December 22, 2025 Minutes passed January 12, 2026
Council President Thad Eikenbary called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
Pastor Bill Watson of the Pentecostal Way Church gave the invocation.
On call of the roll: Ringwald, Kallas, Bowers, Agler, Roberts, Moore, and Marshall were present.
Moore made a motion to amend the agenda to add Brent Stevens as a public speaker. Bowers seconded; all concurred.
Kallas made a motion to approve tonight’s Consent Agenda, minutes and public hearing minutes from the December 8th meeting. Bowers seconded; all concurred.
SCHEDULED PUBLIC SPEAKERS
Roberts made a motion to move into Executive Session for the purpose of Collective Bargaining.
City Council resumed regular public meeting at 6:53 p.m.
Brent Stevens, Director of Van Wert Area Economic Development, presented explanations on CRA areas in Van Wert. In the presentation, includes areas in which CRA are located and who was on the board. The entire county of Van Wert is also an Enterprise Zone. Stevens summarizes upcoming ordinances for tonight. The first ordinance is to expand the Airport Commnity Reinvestment Area. The second ordinance would be to extend the tax abatement periods for all CRA Districts from 10 to 15 years. He stated these requests are for better local control, simplified phased development and enhanced competitiveness. He stated all surrounding areas are at 15 years and Van Wert has remained at 10 years.
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS
MAYOR: Mr. Markward Ohio passing the cyber security bill. Gmails will be no longer, instead, in the new year, all council using a gmail will move to a “vanwert.org” email.
Moore made a motion to appoint Bill Marshall to Energy Special Improvement District. Agler seconded; Ringwald, Kallas, Bowers, Agler, Roberts and Moore voted yes. Marshall abstained.
SAFETY SERVICE DIRECTOR: Mr. Fleming introduced another ordinance that will need requested to be prepared by Streets & Alleys to complete the Fox Rd. walking path.
AUDITOR: Mrs. Blackmore has a supplemental appropriation that will need passed tonight to avoid negative balances. One including the Municipal Court Salaries/Fringe Benefits that is being split between two funds, several for utilities (parks, municipal building), Treasurer and Municipal building retirement, Hotel Motel Tax, Indigent Burial, Water Fund/Water Utilities, Sewer Plant Utilities, Employee Healthcare Reimbursement, Sewer Reserve, and TIFF Fund.
Blackmore presented one then & now to Solomon for an underwater dive inspection for $23,395.00.
Lastly, Blackmore stated the final budget is in council’s hands and asked if there were any questions.
LAW DIRECTOR: Mr. Hatcher is requesting Finance to request a few ordinances to be prepared for the next meeting. One being legislation to authorize the mayor to sign an agreement for legal services for assistant prosecutor Scott Gordon. Second, to authorize the mayor to sign an agreement to pay for reimbursement from the county commissioners.
COMMENTS, COMMUNICATIONS & PETITIONS:
None.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
FINANCE: Ringwald made a motion to pass, as presented by City Auditor Blackmore, the Then and Now for $23,395.00 to Solomon for the underwater dive inspection. Agler seconded; all concurred.
Ringwald made a motion to prepare a supplemental appropriation to funds 101, 230, 601, 602 and 801, as an emergency. Kallas seconded; all concurred.
Ringwald made a motion to introduce Ordinance Number: 25-12-069. Kallas seconded; all concurred.
Ringwald made a motion to suspend statutory rules. Moore seconded; all concurred.
Ringwald made a motion to pass, on it’s first and final reading, Ordinance Number: 25-12-069; AN ORDINANCE TO MAKE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS TO FUNDS 101, 230, 601, 602 AND 801, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. Agler seconded; all concurred. Ordinance passed.
Ringwald made a motion to have the law director prepare an ordinance to authorize the mayor to sign an agreement for legal services for assistant prosecutor Scott Gordon as an emergency. Agler seconded; all concurred.
Ringwald made a motion to have the law director prepare an ordinance to authorize the mayor to sign an agreement to pay for secretarial reimbursement from the county commissioners to the city as an emergency. Kallas seconded; all concurred.
STREETS AND ALLEYS: Kallas made a motion to introduce Ordinance Number: 25-12-074. Bowers seconded; all concurred.
Kallas made a motion to suspend statutory rules. Bowers seconded; all concurred.
Kallas made a motion to pass, on it’s first and final reading, Ordinance Number: 25-12-074; AN ORDINANCE ENACTED BY THE CITY OF VAN WERT, OHIO, HEREINAFTER TO APPROVE PRELIMINARY LEGISLATION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT THE INTERSECTIONS OF US 127 AND BONNEWITZ AVENUE AND BROOKS AVENUE IN THE CITY OF VAN WERT SHARED AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. Bowers seconded; all concurred. Ordinance passed.
Kallas made a motion for the law director to prepare an ordinance to complete the walking path on Fox Road. Moore seconded; all concurred.
Kallas gave best wishes and thanked everyone for his time on council at his last meeting.
JUDICIARY AND ANNEXATION: Bowers made a motion to prepare, as an emergency, an ordinance to allow the mayor and safety-service director to contract with local #681 of the international association of Firefighters relative to wages, hours, terms and other conditions of employment. Agler seconded; all concurred.
Bowers made a motion to introduce Ordinance Number: 25-12-068. Agler seconded; all concurred.
Bowers made a motion to suspend statutory rules. Ringwald seconded; all concurred.
Bowers made a motion to pass, on it’s first and final reading, Ordinance Number: 25-12-068; AN ORDINANCE TO AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR AND SAFETY-SERVICE DIRECTOR TO CONTRACT WITH LOCAL # 681 OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS, AFL-CIO, RELATIVE TO WAGES, HOURS, TERMS AND OTHER CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. Agler seconded; all concurred. Ordinance passed.
Bowers made a motion to prepare an ordinance to rezone, from R-2 to B-3, the property located at 10817 US Route 127 in the city of van wert and declaring an emergency. Agler seconded; all concurred.
Bowers made a motion to introduce Ordinance Number: 25-12-070. Agler seconded; all concurred.
Agler made a motion to suspend statutory rules. Bowers seconded; Agler, Bowers, Ringwald, Kallas, Roberts, and Moore voted yes. Marshall voted no.
Agler made a motion pass on it’s first and final reading, Ordinance Number: 25-12-070; AN ORDINANCE FOR THE CITY TO CHANGE THE ZONING FROM R-2 RESIDENTIAL TO B-3 GENERAL HIGHWAY BUSINESS FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 10817 US ROUTE 127 IN THE CITY OF VAN WERT AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. Kallas seconded; Agler, Kallas, Ringwald, Bowers, Roberts, and Moore voted yes. Marshall voted no. Ordinance passed.
Bowers made a motion to prepare an ordinance for the city to change the zoning from R-2 to I-2 for the property known as parcel number 12-030764.0000, as an emergency. Agler seconded; all concurred.
Bowers made a motion to introduce Ordinance Number: 25-12-071. Agler seconded; all concurred.
Bowers made a motion to suspend statutory rules. Agler seconded; all concurred.
Bowers made a motion to pass, on it’s first and final reading, Ordinance Number: 25-12-071; AN ORDINANCE FOR THE CITY TO CHANGE THE ZONING FROM R-2 RESIDENTIAL TO I-2 GENERAL INDUSTRIAL FOR THE PROPERTY KNOWN AS PARCEL NUMBER 12-030764.0000 IN THE CITY OF VAN WERT AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. Kallas seconded; all concurred. Ordinance passed.
Bowers made a motion for the law director to prepare an ordinance to expand the airport area CRA enacted by ordinance 08-01-001 to include newly annexed properties as an emergency. Agler seconded; all concurred.
Bowers made a motion to introduce Ordinance Number: 25-12-072. Ringwald seconded; all concurred.
Bowers made a motion to suspend statutory rules. Agler seconded; all concurred.
Bowers made a motion to pass, on it’s first and final reading, Ordinance Number: 25-12-072; AN ORDINANCE IMPLEMENTING SECTIONS 3735.65 THROUGH 3735.70 OF THE OHIO REVISED CODE, EXPANDING THE AREA COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE AIRPORT AREA CRA THAT WAS ENACTED BY ORDINANCE 08-01-001 TO INCLUDE THE NEWLY ANNEXED PROPERTIES FORMERLY OWNED BY THE MARSH FOUNDATION AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. Agler seconded; all concurred. Ordinance passed.
Bowers made ae motion for the law director to prepare, as an emergency, an ordinance pursuant to 3735.67(D)(2)(a-c) of the Ohio Revised Code, amending the terms of the area commonly known as the airport area CRA. Agler seconded; all concurred.
Bowers made a motion to introduce Ordinance Number: 25-12-072. Agler seconded; all concurred.
Bowers made a motion to suspend statutory rules. Agler seconded; all concurred.
Bowers made a motion to pass, on it’s first and final reading, Ordinance Number: 25-12-072; AN ORDINANCE PURSUANT TO 3735.67(D)(2)(a-c) OF THE OHIO REVISED CODE, AMENDING THE TERMS OF THE AREA COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE AIRPORT AREA CRA THAT WAS ENACTED BY ORDINANCE 08-01-001 AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. Agler seconded; all concurred. Ordinance passed.
PROPERTIES AND EQUIPMENT: No report.
PARKS AND RECREATION: No report.
HEALTH, SERVICE AND SAFETY: Moore stated a citizen was concerned on too many vehicles parked on their street. She has spoke with the Safety Service Director on a solution for this.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: No report.
QUESTIONS/COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL and PUBLIC: Cody Ward, 10867 SR 127, is expressing dissatisfaction with the Toasted Buckeye zoning change near his home. He requested the city implement a condition to Toasted Buckeye upon rezoning of the area of an 8 foot fence and a 10 foot evergreen buffer similar to their current/main property. Council believes the conditions are stated within the zoning would suffice for Toasted Buckeye’s use and do not think it’s appropriate to add additional conditions in the zoning change. Council proposed Mr. Ward talk to Toasted Buckeye directly to see if an agreement could be made.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None.
NEW BUSINESS: President Eikenbary thanked Kallas, Bowers & Marshall for their service on council. Marshall and Bowers shared thanks with several admins and members on council.
RESOLUTIONS & ORDINANCES:
Third and Final Reading for Ordinance Number: 25-11-056; AN ORDINANCE TO MAKE PERMANENT APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE CURRENT EXPENSES AND OTHER EXPENDITURES FOR THE CITY OF VAN WERT, OHIO, FROM JANUARY 1, 2026 TO DECEMBER 31, 2026, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. All concurred. Ordinance passed.
Second Reading Advisory for Resolution Number: 25-12-065. All concurred.
January 12, 2026 at 5:45 p.m. all members of council starting in 2026 will be sworn in by a judge.
At 7:59, Agler made a motion to go into Executive Session for the purpose of Public-Private Partnerships. Bowers seconded; all concurred.
After reconvening from the executive session at 8:15 p.m., Agler made a motion to adjourn at 8:15 p.m. Kallas seconded; all concurred.
MINUTES PASSED AT JANUARY 12th MEETING.