LIMA — Without any additional discussion, Lima City Council passed a resolution Monday to reduce the city’s mayoral salary to $123,500 for the first two years of the next mayoral term, which would start in December 2017.
The ordinance would also freeze the salary at that amount for the first two years of the four-year term. Third Ward Councilman Jesse Lowe II was the lone council member to vote against the ordinance.
“It is up to council to decide the mayor’s salary, and that’s what they have done,” Lima Mayor David Berger said after the council meeting. “It is what it is, and I will not get into a discussion on the amount.”
Council members have said they have heard from residents that Berger’s salary is too high. This year, he is earning $132,000. A previous ordinance to freeze the salary at just more than $135,000 for the entire four-year term was defeated before this compromise was reached in a special meeting last week.
In other business, council passed a resolution to enter into an engineering agreement with MWH Global to design a combined sewer overflow tank and dewatering pump station to be constructed at Simmons Field, part of the requirements of the city’s consent decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The design cost would be just over $1.4 million.
“This is a below-ground tank that will hold approximately 13 million gallons,” deputy director of utilities Mike Caprella said. “It will be 200 feet wide, 394 feet long and 22.5 feet deep. It will not interfere with the baseball diamond at Simmons Field.”
Caprella noted that the design will be accelerated to allow the city to be in the running for low-interest loans to fund the $40 million project, with interest rates possibly as low as zero.
“This is the biggest project ever in the 6th Ward,” 6th Ward Councilman Derry Glenn said. “But it’s something that has to get done.”
Another ordinance passed Monday would allow for the city to enter into an agreement to annex several parcels in Bath Township into the city. The affected lots would be east of South Roberts Avenue along Federal Street, East Eureka Street and part of Linden Street, encompassing the Walton Mobile Home Park down to Alton Avenue, which runs alongside Interstate 75. A parcel at the intersection of Lenore Street and South Leonard Avenue would also be included. Should an agreement be reached, the parcels would be incorporated into Lima’s 5th Ward.
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