New Planning position to be approved by council

Tuesday, Circleville City Council will hold its first regular meeting of the month, and on the agenda will be a discussion and a vote on a proposal to create a new City administrative position, a City Planner.

A week ago, on April 30th, the Finance Committee, working with City Auditor Mark Bidwell and Service Director Jim Stanley, found money in the budget for the position. The Finance Committee members, Katie Logan Hedges, Chairperson, and Tom Duvall, both voted to create the new position, approve the expenditure, and move the matter forward to the full City Council for a final vote.

Part of the funding for the new City Planner will come as a result of the current Zoning Inspector position being temporarily vacated. This is possible because Hannah Wynne, the current Zoning Inspector, is slated to become the new City Planner upon approval of the full City Council.

Councilman Tom Duvall said that he was excited about the new position.

“Hannah has done an excellent job as Zoning Inspector. The recently revised zoning codes enacted by Council have been implemented through her efforts. The city has started to be cleaned up as vacant property owners were notified of violations and faced three choices: (1) clean up their mess, (2) sell their property, or (3) face fines that would start out small but double later. The doubling of the fines would eventually force the property owners in violation to accept options (1) or (2). The need for a planning position is due to the positive economic development activities happening in and around Circleville.”

Some of the new developments include the new housing development on North Court Street by D.R. Horton, industrial growth at the Thompson site, a new Fischer residential housing development (with homes priced in the $300K — $400K range) near Dunkel and Walnut Creek Pike, and a potential new Planned Unit Development (PUD) to be located just west of Ohio Christian University.

“New growth and development can be controlled or uncontrolled. The planning function will ensure that growth is done to benefit Circleville as guided by last year’s Economic Development Plan and in coordination with P3,” Duvall said.

P3 is shorthand for Pickaway Progress Partnership, the Economic Development Agency for Pickaway County and its municipalities. Tim Colburn is the Economic Development Director of P3. Lexi Heidish, Assistant Director and Tiffany Anderson, Executive Assistant are also part of the P3 staff.

The new position will report to Safety Director Stanley and be classified as a Pay Grade 7 position with an annual salary of approximately $68K which Stanley said was in line with planning positions in the surrounding area. In the past, Stanley had two administrative assistants, but one of them, Brenda Short, is now working full-time for the mayor.

The Zoning Inspector’s duties will be covered by Hannah Wynne in the interim until the budget allows for a new full-time person to be hired. There are no plans for the city to hire a grant writer. Applying for grants is currently left to the head of each department.

Duvall praised Fire Chief Brian Thompson, saying “He has done an excellent job winning grants for the Circleville Fire Department. There have been new personnel added to each shift and new equipment purchased as a result of grants he obtained.”