Forest gives delinquent tax payers one last chance

FOREST — The Village of Forest is giving residents delinquent on their income tax one last chance to pay up.
Solicitor Jason Miller said 170 Forest citizens will be receiving letters asking them to pay what they owe the village in taxes.
There won’t be a second letter, he told council Thursday.
Miller said a letter will be sent to those who are in violation of the local tax regulations and those who ignore the offer to correct their situation could face legal action. Violators could be fined as much as $1,000 and be sent to jail for six months, said the solicitor.
“This is a last-ditch effort to collect the money owed the village before legal action is taken,” he told council. “This may be an untapped source of revenue for the village.”
He noted similar action has been taken in the City of Kenton with positive results. The funds need to be recovered, said Miller.
“If we don’t follow through with this, it may never happen,” he said.
Council also gave the first of three readings to an ordinance which would restrict the amount of commercial traffic in the village.
The new regulations are designed to reduce the wear on the village streets while still allowing for the delivery of goods to merchants, said Jason Miller.
Signs are being posted throughout the village in anticipation of the new restrictions, said  Village Administrator Bob Bristoll.
Council is also reviewing a draft for an ordinance on junk vehicle. Miller told council to look over his proposal, which is based on the Kenton regulations and is “a little toothier” than the current village law.
“This very closely mirrors the Kenton ordinance and I have never had a problem with the Kenton ordinance,” said Miller, who also serves as the county’s municipal district attorney.
Mayor Tom Seem asked Miller to research tougher regulations for the business buildings in Forest. He is working with the town’s planning commission to address some of the eyesores in the business area, said the mayor.
“Obviously we have some issues and we are trying to address them,” he said.
In other business, council:
- Discussed the proposed Buckeye Street and turned the plans over to the safety committee for input.
- Learned the former Community Improvement Committee funds paid for air conditioning in the all-weather pavilion at Gormley Park. A generator has also been installed at the building for emergencies.
- Learned the village fire hydrants will be flushed and tested next week and spraying for mosquitoes will take place June 21 and July 5.
- Agreed to make traffic changes for the Tree Town Festival and ban bicycles and dogs from the park during the festival and preparation for the event.
- Agreed to seek bids for a grader no longer used by the village.
- Agreed council would sponsor the main food booth in the all-weather pavilion during the Tree Town Festival. Council member Loretta Perkins will head up the volunteers.
- Discussed parking concerns at Ranger Park during soccer events.
- Heard Seem praise the accomplishments of Riverdale’s sophomore class in the Ohio Graduation Test results.
- Discussed the police department being involved in the Hardin County Crime Task force and special response team.
- Approved Matt Shark as an auxiliary police officer.
- Learned a property owner along U.S. 30 has offered space for the village to install a promotional sign or billboard.
- Agreed to advertise for an as-needed seasonal employee.

By DAN ROBINSON
Times staff writer

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Posted by Kenton Times on June 15, 2012. Filed under Local News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry