Lima council marks Ehora's last meeting

Jun. 17—LIMA — Lima council members congratulated councilwoman Peggy Ehora on her last council meeting as she takes her retirement.

Council also agreed to let the mayor accept a donation to construct a new memorial and to establish a new program to increase renting.

"This gift will go toward creating the Lima Veterans Memorial in front of the Civic Center and it will replace the bays that hold the trees," Mayor Sharetta Smith said. "It will honor all armed service veterans in Lima and Allen County."

The mayor said the monument will not be constructed until 2025, but the Civic Center is involved in communications and there will be ceremonies when it is built.

Smith will also establish the Rapid Rental Repair Program, which will set aside $200,000 for landlords to apply for $5,000 per rental unit to get vacant ones ready for rental.

"The program will launch tomorrow (Tuesday)," she said. "For more information, visit the Lima Department of Housing and Neighborhoods website (bit.ly/3KKzXts)."

"It's important that this be a functioning tool," councilwoman Carla Thompson said. "This isn't the first program this city has worked on to help landlords improve their properties. Your efforts have not been unnoticed in the community."

Smith said the program, along with the unrelated Rental Registration Program, is part of a larger effort by the city to improve rentals.

"It is another tool like rental registration that we are using to improve housing stock," she said.

Todd Gordon introduced the last resolution of the night to show appreciation for Ehora, who announced her retirement from council two weeks ago.

"I didn't know you before you joined us on council, but I love you," Gordon said. "I'm very grateful. I've learned things from you, and I'm very blessed to know you and your husband."

Thompson said she would carry on Ehora's tradition through the future.

"You came here with such honesty, passion and integrity," she said. "I just want to thank you because all those times I was emotional, Peggy made her comments and made it all sound sane and understandable. I'm not sad because you deserve this."

The city is asking for applications to replace Ehora on the city council website at bit.ly/3KTM0od.

Reach Jacob Espinosa at 567-242-0399.