Following a public hearing, the Wayne City Council approved the budget and the city's tax asking for the next fiscal year.
The coming year's budget includes a 2 % increase and will result in a levy of .384371 cents per $100 valuation when combined with the debt service asking. This is a seven percent decrease from the 2021-2022 fiscal year's asking.
The total fiscal year 2022-2023 budget is $42,437,986.
City Finance Director Beth Porter told the council that valuations for city property is 10% higher than last year.
Council members also passed Resolution 2022-57, which approves the allowable 1% increase in Base Limitation of Restricted Funds' Budget. This action does not impact the overall tax asking.
Ordinance 2022-18 was approved and the three readings waived which approves the annual Appropriation Bill and gives the city the authority to collect taxes.
Two ordinances involving parking received second reading approval.
The first of these involves restricting parking on south side of Chicago Street and the second includes an area in the southwest quadrant, including Lincoln Street from First Street to Fifth Street.
A public hearing was held in regard to the purchase of the Final Touch property from Vakoc Construction Company.
Discussion was held on what the city would use the building for and whether or not other options are available that would not take property off the tax rolls.
Several departments within the city, including the Wayne Public Library and the Parks and Recreation Department, plan to use different portions of the building.
Following the hearing, council members voted 4-1 to approve the sale. Council member Chris Woehler voted against the purchase and Mayor Cale Giese voted in favor, allowing the purchase to move forward.
In other action, council members approved a change in the traffic flow on Third Street between Pearl and Lincoln Street for an electronics recycling event.
Sandy Brown, representing the Wayne Green Team, told the council that this will be the ninth year for the event. Last year, 24,000 pounds of materials were collected.
Traffic on Third Street will be two lanes, one way, from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24 for the event.
A change order and pay application were approved for the 2022 Aquaris Tank Diffuser Replacement Project.
Roger Protzman with JEO explained to the council the need for the additional repairs and asked the council to grant Philip Carkoski Construction and Trenching, Inc. a one month extension to complete the project.
He said overall, "the project went well, we had a good contractor and we learned things about the Aquarius system."
The pay application approved was for $408,722.75 and council members then approved the certificate of substantial completion of the project.
The Wayne City Council will next meet in regular session on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 5:30 p.m. in council chambers.
