Council met for a Study Session on Monday, August 19 at 6:30 P.M, and discussed three topics:

·         Woodward Hills water line: two Bethel Township representatives attended the Study Session. They asked Council if Tipp City would be interested in replacing the four-inch water line, installed in 1972, which serves 21 Woodward Hills residents. Tipp supplies water to Woodward Hills. City Manager Eric Mack said the estimated cost to replace the 2.7-mile line, which at one point runs under the Great Miami River, was $2.8M. Mack added that Miami County is installing a water line half-a-mile from Woodward Hills, from which Woodward Hills could obtain water. After some discussion, Council members decided that having Tipp City replace the Woodward Hills water line was not practical and agreed to provide a written document to Bethel Township stating so.      

·         Accessory Dwelling Units: accessory dwelling units are living quarters located above garages and are presently allowed only for R1 zoned districts (single-family). The Tipp Planning Board had recommended to allow accessory dwelling units in R2 and R3 zoned districts (two-family and multi-family). Council members agreed to the zoning amendment but suggested that conditions such as “no rentals” be added to the “Development Standards” for accessory dwelling units.    

·         Uptown Uses: Council has been developing plans for several years for the Tipp Uptown area, which runs from Tippecanoe Drive west along Main Street to 25A, and has begun working with Woodard Construction on a redevelopment plan. Tipp City’s Matt Spring, Community Development, presented several issues that need to be resolved, including best uses and overall design standards for the Uptown area, some of which are in Monroe Township, not Tipp City. Spring argued that Uptown should look a lot like the rest of Tipp City, not a hodge-podge of more gas stations, banks, check cashing shops, etc. Spring suggested an Uptown Zoning District to limit uses and establish design standards as a possibility, which seemed to intrigue Council members. He finished by summarizing the plan to move forward: bring the desired suggestions into a Comprehensive Plan update, and do some smaller steps along the way to deal with timely issues.   

Council members then began the regular meeting and approved seven resolutions to acquire equipment for the new electric substation #4 on Peters Road, for a total of $3,739,520.65. The Resolutions authorized the City Manager to enter into a contract with each of the following providers:

·         Tatman Associates of Cleveland, Ohio for the purchase of structures, bussing & switches costing $724,760.00.

·         Anixter Inc of Hamilton, Ohio for the purchase of three 69KV vacuum circuit breakers costing $327,697.65.

·         Robert S. Howley Company of Columbus, Ohio for the purchase of one (1) 69kV circuit switcher costing $199,960.00.

·         Virginia Transformer Corp of Roanoke, Virginia for the purchase of one (1) 69 – 12.47 KV Power Transformer costing $1,048,969.00.

·         Myers Controlled Power of Canton, Ohio for the purchase of one (1) Lineup Indoor 15 kV Switchgear costing $766,475.00.

·         SEL of West Lafayette, Indiana for the purchase of four (4) 69kV relay and control panels costing $200,647.00.

·         Peak Electric of West Toledo, Ohio for the purchase of twelve (12) 333 kVa voltage regulators costing $471,012.00.

Council approved two more resolutions:

·         authorize the City Manager to enter into an annual contract with Miami County Public Defender to pay for the legal defense of indigent persons charged with jailable offenses under municipal ordinances. The contract cost will be the same as last year.

·         transfer $150,000 in total from the City of Tipp City, with $100,000 going to the Tipp Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) for seed funding of the Revolving Loan Program, and $50,000 to professional services related to the Uptown Redevelopment contract.

Council then heard three new ordinances:

·         amend the 2024 Annual Operating Budget to provide money for various unanticipated events that occurred during the City’s 2024 fiscal year.

·         make minor language clarifications to the Tipp City Nuisance Ordinance, which involves properties within Tipp City with high grass and/or noxious weeds, i.e., “nuisances”. Also modify the Nuisance Ordinance regarding delivery of a written notice to a property owner or carer of land who failed to comply with the initial notice. The methods for delivering the written, second notice were modified, as such 1) handing the notice to the owner/land carer, or 2) mailing the notice, or 3) affixing the notice to an associated building or post on the nuisance land.

·         provide for the issuance and sale of notes for $4,500,000, in anticipation of the issuance of bonds, to pay for acquiring approximately 12.15 acres of property near the intersection of West Main Street and South Tippecanoe Drive, in support of economic development and job creation within the City.

Council passed two motions:

·         combine the Capital Improvement Workshop and the Operating Budget Workshop into a single meeting on Monday, September 30. Also cancel the previously scheduled Capital Improvement Workshop on September 23 and the Operating Budget Workshop on October 28.

·         authorize the Police Chief and the City Manager to sign temporary liquor permit and street closing applications for the Downtown Tipp City Partnership’s 2024 HarvestFest Street Party to be held on October 19, on Second Street near Red Devil Pizza and Deli and Chaffee’s Brewhouse.

Council Members then held a public hearing concerning a tree at 20 Miles Avenue. The homeowner, who attended the Council meeting, said the tree is dying and dangerous, dropping limbs and eroding the sidewalk, and wants to remove it at their own expense. However, the Tipp Tree Board, represented at the meeting by Karen Jackson, said the tree was healthy and therefore can’t be removed. Council members discussed the matter and eventually decided to allow the tree to be removed, healthy or not, based on safety and sidewalk and curb erosion issues.