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Town Hall won't be built in Burton
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - November 30, 2011)
Town Hall won't be built in Burton
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Burton Village Council chose not to move forward Monday with a proposal to spend a windfall toward a new village hall.
Councilman Gerald Rouge asked council to consider a resolution that would set aside $200,000 of the approximately $650,000 windfall to purchase land or renovate a village building for use as village hall. The $650,000 was received by the village as inheritance taxes from two families this year.
Mr. Rouge asked that the measure be hurried through council by waiving the required three readings for legislation. However, the proposal to waive readings failed to garner the required five votes and failed by a 3-3 vote.
The measure will now remain on first reading.
Mr. Rouge, who has served just more than eight full terms as a councilman, said he has repeatedly seen the village pass up opportunities to further the its future.
"This is where history lives and progress dies," Mr. Rouge said.
Over the years, he said, he has seen the village pass up opportunities to acquire land for the village, increase revenues through annexation and opposed development.
"I've watched a lot of things pass through and a lot of opportunities missed," he said.
He said many of the village's representatives believe the money should be used for infrastructure projects, such as street or sewer repairs, but the purchase of land or a building would have a lasting effect, rather than a short-term one.
The village often spends money for items that reflect the pride of the community, such as for repair of headstone foundations or flower baskets, rather than necessities such as infrastructure repairs, Mr. Rouge said.
"It's because we're proud of our town," he said. "It's not too much to ask that we've had this windfall opportunity that we put some money aside."
He said the Ohio Historical Society, which held a day-long seminar recently in the village, showed interest in preserving the village's historic district and pledged to find grant money for restoration work if the village bought one of the historic buildings.
The village currently uses the second floor of the Burton Public Library. While the village owns the building, it has a 99-year lease with the library for $1 a year for its use.
Mr. Rouge said he was tired of seeing opportunities missed and called on council to move forward with his resolution.
"Isn't it about time we started thinking about the future of the village rather than a new sewer line?" he asked.
Mayor Thomas Blair Sr. said he supported Mr. Rouge's proposal, calling it a "good idea" for the village. He said he believed the families who paid the inheritance taxes would be "pleased and proud" to see the money used for something that has a lasting effect on the village.
Council members Linda Swaney, Craig Ronyak and Charles Hauser opposed moving the measure forward quickly, but offered no comment with their vote.
However, at a November meeting, Mr. Ronyak said he opposed spending the money for such a purpose, citing the need to repair aging waterlines.
"With the other problems we have, I don't think we should be worrying about that," he said.
Council has canceled its second meeting for the month because of the holidays. There are no more expected meetings before the start of the new year. By the time the measure is taken up again, there will be a change in the makeup of council with the addition of a member and a new mayor.
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