Village of Plain City

The agenda for the Council Regular Meeting included the swearing-in of Plain City Police Officer Kory Majors and various reports from department heads and committees. Discussion items focused on scheduling public hearings for zoning code amendments (ZC-25-3 and ZC-25-13) and reviewing the Trash & Recycling Request for Proposals. The motion item involved approving the Final Plat for Maren Reserve Subarea B, Phase 2. Unfinished business included second readings for ordinances amending the boundaries of Community Reinvestment Area #2, authorizing electric and natural gas opt-out aggregation programs, approving a supplemental budget appropriation, and amending Pastime Park Campground Rules. The Council planned to enter executive session to discuss the purchase of property for public purposes.

Key discussion points included the status of recreation activities such as strong registration for the Bally sports Day Camp, Swim Team registration opening, and upcoming Easter events. Parks updates covered the near completion of the Dog Park fencing, renovation of the stage flooring at Pastime, and finalization of a tree planting event at Sugar Run scheduled for April 24, involving Amazon and The Arbor Day Foundation. Campground preparation involved gravel installation and cleaning, with an opening date set for April 1. In New Business, the Committee formally approved the concept for the Sugar Run Park.

The agenda for the Council Regular Meeting included an Annual Impact Fee Report discussion and a motion to authorize the Chief of Police to donate unneeded Tasers and holsters to the Tolles Criminal Justice Program. Key actions involved appointments to the Planning and Zoning Commission (Sean Gardner) and the Board of Zoning Appeals (Caylib Mason), alongside amendments to term lengths for members of the Personnel and Finance, CIP Committee (Logan Hogrefe, Beth Pothast, Lauren Giaimo, and Melissa Pollom). New business included the first reading of a resolution amending the Village Employee Policies and Procedures Handbook, and unfinished business involved the second reading of a resolution adopting the Madison County Local Hazard Mitigation Five Year Plan Update.

The Council Work Session agenda included discussions on a Data Center Overview, Residential Architectural Design Standards, and the Property Maintenance Code. An Executive Session was scheduled to consider confidential information related to an applicant for economic development assistance. Separate minutes for the Council Regular Meeting of February 23, 2026, detailed reports from the Mayor regarding community events like the Corn Carnival and Random Acts of Kindness, and updates from the Village Administrator on capital project bids. The Police Chief reported on community engagement events. The Council President noted future discussions regarding residential architectural design standards and data centers. The Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval for rezoning applications and a zoning code amendment. The Parks & Recreation Committee discussed the Sugar Run Park design concept and Aquatic Center employment. Other items included Fire Board appropriations and a discussion on implementing an aggregation program with NOPEC, detailing product options and next steps. Public hearings for zoning and rezoning applications were scheduled for April 13, 2026. A speed study for SR-161/Main Street was presented, leading to a decision to request a speed limit reduction from 40 mph to 35 mph in certain areas. Significant discussion occurred regarding placing residential architectural design standards into the Zoning Code. The Council also discussed proposed amendments to Chapter 735 (Mobile Vendors), focusing on permit fees, and Chapter 935 (Stormwater Utility), concerning billing tenants instead of owners. Finally, the Council appointed Bryan Adams to the Housing Council and tabled motions related to PUD-25-3 and PUD-25-4.

The committee meeting addressed several administrative and financial matters. Communications included updates on hiring activities for Maintenance Technician and Facility Technician positions, the forthcoming supplemental budget, progress on the comprehensive plan update, finalization of year-end tasks by Finance, and the transition of the audit schedule to annual status. The Police Chief provided updates on the progress of three police cadets in various training academies. New business involved the introduction of a new committee member, the re-election of the Committee Chair, approval of amendments to the Committee Rules and Regulations to clarify the five-member structure and institute term lengths, and consideration of updates to the Employee Handbook. The Handbook updates included formalizing longevity pay, vacation time transfer policies, sick leave cash-out process, jury duty guidelines, bereavement leave increase, and security/vehicle use policies. The committee recommended approval of the Employee Handbook amendments, including a proposed revision to the Police Department compensatory time policy to allow accrual up to 80 hours. The committee also formally recommended that Council approve awarding four hours of compensatory time to Public Works Department employees for their work during the recent snow emergency.