LIMA (WLIO) - Tonight, at Lima City Hall, Council Members and the Lima community joined Lima Council President Jamie Dixon and Lima Mayor Sharetta Smith to kick off the new year.
Smith delivered her year-end report for 2023 that featured some updates on several of the city's key projects including downtown streetscape improvements, cable road improvements, and more from her "Walking-the-Wards" events from this past year.
Also on the evening's agenda, both Council President Dixon and Council Members passed a Landlord Registry, an ordinance that has been in the makings for years, regarding rental housing.
"The standard or American Dream is to have everybody own their homes, but we know that everybody doesn't want to be a homeowner. Some people are just coming through this city because they are coming in for work, they're coming in for jobs, or just don't have the means to be a homeowner. So, putting these qualifications into place and these standards, it will hold people responsible for their properties; because ultimately, the landlords are most likely in this business of doing business because they are making money off the business," stated Jamie Dixon, Lima Council President.
Lima Mayor Sharetta Smith added, "One of the great accomplishments throughout the year was that we continued our second year of "Walking the Wards." So overall, we were able to resolve 157 issues, and what's unique about those issues are those are the issues that residents pointed out to us as we got out with them and talked with them."
Mayor Smith announced that "Walking the Ward" will make a return for the new year, which will officially kick off in spring of 2024.
