Village Council business—
Council approves budget

Village Council completed a major project at its meeting Feb. 18 by unanimously approving the 2003 Village budget.

According to the budget, revenue for four of the Village’s five major funds is expected to decrease, while expenses in three funds are projected to increase. Still, this year’s budget is balanced.

For instance, revenue in the multi-fund is expected to decrease 12 percent, to $2.26 million in 2003 from $2.58 million last year. The fund’s expenses are projected to increase 19 percent, to $2.4 million this year from $2 million in 2002.

The multi-fund consists of the streets and parks departments, the police, Bryan Center, Gaunt Park pool, Council and Village administration. The fund’s largest revenue source, income taxes, is expected to decrease by $185,000, to $1.33 million in 2003 from $1.5 million last year.

The budget includes two noteworthy cuts: the paid contract positions for the Village Mediation Program and channel 13, the local cable access channel, have been eliminated.

In a separate discussion Council agreed to postpone for this year the annual spring cleanup and the brush pickup, which is held in conjunction with the spring cleanup.

Like the multi-fund, the water fund is expected to experience decreasing revenue and increasing expenses.

Revenue in the water fund is projected to decline 29 percent, to $618,000 in 2003 from $870,000 in 2002. The fund’s expenses are expected to increase by 1 percent, to $668,000 from $662,000.

Both expenses and revenue in the electric and solid waste funds are projected to decrease. The fund’s revenue is expected to decline 25 percent, to $2.3 million this year from almost $3.1 million in 2002. Expenses are projected to decrease to $2.28 million in 2003 from $2.78 million last year.

The solid waste fund’s expenses are projected to decrease 7 percent, to $216,000 from $232,000, while revenue is expected to decline 1 percent, to $218,000 from $220,000.

The opposite is t rue in the sewer fund, where revenue and expenses are projected to increase: revenue by 4 percent, to $754,000 from $723,000; expenditures by 8 percent, to $745,000 from $689,000.

Unlike last year, the Village plans to conduct more than 15 capital projects, which total an estimated $448,000. The capital items include replacing a truck, which serves as a snowplow ($65,000), drainage improvement projects ($38,450), purchasing a police cruiser ($23,000), remodeling the crew room at the Public Works facility ($44,000), rebuilding two well field pumps ($50,000) and upgrading the computers at the Bryan Community Center ($18,000).

The 2003 budget lists $3.46 million in unfunded but identified projects that the Village hopes to complete.

Noting that the Village’s year-end balances have grown, Council member George Pitstick said, “We’re heading in the right direction.” However, he added, there was little “slack” in this year’s budget.

The 2003 budget and other financial information, including a report by the blue ribbon finance committee, can be read online at www.yso.com.

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In other Council business:

• Village Manager Rob Hillard gave a report on the Village wellhead protection plan. He said that last year Village staff focused on activities they could conduct in-house and that focused on the one- and five-year time of travel zones, which is part of the wellhead protection area. Water in the time of travel zones takes one and five years to reach the Village wells.

Now the Village is at a point where Council needs to make some policy decisions on protecting the public water supply, Hillard said. Specifically, Hillard asked Council to make recommendations on five areas: township zoning laws; inspection programs for septic systems and private wells in the wellhead protection area; a geology database on the wellhead area; inspections of above-ground storage tanks in the area; and expanding wellhead activities to the larger protection area, which includes portions of Yellow Springs.

Council said as a first step that it would discuss these items with the Miami Township trustees when the two boards meet for a special meeting on March 31.

Pitstick said it was time for Council to form a broad-based wellhead protection committee, which includes public officials, members of previous commissions and local residents with expertise in the area of wellhead protection, to continue to implement the protection plan.

• Village Treasurer Larry Kimbro gave his annual report on Village investments. Last year, the Village earned $70,900 through investments, compared to $137,000 in 2001, despite having more funds to invest. The results reflect the slumping stock market and the national economy, Hillard said.

• Representatives of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency gave a presentation on the investigation of groundwater contamination at YSI Incorporated’s Brannum Lane facility. A report summarizing the investigation of potential sources and their locations is expected to be completed in April. A second report, on an investigation of the plume of contaminated groundwater, should be completed in August. The public will have a chance to comment on both reports.

In addition, Debora Depweg, an official with the Ohio EPA’s Division of Hazardous Waste, said that the agency is still negotiating an agreement with YSI to address the company’s hazardous waste violations and related cleanup.

• Council unanimously approved two resolutions paying $451 in dues to the Greene County Emergency Management Agency and $712 in dues to the County Regional Planning and Coordinating Commission.

• Council also unanimously approved a resolution allowing the Village to spend funds on special events, meetings and activities.

—Robert Mihalek