Marietta City Council reads ordinances, but lacks number for final passage
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A shorthanded Marietta City Council continued work on several ordinances and resolutions at its regular meeting Thursday night.
Due to the absences of Councilman Bret Allphin, 2nd Ward, and Councilwoman Erin O'Neill, 4th Ward, City Law Director Paul Bertram explained to those attending that the council did not have the minimum six members present to suspend the rules to pass legislation through multiple readings at the same meeting, according to city code. They could, however, conduct second and third readings and make amendments.
"No legislation will be passed this evening because there are only five standing members tonight," Bertram said. "They may take the legislation tonight to a special meeting to pass it or wait for our next meeting on March 21."
No decision on whether a special meeting would be called was announced Thursday.
Ordinances that received their second reading included authorization of the safety service director to ratify a cooperative agreement for sanitary sewer services with the Washington County Commission and authorization for Mayor Josh Schlicher to enter an agreement with American Electric Power for a permanent easement to extend electricity to the Oak Grove Cemetery maintenance office.
Also receiving a second reading was an emergency resolution to accept and endorse the performance audit performed by the State Auditor and agree to implement its recommendations. An amendment proposed by Councilman Mike Scales, 1st Ward, to change "implement" to "consider" was accepted on a 5-0 vote.
More than a dozen other ordinances and resolutions received first readings, including an ordinance establishing a plan to allocate money from various funds to the general fund as recommended in the performance audit and emergency ordinances making those transfers. The amounts were $49,175 from the Capital Improvement Fund, $353,289 from the Streets Department Fund, $55,507 from the Fire Levy Fund, $450,821 from the Water Department Fund and $477,229 from the Sewer Department Fund.
Another resolution will direct the auditor to place $150,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds back in the city's designated fund after the group to which they were allocated did not use them for two years.Also on first reading were multiple fund appropriations and transfers, an ordinance establishing the training room of the Washington County Children Services offices as a secondary council meeting space, authorization for the administration to enter an agreement to expand the city's vehicle fleet lease with Enterprise and a resolution directing the safety service director to formally adopt the Enrich Marietta Downtown Plan.
In other business, Safety Service Director Steve Wetz made several committee meeting requests:
¯ Planning, Zoning, Annexation and Housing to discuss the First Colony Phase 2 development and rezoning of the area around Channel Lane.
¯ Employee Relations to discuss a worker for engineering, the position of harbor master, seasonal help in Public Works and tuition reimbursement.
¯ Water and Sewer to discuss the wastewater treatment plant's sludge canopy roof replacement.
¯ Finance to discuss two transfer requests.
¯ Streets and Transportation to discuss installation of a wide concrete walk and new aerial fiber optic cables.
Three visitors also spoke during the meeting Thursday night, including Fire Chief C.W. Durham, who thanked council for communicating with him and others about concerns about the performance audit; Marietta citizen Timothy Finkel discussing vehicles blocking an alleyway during the St. Mary's Catholic School Fish Frys; and Kelsey Thompson discussing issues with a new ordinance proposing removing parking near Emerson Heights. The next regular Marietta City Council meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. March 21, in room 10 of the Armory.
Gretchen Dowler can be reached at gdowler@newsandsentinel.com