President of Council Marjorie Harlow called Council to order on
November 18, 2009, at 7:00 p.m.
The governmental body and those in attendance recited the pledge of
allegiance. Mr. Vanover gave the invocation as Mrs. McNear was absent.
Mr. Vanover took roll call. Present were Council members Danbury,
Diehl, Galster, Squires, Vanover, Wilson and Harlow.
The minutes of November 4, 2009 were approved with seven affirmative
votes.
Neil Hartman – Visionaries and Voices
Neil Hartman said Visionaries and Voices promotes artists with
disabilities, both physical and mental. They are located in the Frame USA building and
there are sixty artists in the Tri County area. They had sixty-eight exhibits in the last
year.
Mr. Galster asked is any of the artwork displayed inside Frame USA? Mr.
Hartman replied yes.
Mr. Galster asked Mr. Tulloch if there are any planters left. Mr.
Galster said Frame USA was very involved in the bicentennial. If we have a planter left,
perhaps we could donate it to this organization.
Mr. Tulloch said there is a planter in front of Frame USA that was done
by Visionaries and Voices. It was probably the most attractive and art inspired planter
that was done. We may have one planter that was started and never finished and another one
that we could get to you.
Mr. Danbury said I’ve had the pleasure of going in there and would
like to thank the owner for all he has done for the City. He also contributed a lot for
Tony Snow. Some of the artwork is unbelievable.
Mrs. Harlow said the artwork would be a good venue for the
Farmer’s Market.
COMMITTEE AND OFFICIAL REPORTS
Civil Service Commission –Mr. Potts said we have been analyzing
testing procedures for classified positions. We conducted surveys of neighboring
communities concerning their policies and practices. We have researched minimum hiring
standards. We did an evaluation of whether written testing is the most appropriate means
for identifying the most qualified candidates or if qualifications were more pertinent. As
a result we were able to identify thirteen positions for which we will waive testing with
simple notification of the Commission and allow the hiring to move on with just the job
standards. This will expedite the hiring for these positions while ensuring that we get
qualified candidates. The Commission amended its rules to include some policies with
respect to furloughs if and when those should ever become necessary. We are putting
together an eligibility list for patrol officer. We are also in the promotional process
for fire captain.
Rules and Laws - no report
Finance Committee – Mr. Wilson said we have a tentative meeting scheduled for
November 23rd. I’ll defer to Mr. Parham.
Mr. Parham stated I know the original date for a meeting was November 23rd or 24th. We are
behind in providing the documents. The schedule called for me to have the 2010 budget to
the committee today. We are just now finalizing the five-year document and hope to have
that by the beginning of next week. I think we will want to have the annual budget
document put together before we have a Finance Committee meeting and it is doubtful that
we will meet the November 23rd date, but we will keep pushing forward. I am still
targeting the first meeting in December to have the document reviewed by Council but we
will have a document by December 16th for certain. There will be a meeting of the Finance
Committee before it is reviewed at Council.
Planning Commission – Mr. Galster said the wireless communication tower conditional
use permit for the11970 Kenn Road property was continued until December 8. There was a
variance request from the tree preservation ordinance by Kemper Pond at 1309 and 1333 East
Kemper Road. The applicant cut fifty-one caliper inches of trees down. The ordinance
requires that those inches be replanted and a $10,000 fine paid. The applicant showed a
landscape plan that replanted four trees with an offer to pay $3,000. This item was
continued. Mr. Galster said there was discussion about digital display signage and I
anticipate there will be something before Council in a couple of months.
Board of Health – Mr. Squires said Franklin County Court upheld the smoking violation
fine of $1000 of The Boulevard. There will be no mediation. Regulation R1-2009
establishing food service organizations, retail food establishment and vending machine
license fees was read for the second time. The following animals are trapped free of
charge by the Board of Health: skunks, raccoons, feral cats, and bats inside the house.
SOS is asking for donations for the Adopt A Family program.
Mr. Squires gave an H1N1 update: Fifty-five percent of the elementary school students have
been vaccinated. The Board of Health discussed this and would like to see it improved.
There will be an article in the December newsletter asking parents to reconsider getting
their children immunized. Four priority group clinics have been held and 276 doses have
been administered. Future clinics will be scheduled based on availability. We have
transferred 140 doses of vaccine to other providers in Springdale. The Health Commissioner
is in the audience to answer any questions Council may have.
Mr. Vanover said ODNR had a ruling that skunks, raccoons and opossums had to be euthanized
if we trapped them. Has that changed?
Mrs. Mitrione said there are six animals that if trapped on a resident’s property can
be released back on the property, but if they are removed they must be euthanized.
Mr. Vanover said we removed opossums from the list. Mrs. Mitrione said Springdale’s
list has changed over time. A lot of it has to do with the kinds of animals we are seeing
and putting a limit on it.
Mrs. Harlow asked are we still seeing repeat visits like if there an entrance animals can
get through to get into a house? The trapper is quite expensive.
Mrs. Mitrione said the policy was revised this year limiting all residents to one call per
year. Initially we were not limiting the number of animals but a resident who knew the
policy had a cage left at his house for months and after several months we received a
large bill for animals removed. The policy has since been revised to allow one week for
the trap and/or up to three animals.
Mrs. Harlow asked are we referring those residents to the Building Department so they can
get instruction on how to close the entry that the animals use to find their way into the
home? Some of the residents are on fixed incomes or budgets and if they had some advice
that would be helpful.
Mrs. Mitrione replied I am not aware that we are referring them to the Building Department
but the animal control company offers that service as well.
Mr. Galster asked is the number of families identified in the Adopt A Family program
similar to last year?
Mr. Diehl responded yes, it is forty-one and growing.
Mrs. Harlow stated Springdale will not be offering the Food for Fines programs this year
so if any of our residents would like to donate canned goods for the baskets that would be
good.
Mr. Parham said we are now at thirty-nine families for the SOS program as two dropped out.
I think the intent of the animal nuisance program was to remove animals from the home. We
then acquired cages that we allowed residents to use outdoors. The program has expanded
since then. As part of the new budget we are proposing to remove the City out of the
nuisance animal business. At the same time we are identifying vendors that have the
ability and certification to handle those animals that need to be euthanized.
Mr. Vanover said ODNR and the Agricultural Extension might be a good resource for
information. I’ve watched the nuisance animal program grow from $1,000 to over
$10,000.
Mr. Galster asked was the fifty-five percent vaccination rate at the elementary schools
across the board?
Mrs. Mitrione replied that was based on the three schools together. Calvary may have been
a little higher. Just over a thousand shots were given at the high school and junior high.
We did the second vaccinations at Springdale Elementary yesterday and will be at Heritage
Hill next Tuesday for the second dose. We will do Calvary Academy on November 24. We
offered flu mist to most of the doctor’s offices in Springdale. We gave the
pediatrics office fifty doses of a vaccine just for a population under three years old. We
provided Better Family Care and Physicians Associates of Springdale, and Dr. Niemes fifty
doses of flu mist.
Board of Zoning Appeals – Mr. Danbury said the resident at 156 Ruskin Drive asked for
a variance for a fence with the posts on the outside. She had a building permit which
stated the posts have to be on the inside. It was denied 1-6. The resident at 11811
Knollsprings asked for a variance to allow a utility building on a corner lot. There is no
back yard and a privacy fence is in place. This was approved 7-0.
Veteran’s Memorial Committee – Mr. Wilson said the memorial is ninety-five
percent complete. I would charge the next chairman to finish the story stones.
Mr. Galster stated we said at the last Veteran’s Memorial meeting we had determined
that we would have a celebration on every Veteran’s Day. However, because we just had
the dedication on May 24, we didn’t do it. We will have something next year.
Mr. Wilson said I forgot to mention finding a place for those who died on active duty
while in a conflict but not during a conflict.
Mr. Danbury said we have been working on two story stones about minorities who contributed
to making our country good. I’m sure the next committee will look at it.
African-Americans, Mexican Americans, Native Americans, women, etc. have played a role.
Mr. Vanover said the bricks are still for sale. Mr. Galster said right now the Springdale
Veteran’s Memorial fundraising committee is continuing to be a non-profit
organization. However, due to the amount of activity now happening, I can see that tax
exempt status going away in a short period of time.
O-K-I - no report
Mayor’s Report - no
report
Clerk of Council/Finance Director -
no report
Administrator’s Report – Mr. Parham said we are continuing to accept charitable
gifts and donations for SOS at the Health Department, and canned goods at the Recreation
Center and Police Department. The Food for Fines program has gone by the wayside for 2009.
I want to read a letter I received from a resident: “In regards to Cliff Radel’s
article today in The Enquirer I must say that I found it very enlightening. I took the
opportunity to write to him about it. I told him about the services Springdale provides
its residents. I also pointed out that while this article included dropping off
non-perishable food items, it did not mention how cash donations can be made to what I
call Food for Families Program rather than the Food for Fines Program which you had to
eliminate. Please accept the enclosed cash donation in lieu of non-perishable food items.
I hope your new program is successful. Sincerely, Robert Rom.” Mr. Rom donated a
check to the program for $100. I chose to match his wonderful effort and donate $100 to
the program as well. I think it is individuals like Mr. Rom who continue to prove why
Springdale is such a warm and charitable community and I want to thank him for his
donation and kind letter.
Mr. Parham stated I want to request a special supplemental ordinance for our next meeting
to appropriate additional funds for the health insurance trust fund. As you are aware, we
have a self-funded health insurance program, whereby employees go to their medical
providers and the bills are paid from the City coffers. To date we have a balance in the
health insurance trust fund of $123,000. The last three weeks of the program we paid out
$85,000. We still have six weeks remaining in which we have to pay claims as well as one
week in January. I want to request an ordinance for Council to appropriate an additional
$300,000 for the Health Insurance Trust Fund. To date we have deposited the entire amount
that was appropriated for 2009, $1,297,000. Hopefully, we will not have to expend the
entire $300,000 but we do know there is one very large claim in the amount of $59,000
coming. This is not our final appropriation ordinance for the year. We will have that
ordinance at the December 16th meeting.
Mr. Parham said Officer Bemmes will be accompanying the Calvary Church in delivering
Thanksgiving meals this Saturday, November 21st. The food we are collecting at this point
is not for Thanksgiving, but for the Christmas holidays.
Law Director’s Report - Mr. Forbes said I understand at the last meeting a question
came up about the 2010 census requirements. The 2010 form is a short form and only has ten
questions of general information. Title 13 of the United States Code addresses this issue
and provides that all respondents are required by law to answer all the questions to the
best of their ability. Anyone who refuses to answer the question is subject to a fine of
$100. Anyone who willfully provides false information is subject to a fine of $500. The
same law that requires you to answer all these questions also requires the Census Bureau
can only use that information for census purposes. It is not allowed to be disclosed to
any other governmental entity. The workers at the Census Bureau have taken an oath of
non-disclosure and they face fines of up to $25,000 for the improper disclosure of that
information.
Engineer’s Report – Mr. Shvegzda stated the SR 4 improvements at Crescentville
is complete. Punch list items are being addressed. The continuous SR 4 northbound lane at
Glensprings is complete. The Crescentville Road at SR 747 is complete. The SR 747 paving
project is complete. The SR 4 southbound lane addition at I-275 has been submitted to ODOT
for permit review. They anticipate that will be approved by the end of this month.
Construction will start in April 2010. Then Northland Boulevard repair and resurfacing
plans have been submitted to ODOT for their final review with a probable construction
start of April 2010.
COMMUNICATIONS
Mr. Wilson said I’d like to thank the residents of District 1 and
the City for the past sixteen years. We have accomplished a lot in my four terms and
I’m proud to have been a part of that. I leave Council in good hands.
Mr. Danbury said I also want to thank everybody who has supported me. A
lot of people don’t realize what we have to give up. We have to schedule our
vacations around meetings and show up for things. We miss baseball games, school plays, a
lot of things but it’s all worth it. It’s being able to make your community a
little better when you got in there. Growing up in Springdale I think it’s the
greatest honor for me to be able to sit up here and get the trust of the people. I look
out in the audience and I see two very capable people that I know are really going to step
in. I also want to thank Council members past and present and Administration. Just the
experience of being around Cecil Osborn for twenty years has been one of the most exciting
things for me.
COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE
- none
ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
-
none
OLD BUSINESS
Mr. Galster said at the last meeting we discussed the furloughs and you had offered the
five dates considered for closing the buildings. After the meeting I questioned closing
the Community Center on Good Friday and the day after Thanksgiving. Were you able to
address that?
Mr. Parham said I think the focus was more the day after Thanksgiving. We’ve decided
for that particular day, we will be on “Holiday Hours.” Holiday hours are 1:00
PM until 9:00 PM. We are also considering a few other holidays as well, such as Martin
Luther King Day and President’s Day. The issue is to also allow those folks who work
at the Community Center to have adequate time off as well. This means that will have four
days in which the Center is closed and six furlough days.
Mr. Danbury asked when is the swearing in ceremony?
Mrs. Harlow responded that will be December 1st at 7:30 p.m. Judge Melba Marsh has agreed
to do the swearing in. We are having a unity dinner afterwards at Pappadeaux. We look
forward to having a good evening.
NEW BUSINESS
-
none
MEETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Tree lighting
-
November 29
Planning Commission
-
December 8
Board of Health
-
December 10
Board of Zoning Appeals
-
December 15
COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE -
none
UPDATE ON LEGISLATION STILL IN DEVELOPMENT
Mayor’s appointment to Planning Commission -
December 2
Cost containment
-
December 2
Rate of compensation for auxiliary officers - December
2
RECAP OF LEGISLATIVE ITEMS REQUESTED
Appropriations ordinance
Council adjourned at 8:20 p.m.
Respectfully
submitted,
Kathy
McNear
Clerk
of Council/Finance Director
Minutes Approved:
Marjorie Harlow, President of Council
__________________________, 2009