By Eamon Baird
PIQUA — The Piqua City Commission decided during its last commission meeting of the year on Tuesday, Dec. 12 to continue to keep the two boards, the Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA), as separate boards.
The commission made and approved an amendment Tuesday night to remove the Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) from an ordinance that was originally intended to combine the BZA and the Planning Commission in addition to combining the Parks and Trees Commission. This proposed ordinance was met with skepticism from the commissioners and citizens during the previous meeting.
Ward Four Commissioner Tom Hohman requested to amend Chapter 32 of the Piqua City Code of Ordinances, saying, “This would have the effect of removing the merger of the Planning Commission and the BZA, while allowing the merging of the Parks and Trees Commission.”
The commissioners unanimously agreed to amend the ordinance but warned citizens if more people don’t apply to serve on the BZA, they might run into the same issue next year.
“If that board is unable to meet quorum on a regular basis, I’m sure we will see this ordinance back up in front of the next commission,” Hohman said.
“If you don’t want it combined, please apply. We need as many volunteers as possible,” Third Ward Commissioner Kris Lee said.
In other business, Michelle Perry and Pat Kleman provided a presentation on Lineage Lane LLC, their community garden which they started in May in Pitsenbarger Park.
“We are looking forward to season two. We have a lot of people asking us already when we’ll have flowers, we’re in the planning stages now and happy to answer any questions you may have,” Perry said.
The commissioners approved a resolution authorizing a one-year lease agreement with Lineage Lane with an option for two more renewals.
During the public comments section, Piqua residents continued expressing concern following Energy Storage Response Group’s battery burn testing, which was halted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Regional Air Pollution Control Agency (RAPCA) in September.
“The battery burn issue is not behind us,” Jeff Lange said. “All I ask is that somebody puts something in place so that it doesn’t happen again.”
Also Tuesday, the commission adopted the following ordinances:
• To adjust fees and revenue for the Echo Lake Golf Course. The proposed amendments in the ordinance include adjustments to fees for the course.
• To adopt a new schedule relating to salaries of full-time non-union employees.
• To adopt a new schedule relating to salaries of temporary employees. Wages will be adjusted to follow state minimum wages.
The commission also approved the following resolutions:
• A temporary cash loan from the general fund to the other funds for 2023.
• Transfers of cash from the general fund to the other funds for 2023. The transfers themselves must be approved.
• The city’s purchasing department to advertise for bids to make certain purchases during 2024.
• A purchase order to Miami County Public Health for Public Health services for $202,000.
• A 2024 purchase order to Patrick Staffing Inc., for temporary services for the Piqua Sanitation Department.
