Residents concerns shared at council meeting

COSHOCTON – Ordinance 40-14, which deals with income taxes, received a second reading at Coshocton City Council’s Dec. 8 meeting and also a bit of negative feedback from the public.

The purpose of the ordinance is to amend section 191.05 (D) of the codified ordinances of the City of Coshocton and reads as follows: The resident taxpayer making a return shall, at the time of filing thereof, pay to the administrator the amount of taxes shown as due thereof, however, where the tax so due has been deducted at the source pursuant to 191.06 or where the tax has been paid by the taxpayer pursuant to 191.07 to another municipality the taxpayer may claim credit of these taxes up to but not to exceed .75 percent. All city residents must complete and file a tax return regardless of whether any tax is due.

Councilman Brad Fuller has heard from at least five residents who are not in favor of the ordinance and also received a letter from another one who is also against it.

Fuller read the letter, which shared thoughts on how this ordinance puts residents who work out of town at a disadvantage and encourages people to leave town.

The other ordinances that were read during the meeting received much less discussion. Ordinances 43-14 and 44-14, which both deal with transfers, and 45-14, which handled appropriations, were each given three readings and passed by council. The group also gave a first and second reading to ordinance 39-14, an ordinance to appropriate funds for current expenses and other expenditures for the City of Coshocton, State of Ohio, for Jan. 1, 2015, through Dec. 31, 2015.

During the meeting Mayor Steve Mercer informed council that the Coshocton City Planning Commission held a public hearing Dec. 2, in reference to amending the city’s zoning map. The proposed change is for 357 N. Sixth St. and would switch the area from a multi family resident district to a business district so Deric Potts can put a storage facility on the property. The rezoning has to be advertised 30 days prior to being on council’s agenda before Monday, Jan. 12. Then they can have a public hearing and vote on the issue.

Service Director Jerry Stenner also was happy to report that they are still able to get asphalt and have been working on filling more potholes.

“The bad news is that has put us behind on leaf collection,” he said. “Over the next couple of weeks we should be able to get the leaves picked up and maybe do a second go around.”

Mercer also announced that city council will meet at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15 in hopes of wrapping up all necessary business before Christmas week.

josie@coshoctoncountybeacon.com

Category: Government