NEW PARIS — During a New Paris Village Council meeting on Monday, June 1, council voted to waive income tax late payment fees and penalties which had been accrued by the Northwest Fire and Ambulance District.
According to Resolution 2020-06, which was approved, the Northwest Fire and Ambulance District had accrued $4,772.33 in late payment penalties and interest during a period of time in which the district’s income taxes were not paid due to the misconduct of a former employee.
The unpaid income taxes, not including the late payment fees and penalties, were discovered by district employees, and have since been paid in full.
Due to the actions of the former employee, the Northwest Fire and Ambulance District asked for the late payment fees and penalties to be waived.
“…the Northwest Fire and Ambulance District has come forward to ask, as a taxing entity which shares the tax base with the village of New Paris, that relief of the debt of penalties and interest on said delinquent taxes be forgiven in full or in part,” Mayor Kathy Smallwood read from the resolution.
Before voting on the resolution, Mayor Smallwood stressed this is not how the council would normally conduct business regarding late payment, but is making an exception due to the circumstances.
“…and be it further resolved that this action is taken due to the special circumstances stated above and is in no way to be interpreted as the normal practice of the council of the village of New Paris, Preble County, Ohio,” Mayor Smallwood read.
The resolution was approved unanimously.
In other business:
•Council proposed decreasing the monthly amount sent from the general fund to the street maintenance and matching funds from $6,000 to $3,500 per month.
Mayor Smallwood cited general financial concerns as well as the decrease in the Community Development Block Grant from $65,000 to $58,400, stating that they will need to make up the remaining funds of $71,600 for the Cardinal Hill Reconstruction Project. This resolution, Resolution 2020-08, passed unanimously.
•A representative from the New Paris Presbyterian Church, Joan Steinberger, presented council with an American flag from the now-defunct church.
“As most of you know, the New Paris Presbyterian Church has closed its doors as of March 10, 2020, because of low attendance and it could not keep up expenses,” Steinberger said. “The church was dedicated December 9, 1894, and the building cost $5,689.65. It’s reported to be the finest example of architecture in southwest Ohio. Several items have been removed from the building. On behalf of the members, it is my pleasure to present one of those items to the mayor of New Paris and the New Paris Village Council. The United States flag, which has stood on this stage for decades, is now the property of the village government of New Paris, Ohio.”
•Council approved Resolution 2020-07, the annual statement of salaries.
•The New Paris Police Department activity report for May showed 83 calls for service, 13 reports, two citations, seven warnings and two arrests.
The next meeting of the New Paris Village Council will be held on July 6, at 7 p.m. in the New Paris Village Building.
