(PHOTO BY JESSE DAVIS / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
FUNDING CONCERNS … Delta Village Councilman Chad Johnson tries to sort through issues regarding park funding from a special tax levy at the council’s meeting Monday evening.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
A dispute over park funding drew heated debate during Monday’s meeting of the Delta Village Council.
At the core of the arguments were two situations – the payment of 10 percent of the wages and benefits for village administrative staff out of funds generated through a special tax levy for the park, and the past removal of a stipulation that 2 percent of income taxes collected by the village be directed to the park.
The first issue was generated when the council passed the final budget, which Village Administrator Chris Frazer had designed to take as much pressure off the general fund as possible.
His argument was that, since the administrative staff does do some work for the parks, it was appropriate to withdraw some of their wages and benefits from park funds, thus reducing the level of deficit spending being done by the village.
Councilman and Park Board member Chad Johnson shared his opposition to the move during the council’s Finance Committee discussion of the budget prior to its passage by the full council.
“I’ve always had a hard time understanding why those funds are pulled from the park when the park is in disrepair,” Johnson said at the time.
“Those funds are needed to run the park, not to pay for employees to work in this building. No offense to you that work here, you deserve your paycheck, but the village deserves its parks.”
Despite Johnson’s initial opposition, the budget passed with a unanimous vote without the 10 percent stipulation being removed.
During Monday’s meeting, the issue was brought up again during a discussion on whether the council will seek a renewal of the current park levy, whether they would like to expand it, or whether they would like to eliminate it.
It was estimated that the 2025 levy revenue would be approximately $43,000 and then determined that the 10 percent would take $26,750 of it, well over half the total amount.
Frazer admitted that the administrative staff did not spend 10 percent of their time doing park-related work but reiterated his reasoning for making the change.
“There’s no way more than half of the park levy should go to wages, that should not be happening,” Mayor Allen Naiber said.
Johnson pointed out that he ran for office on a platform of improving the park. “How do I sell a park levy when none of the money goes to the park?” he said. Councilman Robert Shirer agreed with Johnson’s perspective.
“In terms of the overall financial status of the village, it is a small fund that does appear like it is getting raided for the sake of the general fund,” Shirer said, adding shortly that “the argument could be made that someone’s trying to collect extra taxes to pay for salaries rather than pay for the park.”
Johnson said he would like to immediately move the 10 percent back to the general fund completely, and to also create a full-time park manager position, funded 100 percent from the general fund.
Councilwoman Rachel Adams said she takes her children to parks in other towns because of the state of the park in Delta, where all the funding seems to go to wages, electricity, and mowing rather than improving the park or adding equipment.
In discussing the change to the distribution of income taxes, Johnson said he did not recall the 2 percent for the park being removed, and that he did not appreciate it being slipped by him. He said he never would have voted for it.
The income taxes collected by the village are currently divided as 66 and two thirds percent to the general fund and 33 and one third percent “for the financing, construction, maintenance, operation, and improvement of the municipal waterworks system.” The amendment was passed unanimously on an emergency basis at the village’s Dec. 16, 2024 meeting.
The lack of focus on the change may have been due to it being overshadowed by other business at that meeting, which included the swearing in of Frazer and new Police Chief Samuel Chappel.
It was the last meeting which utilized then-Interim Village Administrator Edward Ciecka, who had himself served since the firing of former Village Administrator Andy Glenn on May 20, 2024.
Chappell was also replacing a troubled department head, with former Chief Robert Austin resigning after a fraudulent second marriage included inappropriately on health insurance coverage at a prior position came to light.
UTILITY EASEMENT AT RESERVOIR
The council approved on first reading an updated easement for electric utility line construction through part of the reservoir property. The updated design reduced the footprint on the property from three acres to less than one, changes access to the easement to not be through the reservoir property itself, and increased the payment the village will be receiving from $11,000 to $15,000.
The resolution was intended to be passed on an emergency basis, but as a handful of additional details were added in order to ensure full coverage of potential damage liability, Councilwoman Lynn Frank voted against suspending the rules to allow it to be passed with a single vote until an updated draft of the agreement is presented.
SPEEDWAY CLOSURE
It was reported that the Speedway gas station on the corner of Main Street and Madison Street is temporarily closed after a gasoline smell was reported inside the convenience store.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is aware of the situation and reportedly registered a low level of concern with the incident.
The business is now in the process of having its sewer lines inspected and replacing old underground tanks and is expected to reopen within two weeks.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
Police Chief Samuel Chappell reported that a review of the department’s cold cases he initiated after taking the lead role in the agency was resulting in an indictment in a 2022 burglary case thanks to DNA evidence, and that a more recent burglary would likely have an indictment issued soon, also thanks to DNA evidence.
Chappell also reported school zone signage would soon be improved, with the signs provided for free by the state. Included will be at least one flashing sign. He said he hopes they will be installed prior to the end of the current school year.
On June 11 at approximately 2 p.m., the department will be participating in the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, which will include members of the Fulton County Jaguars team.
Chappell reported the department was preparing to submit a grant application to receive funding that would cover the installation of equipment at the department allowing them to maintain a live feed of the security cameras at the schools.
OTHER BUSINESS
The council discussed at length the details, job requirements, and funding necessary to merge the water and wastewater departments into a single “public utilities department” in order to codify what is already happening, with water department employees pulling double duty to run the village’s wastewater system as well.
An ordinance comprising all of the changes necessary as well as the creation of the department itself is expected to be presented at the next council meeting.
The council approved on an emergency basis a cooperative fishing agreement with the state of Ohio for reservoir number one which will, among other effects, authorize the Delta Police Department to enforce certain regulations at the reservoir barring actions such as littering.
The council approved on second reading an agreement between the police department and the Pike-Delta-York Local School District for a school resource officer.
The council approved on second reading a memorandum of understanding between the village and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office which will allow law enforcement officers from each entity to access reports from the other now that they use the same reporting system.
The council approved on second reading a memorandum of understanding between the village and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which will allow Chief Chappell to remain active with the bureau as a task force officer in his non-departmental time and allow the village to take advantage of bureau services when appropriate, saving money for the village.
The council approved on second reading an item declaring as surplus and authorizing the sale of a 2000 Chevrolet Malibu and a 1999 Dodge Dakota.
The council approved on second reading an ordinance requiring council approval for site plans which have received initial approval from the Planning Commission.
The council approved on second reading an annual memorandum of understanding with the Fulton County Department of Job and Family Services.
The council ended the public portion of the meeting by going into an executive session for a conference with Law Director Kevin Heban to consider disputes relating to pending or imminent court action. No action was expected as a result of the session.
The next regular meeting of the Delta Village Council will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, May 5, 2025, at 401 Main Street in Delta.