2 new panels discussed

The city wants to create jobs and lower medical costs.
By D.A. WILKINSON
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
SALEM -- Council is moving ahead with plans to create two new boards.
The first board of about five members would review requests to rebate income taxes to employers who create 10 or more new jobs.
A second board would be created to oversee injuries to city workers to lower workers' compensation costs.
Council members, meeting as a committee of the whole on Tuesday, fine-tuned the economic development proposal.
The ordinance, which has already been given a first reading, is designed to give a company a rebate of up to 50 percent of the city's 1 percent income tax on new employees for up to five years.
But council members said they wanted to do away with the "up to" provision and make the payment a flat 50 percent. Several councilmen said the companies that qualify will not be receiving large amounts of money.
Council members clarified that the ordinance would affect businesses that are either adding more workers or expanding their facilities and adding new members.
The plan calls for the tax administrator and other city officials to oversee the initial proposal.
Councilman Justin Palmer said, "Salem city council will have the ability to approve or reject it. It's not available for everyone."
Law Director C. Brooke Zellers will rewrite the ordinance and bring it back for a second reading. The ordinance could be changed again before it is given a third reading for passage.
Workers' comp claims
City Treasurer James Armeni told council's rules and ordinances committee that the city needed to create an injured worker review board. Armeni said he had has been paying injured workers their salary rather that having them seek workers' compensation at a higher cost.
From the financial standpoint, Armeni said, "that turned out to be the right decision."
Armeni said rather than making the decisions himself, the city should create a board involving the mayor, himself, and other officials, to review claims.
Under the plan, city officials will have to present information to workers about accidents as well as braces and supports workers can wear while lifting heavy objects. The city will also have to define what light duties injured workers can do while they recover. The city will also have to hire a doctor to examine the injured worker and report back to the claims board.
Those changes will have to be incorporated in the city's personnel policy manual.
Other matters
In other action, council's streets, alleys and sidewalks committee decided to stop discussion about cigarette butts. Councilwoman Mary Lou Popa had raised the idea of putting canisters for butts on the street or near restaurants, or enforcing a law that makes businesses responsible for the care of their sidewalk. Popa believes there are more butts on the street since Ohio enacted a strict smoking law.
The committee was told that the Beautification Committee of the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce is also looking at the problem. Popa said she would wait to see what the beautification group does.
Councilman Earl A. Schory II noted that under city ordinances, store owners can't put out planters or containers on the pavement. He said no one has been cited under the city ordinance since the city eliminated the meter maid who enforced it.
wilkinson@vindy.com