Vandalia City Council Meeting – October 20, 2025

The Vandalia City Council met on Monday, October 20, 2025 at 7:00 PM. All seven council members were present. The meeting included the appointment of two board members, unanimous approval of seven resolutions, three ordinance readings, and council comments encouraging voter participation in the upcoming November 4 election.

Consent Calendar

• No consent calendar was used; each agenda item was considered and voted on individually.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public spoke during the Comments from Interested Citizens portion of the meeting.

City Manager's Report – Information Items

• The Halloween Hangout will be held Saturday, October 25, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Vandalia Sports Complex (free, all ages).
• Beggar's Night is scheduled for Friday, October 31, 2025 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

Action Items (Appointments & Liquor License)

• Ron Atkins was appointed as an Alternate Member to the Vandalia Housing Code Board of Appeals (motion passed 7-0).
• Kelli Back was appointed to the Vandalia Planning Commission (motion passed 7-0) and was sworn in during the meeting.
• Council voted unanimously (7-0) not to request an Ohio Department of Commerce Liquor Control hearing for a new liquor permit at 352 East National Road for Toasted of Vandalia LLC, DBA Toasted of Vandalia, as recommended by Chief Sucher.

Resolutions (All passed 7-0)

• 25-R-44 – Established a summer meeting schedule for June, July, and August 2026: meetings on the third Monday of each month (June 15, July 20, August 17) with study sessions at 5:30 PM and regular meetings at 7:00 PM. Special meetings on first Mondays may be held for planning and zoning items.
• 25-R-45 – Accepted tax year 2025/2026 amounts and rates as determined by the Budget Commission and authorized certification to the County Auditor. Revenue estimates remain at 95% collection.
• 25-R-46 – Updated Emergency Medical Services (EMS) fees based on Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rates. Additionally, Medacount will be permitted to send non‑resident clients to collections after the standard billing cycle; residents are not affected.
• 25-R-47 – Awarded preliminary engineering and design services for the Poe Avenue, Wyse Road, Miller Lane Resurfacing Project to Choice One Engineering Corp. (Sidney, Ohio) in the amount of $51,400. Total project cost is estimated at $1,228,560, with up to $843,334 covered by an STP grant through MVRPC.
• 25-R-48 – Authorized cooperation and contracts with the Ohio Department of Transportation for the Johnson Station Road Bridge Replacement Project (PID No. 120484). Federal funding includes $1,382,327 through the Municipal Bridge Program and $200,000 for preliminary design. Bidding anticipated autumn 2026, construction beginning January 2027.
• 25-R-49 – Authorized purchase and installation of safety surface for swing area improvements at Helke Park from Forever Lawn of Ohio through Sourcewell Procurement Contract #031622-FVL at a cost not to exceed $60,000. Combined with the swing equipment contract (25-R-50), total project budget is $111,000.
• 25-R-50 – Authorized purchase of swing area equipment for Helke Park from Landscape Structures (Delano, Minnesota) through Ohio State Contract #RSC026359-STS640 at a cost not to exceed $51,000. Combined total with safety surface not to exceed $111,000.

Ordinances

• First Reading – 25-26 – An ordinance rezoning 15.478 acres at 770 Bolton Abbey Lane from Residential Single‑Family (RSF‑2) to Residential Single‑Family (RSF‑4) and Agriculture (A) for development of 35 single‑family homes as Section 8 of Fox Fire Subdivision. The Planning Commission voted 2‑1 in favor of staff’s recommendation. Council approved the first reading (7‑0).
• Second Reading – 25-24 – An ordinance amending the City of Vandalia Parks and Recreation Fee Schedule. A public hearing was opened and closed with no comments. Council approved the second reading (7‑0). The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board had endorsed the fee changes.
• Emergency – 25-25 – An ordinance approving individual assessment amounts for delinquent stormwater fees, trash collection, sewer/water charges, weed cutting, and property maintenance, and directing certification to the County Auditor. A public hearing was held with no comments. Council approved the emergency ordinance (7‑0).

Reports and Financials

• Vandalia Development Corporation meeting minutes of September 9, 2024, and Board of Zoning Appeals meeting minutes of June 11, 2025, were approved without comment.
• The September 2025 bill listing totaling $4,912,288.96, monthly expenses over $25,000, and monthly purchasing card detail of $27,954.76 were presented.

Council Comments

• Councilman Follick urged Vandalia residents to research candidates for the November 4, 2025 election, noting three long‑serving council members are leaving. He highlighted the Chamber of Commerce candidate night (available on Facebook) and voter guides from the Dayton Daily News and League of Women Voters.
• Councilwoman Farst thanked staff for two evenings of budget workshops.
• Vice Mayor Blakesley welcomed new board members, praised the city’s healthy financial position, and reminded that council’s role is to provide services and maintain quality of life.
• Mayor Herbst thanked Kelli Back for joining the Planning Commission and recognized all board and commission volunteers.

Key Outcomes

• All votes taken during the meeting passed unanimously (7‑0).
• Ron Atkins and Kelli Back were appointed to city boards.
• Seven resolutions were adopted, covering summer meeting schedules, tax levies, EMS fees, engineering contracts, bridge cooperation, and park improvements.
• Ordinance 25-26 (rezoning) passed first reading; second reading will occur at a future meeting.
• Ordinance 25-24 (parks fees) and emergency ordinance 25-25 (delinquent assessments) were both adopted.
• The meeting adjourned following council comments; an executive session on real property sale was listed on the agenda but not mentioned in the transcript.