Stow City Council
Vote Nov. 8th!

I don’t have a whole lot to report from last night’s council meeting, but here are my notes…

• Trick-or-Treat is Saturday, October 29 at 6 p.m.

• Congrats to Stow’s golf team for being one of four teams in its district to make it to the state tournament. I am a proud alum of the Stow golf team. Go Bulldogs!

• The final numbers on our loss in property tax revenue will be about $650,000. That is a drop of 7.9%.

Add those losses to the amount that the city will lose in state revenue, and the amount of income tax revenue, and you’re looking at quite a big budget gap. Also consider that — even without these additional losses — the mayor could not submit a balanced budget in any of the last three years. Consider further that the unbalanced budgets each took $1 million from the roads fund.

This next budgeting process, which will begin early in 2012, will be the most critical in the city’s history. We really can’t just do what we’ve done in the past, with slight adjustments. We must configure an overhaul.

The Finance Committee will meet on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. to discuss the outlook for 2012 income tax receipts, among other things.

There have been a lot of statistics being thrown around in the past couple months regarding the series of burglaries and thefts. I feel that the more information that is out there, the better that residents can prepare and the better that the residents can demand police protection from their government.

Here are the YTD crime statistics, as of the end of September: Crime statistics – Sept 11.

Other notes:

Special thanks to the Stow Community Foundation and Citizens for Non-Partisan Politics for putting together last night’s Candidates Night. I think it was productive for residents to have an opportunity to meet the candidates and hear them speak. For whatever reason, everyone sounded like me last night — desiring to make reasonable cuts to the budget. Let’s hope that this isn’t just talk, and that big spenders like Sara Drew, John Pribonic and Mary Bednar (if elected) have actually turned a new leaf.

City council will meet tomorrow at 7 p.m., with an executive session beforehand.

I am very, very overwhelmingly grateful for the amount of donations and yard sign requests that have been pouring in. I’m happy to work my tail off for this city, even without any praise. But it certainly means a lot when complete strangers are willing to send money or support you. Seriously, thanks.

The Finance, Public Improvement and Planning Committees met last night for a long evening of discussions. Below are some notes…

The Planning Committee discussed the construction of a nursing home across from Rockport Colony on Sowul Blvd. The nursing home would likely employ 68 people at a monthly salary of $549,000, which would be a nice tax boost for the city. There are some concerns with the effect that the construction and operation would have on Rockport Colony. This matter will be discussed against at the Oct. 24 Planning Committee meeting.

The city is looking to hire a new Youth Services Coordinator, following the retirement of Renee Armbruster, who did the job very well for many years. We will be hiring from within, and we will not fill the job of the person chosen. The person who is promoted will likely not see a pay increasee.

On Thursday, council will approve the property tax rates. Last year, if you remember, I proposed that the city not collect all of the monies it was entitled to collect. This year, the situation is different. With property values in Stow falling 7.4%, residents will receive almost exactly the same break that I proposed last year. Being such, I won’t attempt to make any adjustments this week to the property tax rates.

City council will meet at 7 p.m. on Thursday.