HILLSBORO, Ohio — Hillsboro City Council approved the emergency purchase of a nearly 200-acre tract along State Route 138, adopted a new artificial intelligence use policy for city employees, and voted to hand off two city-owned properties for redevelopment during its June 11 meeting, according to meeting minutes.
Council voted 6-1, with council member Heith Brown dissenting, to approve the purchase of 200.15 acres from the Marvin L. Wilson and Mitzi J. Wilson Living Trust at $15,000 an acre, or about $3 million for the full tract. Safety and Service Director Shawn Adkins told council the land, which includes an already-established subdivision, is identified for future growth under the city’s comprehensive plan and would provide a secondary access point to Liberty Park while supporting housing and business development. The seller’s cash-only offer was set to expire June 15, and council suspended its standard three-reading process to pass the purchase as an emergency.
Council also voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance establishing an artificial intelligence use policy for city employees, officials, contractors and volunteers. City Auditor Dawson Barreras told council his office plans to use AI tools for reconciliation, budgeting forecasts and reports, at a cost of about $1,000 a year, and said the technology could eliminate the need to hire an additional employee. Barreras said the police department could also use AI for tasks such as redaction and reporting, but not surveillance. He said he piloted the software in April and encountered some issues with reconciliation tasks. The policy was adopted as an emergency so it could take effect immediately.
In a separate unanimous vote, council approved transferring two city-owned properties — a Walnut Street property currently under a city receivership and a lot known as the Gross Feibel property — to the Hillsboro Community Improvement Corporation. Adkins said moving the Walnut Street property to the CIC would let the city put it up for sale rather than continue maintaining it. Mayor Justin Harsha said the initial plan for the Gross Feibel lot, located near a daycare, walking trail and football field, is to develop condominiums, though the CIC board will make the final decision on how the property is used.
Council also accepted a recommendation from its Community Enhancement Committee against pursuing citywide municipal trash collection, an idea some residents have periodically asked the city to consider. Committee Chair Cody Mathews said residents who attended the committee’s May 27 meeting largely opposed the switch, citing concerns about the impact on existing local haulers, potential service quality for elderly residents and the effect on recycling participation. The committee’s recommendation not to proceed passed unanimously.
Separately, council’s Finance Committee recommended restructuring how future elected officials are paid, tying compensation to annual cost-of-living estimates from the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System so officials can qualify for a full year of OPERS service credit. Committee Chair Gary Lewis said the mayor’s $25,000 annual salary has not been adjusted since the 1990s. An ordinance implementing the new formula, which would apply to terms beginning in 2028 and 2030, passed its first reading and will return for further votes.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Hillsboro City Council.
