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EAST LIVERPOOL -- City council had a little good news regarding their finances during their meeting Tuesday night.
Mayor Greg Bricker explained that although the city is still expecting to enter fiscal distress status next year, instead of citing projections in excess of $400,000 in debt, they expect the number to be much less.
Due to cuts that administrators have made in 2020, even amidst the COVID pandemic, he said Auditor Marilyn Bosco expects they will only be looking at a $100,000 deficit. "(The city) did a great job at cutting and now we are just looking to lock down our health care costs," Bricker added.
Finance Committee Chairman Fred Rayl commended the Bricker administration for working diligently to make the decrease happen.
"I truly believe that we will see a positive cash flow next year, so we can start to see an actual paving program," Bricker said.
Council members were complimentary of the recently completed work on Hill Boulevard with Councilman John Mercer hoping to see similarly done to roads elsewhere that need the work even more desperately.
Earlier in the meeting during the public speaks section, one city resident inquired of council regarding their extent of authority regarding personnel, citing the "unethical" and "racist" comments recently directed by a city employee towards his sister who was involved in a dispute with the employee's wife.
Council President John Torma explained, "We are legislative -- not administrative," cautioning Guy Taylor that they have no real say in personnel matters. When asked, Law Director Charles Payne confirmed that this was in the case.
Taylor produced a copy of section 4.1 of a policy manual that Mayor Greg Bricker later explained probably was drafted in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The one and a half pages details how all city employees "are expected to maintain the highest possible ethical and moral standards and to perform their duties within the laws of the State of Ohio and other rules and regulations as may be set forth the city."
Specifics include being offensive; bringing discredit to the city; disclosing confidential information; misusing their jobs to advance their own interest or receive gifts.
Taylor provided a copy of said text message sent to his sister, which outlines specifically: "Nastiness isn't color coded and your race is a dam (sic) mess," in response to her accusing her friends (which included the employee's wife) of enjoying "white privilege" and not relating to the plight of blacks.
No mention of the specific employee's name was mentioned publicly during the meeting, and there was no mention of any social media or telecommunications activity restrictions in the policy, which appears to be in obvious need of updates.
During his report to council, Mayor Bricker answered Taylor's remarks and told him that officials continue to monitor the situation, after he accused him and the man's direct supervisor of giving him a "free pass" with their inaction.
The employee was not present at the meeting.
Earlier in the discussion, Bricker had assured Taylor that "racism has no place here," but their investigation has revealed no evidence of prejudice in the employee's job performance.
In other action, council unanimously approved three ordinances: two from the Finance Committee that amended the budget ordinance and paid vendors as well as a third that changed the zoning for 16 properties in the area of Mulberry Street and Pennsylvania Avenue from B-1 and R-3 to B-4 zoning for undisclosed development purposes.
Council members agreed to continue their summer schedule of one regular meeting at 6 p.m. the first Monday of the month throughout the COVID pandemic and the chairs of the Utilities, Finance, Community Development and Streets all announced plans to meet by Oct. 1.
Only Finance and Utilities firmed up dates to meet at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. respectively on Sept. 29.
Torma announced that additional special council meetings would be needed to the one regular meeting per month on as-needed basis.