The Bellefontaine City Council breezed through its long agenda in just under 30 minutes at its regular bi-monthly meeting Tuesday, Nov. 25, passing 13 ordinances on their second readings without a negative vote, as well as waiving the three-reading rule and passing two other ordinances on their first appearance before the council.
The first of the two ordinances that were passed on their first and final reading Tuesday will amend the permanent appropriations for police, fire, cemetery and the wastewater loan payment, while the second approved the 16-acre Ludlow Ridge Phase II subdivision dedication, a development that is expected to contain 72 parcels.
It was on the Ludlow Ridge dedication ordinance that Council Member Kyle Springs cast the only two negative votes on the night, his first “no” coming on the suspension of the three-leading rule for the ordinance and his second coming on the approval of the measure, with the ordinance passing the first two votes by a 6-1 margins. Springs did, however, cast an affirmative to adopt the measure.
Of the 13 ordinances up for a second reading, one provides the compensation schedule for the president of council, council members, clerk of council, mayor, law director and auditor, effective Jan. 1, 2026. Another will establish four new permanent, full-time positions within the city, including chief deputy clerk for the municipal court, inspector/locator for the wastewater department, assistant water superintendent for the water department, and assistant sewer superintendent for the wastewater department.
Other measures that passed on their second readings Tuesday set pay schedules for the Bellefontaine Municipal Court judge and municipal court employees to include clerical, supervisory and service workers, establish a municipal court prosecutor’s secretary/paralegal and victim witness coordinator, authorize the purchase of miscellaneous supplies, equipment and services for use in 2026, and a temporary appropriations measure for current expenses and other expenditures for 2026.
The third readings and final votes on all of these matters will be conducted at the Dec. 9 meeting.
Prior to the regular council meeting, a public hearing was conducted on a request from Gary Alexander Jr., 1393 Township Road 179, that four parcels of land in Jefferson Township on the east side of T.R. 179 across from the Maris Park subdivision be annexed into the city as a R-1 One Family Residence District with the intent to develop those properties.
No citizens addressed the council on the matter, but Service/Safety Director Wes Dodds and City Engineer Jim Bischoff told council that said that should Bellefontaine eventually approve the annexation, the city would have a significant increase in the right-of-way along T.R. 179 north of County Road 10 and would seek to repair and widen the road, as well as consider reducing the speed limit. Bischoff said that he plans to ask for a traffic study to be done for the area following the first of the year.
The public hearing lasted about 10 minutes.
The Bellefontaine City Council is slated to meet again in regular session Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 7:30 p.m
