Trending
SALEM – The city council held first readings on a proposed appropriations ordinance in a brief meeting Tuesday.
The appropriations, totaling $100,803.36, included $12,262 to the Street Fund under the Building Improvements line item, $80,390 in the Rehabilitation Load Fund under the Private Rehabilitation line item, and $8,151.36 in the General Fund under the Unemployment Compensation line item and were discussed in the finance committee meeting that immediately preceded the council meeting. Council voted unanimously to give the ordinance its first reading.
The ordinance will require two more readings before taking effect, but council may elect to give it its second and third readings for immediate passage with the emergency clause.
While City Law Director Brooke Zellers did not have any formal report, he did make time to answer questions from council. Councilman Jeff Stockman explained that as part of the city's ongoing efforts to promote growth and attract businesses, he was looking to attract people to begin driving for popular ride sharing services like Uber and Lyft in the area, and asked if the city had any laws that would prohibit this.
Zeller explained that the city did not have any laws preventing ride sharing services from operating in the city, and that it could not make any as they were overseen by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. Zellers also noted that he would also like to see people begin utilizing the services within the city, joking he periodically "opens up the app to check" if anyone had begun but that nobody ever had.
"There are no laws prohibiting these services; we cannot craft any laws in that regard because the state of Ohio ruled that local cities and municipalities could not put in laws restricting or controlling those type of ride share services. It's actually controlled by through the public utilities commission who deal with the overall companies like Lyft and Uber, and they are required to self-police, and of course, the state looks into that as well. So, we do not have any rules like that, and we would not be allowed to enact any. I hope somebody someday will start driving Uber in Salem, so if you intend to start driving Uber God bless you," said Zellers.
During his report City Auditor Sal Salvino said that he had received public records requests from the Perry Township Board of Trustees for the city's financial records of the utilities department's revenue and expenditures, and cash balance for the last 10 years, and the city's debt schedule for "all bonds notes and lanes for the same 10-year period." Stockman asked if the request was in conjunction with the proposed deal for the township to purchase a 22% stake in the department for approximately $12 million, and Salvino said that while that would be his "best guess," the letters did not officially state the purpose.
During pleasure of council Councilwoman Sara Baer congratulated the staff and owners of the OC on its recent groundbreaking held Thursday.
Stockman and Councilman Andrew Null offered condolences to the families, and anyone affected by the fatal single vehicle crash in Salem Township Sunday which killed Salem resident Chloe Chappell.
"I want to give my deepest condolences regarding the tragic accident that happened over the weekend, I don't want to name any names, but my heart and prayers go out to everybody involved, I have four kids of my own and can't imagine anything like that,"
"I would like to extend my sympathies at the deepest level to everybody involved in the tragedy," said Null.
City council will meet next at 7 p.m. March 5.