President of Council Marjorie Harlow called Council to order on March 19, 2008, at 7:00 p.m.

    The governmental body and those in attendance recited the pledge of allegiance. Mrs. McNear gave the invocation.

    Mrs. McNear took roll call. Present were Council members Danbury, Diehl, Galster, Squires, Vanover, Wilson and Harlow,

    The minutes of March 5, 2008 with were approved with seven affirmative votes. Mr. Wilson noted that on page one Treasure should be Treasurer.

    COMMITTEE AND OFFICIAL REPORTS
    Civil Service Commission – Mr. Vanover said there was no meeting in March. They did administer an examination for the position of Property Maintenance Inspector. One hundred-twenty applicants took the exam. A test review will be held March 20, 2008 after which the commission will certify the names of the top ten candidates to the City Administration.

Rules and Laws     -        no report
Finance Committee    -        no report

Planning Commission – Mr. Galster reported there was no new or old business. At the conclusion of the Planning Commission meeting there was a joint session of Planning and Council where they were given a presentation by Jeff Tulloch on economic development in the City.
   
Board of Zoning Appeals – Mr. Danbury stated the first item on the agenda was a resident at 743 Yorkhaven requesting a free-standing 10’ x 20’ metal awning to be used as a carport. Five years ago he was told he did not need a permit for a temporary cloth canopy. Because of the cost to replace the cloth canopy he put up a metal awning. BZA deliberated and denied the metal awning 0-7 as a second structure. The owner will replace the metal with cloth. The residents at 11840 Mangrove Lane have an existing shed that they want to replace with a 10’ x 16’ shed. This was approved 7-0.
   
Board of Health – Mr. Squires reported there was an administrative review of a smoking violation at The Boulevard. The owner was fined $100 for having two smoking violations within a two-year period. The Health Department was awarded up to $3,000 to be used to help educate and encourage employees to quit smoking.
   
Veteran’s Memorial Committee – Mr. Wilson said they looked at sketches for the statues this evening and made final approval of the sketches.

O-K-I    -        no report

Mayor’s Report – Mayor Webster reported the City has spent $119,353 on snow removal. We have a good supply of salt and have been able to lend some assistance to neighboring communities. Mayor Webster read a letter from a resident stating: “I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the fine job done by the Street Maintenance Department this past weekend for their snow removal efforts. Also, the telephone notification for the residents to be aware of Springdale’s snow emergency so cars can be moved from the streets was helpful. Keep up the good work.” This is the first time we have used the Code Red system for this purpose and it worked extremely well. If you did not get at least one call, I would encourage you to call the Police Department and get your name and number in the database.

Mr. Osborn stated I am going to give as much information to the Police Department as you want to confirm that they have current numbers for you. That would be the home phone number. If you would like your cell phone number and/or office number let me know.

Mayor Webster said I also got an e-mail this week from a lady in Heritage Hill stating, “I am writing you in regards to your piece in The Enquirer yesterday. I am so proud of the City of Springdale for the proposed ordinance of keeping the property in good condition and up to Code for those people who have rental properties. I would like to come to a Council meeting but my husband has had two strokes and can’t be out for long. Keep up the good work. I have lived in my house since 1961 and Springdale is a wonderful place to live and with your way, it will stay that way.”

Mrs. McNear said the notification from the Police Department shows up as a toll-free number. Is there a way to have the call identified as from Springdale?

Mayor Webster said we can critique the message and have it say Springdale but I’m not sure about caller ID. I don’t think we have a lot of control over the origin of the message because we contract for this service.

Clerk of Council/Finance Director – Mrs. McNear said I have a letter and a couple of CDs from the State of Ohio Office of the Attorney General for the Ohio Sunshine Laws for 2008 in my office if anyone would like to borrow them.

Mr. Osborn said I believe the material is a repetition of what we went through this fall. I am not aware of any recent changes.

Administrator’s Report – Mr. Osborn stated there is a gabion wall on the south side of Beaver Run Creek in the Chamberlain Park area that has experienced a partial failure. This is just downstream from the area where we replaced a gabion wall and did some improvements on the creek in 2003 or 2004. The intention is to try to make a repair there similar to what we did upstream. The estimated cost is $325,000 but there are funding opportunities that we may want to try to take advantage of. The Clean Ohio Act still has some money available to it. We would like to submit an application for 75 percent State funding and 25% City funding. The deadline for this application is April 4, 2008 so we need to bring legislation before you on April 2. If, for some reason, we don’t make this opportunity, we will have to wait until the electorate of Ohio decides if we are to continue this Clean Ohio Act.

Mr. Osborn continued Golden Tee of Tri-County has acquired the liquor license from Snooker’s. This liquor license came into the City on an economic development dispensation. We invited it in for economic development purposes. Before it can be moved, the City has to agree to the relocation before the Liquor Board will consider the application. I recommend that we do this. Golden Tee has been good citizens and their idea is to try to attract more business to their facility by being able to host bigger events. They may expand the building. We need a motion of Council consenting to the relocation and a letter from the Mayor affirming that the City Council supports it.     

Mr. Osborn said as part of our street program this year we are going to be doing a joint culvert repair with the City of Sharonville on Chesterdale Road on the south side of I-275. It runs from the northeast corner of the Kroger property under Chesterdale Road into that water course that is just on the south side of the expressway. It’s a sixty inch culvert. We estimate that the repair will be about $60,000. If that’s the case, I will have to come back to you for legislation authorizing this agreement with Sharonville.

Law Director’s Report     -         no report
   
Engineer’s Report - Don Shvegzda reported the SR 4 improvements at Crescentville will be advertised for bids this May with construction completed in late 2009. We have legislation before Council tonight regarding our part of the construction costs. The punch list items for Kemper Road Phase 3 are ninety percent complete. We will be getting with the Railroad to address items that involve the bridge and railroad around that area. The pavers, obelisks and story stones have been ordered for the Veteran’s Memorial. We have met with ODOT regarding the SR 4 southbound lane addition at I-275 leading to the westbound I-275 on ramps. We have reviewed the plans. There will be periods of time during off-peak hours where access to the ramps will be closed and a detour will be directed to Crescentville Road to SR 747 but those will be short periods for specific operations of the construction. That construction is not anticipated to start any earlier than the summer of 2009.

Mrs. Harlow asked about the motion to relocate the liquor license to Golden Tee. Mr. Vanover made a motion to adopt and Mr. Squires seconded. The motion passed with seven affirmative votes.   

    COMMUNICATIONS                     -         none

    COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE     -         none

    ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

ORDINANCE NO. 15 -2008 “ADOPTING CHAPTER 123 OF THE SPRINGDALE CODIFIED ORDINANCES PROVIDING FOR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL RENTAL DWELLING PERMITS”

First reading

ORDINANCE NO. 17-2008 “SR4/CRESCENTVILLE ROAD INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT”

Mr. Vanover made a motion to read by title only and Mr. Galster seconded. The motion passed with seven affirmative votes.

Mr. Osborn said four years ago Council adopted Ordinance No. 8-2004 authorizing an agreement with the City of Fairfield for Fairfield to serve as the lead local agency on this joint project that will add a travel lane in each direction on Springfield Pike at the Crescentville Road intersection. It will improve the signalization at that intersection and extend the double left turn lanes that go westbound to southbound. The environmental work, engineering, etc. has led us to this point and now we are ready to go out to bid. ODOT will sell this project and we expect construction to start this summer. The project currently has a cost estimate of $2,506,289 for construction and $250,621 for construction engineering. The funding will be provided ninety percent by the State of Ohio and ten percent by Fairfield and Springdale. Springdale agreed to pay $96,781 for our share of the project. I ask Council to favorably consider this ordinance.

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

Ordinance 17-2008 passed with seven affirmative votes.

OLD BUSINESS

Mr. Danbury said I want to remind everybody of the Reds game on April 19th. The Springdale Elementary will sing the National Anthem. Nine children will accompany each of the Reds as they take their positions. We are having an essay contest at Springdale and Heritage Hill to find out what kind of project they think will make Springdale better. Heritage Hill Elementary will lead Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the seventh inning stretch. The Color Guard will be there and a special guest will throw out the first pitch.

Mayor Webster stated SOS voted to select ten underprivileged children to take to the game.

Mr. Squires asked if the reception is large enough, is there any consideration for public transportation to get people down there?

Mr. Danbury replied we investigated that numerous times. It is $400 or $500 a bus plus $20 to park. I checked with Princeton Schools and they can’t supply buses for residents. Heritage Hill is using this as a field trip.

Mrs. McNear asked if it is still open to purchase bricks for the memorial.

Mr. Osborn replied yes, the deadline has been extended to June 1, 2008.

    NEW BUSINESS                     -         none

    MEETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Mayor Webster read a memo from Chief Laage: “Our 2007/2008 DARE grant was awarded in the amount of $19,181. Our application is always based on fifty percent of the DARE officer’s salary for nine months of the year. This year’s percent of the award compared to the original application amount was consistent with past awards.” Chief Laage wants to commend DARE officer Marsha Bemmes for her efforts in securing this grant.

Mrs. Harlow said Council members, your ethics reports are due by April 19 if you haven’t already done them.

BZA                             -         April 15
Planning Commission                     -         April 8
   
COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE    -          none

UPDATE ON LEGISLATION STILL IN DEVELOPMENT

Ordinance 15                         -         April 2
Zoning Code changes                 -         April 2

RECAP OF LEGISLATIVE ITEMS REQUESTED

Gabion wall repair                     -         April 2

Council adjourned at 7:46 p.m.

                        Respectfully submitted,




                        Kathy McNear
                        Clerk of Council/Finance Director

Minutes Approved:
Marjorie Harlow, President of Council



__________________________, 2007



       

City of Springdale Council



    March 19    2008