Chillicothe — Mayor Luke Feeney briefed council on budget concerns, brownfield remediation beside the Transit Center, and the Wastewater Treatment Plant gradually coming online.
That was in the first half of his briefing to the September 22nd, 2025 council session, before Feeney explained what was in (and not in) the park plans and their final renderings.
Just before the council session, and running a little late, the mayor spoke from the other side of the railing in a budget review session. He summarized that, in his later briefing to council and the public:
He said that this budget cycle will be the toughest challenge – not because of a lack of resources to bridge the gap of paper mill revenue, but because of all the uncertainty.
Continuing on the Pixelle issue, he said all city department heads have submitted their budgets, so the city is on a good timeline to figure out what to do with the significant revenue loss from the city’s largest employer and thus largest city income tax producer.
But because the city is still in a strong financial position, Feeney said “we can tread some water and get through” until more is known.
Feeney said council’s item number 1 was removed, but will be replaced, to make sure it’s done right. He said the transfer of the Tiffin School site to the nonprofit Ross County Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) will be one of the first times to use the CIC to develop city property, and they want to do it right.
He said it will ultimately lead to housing development, as suggested in the 2023 “Choose Chillicothe” city plan (city website page and website). See its pages from the study below.
Feeney pointed out that the Parks & Recreation facility at 89 Riverside St has been demolished via the Land Bank. The site will be the new visitors center, and now that the site is cleared, he says it’s easier to see its potential.
He said the Land Bank is also a facilitator of “brownfield” remediation funds from the state for each county. Ross County’s share was allocated to clean part the former CSX railyard the city owns next to the Transit Facility (which itself was built on a corner of the yard).
Feeney said it will be about $800K in remediation, with much dirt to move. Ultimately this will make this property developable within the city limits, possibly residential.
And the mayor said the city’s Wastewater Treatment Plant re/construction continues. New plant processes will go online over the next couple of weeks.
Since it is a reconstruction project – unlike Portsmouth’s completely new plant – Chillicothe’s processing will be phased in gradually.
Hear Feeney in his own words below. Council’s official video is also available (with better audio, though the sound was not turned on until the main council session) on their YouTube channel and as a Facebook video. Stephanie Renner (instead of Chillicothe City Trackers) also has hand-held Facebook videos of council: her part one and two.
Recommendations for the Tiffin School site, from the 2023 “Choose Chillicothe” plan:
