PHOTO BY JOHN FRYMAN/ THE VILLAGE REPORTER
FOUR-YEAR TERMS … Bryan City Council members from left: John Betts, Stephen Alspaugh, Mary Leatherman, and Richard Hupe were officially sworn in to begin new four-year terms by Bryan Mayor Carrie Schlade prior to the council meeting on Monday, December 15.
By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com
Bryan City Council approved a new bargaining contract agreement with police officers and sergeants of the Bryan Police Department at its meeting on Monday, December 15.
The new three-year contract for police officers takes effect on January 1, 2026, and will include a four percent wage increase for each of the next three years.
Mayor Carrie Schlade said there were a few contract incentives on college degrees that were increased a little bit, a shift differential increase from 50 cents to 75 cents between second and third shift officers, and a three-percent increase while performing the duties that are not included in training.
The new contract also has a clause that whenever an officer dies in the line of duty, they will receive 400 percent of their sick leave balance, no matter how long they have worked with the city.
“We had pretty good cooperation from the International Union of Police Associations and appreciated the negotiations with them,” said Schlade.
“I want to also thank council member Richard Hupe for chairing the negotiating committee.”
A new three-year contract agreement between the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association and the City of Bryan for police sergeants was approved.
The new contract, which takes effect on January 1, 2026, where sergeants will receive a 4.5 % raise in 2026, followed by a 4.4 % raise in 2027 and a 3.5 % raise in 2028.
Schlade commented that there was a change in the contract involving credits for associates, bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and matched the shift increase from 50 cents to 75 cents for second and third shifts.
For top certified officers who are training employees, they will get an additional ten percent of their wage.
Dana Clark of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority addressed the council on an improvement project on 426 North Lewis Avenue.
She said the project’s owners are utilizing the Port Authority for their financial assistance.
Clark noted that the Port Authority has financed over 200 projects in the last 15 years, with $65 million involved in financing.
“We partner with municipalities because the repayment loans uniquely flow through a special assessment on the real estate tax schedule,” said Clark.
“We don’t place a mortgage lien on the property, but we place an assessment on the taxes, which allows us to work well with other financing sources and programs and to become a partner in projects in economic development.”
Council then approved three different resolutions involving Special Energy Improvement Projects under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1710.
The first one was approving the petition for special assessments with the necessity of acquiring, constructing, and improving certain public improvements in Bryan in cooperation with the Village of Edon, City of Bryan, and Village of Pioneer Energy Special Improvement District.
The second was for the council to proceed with the acquisition, construction, and improvement of certain public improvements in the city of Bryan, and the third and final resolution was for the levying of a special assessment.
Council approved the annual appropriations for the Fiscal Year ending December 31, 2026.
Clerk-Treasurer John Lehner told council the 2026 budget has already been reviewed by the budget and wage committees.
He provided a summary of some of the particulars of the budget, including the wage increases, adjustments to health insurance costs, and the city’s liability insurance.
The 2026 budget totals $71,946,147.00 for all the city and utility operations compared to $73,125,166.00 in the 2025 budget.
“The budget figure includes about $7 million that remains for completing the wastewater treatment plant project,” said Lehner.
“The budget includes a one-time transfer of about $4 million to accomplish closing the no longer used refuse and recycling funds, and the same for the communications and communications capital fund, which are actual expenditures.
“We also include other transfers between funds as a means of allocating the income tax.”
He then added, “We must allocate the balance of those funds in the appropriate place. It’s a process of transferring money in and out to ultimately get to the destination as prescribed by the Ohio Revised Code.”
For the record, Lehner said there would be about $10 million dollars worth of transfers that aren’t really expenditures.
“In theory, you can take up the $72 million-dollar operating budget, and it’s more like a $58 million-dollar operating budget,” he added.
In other action, the council voted 5-0 to adopt the salary ranges and classifications in the City of Bryan compensation program for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026.
Lehner commented that there will be a four percent wage adjustment for all non-bargaining employees in 2026.
Council also approved the pay rate scale for Parks and Recreation part-time seasonal workers, effective January 1, 2026.
Parks and Recreation director Ben Dominique told council he annually reviews the pay scale and adjusts it according to the state’s minimum wage, which continues to go up.
“The state pays $11 per hour with their minimum wage scale,” said Dominique. “We change the rest of our pay scale accordingly to keep everything in line with the minimum wage and the years of experience.”
Council authorized Eitri Foundry LLC, a Florida Limited Liability Company, to begin preliminary work on a new solar field for Bryan Municipal Utilities.
This involves a three-and-a-half megawatt solar field project located near the wastewater treatment property on Evansport Road.
In other action council approved the following:
-An ordinance to adopt a cybersecurity program in accordance with House Bill No. 96, which requires every city in Ohio to adopt a plan by the end of January 2026.
-Approved the purchase of a used cardiac monitor at a cost of $21,673.16.
-The appointments of Fire Chief Doug Pool, firefighter Gregory Grisier, council members Richard Hupe and Mary Leatherman, and community member Russ Davies to the Fire Dependents Fund Board. It functions in the event of a line-of-duty death within the fire department.
-The appointments of council members Richard Hupe and Jim Kozumplik, Police Chief Greg Ruskey, police officer Jeffrey Viers, and community member Jeff Arnold to the Volunteer Peace Officers Dependents Fund. It functions in the event of a line-of-duty death within the department.
-The appointment of Joe Kimbrell to the Williams County Port Authority. He will be representing the City of Bryan for an eight-year term ending December 31, 2033.
-The appointment of A.J. Nowaczyk to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a six-year term ending December 31, 2031.
-The appointment of Bruce Siders to the Civil Service Commission for a six-year term ending December 31, 2031.
-Set the time and dates of council meetings for 2026. Council will meet at 5:30 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of the month unless changed upon special request.
Dominique informed the council that the Bryan Parks and Recreation Department has received approval from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources with a Nature Works Grant.
The grant, which totaled $23,128.00, will go towards building a new pavilion at Lincoln Park next year.
Prior to the regular meeting, council members John Betts, Stephen Alspaugh, Mary Leatherman, and Richard Hupe were officially sworn in by Schlade to begin their four-year terms on the council beginning on January 1, 2026.