Toledo City Council to vote on customer-oriented changes at the Division of Building Inspection

​By: Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

Due to the recent power outages in downtown, Toledo City Council has rescheduled its regular meeting for 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Council is expected to vote on two ordinances related to the Division of Building Inspection. Ordinance 306-19 would amend Toledo building code to allow for the renewal of contractor licenses up to a year following expiration at the end of the calendar year. The change would include a $50 fee if a license is renewed after being expired for a month. Ordinance 307-19 would approve $65,000 for improvements to the Division’s office lobby on the 16th floor of One Government Center to improve customer service. The project was included in the city’s 2019 Capital Improvement Program budget previously approved by Council.

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

• Ordinance 173-19 which would prevent hiring in the city based on an applicant’s disclosure of previous pay history. It would apply to almost all employers in Toledo with 15 or more employees, but would not apply to candidates for internal transfer or promotion. It establishes a private cause of action against the employer for violations and would go into effect 365 days from the date of passage.

 

• Ordinance 284-19 which would extend the city’s contract with ReCommunity for processing of single-stream recyclables to January 2022. Renewing for the proposed term would put the contract on the same timetable for planned development of the Lucas County Materials Recovery Facility for local processing of single-stream recyclables by 2022.

 

• Ordinance 299-19 which would authorize the expenditure of $1,733,500 to repair sidewalks, curbs, drive approaches and streets damaged due to water, sanitary and storm infrastructure repairs and improvements. The dollars would be designated from available funds within the Department of Public Utilities operating budget.

 

• Ordinance 305-19 which would approve a real estate purchase agreement with Local 18 of the International Union of Operating Engineers for sale of a 1.5 acre portion of the former Clarion Hotel site at 2340 South Reynolds Road for $75,000. Local 18 is an adjacent property owner and will join the additional parcel to construct a new and larger office.

 

• Ordinance 308-19 which would approve $1,550,000 for the operation of the three city-owned pubic golf courses. The amount includes a $700,000 general fund loan transfer to offset lost operating revenue from delayed opening of the courses due to spring rainfall and poor course condition, as well as equipment costs.

All Council meetings, including committee hearings, 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.