Milford City Council unanimously adopts MOU pay increases, Meridian Bioscience incentive, wetland mitigation and dump truck purchase

Milford City Council approved four ordinances after the Administrative Services committee recommended each measure.

The council authorized a memorandum of understanding with AFSCME Ohio Council 8 Local 3381 that sets additional pay for employees who hold water or wastewater licenses: a $1 per hour increase for employees with a Water/Wastewater 1 license and $2 per hour for a Water/Wastewater 2 license. City Manager Michael Doss told the committee the annual cost to the city’s base payroll for this compensation adjustment was presented as $2,840 and that the change requires council authorization because it exceeds the city manager’s approval limit under the charter. The ordinance (No. 24‑269) was adopted by roll call.

Council also adopted an incentive agreement (Ordinance No. 24‑27) with Meridian Bioscience Inc. The agreement, as described in committee, is structured as a grant in the form of an earnings tax refund over three consecutive years in exchange for Meridian’s commitment to operate within the city for at least five years and to create or retain approximately 30 full‑time jobs; Meridian intends to sign a 10‑year lease at a vacant Parkway building.

On environmental mitigation, council authorized participation in the Ohio stream and wetland in‑lieu fee mitigation program (Ordinance No. 24‑271). City staff said a consultant’s wetland analysis identified roughly 4 acres of impacted area on city‑owned property off Bay Road and that the designated credit price to cover the 4 acres was $28,000; council authorized payment of the fee and related actions to complete participation.

Finally, the council authorized the city manager to purchase one 2024 dump truck from Fuller Ford Inc. under State Bid QQ 884 and to outfit it with equipment from K Rose Company (Ordinance No. 24‑272). The ordinance reading specified costs not to exceed $597,180 for the truck and $49,000 for equipment; the ordinance language states these quotes are attached and incorporated by reference. Council adopted the ordinance by roll call.

Roll calls on the ordinances showed unanimous approval among members present (Mayor Evans; Vice Mayor Parish; Council Members Vardo, Thompson, Cooper and Chamberlain). Mr. Price had been excused earlier in the meeting.

Where transcript text included garbled numeric sequences, this article uses the numbers as read into the ordinance language at the council meeting; reporters should confirm final contract or purchase documents for procurement details and the city’s official posted ordinances for final, signed figures.