New Philadelphia, Ohio (WJER) - City leaders are hoping to come to a final decision at their next council meeting on a contested ordinance involving safety permits. 

Council Monday heard continued concerns over legislation intended to require fire department inspections and permits for a variety of sectors and activities, such as food trucks and bonfires. Law Director Marvin Fete recommended they table the ordinance so the Safety, Health and Services Committee could rework it and address those questions.

“Putting it in committee and having them amend it in committee, then it comes back to the floor. As long as it’s on the floor,  it has to be amended by the entire council,” he said.

But when that motion was made, council tied on the decision. Council President Sam Hitchcock broke the tie by choosing to keep the ordinance on the agenda while it’s edited for a fifth reading.

“The intent, of course, is to clarify those definitions that you mentioned. We’re well aware that there’s a lot of vagueness in that. The intent is going to be to straighten that out so that everything is very clear and understandable,” he said.

Once any changes are made, council will have to approve those as a whole before they can decide on the ordinance. Hitchcock says he expects that to happen during the next meeting on March 25th. 

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