Green Council Approves RITA Tax Switch, Debates Flock Camera Expansion

Green City Council held committee sessions at 5 p.m. followed by a regular meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Members worked through a packed agenda. Topics included income tax collection, Flock license plate cameras, fiber optic construction safety, a school district land deal and a batch of proposed charter changes headed toward the November ballot. Income Tax Collection Moves To RITA Council voted 6 to 1 to move the city’s income tax administration to the Regional Income Tax Agency, known as RITA. Council Member Brandenburg cast the lone no vote. Finance Director Goodrich briefed the finance committee on the city’s midyear numbers. Overall income tax collections stayed almost flat through the first half of the year. They slipped just over two tenths of a percent compared to the same period last year. Withholding collections climbed more than three percent, a sign of continued strength in local employment. Net profit tax collections fell more than twelve percent. Goodrich said that points to softer business profitability rather than job losses. Supporters of the switch cited projected savings between 300,000 and 350,000 dollars a year. They also pointed to a lower collection cost through RITA compared with the city’s own department. RITA’s ability to cross check federal returns was cited as a way to catch taxpayers who are not currently filing in Green. Brandenburg was not convinced. He drew on decades of corporate tax experience with RITA and described long call center wait times. He also cited a reconciliation that once tied up half a million dollars of a former employer’s money for two years. Brandenburg estimated the switch will create a first year funding gap of three to four million dollars. He raised concern for the five remaining income tax employees whose jobs are affected. Other council members acknowledged the tradeoffs. They said the projected savings and stronger tax enforcement made the change worthwhile. The administration must still update the city’s tax ordinance this fall to match the Ohio Revised Code, a step RITA flagged as necessary before it can administer the tax for the city. Fiber Project Pause Leads To Safety Inspector Deal Council approved emergency legislation creating a fund to pay for a third party safety inspector on the Loomis fiber optic project. The move follows a string of gas line strikes across the city. Mayor Rocco Yeargin said the decision followed a June 25 gas explosion in Twinsburg that leveled a house during utility work. By the next morning, the mayor had paused fiber construction in Green. City staff then began reviewing safety practices with contractors already at work. Under the new arrangement, Loomis will pay for QCI to serve as an independent safety inspector. Summit County also uses the firm. QCI will confirm utility markings and watch for hydro excavation instead of manual digging near gas lines. Inspectors will also monitor the use of ground penetrating radar to locate buried pipes before crews dig. The legislation lets the city pay QCI directly and collect reimbursement from Loomis. City officials said the arrangement is not expected to cost the city money. Loomis is roughly 70 percent finished with fiber work citywide. The company told the city it needs about two weeks to remobilize crews once new safety protocols take effect. Council Member Neugebauer raised concerns during committee. He questioned the city inserting itself into a contractor’s project rather than sticking to its usual role of protecting the public right of way. The mayor said past efforts had not stopped the strikes. Those efforts included billing contractors for fire department responses to gas leaks. He called a dedicated safety monitor the strongest option left to protect residents. Council Debates Flock Camera Expansion Council reviewed 2026-R26AA, a second amendment to the city’s policing contract with the Summit County Sheriff. The amendment would add Flock Safety license plate reader cameras across Green. Under the proposal, the city would reimburse the county roughly 84,000 dollars over two years. The money would fund about 14 cameras. The Sheriff’s Office said it uses the cameras for investigations, warrant service and AMBER Alerts. Both residents and Sheriff’s Office representatives spoke during committee. Several raised privacy and security concerns about the technology. Council Member Meager pushed for language letting the city exit the contract if Flock, the company, is ever sold. The county did not agree to that provision, though it agreed to other requested changes. The item remains on second reading. A revised draft reflecting the county’s position is expected at the next meeting, with a vote likely to follow. Council Finalizes School District Building Leases Council adopted two companion resolutions authorizing building and ground leases with the Green Local School District. The leases cover a shared garage