At Monday Night's meeting, the Celina City Council passed legislation  authorizing the city to enter into an agreement with Jones and Henry Engineers for the Preliminary Design for the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Celina Councilman Eric Claussen discussed a meeting a council committee had with Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent Kerry Duncan.

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The Celina City Council also learned Brian Davis will be the new Celina Fire Chief as of July 25th and the scheduling of the assistant police chief position exams has been set for August 25th.

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The following is an AI Generated summary of the July 14th Celina City Council Meeting:

Meeting Notes

Opening Tribute and Prayer

• The meeting began with a prayer honoring Ed Jeffries for his dedicated service on the City Council, who recently passed away after giving many years to the community, and remembering Patty’s mother from the Hazel family, whose passing was the reason the mayor was absent. This was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

• Agenda Amendments and Executive Session
  The council accepted an amended agenda to include an executive session, proposed by the law director, for the purpose of discussing pending or imminent court action with legal counsel for the public body. This item was designated as point number three on the agenda, and the session commenced at 7:03 PM, reconvening at 7:20 PM, with modifications and motions confirmed through roll call.

• Budget Discussion for July 2026
  Auditor Brooke Shinn presented the July 2026 budget, prepared annually for the county to allocate funds to the city. The budget packet detailed expenses and revenues (starting on page seven), with changes highlighted in orange, primarily related to payroll. Noted increases included council members' pay rising from $4,500 to $6,000, an increase for the treasurer, a 1.5% increase for elected officials and directors, and a general 2% pay increase for all staff, anticipating a negotiation year. Capital projects were intentionally excluded from this budget to allow for separate discussion and public input in 2026 council meetings. The general fund revenue (page seven) showed expenditures exceeding revenue, indicating a need to the county. Overall, the budget projected total estimated revenue at $50.1 million and total estimated expenditures at $54 million (on page 20). Discrepancies were highlighted, including a $475,000 figure for General Government PERS on page five, which was considerably higher than previous years, and workers' compensation on page six, which appeared 20 times the normal amount, possibly due to a formula error or the inclusion of total rather than split amounts.

• Community Communications and Infrastructure Concerns
  A community member, Chris Murdoch, raised issues regarding the new basketball courts, requesting higher fences to prevent balls from going into the channel and to deter geese from the courts. He also requested improved lighting, as the courts become "pitch black at 4 o'clock" in the fall, making play impossible. He noted that previous string netting failed and contrasted it with 8-foot chain-link fences common in Indiana that effectively contain balls. The request was noted for the Safety Service Director, who was on vacation.

• Ordinance 28-25-0 for Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion
  Ordinance 28-25-0 authorizes the Safety Service Director to enter into an agreement with Jones & Henry Engineers Limited for the preliminary design of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) expansion, appropriating $377,300 from the Wastewater System Operating Fund, and declaring an emergency. The existing WWTP, originally built in 1939, had its capacity increased incrementally over the years (0.90 MGD in 1939, 2.0 MGD in 1962, 2.5 MGD in 1991, and rated at 3.0 MGD in 2007 without additional components). The city is now required by its NPDES permit to develop a No Feasible Alternative (NFA) review to eliminate bypass occurrences to Beaver Creek during peak flow events. Jones & Henry Engineers, selected in 2023, completed the NFA report, which recommended expansion as the most effective long-term solution. The preliminary design, approximately 30% of the final design, aims to more accurately estimate overall costs and satisfy the OEPA's NFA requirements for NPDES permit renewals. During discussion, it was emphasized that without this expansion, the city would be unable to accommodate new industrial or commercial companies requiring water and wastewater services, potentially hindering economic development. Council members also noted the outdated equipment and the necessity to comply with EPA mandates, especially given the system's inability to handle torrential rains without bypassing into Beaver Creek. The ordinance passed unanimously (7-0) as an emergency measure.

• Ordinance 29-25-0 for Supplemental Appropriations
  This ordinance authorizes supplemental appropriations for various unanticipated fiscal obligations and misallocations identified in the city's 2025 operating budget, declaring an emergency to preserve municipal operations and public services. Key appropriations include:

• Civica North America Software Support: An additional $11,085 is required due to the Celina Municipal Court's transition to a different software system and the internal reassignment of payroll responsibilities to the Auditor's Department, reducing cost sharing from four departments to two.

• CMU Administration Building Incidentals: A total of $16,810 is appropriated for unknown and unbudgeted costs related to facility maintenance, ADA accessibility compliance, customer service area renovations, and engineering design services. Itemized expenditures include hydraulic elevator maintenance, door repairs, panic button relocation, access control, and design/construction labor for the Consumer Accounts Office area.

• General Insurance Increase: An increase of $20,442 is appropriated across relevant departments due to updated asset valuations and insurance rate adjustments.

• Ohio Urban and Community Forestry Grant: $44,958.56 remains from a $50,000 grant awarded in 2024, requiring formal appropriation for reimbursement.

• Miller Woods Trail Fund: A final appropriation of $18 is made to fully expend and reconcile the fund.

• Auditor’s Clarifications and Follow-up on Supplemental Items
  The auditor provided clarifications on the supplemental appropriations. For Civica software, the reallocation of funds was necessary because the Municipal Court no longer shares costs, and payroll responsibilities were moved to the auditor's department. The CMU Administration Building incidentals covered unbudgeted costs, including a bill for elevator repair that should have been in the original ordinance, expenses for sealing the customer accounts area due to heating concerns and security, and unanticipated costs for door repairs. The general insurance increase is a regular annual adjustment based on asset reassessment. The Ohio Urban and Community Forestry Grant appropriation is to allow the city to spend the $50,000 grant money, which is a reimbursement grant, meaning the city spends first and then gets reimbursed. The $18 for the Miller Woods Trail Fund was spent by the Safety Service Director on a qualifying item to zero out the account. However, Mr. Buxton noted minor discrepancies in the totals for the Civica software ($0.02 off) and the CMU Administration Building ($1.68 off), prompting the auditor to suggest passing the ordinance to a second reading to allow for verification and correction of these figures.

Conclusion

1. The budget was verbally approved to be sent to the county, pending correction of the noted calculation errors.

2. The ordinance (28-25-0) passed unanimously (7-0) as an emergency measure.

3. The ordinance (29-25-0) passed to second reading unanimously (7-0) to allow for verification of fund totals and discrepancies.

2. Local government meeting addressing software cost adjustments, ordinance approvals, administrative updates, public facility maintenance, and police department staffing.

• Software Cost & Insurance Adjustments
  Discussion clarified that the Civica software licensing model shifted from a per-computer charge to a flat fee, which now allows for adding more users, such as supervisors, without additional cost. The conversation also covered general insurance adjustments, which cover any insurable asset including cars, buildings, and equipment. Questions were raised about the specific reasons for the $20,000 increase, inquiring whether it was solely due to asset reassessment or if new equipment or building additions contributed to the higher cost. The auditor indicated she would consult with Tom to get more specific details.

• Ordinance and Resolution on Community Assets
  The council deliberated and voted on two items in their third reading. Ordinance 25-25-0, authorizing a lease agreement between the City of Celina and the Greater Celina Area Soccer Boosters for the lease of Westview Park, passed unanimously with a 7-0 vote. Resolution 2-25-R, adopting the Solid Waste Management Plan for the Mercer County Solid Waste Management District and declaring an emergency, also passed unanimously with a 7-0 vote.

• Administrative Updates and Staffing Changes
  Administrative reports included the scheduling of assistant chief position exams for August 25 and the confirmation of Brian Davis's acceptance of the fire chief position, effective July 26. For the Joint Township Ambulance District, a need for an alternative representative was identified, and Councilman Fleck volunteered to serve as a substitute for Mr. Wolfe, a role he has filled in the past, which was verbally approved. Updates on the police department's recruitment efforts were also provided: Matt Kramer graduated from the Basic Police Academy on July 3 and was sworn in as a full-time patrolman, beginning his field training today for approximately 12 weeks. Patrolmen Connor Burr and Isaac Daniel completed their field training last week and are now full-time, independent officers. The department also has two candidates in the final stages of pre-employment background checks, one who has secured a position and will attend the academy soon, and two more potential offers to be made this week, which, if accepted and successfully completed, would bring the department to full staffing.

• Community Facilities and Recreation Feedback
  Feedback on community amenities included the Eastview Pond, which received compliments but was noted to need more sand and raking to control vegetation, being described as a "hidden little gem." The administrative building's brick repair, scheduled for spring, was noted as still pending in mid-July, with hopes for prompt completion. A suggestion was made to install signage for the kayak ramp, located in the back of the Pullman Bay area near the basketball courts, as its current visibility makes it hard for people to find; advertising on social media was also recommended. Council members celebrated the upcoming Celina Lake Festival, acknowledging the significant hours employees dedicate to it and hoping for cooler weather and large crowds. The recent Taste of Celina event was also praised for being well-attended and receiving positive feedback. The overall sentiment highlighted Celina's great recreation programs, including soccer and football, and the importance of publicizing available park assets.

• Police Department Staffing and Morale
  Discussion focused on the police department's staffing status, with the Chief indicating that if current trends continue and no one retires or finds other employment, the department could be fully staffed by this time next year. This would be a significant achievement, as the department has rarely been fully staffed, with the last instance being a mere three days when Mark Burgoon retired, and typically being one officer short for the past 15-20 years. The last couple of years presented a "crisis" with staffing shortages, but the department is now "seeing the light at the end of the tunnel" with increasing numbers and a noticeable improvement in morale. Appreciation was extended to the officers and firefighters who persevered through these "lean times" and staffing shortages, acknowledging their fantastic job and the positive outlook for the department.