City Council nixes legislation to terminate OHM Advisors as city engineering firm

Independent staff report
·2 min read

Massillon City Council

Monday meeting

KEY ACTION: Approved an ordinance for the city's 2022 operations budget.

The city's total enterprise budget next year is to be around $50 million, which includes a general fund total of about $27 million.

More: Massillon mayor: City will seek full-time engineer, new firm beginning in January

The general fund pays for services such as police, fire and streets.

Massillon City Council approved the city's 2022 operations budget on Monday night.
Massillon City Council approved the city's 2022 operations budget on Monday night.

DISCUSSION: Multiple council members questioned Law Director Justin Richard about the need for a new, part-time position for his office starting in 2022.

The administrative assistant position is for up to 30 hours per week with an annual salary of about $28,000. An amendment to remove the position in next year's budget was ultimately defeated by council.

So the position will be funded via the 2022 budget.

OTHER ACTION: Indefinitely postponed legislation that aimed to terminate the working relationship between the city and its contracted engineering firm, OHM Advisors.

OHM submitted a letter of resignation earlier this month to the mayor, severing ties with the city on Dec. 31. Therefore, the proposal under consideration by council became moot.

The firm served as the city's primary engineer since July 2016.

Council also:

  • Approved legislation that aims to redistrict the six wards in the city based on new population numbers from the U.S. census.

  • Approved an ordinance to accept a $180,000 federal workforce grant for the Massillon Health Department. The money is to help fund two part-time, temporary positions at the health agency, and continue to pay for an existing part-time post.

  • Passed legislation that triggers a new three-year pact with the Massillon Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Henderson Lodge Police Association for gold unit officers. The gold unit is made up of sergeants and lieutenants. The deal is is retroactive to July 1 and runs through June 30, 2024.

FOR YOUR INFO: Newly elected and re-elected members of council, as well as elected officials from other city offices, are slated to be sworn in to new terms at 7 p.m. Dec. 27 at the council chamber.

More: Massillon nabs $619,000 grant to help fund waterline, sewage system project

UP NEXT: Meets at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 27 for a work session at the Massillon Government & Justice Center, 1 James Duncan Plaza SE. Meetings are open to the public, and in-person participation is welcome.

This article originally appeared on The Independent: Massillon City Council approves 2022 operations budget Monday night