Plain City Council held a special meeting Thursday to discuss their responsibilities and goals for the upcoming year.
Law Director Paul Lafayette emphasized that council members, the mayor and the village administrator each have specific roles.
“The idea is, you guys stick to your jobs,” Lafayette said.
Council holds legislative power, he explained.
“You determine the policy for the village,” Lafayette told council.
From there, the village administrator takes action.
Lafayette explained that, according to the charter, the village follows an administrator-driven government, meaning that person oversees day-to-day operations of Plain City.
The village administrator directs and supervises all departments, prepares and submits budges and advises council.
On the other hand, the mayor sets the agenda for council and participates in legislative deliberations but votes only in the case of a tie.
Lafayette said it is important that each person is aware of their responsibilities. He said when council veers into taking executive action or the administrator tries to set policy, “that’s where you get into trouble.”
With that in mind, Council President Michael Terry said he feels council’s goals for 2022 should be “broad” and “vision driven.” He said he trusts Village Administrator Haley Lupton and her staff to create more detailed action plans from there.
Terry also said he would like to limit the annual goals to six to ten attainable items.
Though council did not finalize a list of the year’s goals Thursday, members agreed on several that will be prioritized.
Terry said the Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade and update of the village’s 208 Plan is a 2021 goal that must be continued through 2022.
According to a memo from village staff, employees are currently working to complete the permit process for the treatment plant and construction is expected to begin this year.
Terry also said that hiring a new village administrator – Lupton currently serves on an interim basis – is a high-priority item.
“Those are the top two, no matter what,” Terry said.
Council members also agreed to continue a 2021 goal centered on improving communication within the board and between citizens.
“That’s an every year kind of thing,” said Council member Frank Reed.
Reed also suggested using the comprehensive plan, which has a “next steps” portion, to guide the creation of new goals.
Council member Kerri Ferguson, who assisted with the completion of the comprehensive plan in 2018 during her previous stint on council, said the board is still working toward many of those “next steps.”
Reed listed steps including: modernizing the village’s capital improvement plan, creating an Uptown development plan (which council has approved a contract with a design firm to do), extending the Heritage Trail into Plain City, developing a five-year parks master plan, studying Route 42 access management and creating a Route 161 overlay district.
Terry said an overarching goal could be to review the comprehensive plan and use it to inform other objectives.
For instance, Council member John Rucker said he feels connectivity – development of roads, sidewalks and trails – is an important aspect of the plan. He said he is particularly concerned about the U.S. 42 and West Avenue areas.
“They’re on an island,” Ferguson added, referencing new residential developments along those roads.
Similarly, Council member James Sintz said he feels the group should work toward developing five- and ten-year “visions” for Plain City.
He added that the 2022 budget has already been approved, so it is somewhat difficult to create goals that require significant funding.
Sintz said he would like to take time this year to plan ahead for 2023.
“I think it would be wise for us to have a goals session that aligns with the budget,” he said.
Fellow council members agreed to plan for a 2023 goals meeting in May, prior to the beginning of the budget process.
Terry asked Lupton to create a condensed list of goals based on the conversation Thursday for council to finalize.
From there, Mayor Jody Carney said she will send a digital newsletter to residents informing them of council goals and progress.