Ashtabula Council Splits 4 to 2 on Rental Property Tax Abatement, Advances New House Numbering Rule
The Ashtabula City Council weighs how far its paving levy and budget reserves can stretch, debates tax abatements for new rental housing, and wrestles with enforcement limits on property maintenance and fireworks. Council members also discuss sanitation cart changes, inspection staffing needs, and new rules on tobacco sales and house numbering. 46mins
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Original Meeting
Monday, August 3rd, 2026
7362.661
August 3, 2026 Pre-Council and Regular Council Meeting (August 03, 2026)
In This Video
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The City Manager requested an ordinance to purchase a Ford Maverick, updated council on ongoing bids for city liability insurance, thanked staff, volunteers, and the community for a successful fireworks festival, and asked for an executive session to discuss potential property transactions.
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The City Manager updated council on progress with new sidewalks, lighting, and the Collins Boulevard project, while Council Member Mills highlighted concerns over a proposed $130,000 sidewalk change order that staff viewed as too costly compared to similar work.
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Council Member Guerriero relayed a resident’s request for a caution sign on Columbus Avenue and asked about stump removal on West 9th Street, and the City Manager explained placement concerns for the sign and outlined the process and timing for city crews to remove tree stumps.
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A speaker suggested clear downtown signage to prohibit bikes and scooters on sidewalks, and the City Manager confirmed the law against such sidewalk use while explaining that reports of cars parked on lawns should be directed to planning and community development because vehicles must be on approved surfaces.
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A speaker asked about creating a memorial for the last Titanic survivor who lived locally, and the City Manager explained that the Parks Board had discussed working with the Marine Museum to place a plaque on its property, which would not require council action.
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Finance Director Kan presented an ordinance for a $35,000 supplemental appropriation to the State County Municipal Roads Public Works Fund and an ordinance to adopt a General Fund reserve policy, which prompted a brief clarification question from the President of Council about comparative reserve percentages.
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Finance Director Kan reviewed the city’s current reserve level of 46% against a target range of 16.67–50% and explained that council could set higher goals, while emphasizing that enterprise funds should first raise fees before receiving any general fund subsidies to avoid functioning as bailouts.
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A speaker requested an ordinance to grant a victim advocate vacation credit for prior county service, the City Manager clarified this matched existing policy on recognizing service at other political subdivisions, and the speaker noted that the advocate had recently been applying for various state and federal grants.
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President of Council Roskovics stressed the need to place families at Harbor Ridge before school started to avoid disruption, while a speaker explained that building inspectors had denied approval and that the city was working to clarify apartment requirements for the owner, noting that noncompliance would leave the city with limited options.
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President of Council Roskovics asked about inspections and readiness of renovated Route 20 apartments near Taco Bell, and the City Manager reported that 12 of the planned 24 units would be inspected and brought online first, emphasizing the quality of the renovations and the need for the added housing.
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Clerk of Council Millberg reported that Class C and D liquor permits were up for renewal on October 1st and invited council to file any objections to specific retail establishments before renewals were processed.
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President of Council Roskovics announced upcoming committee meetings, including a community and economic development session featuring Policy Matters Ohio to discuss data centers and a possible moratorium, and a finance and personnel meeting scheduled for August 21st.
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Council Member Mills referenced staff’s cleanup after a recent microburst and asked whether a $35,000 tree removal increase was related, and the City Manager clarified it stemmed from contracted removal bids rather than storm work while explaining the city’s obligation to clear fallen trees from roads and fully remove those in the tree lawn.
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Council Member Mills confirmed with the City Manager that Koski had begun grinding work for the 2026 paving on Dunbar and nearby streets, with the project still expected to be completed by August 28th.
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Council Member Mills reported on sanitation cart delivery timing and route adjustments, confirmed a split rear loader truck demo had been postponed, and outlined a potential 13‑month lease option that would allow simultaneous refuse and recycling collection while comparing lease costs to current maintenance expenses.
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Council Member Mills reported that the EPA had questioned data from the initial mixing zone study and set an end‑of‑August deadline for a second study related to relocating an outfall, and also noted that a lateral push camera was damaged during a private property inspection, requiring a $6,000 repair.
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Council Member Mills reviewed quality controls for paving inspections, clarified that interest earnings already folded into the general fund could not boost the paving budget, and relayed the City Manager’s update that a major Lake Avenue water line and full curb reconstruction project would far exceed current paving levy revenues.
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Council Member Guerriero introduced an ordinance requiring house numbers on the backs of homes with alley driveways to aid emergency and delivery services, while the City Manager noted that a compliance deadline discussed earlier was not in the current draft and mentioned ongoing coordination with a property owner, public works, and a fence company on related issues.
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President of Council Roskovics briefly updated council on upcoming Planning Commission and Historic Preservation meetings, while a speaker voiced general support for tax abatements but opposed a specific request for a long‑term rental property due to already high local rental rates.
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Council Member Guerriero stated support for the tax abatement but raised concerns about illegible signatures on applications and suggested requiring both printed names and signatures.
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Council Member Guerriero supported tax abatements but questioned how to gauge their impact without knowing future tax amounts, the City Manager explained the city’s relatively small share of property taxes and that values are set after construction, and President of Council Roskovics outlined concerns with routinely approving 100% seven‑year abatements while defending council against suggestions that decisions were made without careful thought.
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Council Member Guerriero and Council Member Mills expressed strong support for a tax abatement on a new long-term rental home built on a formerly vacant lot, while the City Manager emphasized that future income, sewer, and garbage revenues from occupants would benefit the city once the property is occupied and taxed after the abatement period.
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A speaker outlined that agenda items had to be specifically requested through the Clerk of Council, invited any request to place an item on the August 17th agenda, and President of Council Roskovics explained the ordinance had gone through multiple revisions based on council feedback and was ready for consideration while remaining open to further questions and timing clarity.
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President of Council Roskovics questioned whether previously discussed changes were reflected in a draft ordinance, and the City Manager explained that while staff sometimes draft legislation, it was routinely reviewed and adjusted by the solicitor’s office before approval.
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A council member reflected on whether the city’s priorities matched residents’ top concerns about property conditions and road maintenance, urging regular reevaluation of budget and policy focus and inviting colleagues to share what they were hearing in their wards.
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City Manager Timonere responded to concerns about property and road enforcement by defending inspectors’ work, highlighting low court penalties for violations as discouraging and embarrassing for staff, and urging more support and cooperation from residents.
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A speaker described unresolved property and fireworks cases facing higher fines, emphasized safety concerns, and explained that enforcement depended on evidence gathered by two building inspectors sharing one vehicle and moving only as fast as the court process allowed.
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A speaker asked council to prioritize funding for more inspections, and City Manager Timonere and President of Council Roskovics outlined current staffing and paving efforts while explaining that adding positions like a zoning inspector would depend on balancing next year’s budgeted expenses against projected income.
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City Manager Timonere outlined how past road assessments required detailed frontage calculations and long-term bonding that added interest costs, advised that council would likely need to repeal the paving levy before returning to assessments, and responded to Council Member Mills by noting that voters’ continued support for paving levies reflected the visibility and importance of street work.
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President of Council Roskovics questioned whether the money paid to outside engineers could have supported an in‑house engineering department, and City Manager Timonere explained that maintaining such a department would require multiple specialized inspectors and staff with broad technical expertise beyond what the city could reasonably provide.
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A speaker asked whether higher rental permit fees could fund an additional inspector, and City Manager Timonere responded that current fees were comparable to nearby communities while emphasizing that adding staff would require council to decide which existing services to reduce in order to reallocate limited funds.
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Clerk of Council Millberg read the titles of several proposed ordinances, including a CRA tax abatement agreement for a new dwelling, adoption of a General Fund reserve policy, supplemental road fund appropriations, and updates repealing and replacing the city’s tobacco sales penalty provisions.
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Council Member Guerriero proposed adding a November 1st enactment date to Ordinance 142, and President of Council Roskovics led council in approving the change and directing the Clerk of Council to include the date in the ordinance reading.
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Council Member Mills asked who would send notification letters about the new house numbering requirements and whether both tenants and out-of-town owners would receive them, and City Manager Timonere responded that a decision had not yet been made but would be worked out.
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City Manager Timonere agreed to revise non-union benefit language so prior county service would still be recognized despite short breaks in employment, while a speaker emphasized that the employee’s brief gap made the proposed ordinance granting vacation credit both necessary and deserved.
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City Manager Timonere explained that a nearly $30,000 vehicle was being funded by foregoing new police vehicles and some public works equipment purchases, and President of Council Roskovics then invited citizens to address council during public comment.
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President of Council Roskovics stated their name and residential address as they began addressing council during the public comment period.
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A speaker returned to council after an absence to thank concerned residents, urge that citizen issues be openly brought to the floor, commend the mayor for explaining city spending, and call on council members to show greater respect toward one another during meetings.
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President of Council Roskovics asked about planned repairs for Spencer Avenue and whether residents would be required to use city-issued recycling and trash cans, and City Manager Timonere responded that Spencer was not on the current paving list and confirmed that the new program would mandate use of the provided containers.
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City Manager Timonere raised the issue of how to handle residents’ existing trash cans when new carts are rolled out, noting that sanitation staff had previously taken some back and that the city needed to consider options for disposing of unwanted cans.
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Clerk of Council Millberg read an ordinance authorizing a 100% seven‑year CRA tax abatement for new residential dwellings on East 15th Street, and President of Council Roskovics questioned the consistency of opposing an abatement for a single rental property while granting abatements for larger apartment projects.
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Council Member Mills and President of Council Roskovics emphasized that tax abatements supported economic growth and housing affordability amid rising construction costs and interest rates, and council ultimately passed the abatement ordinance on a 4–2 vote.
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President of Council Roskovics led council in placing Ordinances 137–140 on the consent agenda, waiving their readings, and approving all of the items unanimously by a 6–0 vote.
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Clerk of Council Millberg read the titles of Ordinances 141 and 142, which repealed and replaced codified section 1329.03 regarding the placement of numbers on buildings.
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Clerk of Council Millberg read ordinances repealing and replacing the city’s tobacco penalty chapter to impose new fines and license suspension criteria for sales to persons under 21, and President of Council Roskovics recorded their passage by a 6–0 vote.
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Council Member Mills announced a ribbon cutting for a new pediatric occupational therapy business specializing in neurodivergent and developmentally disabled children, highlighted a story reading by a young author on the spectrum, and shared details about a local food distribution program providing meat and other staples to anyone in need.
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