President of Council Kathy McNear called Council to order on January 18, 2006, at 7:00 p.m.

 

            The governmental body and those in attendance recited the pledge of allegiance.   Mr. Knox gave the invocation.

 

            Mr. Knox took roll call.  Present were Council members Danbury, Galster, Squires, and Vanover.  Ms. Pollitt and Mrs. McNear were absent.  Mr. Wilson came in late.

 

            The minutes of January 4, 2006 were approved with four affirmative votes.

 

            COMMITTEE AND OFFICIAL REPORTS

            Civil Service Commission – Mr. Potts said we are evaluating a request from the City to reclassify a position.  We have been giving it very thorough consideration and we anticipate a decision very shortly.  Secondly, we are reviewing our promotional testing process for firefighters.  We are initiating the process of recruiting a new field of candidates for firefighters.  It has been two years since our last test.  We will be advertising for the position shortly and will start administering the test the first week in March.

 

Rules and Laws                                                          -                       no report         

Public Relations                                                          -                       no report

Public Health, Safety & Welfare                                 -                       no report

Public Works                                                              -                       no report

Public Utilities                                                              -                       no report

                                                                                   

Capital Improvements – Mr. Danbury said the track switch for the CSX grade separation has been moved back until early March.  The completion date for the project is still September 2006.  The contractor is in the process of completing the work on the west side of SR 4 for the streetscape.   That should be completed in May.  The Kemper Road Phase III final plan preparation is underway.  Construction will commence this spring and be completed in the fall of 2007.  The Fire Department HVAC replacement will be re-bid in February.

 

Mr. Galster said in reference to the SR 4 streetscape west side, I noticed that the either some material over the concrete or the concrete is extremely pitted. 

 

Mr. Shvegzda stated I wasn’t aware of that.  It may be a curing compound that they use but we’ll take a look at it.

                                                                                   

Finance Committee                                                    -                       no report

                                                                                   

Planning Commission – Mr. Galster reported the first item was a request for approval for an elevation change at 11345 Century Circle West.  That was approved 6-0.  The development plan for Westminster Cottages at 11199 Springfield Pike was approved 6-0.  The Church of the Nazarene parking lot addition on their property at 11177 Springfield Pike was approved.  Two signs with a total height of 31 feet for Mallard Lakes was tabled at the applicant’s request. The final preliminary development plan for Tri-County Mall redevelopment was approved.

                                                                                   

Board of Zoning Appeals – Mr. Squires stated the Westminster Cottages at 11199 Springfield Pike are in the Corridor District and they are requesting a setback from the 100 feet required.  They want a variance of fifty feet.  They gave us a considerable landscape plan.  This variance was approved 5-1 with approval of staff as the presented landscape plan and with items 1-5 incorporated into a letter from Anne McBride to each member of BZA. 

 

Mayor Webster said they plan to have the present building razed by the end of March.  A good number of these units are pre-sold.   They expect to have everyone sold by the time they put the shovel in the ground.

                                                                                   

Board of Health – Mayor Webster said they passed the regulation for food service fees.   Our public health nurse has announced her intention to retire from the City as of March 31.  There was an ad in the Sunday paper and will be another ad this Sunday for a public health nurse.

                                                                                   

Veteran’s Memorial Committee                                  -                       no report

 

O-K-I – Mr. Knox said the last meeting was a housekeeping meeting.  They elected the same slate of officers that they had before and made a few changes in the trustees.   The board approved a resolution which would provide $362,000 for the US 50 Corridor Transportation and Land Use Plan Study which will occur in Dearborn County, Indiana.  All $362,000 is being provided by Dearborn County. 

                                                                                   

Mayor’s Report – Mayor Webster said our senior activity programs are going very well at the Community Center.  Since the first of the year we have had 350 new senior members sign up.  They had their first corn hole outing this week and twenty seniors showed up to play.  Line dancing is very popular also.  The non-Springdale residents are amazed at the facility we have there. 

 

Mayor Webster said I would like to share the letter I received from Chief Laage regarding the 2005 Foods for Fines Program. “The 2005 Foods for Fines Program was again a great success.  This was the tenth year we have conducted this holiday program and we had another very successful program in helping needy families and food banks in the Springdale area.  As we did in 2004, this year’s motorists paid their fines with ten canned goods and the appropriate State costs.  In 2005 we issued more citations than in 2004 and our designated food banks received a tremendous amount of food to give to needy families during the holiday season.  The City of Springdale has been most gracious in allowing the department to sponsor this program.  We have received very favorable comments from other law enforcement officials and residents regarding the program.  We continue to have residents drop off canned goods at the PD who never received a citation.  They just wanted to give something to a good cause.   Our City leaders are setting a fine example by helping some of the less fortunate in our community during the holiday season.   Your actions are very indicative of the caring, concerned community we live in.  This year, in addition to the two food banks we assisted, we were also able to assist three needy families residing in the City.  We received these referrals from the City Health Department and an apartment complex manager.  In addition to the food we collected from this program that we presented to the families, our officers contributed cash in the amount of $130 which we turned into gift certificates for two families and additional presents were purchased by an employee for all the families consisting of five children, three children, and one child respectively.  All the kids and the single parent in each family received a number of gifts for Christmas.  All our employees did a tremendous job as can be seen from the results.  We have the best people within the department.  It is a pleasure to offer this special thank you to all of our City leaders for their willingness to make Springdale a better place.”

 

Mayor Webster continued 304 citations were issued.  The amount of fines we relieved was $12,866.  That’s almost $4,000 more than 2004.  The organizations assisted were the Tri-County Soul Ministries Food Bank, the Vineyard Church and three Springdale families.

 

Mr. Danbury said Al Maupin is the one who came up with this idea and it has been emulated throughout many cities and states. 

                                                                                   

Clerk of Council/Finance Director – Mr. Knox said we had our tax session last Saturday for improvements to our tax form.  I’m happy to say no suggested improvements came forward.  However, we did definitely confirm that not everybody reads that form the same way.  The only solution we can come up with other than a longer form, is for anybody who has a question call the Tax Department and ask them, or come in with your question and they will help you fill out your Springdale tax form.  By the way, the last day to file this year is April 17th, since April 15th falls on a Saturday.  It used to be April 30th before the legislature moved it back to the 15th.

 

Mr. Knox said each elected official received the Ohio Ethics Commission Financial Disclosure Statement.  Any elected official must fill this out and they must accompany it with a $25 check.

 

Administrator’s Report – Mr. Osborn said we received word today on the continuous on ramp north of SR 4 onto east I-275.  We started the current round of going after this project in 2004 with an interchange modification study.  We proceeded to an application under the State of Ohio Safety Upgrading funding.  The overall project is pegged at $450,000.  We were advised today that we will receive $405,000 from the State of Ohio for that project.  Another element of this project will be widening the eastbound exit ramp off I-275 to SR 4.  Right now, it is designed as one lane but people make it into two lanes.  We are going to see that widened so it will provide for multiple lanes at the throat where it intersects SR 4.  This is a fiscal year 2008 project.

 

Mayor Webster asked does the northbound portion start at Glensprings?

 

Mr. Shvegzda responded the actual widening will start immediately north of Glensprings.  ODOT doesn’t want that additional lane to be continuous from the radius return of Glensprings. 

 

Mayor Webster asked is there nothing in this application for screening of the CG&E substation?

 

Mr. Osborn replied no, this is just for making the road improvements.  We have put landscaping out there over time and have asked ODOT to do other improvements but one of the things we have run into, is, if you get too close to Cinergy’s substation they get very nervous because of potential interference with their lines.  We had one landscape plan rejected by them because they were concerned the trees would get too tall and create a problem for them.  As we approach the project we’ll try to make that transformer as invisible as possible.

 

Mr. Danbury asked, when they widen I-275 are they just going to add a lane on each side or will we possibly get another bridge in case we want to widen SR 4?

 

Mr. Osborn answered all the work will be on the interstate itself.  There are no planned modifications to the interchanges or anything beyond the sound barrier walls.

 

Mr. Osborn said Mr. Knox’s office closed out the year end about a week ago and our final numbers show us about $145,000 better than the estimate I presented to you back at the budget discussion in December. 

                                                                                   

Law Director’s Report                                                 -                       no report

Engineer’s Report                                                       -                       no report

 

            COMMUNICATIONS                                                   -                       none

 

            COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE            -                       none

 

            Council took a recess at 7:35 and reconvened at 7:42.

 

ORDINANCE NO. 2-2006 “DECLARING THE PREMISES LOCATED AT 12065 GREENCASTLE TO BE BLIGHTED AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO TAKE ANY PROPER ACTION TO ACQUIRE THE PREMISES, ELIMINATE THE BLIGHT, AND PREVENT THE RECURRENCE OF BLIGHT”

 

            Mr. Galster made a motion to table until February 15, 2006 and Mr. Wilson seconded.  The motion passed with five affirmative votes.

 

ORDINANCE NO. 3-2006  “AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CLERK OF COUNCIL/FINANCE DIRECTOR TO ENTER INTO AN ASSIGNMENT OF OPTION AGREEMENT WITH KIR TRI-COUNTY 018, LLC, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY (WAL-MART)”

 

Mr. Galster made a motion to adopt and Mr. Danbury seconded.

 

Ordinance no. 3-2006 passed with five affirmative votes.

 

ORDINANCE NO. 4-2006  “AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CLERK OF COUNCIL/FINANCE DIRECTOR TO ENTER INTO A PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT WITH XANADU RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, LLC, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY (STC)”

 

Mr. Squires made a motion to adopt and Mr. Galster seconded.

 

Mr. Osborn said the City adopted an ordinance last November authorizing the sale of the property we had assembled on the southeast corner of SR 4/Kemper Road intersection.  When we proceeded towards closing, we found that the environmental cleanup on one portion of that site had not progressed to the point that we could move on to closing without delay.  So we’ve divided the assembled property into two parcels; the one parcel, about one-half acre, where we still have environmental work to be done; and the balance in a second parcel.   The larger tract of land will be sold under the language in the original contract to Myers Y Cooper.  The smaller piece will be sold to a wholly owned corporation owned by Randy Cooper, Xanadu Properties LLC.  The reasons for doing this is to segregate potential risk from the environmental contamination.  It is our belief that we will reach the required levels of cleanup in the short term.  In fact, this may be negated that by the time we get to closing it may already be at the point that everything is cleaned up, but just to avoid having to kill the closing date at the last minute, this mechanism has been put into place.  We are selling the property to the same party for the same development at the same cost. 

 

Ordinance 4-2006 passed with five affirmative votes.

 

ORDINANCE NO. 5-2006 “AMENDING ORDINANCE 52-2005 AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT WITH THE MYERS Y. COOPER COMPANY AND TO AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR AND CLERK OF COUNCIL/FINANCE DIRECTOR TO ENTER INTO A REVISED PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT WITH MYERS Y. COOPER AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY (STC)”

 

Mr. Galster made a motion to adopt and Mr. Wilson seconded.

 

Ordinance 5-2006 passed with five affirmative votes.

 

ORDINANCE NO. 6-2006 “AMENDING ORDINANCE 40-2002 REGARDING RATE OF COMPENSATION FOR AUXILIARY POLICE OFFICERS WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF SPRINGDALE, OHIO”

 

First reading.

 

Mr. Osborn said this is a housekeeping measure.  We had intended all along to peg the auxiliary officers at that first step for patrol officer.  That was the case in 2002.  The following year we moved police officers to a separate pay table but we neglected to bring the auxiliary officers along.

 

ORDINANCE NO.  7 – 2006 “AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CLERK OF COUNCIL/FINANCE DIRECTOR TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH  32 FORD MERCURY, INC., FOR THE PURCHASE OF ONE 2006 FORD EXPLORER AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY”

 

Mr. Danbury made a motion to adopt and Mr. Galster seconded.

 

Ordinance 7-2006 passed with five affirmative votes.

 

ORDINANCE NO.  8 – 2006  “AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CLERK OF COUNCIL/FINANCE DIRECTOR TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH  STATEWIDE FORD FOR THE PURCHASE OF TWO 2006 FORD INTERCEPTOR POLICE CRUISERS AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY”

 

Mr. Squires made a motion to adopt and Mr. Danbury seconded.

 

Mr. Danbury asked are these two new cars or are we replacing some?

 

Mr. Osborn said we are replacing two 2000 Ford Crown Victorias.  The mileage on those two vehicles when submitted to me in November for budget purposes was 114,281 and 130,684.  The last ordinance adopted was rotating out a 1991 Lumina.  We used to replace vehicles every two years.  We had to because we had just enough to get by and we had to keep them on the road all the time.  Over a six to eight year period we have expanded the fleet so we can rotate cars in and out.  Now we make vehicles last three and four years or more.   We had $50,000 budgeted for this and the cost is $42,434.  In the previous ordinance we had $25,000 budgeted and the purchase price was $21,727 so all these vehicles are being purchased well under budget.

 

Mr. Galster asked does the budgeted number include the fit out?

 

Mr. Osborn replied it does not.  We may have to tap into that in the case of the cruisers for some additional work if the changeover costs exceed what we have budgeted but we budgeted the change over costs in a different line item.

 

Ordinance 8-2006 passed with five affirmative votes.

 

ORDINANCE NO. 9-2006  “AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CLERK OF COUNCIL/FINANCE DIRECTOR TO ENTER INTO AN OFFER TO SELL AGREEMENT WITH DONALD R. AND CAROL ANDERSON FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 12065 GREENCASTLE DRIVE, SPRINGDALE, OHIO 45246, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY”

 

Mr. Danbury made a motion to adopt and Mr. Wilson seconded.

 

Ordinance 9-2006 passed with five affirmative votes.

 

OLD BUSINESS                                                         -                       none

 

            NEW BUSINESS                                                        -                       none

 

            MEETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS                       -                       none

           

COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE            -                       none

 

UPDATE ON LEGISLATION STILL IN DEVELOPMENT

 

Ordinance 2                                                                -                       February 15

Ordinance 6                                                                -                       February 1

Zoning Code                                                                -                       upcoming

 

RECAP OF LEGISLATIVE ITEMS REQUESTED      -                       none

 

 

 

Council adjourned at 8:07 p.m.

 

                                                                        Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

 

                                                                        Edward  F. Knox

                                                                        Clerk of Council/Finance Director

 

Minutes Approved:

 

Kathy McNear, President of Council

 

 

 

__________________________, 2005