Wauseon City Council on Oct. 6 approved a suite of administrative and capital items, including four personnel-policy revisions, a memorial bench at Homecoming Park, new flooring for the municipal pool bathhouse and three emergency resolutions for engineering services, an Ohio Public Works Commission grant application and a contract for excise-tax refund services.

The actions were taken during a regularly scheduled meeting at the Wauseon City Council Chambers; most items were approved on unanimous 5-0 roll calls. Council also moved to pay the city’s bills through Oct. 6 and later voted to enter executive session to discuss pending or imminent court action.

Council members said the personnel-policy changes will add language addressing artificial intelligence, records maintenance, protected information and personal appearance to the employee handbook. The finance committee recommended replacing the pool bathhouse floors, snack-shack floor and the pool office at a cost of $23,650 to be paid from the special parks levy and recreation fund. The park board recommended placing a memorial bench at the pickleball courts; council approved purchasing a bench from the Wauseon Rotary for placement at Homecoming Park.

Keith Torbit, director of public service, said one of the emergency resolutions must be filed quickly to meet a grant deadline. “The grant has to be completed... it has to be submitted by the end of this month,” Torbit said during the meeting, explaining the timing for the Ohio Public Works Commission application. Council placed that resolution on an emergency basis and passed it the same night.

Votes at a glance

- Acceptance of prior meeting minutes (Aug. 18 council minutes and Sept. 11 Committee of the Whole): Motion by Councilor Sarah Heising; second Councilor Jeremy Simon; outcome: approved (aye; formal roll call not recorded).

- Personnel committee policies (artificial intelligence, records maintenance, protected information, personal appearance): Motion by Councilor Sarah Heising; second Council President Shane Chamberlain; outcome: approved, roll-call vote 5-0 (Council President Shane Chamberlain; Councilor Sarah Heising; Councilor Steve Schneider; Councilor Jeremy Simon; Councilor Heather Galbraith).

- Park board recommendation: place memorial bench at Homecoming Park pickleball courts (bench from Wauseon Rotary): Motion by Council President Shane Chamberlain; second Councilor Steve Schneider; outcome: approved, roll-call vote 5-0.

- Pool bathhouse, snack-shack and office flooring: cost $23,650 from special parks levy and recreation fund; Motion by Councilor Sarah Heising; second Councilor Gilbreth; outcome: approved, roll-call vote 5-0.

- Resolution 2025-15: Authorize the mayor to enter agreement with Fishbeck for engineering services and declare an emergency; final passage motion by Council President Shane Chamberlain; second Councilor Gilbreth; outcome: passed, roll-call vote 5-0.

- Resolution 2025-16: Authorize the mayor to prepare and submit an application to the Ohio Public Works Commission state capital improvement/local transportation improvement program and execute required contracts; declared an emergency; final passage motion by Councilor Jeremy Simon; second Councilor Steve Schneider; outcome: passed, roll-call vote 5-0.

- Resolution 2025-17: Authorize the mayor to enter into agreement with JP Mueller LLC for state excise tax refund services and declare an emergency; final passage motion by Councilor Gilbreth; second Council President Shane Chamberlain; outcome: passed, roll-call vote 5-0.

- Pay bills through Oct. 6: Motion by Councilor Steve Schneider; second Councilor Jeremy Simon; outcome: approved, roll-call vote 5-0.

- Enter executive session to discuss pending or imminent court action and invite the law director: Motion by Council President Shane Chamberlain; second Councilor Sarah Heising; outcome: approved, roll-call vote 5-0.

Background and funding details

Council members said the pool flooring work is being scheduled this fall to allow contractors to complete the work before colder weather; the finance report said the special parks levy and recreation fund have sufficient balance to cover the $23,650 cost. Council did not name the selected vendor during the meeting. Torbit said the OPWC application must be submitted by the end of the month for possible state funding consideration.

Council made several of the actions on the same night under the city’s process for emergency resolutions and final readings; meeting minutes will record ordinance and resolution numbers and the formal roll-call votes.

What council does next

Council scheduled an executive session after the votes to discuss pending or imminent court action; no public action followed the motion recorded at the meeting’s close.