St. Marys designated a Purple Heart City

ST. MARYS - City officials will honor veterans' service by designating St. Marys as a Purple Heart City.

More than 10 veterans, including some Purple Heart recipients, attended as city council members unanimously approved the resolution.

"Becoming a Purple Heart City doesn't mean the city of St. Marys will cater to the Purple Heart recipients. It means the city of St. Marys will look after all the veterans in the city," resident Joe Diamond, a Purple Heart recipient, said.

The city will display road signs noting the designation where state routes 703, 66, 29, and county road 33A enter the city, safety service director Greg Foxhoven said this morning.

Mayor Patrick McGowan also read a proclamation marking Aug. 7 as Purple Heart Day.

City officials purchased a Purple Heart flag which will be flown in Memorial Park under the city flag. They are also considering designated parking spots in the city for Purple Heart recipients, Foxhoven said.

Diamond and council member John Bubp earlier this year partnered to spearhead the designation, and council members in January approved having law director Kraig Noble draft a resolution.

Bubp said the medal is the oldest U.S. military honor and was first awarded to soldiers of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and was called the Badge of Military Merit. The medal was eventually forgotten but was revived in 1932 by Douglas MacArthur.

Commander Justin Arnold of American Legion Post 323 thanked city officials for the designation. Junior Vice Commander Will Thompson of Lima presented McGowan with a plaque.

A representative from the Martin Flag Co. of Fort Wayne, Ind., donated a handmade Purple Heart Flag to the city. The flag will hang in council chambers, Foxhoven said this morning.

Diamond, a World War II veteran, served in the Army Air Corps and was a navigator on a B-17 plane that took enemy fire in 1945. The plane was flying at 27,000 feet when it was struck by enemy bullets. His oxygen mask flew off his face during the encounter. The plane's engineer found him about 15 minutes later and put the mask back into position, Diamond said.

Council members also approved an emergency ordinance for two supplemental appropriations.

The first moved $16,048 from unencumbered general funds to the general government assessment fund to make up for revenue lost from the 2011 street program for costs not yet collected from property owners.

Property owners' portions of street projects typically are paid from the electric fund and then assessments collected from property owners are returned to the fund. The Auglaize County Auditor's Office a few months ago discovered the assessments were not being collected. They notified city officials about the situation, Foxhoven had said at a finance committee meeting.

Property owners can choose to pay their assessments in a one-time lump sum or over a five-year period. If they choose the five-year option, the amount is assessed on their property taxes, Foxhoven said.

Assessments started in 2012. Officials don't know the reason why collection stopped, and Foxhoven said no one is being blamed for the hiccup.

The uncollected balance was paid from the general fund to replenish the electric fund, and money would be returned to the general fund pending city council approval. Funds collected from property owners will go to the general fund.

The second supplemental appropriation moves $800 from the sewer fund to refund a sewer customer from Dayton who owns a home in the city.

The owner has been sending the city automatic payments for service although the property's water lines had been shut off, Foxhoven said.

The city has paid him a credit and the transfer would cover the cost and any potential future credits.

Also Monday, city council members,

• heard second reading of an ordinance approving paying a new fee schedule to pay Clemans, Nelson and Associates Inc. of Dublin for employee-relations work.

The city has used the firm since 1985 to help in personnel issues, Foxhoven had said previously. The firm has a $175 monthly retainer, which stays the same, but other new prices will begin starting June 1, 2017.

Foxhoven has said consultant prices will increase from $95 per hour to $100 per hour. Senior consultant prices will increase from $135 per hour to $145 per hour and manager prices will increase from $150 per hour to $160 per hour. The last increase was in 2011.

• heard second reading of a resolution authorizing officials to create a volunteer peace officer department fund. The resolution would allow officials to move $500 from the general fund to start the fund.

The fund would pay for any possible deaths or disabilities among the city's auxiliary police members.

• heard McGowan ask residents to follow the rules and guidelines for the spring clean-up day this weekend. Acceptable items are listed on the city's website, Foxhoven said.