Hilliard · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Hilliard public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
2027 Community Grants Program distribution
Council decides each year how to split $200,000 among local nonprofits. This year it gave out $166,000, favoring long-standing Hilliard institutions and food security, and declined requests that would pay individual salaries or fund service clubs, churches, and media.
2027 Capital Improvement Budget
Council got its first look at a roughly $33.9 million 2027 capital budget. About $5 million should come back in grants. Full department presentations were pushed to the next committee-of-the-whole meeting, with a second reading November 9.
2027 Operating Budget
The proposed 2027 operating budget is balanced, with modest department increases and investments in staffing and service levels. Council will take final action later in October after a public hearing.
City Hall and Public Service Building renovation
City Hall, the aquatics center, and the Joint Safety Services Building all need attention, and council is weighing debt versus cash to pay for it. A facilities master plan is due by October 2026.
Big Darby Accord impact fee review
A resident argued the famous "20,000 units" figure is being misread as a growth target when it reflects 2006 zoning. He warned that shifting development east requires first buying land for conservation to retire development rights.
2026 Franklin County property value reassessment
The county Auditor's office is updating property values, and the changes vary wildly by neighborhood — some areas east of Dublin Road appear to have doubled. Council members flagged data problems in places like River Landing and urged residents to review and challenge their tentative valuations.