Vandalia City Council Study Session - December 15, 2025

The Vandalia City Council held its study session on Monday, December 15, 2025, at 6:15 PM, ahead of the regular council meeting at 7:00 PM. Mayor Herbst led the session. Council reviewed the evening council meeting agenda and discussed the Cassel Hills Clubhouse hospitality contract, pool sand filter replacement, VFDF Review Board appointments, a year-end supplemental appropriations ordinance, Microsoft 365 renewal, the Golf Advisory Board, 2026 organizational appointments, and November 2025 financial reports. No formal votes were taken during the study session. An executive session was listed on the agenda, but no executive session discussion appears in the provided transcript.

Items Previewed for the Council Meeting

• Hospitality and Food Service Contract at Cassel Hills Club House: Mrs. McCracken reported the agreement was updated regarding special events and community groups, and two years of financials were added. Social Light representatives are willing to cover their portion of trash removal, which will likely require more than once-weekly pickup. The 1974 building is required to meet only the ADA standards in effect when it was built; no major structural changes are planned, so no upgraded ADA compliance is triggered. Parks and recreation staff will handle parking lot plowing and treatment, and golf course staff will clear sidewalks. The contract was reviewed by the city's legal counsel and aligned with industry standards.
• Cassel Hills Pool Sand Filter Tank Replacement: Staff recommended waiving bidding. Two quotes were received, both under the $125,000 capital budget allotment: Heater Plumbing at $63,320 and Swim Safe. The current tank is a 2006 model that has reached the end of its useful life.
• Councilmember Appointments to the VFDF Review Board: Chief Follick explained that the Ohio Revised Code requires two council members to serve annually on the Volunteer Firefighters Dependency Fund Review Board; the resolution would make those appointments.
• Clean Up Supplemental Ordinance: Finance Director Mrs. Leiter detailed a year-end supplemental appropriation ordinance. It includes $6,500 for drone training and $100 for candy, offset by grants and donations; two $822,225 transfers from the general fund, each described as 25% of unanticipated revenues, to the facilities improvement reserve fund and the job creation and revitalization fund; $1,000,000 to the hospital care trust fund for unexpected health care cost increases; and $5,048.34 to the crisis intervention training fund, with only partial reimbursement expected and about $4,100 from earlier in 2025 not reimbursed. Other elements include a $13,000 ARPA-to-golf fund cleanup, with the ARPA fund to be finalized and closed by April 2026; $118,000 to balance the court project fund because the 2025 budget was inadvertently reduced; retirement reserve reallocations from police administration to police operations and street maintenance; stormwater, police, fire, street, water, sewer, and OPWC transfer cleanups; a capital improvement fund increase for citywide floor care equipment partially reimbursed by a Bureau of Workers' Compensation grant; $23,700 for a side-by-side utility vehicle funded by donations; $14,521 for an EV charger replacement covered by insurance less the deductible; $33,169 for golf course irrigation-related rock removal; $21,500 for higher utility costs; and a $2,200 building standards assessment fund cleanup. Mrs. Leiter noted the health care fund began the year with a $25,000 balance and by law cannot end the year negative; 2026 health plan changes include higher employee premium shares and prescription coverage adjustments to address rising health care costs.

Discussion Items

• Microsoft Software Renewal - Over $25,000: Mr. Davey said the Microsoft 365 renewal will exceed $25,000 for the first time because the city added users and is migrating from in-house email servers to Office 365, not because of a price increase. The renewal covers 315 licenses and will be purchased through Xerox IT Solutions, the same company previously used after being bought out. It renews January 1, 2026, for calendar year 2026.
• Golf Advisory Board: Mr. Althouse led a discussion about whether to keep the Golf Advisory Board. The board was created when golf operations were under a contract operator, but golf staff are now city employees, and the board meets infrequently and has been largely ineffective this year. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board discussed the matter and favored absorbing the remaining Golf Advisory Board members as golf representatives until their terms expire. The law director said the board can be dissolved by ordinance and that the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board ordinance may need to be reviewed and amended as well.
• 2026 Organizational Meeting: Mr. Althouse reviewed proposed appointments for 2026, with formal votes scheduled for the January 5, 2026 organizational/council meeting. Noted appointments include Councilwoman Dugan staying on First Tier Suburbs, Councilmember-elect Emily Bradford joining it, Councilmember-elect Aaron Hathaway joining the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Councilmember Follick joining the Vandalia Development Corporation, Councilwoman Dugan moving to the Vandalia Arts Council, and Councilmember-elect Rick Ford serving on the VFDF Review Board and the Golf Advisory Board until it is dissolved. MVRPC and technical committee assignments remain unchanged. The vice mayor election will also occur at the January 5 meeting.
• November 2025 Financial Reports: Mrs. Leiter reported general fund revenues year to date are higher than budgeted and expenses are lower than forecast. Income tax revenue is 0.1% above forecast after factoring in refunds. The supplemental ordinance will make funds 260 (crisis intervention), 340 (OPWC), and 872 (health care) whole; fund 337 (CDBG) will receive reimbursement in 2026. The capital improvement fund is negative because of project timing and encumbrances, and the water fund moved positive in December.
• Legislative Calendar: Mayor Herbst asked about upcoming agenda items; Councilman Lewis indicated he had no questions.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken. The resolutions and the clean-up supplemental ordinance were scheduled for the regular council meeting later that evening at 7:00 PM.
• Staff will prepare an ordinance to dissolve the Golf Advisory Board and will review the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board ordinance if needed.
• Formal 2026 appointments, including the vice mayor election and council member board assignments, will be voted on at the January 5, 2026 organizational meeting.
• The city will move forward with the $63,320 Heater Plumbing quote for the Cassel Hills pool sand filter tank replacement, subject to council approval.
• The Microsoft 365 renewal will be purchased through Xerox IT Solutions for 315 licenses, effective January 1, 2026.