
George Lovett – “Thanks to Matt and crew”. “I am going to vote against this, and I am going to tell you why… We try to run this town on 1.25% tax, how are we doing this? We are not paving the streets, not replacing a firetruck”. “I am sick of governmental leaders talking out of both side of their mouths… we can’t afford to send people to jail for smoking dope or doing a line”. Lovett continued his impassioned argument, “Voting for the lights is akin to telling a kid that we can’t take you shopping for clothes, but we are going out to dinner on your college fund”. “You haven’t heard about the garage for the trucks we need… Someone must have the guts to tell you, that is why I am not voting for it”.
Pat Hale – “I am going to vote for the lights… I don’t speak out of both sides of my mouth”. “I don’t know who you (Lovett) are talking about”. Hale continued, “I voted yes on both tax levys and would vote for another even in the current economic situation we are in. We are running on the same tax rate from almost 30 years ago and getting by… You (the residents) put us here so that the City looks nice and everything gets done that needs to get done. Look at the roads on the new plattes, drive on Don Davis Way, only 5 years old and it’s in bad shape. Eventually we will have to pay higher insurance rate because we have too old of a fire truck. I have had only 2 people tell me that we should not do the lights. I have heard from over 50 that say we should… One of the things that I was taught on coming on to Council. I have been worried about how much money we lose on the pool. We have been trying to get to break even so that we will stop to lose money. Sometimes… you have to lose money (on one line item) for the betterment of the community, the betterment of the City and that is how I look at the Christmas lights”.
Councilmen Lovett and Budding vote NO. Ordinance passes 5-2 (The City will have Christmas lights for another 3 years)
