Councilors will be hearing from Mayor Sharetta Smith at the February 28th Lima City Council meeting. She will be laying out her framework for organizational change for the city. Smith also set some public meetings to talk about the disbursement of $26.3 million the city is getting from the American Rescue Plan Act. Lima got half of the funding in the summer of 2021 but didn't get the final guidance on the use of the funds until January 2022. Smith says the funds will be used to provide greater service and support to the residents and businesses of Lima. Some of the proposals the money can be used for include building a new city pool and improving housing and neighborhoods. The first citywide meeting has been set for March 8th at 6 pm at the Bradfield Center.
Council will also vote on hiring contractors to convert the town square into a roundabout. The cost of the project is nearly $1.3 million and is mainly being paid for by funds from the Ohio Department of Transportation. Construction is expected to start in the Spring of 2022 and be complete by the end of November.
Plus, they will also be voting on some changes they want to make for themselves, including raising the limit for contracts the mayor can approve without council approval from $15,000 to $50,000, and accepting communication during council meetings all at once instead of reading them one by one.
Council will also be looking to re-zone four properties along Bellefontaine Avenue from residential to business so a Dunkin Donuts can be built on that location.
Council will meet Monday at 7 pm in Lima Council Chambers.
