Toledo City Council to vote on contribution to JumpStart entrepreneurship program

​By: Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

​At its regular meeting scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on August 6, Toledo City Council is expected to vote on Ordinance 343-19 which would approve $50,000 to JumpStart Inc. for assistance aimed at supporting local entrepreneurs who historically are disconnected from services. The program includes outreach events, one-on-one consulting, mentoring, and a 12-week accelerator class. JumpStart is also establishing a collaborative to support other area providers serving local entrepreneurs. Council had delayed voting on the ordinance at its previous voting session to allow more time for council members to review the program.

Council is also expected to vote on the following:

• Ordinance 373-19 which would approve bidding a contract for removal, hauling, and beneficial reuse of spent lime produced by the Division of Water Treatment. Spent lime is a byproduct of the water treatment process. The contract would be for $6,500,000 annually for two years, with three one-year renewal options.
• Ordinance 374-19 which would allow accepting an $850,000 grant and an $850,000 loan from the Ohio Public Works Commission, and appropriate $1,500,000 for local matching dollars, for the Large Diameter Sewer Rehabilitation Project. The ordinance would also authorize accepting bids for the project which includes replacing or repairing structural problems in critical sections of the city’s aging sewer system.

In addition, Council will likely vote on the following ordinances levying special assessments for various public service expenses in 2018. The assessments will appear on calendar year 2020 property tax bills. Frontage determines the assessment amount per property:

• Ordinance 362-19 which would levy $19,299,535 for sweeping, leaf pick-up, and removing snow on streets and alleys. Only properties along improved streets and alleys are assessed for sweeping. All properties are assessed for leaf pick-up, with the cost being different for properties on improved streets and unimproved streets. Unimproved streets are those with minimal to no road base depth or curbs. All properties are assessed for removing snow regardless of whether or not a street is cleared.
• Ordinance 363-19 which would levy $3,289,903 for providing street lighting outside of downtown, and Ordinance 364-19 which would levy $242,238 for providing street lighting within downtown. All properties along a street with lighting are assessed.
• Ordinance 365-19 which would levy $3,607,464 for controlling the blight and disease of shade trees within public rights-of-way as well as planting, maintaining, trimming and removing trees in and along streets. All properties in the city are assessed for these services.
• Ordinance 366-19 which would levy $324,105 for the repair or construction of new sidewalks. Only properties where sidewalk work occurs are assessed. Properties are assessed for the actual cost of the work that occurred on the property.

All Council meetings are held in Council Chambers on the first floor of One Government Center located on Jackson Boulevard in downtown Toledo.

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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.