(PHOTO BY AMY WENDT / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
FUTURE OF HOMES … Council members Gary Dominique, Vaughn Bentz, Kevin Eicher, and Aaron Babcock listen as Village Administrator Aaron Alt outlines options for village-owned rental properties.
By: Amy Wendt
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
amy@thevillagereporter.com
With only a few items on its agenda, much of the discussion at the July 21 Archbold Village Council meeting centered on village-owned residential properties. In attendance were council members Gary Dominique, Vaughn Bentz, Kevin Eicher, and Aaron Babcock, along with the village’s administrative team.
Although not physically present, Karla Ball participated via speakerphone to cast votes on legislative matters, and Councilor Chad Kern was absent.
Before delving into council discussion, Mayor Grime turned the floor over to the Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent, Mike Short, who brought with him Colton Soles, the department’s Maintenance Collection Supervisor.
Short announced that Soles, who has been with the department for seven years, recently passed his Class III license examination.
Discussion then moved along to rental houses that the village currently owns. Village Administrator Aaron Alt shared his reservations with the town’s role as a landlord, acknowledging that it’s not a preferred responsibility, and it comes with obligations, especially when enforcing zoning codes and maintenance of the homes.
Alt invited council members to offer ideas or recommendations, noting that the future of the properties will play an integral role in the upcoming 2026 budget discussions.
Options under consideration include demolition or modifying and selling the homes and reinvesting the funds into the community.
Reflecting on the village’s decision to purchase the homes, Councilor Bentz recalled that the intent behind acquiring the properties was to allow for future improvements at the intersection of South Defiance and Lafayette Streets.
Alt questioned whether demolition was a financially sensible option, noting that the village invested approximately $350,000 of taxpayer money in the two properties, and demolition and cleanup would cost an additional $40,000 or more.
Alt acknowledged that while minor congestion occurs at the intersection of South Defiance and Lafayette Streets, he questioned whether it would ever justify a multi-million-dollar roundabout or other major improvement, noting that traffic backups currently last only five to 15 minutes.
However, with the planned construction of a Casey’s convenience store and gas station, which is currently awaiting final site plan approval, traffic delays at the intersection could potentially worsen once the store is built.
Councilor Dominique shared details of a discussion he had with Grant Schaffner from Planning and Zoning regarding Casey’s proposed construction. It was noted that a traffic study will be conducted at the intersection to assess options to maintain traffic flow.
It was pointed out that the village-owned homes at that same intersection are currently rented by local police officers.
Alt emphasized the importance of giving those tenants adequate time to relocate if the village chooses to sell or demolish the properties, which was the original plan.
At the end of the discussion, Eicher brought up an option for making modifications needed to the properties and offering the homes first to the current tenants, possibly at the original purchase price or based on an updated appraisal.
If the tenants are not interested, the village could then consider alternative plans, including selling the properties on the open market.
No concrete decisions were made regarding the village-owned rental homes; however, the discussion will likely continue in future work sessions or meetings when all council members can weigh in.
The next topic of discussion focused on the potential impact on the village’s General Fund if Ohio’s proposed property tax reform is enacted. Alt explained that without property tax revenue, the village would face significant funding gaps.
He emphasized that both property taxes and the existing 1.8% income tax are essential for funding critical services and estimated that eliminating property taxes would require raising the local income tax to maintain current service levels.
Council approved Resolution 2025-33 accepting Change Order #1, Final, for the West Barre Road Waterline and Sidewalk Improvement Project.
Alt noted that the change order reduces the overall project cost by more than $45,000 due to unused quantities, such as special backfill, concrete base, and asphalt.
The council also signed off on Resolution 2025-34, which accepts a proposal from Ohio Plan Risk Management, Inc. to provide property and liability insurance to the village.
Alt explained that the current provider proposed a significant rate increase for the upcoming year, from approximately $144,000 to $179,000, as a result of an appraisal that raised the village’s insured value by $18 million due to rising construction costs and projects like the GAC.
The village sought competitive quotes for comparable coverage and received a proposal through Hylant Administrative Services, representing the Ohio Plan, which came in significantly lower at $119,000, resulting in nearly $60,000 in savings.
In routine matters, the council approved its meeting minutes from July 7 and authorized the payment of $683,645.46 in bills and payroll. With a short list of departmental reports to review, the council also briefly took a look at the APD’s June 2025 Police Report.
Archbold Village Council will reconvene at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, August 4, 2025, at the Municipal Building.