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CHESTER -- Council took some action in regards to municipal fee invoices that were on Monday's regular council agenda.
A month after Sean Adkins addressed council about exempting some of the municipal fees for this past year on 20 of the 46 unlivable units within the Riverside Apartments on Louisiana Avenue, members elected to take no action on the updated municipal fee statement provided by Clerk Tara Ayers in the agenda.
Noting that Adkins has made his first payment on the debt, which is over $19,000 for three years worth of municipal fees, Ayers noted that she had exempted six of the building apartments, which currently do not qualify for the fee under the ordinance language as he is in the process of renovating them. Their status will be re-evaluated before the fees are assessed next year, Ayers said.
Ordinance 2023-02 requires owners of properties with either a storefront or a residence with a kitchen or bathroom pay the fee, which is due by Nov. 30 of each year. If it is not received by the date, the property owner is assessed a $50 late fee on Dec. 1, that following day and again another 10 percent penalty on April 1 of that following year if it still hasn't been paid.
However, the removal of those particular properties would require council action, and two of the four council members in attendance expressed concern that this would set a precedent that would weaken the current fee policy, so the body declined to take action at this time.
Councilman Nathan Wright was absent from Monday's meeting.
Adkins' request wasn't the only municipal fee invoice to be considered Monday night. Gary Long, of Oyster LLC, also had originally expressed concern about a four-year municipal fee statement totaling $293.40; however, since he wasn't in attendance to speak, it also failed to see action by council.
However, council members did unanimously approve putting liens on the following properties, amounts and owners: 148 Montana Ave, $595.05, Dennis Tate; 311 Adolphus St., $1080.10, Patrick Wern; and 237 Louisiana Ave., Melissa Meredith, $753.40. Repeated attempts by Ayers and the Chester Municipal Court to get the debt resolved have been unsuccessful in all cases.
In other action, members also:
-- Agreed to pay the $250 annual bond for Route 2 to the Cincinnati Insurance Co.
-- Closed out the American Rescue Plan fund.
-- Passed resolutions to move the city's building and capital improvement funds to Hancock County Savings Bank.
-- Approved the annual one-time salary adjustment dispensed around holiday times to city employees: $500 each for full-time and $250 for part-time employees with the city covering the accompanying taxes.
-- Witnessed the swearing-in of new full-time police officer Michael Campbell. Even though he is certified in Ohio as a patrolman, he still has some preliminary training, like in West Virginia traffic law, to complete so he can be street ready.
Chester Council next meets at 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4 in council chambers.