CHILLICOTHE — Chillicothe City Council has indefinitely postponed a plan to lease the Foulke Block downtown for new council chambers, pausing a proposal it first took up in August. During its Sept. 28 meeting, council voted to table a resolution that would have authorized the mayor to negotiate a lease with the owners of the Foulke Block at 14 S. Paint St. for council chambers, meeting rooms and office space.
The measure would not have committed the city to a lease. It would only have allowed the mayor to negotiate terms, including renovation and build-out costs. With the indefinite postponement, those negotiations are on hold.
In other business, council put $135,000 in OneOhio opioid settlement money to work, adopting two ordinances by unanimous vote of all eight members present. The Paper City Mentoring Project will receive $35,000 and the Ross County Community Action Commission will receive $100,000. Council also authorized the city auditor to reallocate appropriated funds between salary and fringe-benefit line items for the rest of 2026, and passed an emergency ordinance appropriating $20,000 for postage expenses at the Chillicothe Municipal Court.
Public safety also got attention. Council waived the standard three-reading rule to approve an emergency ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into a financing agreement with Stryker Sales LLC for two LIFEPAK 35 cardiac monitors and related equipment for the Chillicothe Fire Department. Members also converted a part-time law clerk position to full-time, with both measures passing as emergencies.
