By Eamon Baird
PIQUA — Piqua City Commissioners held a special work session meeting Tuesday, Feb. 20, to discuss the format of public comments during Piqua City Commission meetings.
The commissioners considered whether to have a public comments section after the meeting adjournment and whether to record the public comments section during City Commission meetings.
“Normally, this is a kind of thing that might be discussed not in public; making it a work session in public gives the public the benefit of hearing our thought process and why we are making some of the decisions that we are making, and working through those issues,” Ward Four Commissioner Tom Hohman said.
“I think a lot of the issue was having the public comment portion of the meeting still televised and some kind of record kept as to what was said,” Ward Five Commissioner Frank DeBrosse said.
The commissioners unanimously voted to move the public comments section to the end of the meeting, after the commissioners’ comments and before adjournment, and also to record the public comments section on the city of Piqua’s YouTube page.
Additionally, commissioners discussed keeping the Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals separate and appointing new members to each board.
The commissioners set Monday, March 4, at noon as the deadline for applicants of each board.
In the consent agenda, the commissioners appointed the following members to the Energy Board to serve a five-year term ending on March 1, 2029: Stuart Shear, John Alexander, Earl (Lynn) Sever, D. Patrick Jenkins, and David Fishback.
In old business, the commissioners unanimously approved, an ordinance to amend Title XV about land usage, establishing standards for a hotel, and proposing the local economy support it.
Chris Schmiesing, Piqua director of development, said this ordinance would amend zoning regulations to establish use standards for a newly created hotel and create a “Special-Use” standard where permitted.
“The Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on this matter on Jan. 9, reviewed the proposed amendment, suggested a few tweaks that were made before presenting it to the city commission, and recommended approval with the modifications,” Schmiesing said.
In new business, the commissioners approved the following resolutions:
• To enter a 10-year service contract with Utility Service Company Inc., including inspection and required maintenance and coating of the R.M. Davis Parkway water tower. According to the contract, the annual fees will be $229,557 for the first five years, $41,984 for year six, and each contract year thereafter, the contract fee will be adjusted to reflect the current service cost.
• To award a contract to ORR Protection Systems for gas turbine fire protection system upgrades for $200,000.
• To authorize a purchase order to Barrett Paving Materials Inc., of Franklin, as the primary supplier and Valley Asphalt Corp., of Cincinnati, as the secondary supplier for the 2024 Street and Alley Maintenance Program for $126,000.
• A purchase order for a new Caterpillar skid loader for the Public Works Department for $116,167. This will replace the 2014 skid loader and will be used for street and alley repairs, in addition to snow removal and storm cleanup.
• A 2025 International MV607 SBA plow truck purchase order for the Public Works Department for $206,458.35.
The commissioners decided to table a resolution for the city manager to enter into an agreement with Hampton Golf for the Fort Piqua Banquet Center. According to the commission agenda staff report, this resolution will provide hospitality-industry expertise to the management and operations of the facility. There will be a special emergency commission session at 5 p.m. on Thursday Feb. 22 to review this contract.
