Council approves sidewalk necessity resolution and several first-reading ordinances including bond authorization

Lima City Council moved forward on sidewalks and related financing during the meeting, adopting Resolution 21-26 declaring the necessity of constructing sidewalks and requiring abutting property owners to construct them.

Council also considered ordinance language authorizing the issuance and sale of bonds in a principal amount up to $53,280 to pay property-owner portions tied to special assessments for sidewalk construction and passed several ordinances on first reading authorizing contracts and property sales. During the discussion a councilor recounted a resident’s experience that it was cheaper for the city to replace a sidewalk than for that resident to contract privately; the councilor reported the resident estimated a $2,000 saving if the city replaces the sidewalk.

Several contracting ordinances passed on first reading by recorded votes: Ordinance 199-26 (authorizing a 2027 contract with Custom Staffing Inc.) passed first reading 6–1; Ordinance 226 (contract with Experion of Lima Inc.) passed first reading 6–1; Ordinance 203-26 (engineering services with Crawford, Murphy & Tilly for signal optimization) passed first reading unanimously; other ordinances authorizing property sales also passed first reading.

Councilors discussed which homeowners would be charged for sidewalk replacements and were told the city will replace sidewalks where appropriate; a councilor said the homeowner who spoke believed the city’s replacement would save her about $2,000. The items advanced on first reading; specific contracts and financing will return to council for later readings and implementation steps.