Toledo City Council to refer proposed dollar store regulations to committee

​​By Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

At its regular meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 27, Toledo City Council is expected to refer Ordinance 234-21 to its Committee of the Whole for further review. The ordinance would establish new regulations for small box discount stores, also known as dollar stores, by requiring them to obtain special use permits and be subject to annual reviews, and new locations to be at least one mile away from existing stores. The proposal was forwarded to the full City Council without recommendation after being previously reviewed by Council’s Zoning & Planning Committee. The Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce opposes the measure as it would add unnecessary layers of regulation and potentially discourage business development in the city.

Also at the meeting, Council is expected to vote on the following:
 

• Ordinance 154-21 which would amend local preference requirements for evaluating bids for city contracts. Currently in the municipal code: 

1. Bids from businesses with their principal location in Toledo are evaluated on a 3 percent reduction basis on contracts of $40,000 or more, and a 5 percent basis on contracts of less than $40,000.
2. Bids from businesses located in Toledo with their principle location outside the city are evaluated on a 2.85 percent reduction basis on contracts of $40,000 or more, and a 4 percent basis on contracts of less than $40,000.
3. Bids from businesses outside Toledo but in Lucas County are evaluated on a 2.75 reduction basis for contracts of $40,000 or more, and a 3.5 percent basis on contracts of less than $40,000.
4. Bids from businesses located outside Lucas County but in nine surrounding Ohio counties are evaluated on a 2.25 percent reduction basis on contracts of $40,000 or more, and a 3 percent basis on contracts of less than $40,000.

 
The ordinance would specify that bids from businesses located in Toledo with their principle location outside the city cannot be evaluated on a reduction basis when competing against a bidder whose principal location is in the city. The same exception currently exists for bids from businesses located in Lucas County but not in Toledo when competing with a bidder located in Toledo, and for those in the county region when competing with a bidder located in Lucas County. Also, the ordinance would add Monroe and Lenawee Counties in Michigan to the surrounding county category.
 

• Resolution 181-21 which would adopt the “Five I’s of Disability Justice Policy Framework” for use in developing approaches for inclusion of individuals with disabilities in the areas of employment, education, housing, healthcare, transportation, physical access, and social opportunity. The framework includes using the principles of “Involvement, Independence, Inclusion, Implementation and Intersectionality” in the development of disability-friendly public policy. 
• Ordinance 206-21 which would make changes to appointments of council members for seats on council committees. Changes would include appointing Councilman Rob Ludeman as chair of the Budget Oversight Committee, Councilwoman Katie Moline as chair of the Finance & Debt Oversight Committee, and Council President Matt Cherry as chair of the Public Safety & Criminal Justice Reform Committee.
• Resolution 207-21 which would urge Congress to support HR 842, the Protecting the Right to Organize, or PRO, Act. The bill would allow labor unions to collect dues from workers that opt out of unions via right-to-work laws in order to cover costs under union contracts, limit company influence related to elections to organize, and allow certain company officers to be held liable for labor law violations. 
• Resolution 210-21 proclaiming April 26 through May 1 as National Re- Entry Week in the city and recognizing the important work being done in Lucas County by re-entry advocates. The Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce is a local partner in efforts via its Re-Entry Development Initiative (REDI) to help in the area of fair chance hiring in the Toledo region. 
• Ordinance 224-21 which would approve $65,380 for a five-year contract with Streamline Automation Systems for fire inspection software for the Toledo Fire & Rescue Department. According to the ordinance, the software would allow inspectors to send notices and schedule inspections while in the field in addition to other features.

 
Ordinance 211-21 is expected to be referred to Council’s Water Quality & Sustainability Committee. The ordinance would establish a temporary program providing relief from accumulated arrearages for eligible low-income, senior citizen and disabled residential customers of the city’s sewer, water, and storm water systems to help avoid termination of service. The program would be limited to customers who have accumulated arrearages of more than $200.
 
Ordinance 219-21 is expected to be referred to Council’s Committee of the Whole. The ordinance would approve $46,548,524 for a contract with Leopardo Companies for implementation of an energy savings program at seven city facilities, LED upgrades of streetlights, and an alternative fuel program for city vehicles. The projects were identified by the city upon reviewing an energy conservation proposal from the company commissioned via a previous ordinance. Capital costs for the program would be financed by bond issuance authorized by separate legislation.
 
The public may watch the council meeting online by visiting https://toledo.legistar.com and scrolling down to the April 27 meeting and clicking on “in progress”.

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​Tim Schneider
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​As Manager for Local Government Advocacy, Tim Schneider advocates for local policies and laws that safeguard and foster a pro-business environment in the Toledo Region. Tim has more than 10 years of legislative and public policy experience with the local, state and federal levels of government.