President of Council Kathy McNear called Council to order on April 4, 2007, at 7:00 p.m.

    The governmental body and those in attendance recited the pledge of allegiance.

    Mr. Knox took roll call. Present were Council members Danbury (7:05 p.m.), Galster, Harlow, Squires, Vanover, Wilson and McNear.

    The minutes of March 21, 2007 were approved with six affirmative votes.

    COMMUNICATIONS

    Mr. Knox said the first communication pertains to a city ordinance about dogs on leashes: “I have a neighbor in Oxford Hills who walks her lab on a retractable lease and lets it come all the way up to my Greencastle property’s porch, the garage door and landscaping across the entry walkway. It is very distressing to my dog that is inside and can see her and her dog. I told her I didn’t really appreciate her letting her dog have free access to my entire front yard. I think the sidewalk and parking strip should be enough space for her dog walking. She showed her disgust at me by huffing at me and walking away. I don’t want to be nasty but she has done this before. In fact, just the past weekend she did it. As I came out of my garage from my kitchen I found her dog right in my path almost to the door. Isn’t that pushing the leash ordinance? If I had been coming out of the garage with my dog it could have been very confrontational. My dog was attacked ten years ago by a dog that charged us in the same location but that dog wasn’t on a leash but with the same possibility of injury if the dog attacked. The owner was ten to fifteen feet from her dog on the public sidewalk where I think the dog should have been. I think the leash is meant to be four to five feet long and those retractable ones can go out to twenty feet plus. Please forward my comments to City Council and make it clear what leash is appropriate to use in residential yards. Ken and Sharon Broenner, Greencastle Drive”

    Mr. Knox read the second letter: “Dear Mr. Knox: The scouts and leaders and members of the committee of Boy Scout Troop 912 take great pleasure in announcing that having completed the requirements for and having been examined by the Eagle Scout Board of Review, Richard Ian Cotterill is now worthy of the rank of Eagle Scout. In honor of this achievement we have scheduled an Eagle Scout Court of Honor for April 22 at 3:00 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church, Glendale. We would appreciate a letter or certificate acknowledging his achievement. We will compile it with other acknowledgements and place in a scrapbook in memory of this special occasion. Thanks for taking the time.” Signed by a member of the committee.

    Mayor Webster said Mrs. Broenner has been delivered a copy of the leash law by a police officer, and that person is in violation. Even though you have the dog on a leash that lets the dog roam, you still have to keep the dog under control, keep it off private party. The next stop on the officer’s route was to the offending party, and Mrs. Broenner asked us not to do that. She said she thinks the situation has been taken care of. We will emphasize that in future block meetings, that even though you have the dog on one of these leashes, you are in violation if you let the dog roam on someone else’s property.

    Mayor Webster said we normally issue a proclamation for Eagle Scouts. We have contacted that scout leader for more information and we will issue a proclamation.

    Mr. Knox said the scout and his mother will be at the next Council meeting so we could present it at that time.

    COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE     -     none

    ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

ORDINANCE NO. 23-2007 “ORDINANCE APPROVING, SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF SECTION 147(f) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, THE ISSUANCE OF ADJUSTABLE RATE DEMAND HEALTHCARE FACILITIES BONDS, SERIES 2007 (LIFESPHERE PROJECT), BY THE COUNTY OF BUTLER, OHIO; AUTHORIZING A PUBLIC HOSPITAL AGENCIES AGREEMENT IN CONNECTION WITH THAT APPROVAL; AND AUTHORIZING OTHER DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE ISSUANCE OF THE BONDS”

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

Mr. Danbury said on page 3, it says County of Butler, Ohio with no reference of Hamilton County.

Mr. Osborn responded no, we are entering into a facilities agreement that will authorize the expenditure of funds raised by bonds issued in Butler County to make improvements within Hamilton County.

Mr. Osborn introduced Ken Huff, Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of LifeSphere and Abbott Thayer from Peck, Shaffer and Williams, bond counsel on this project.

Mr. Thayer said it is cheaper if LifeSphere is able to combine the issuance and have one political subdivision issue the bonds on behalf of two or more subdivisions.

Mr. Huff stated we are replacing thirty cottages built in the 1970s. They are not desirable anymore. They are 830 square feet and hard for a couple to move into with that square footage. We are looking at two or three story buildings. A first floor building closest to the existing is there for sunlight.

Mr. Wilson asked are these rental units or for purchase? What is the cost?

Mr. Huff replied the resident coming in will pay an entrance fee. We will use that entrance fee to pay back our debt. There is an entrance fee and a monthly maintenance fee. The entrance fee, depending on the contract, is ninety percent refundable, where it amortizes over 8 1/3 or 16 2/3 years. The units will range from $180,000 to $300,000. Monthly fees, depending on the contract, will be $1,400 to $2,000.

Mr. Galster said Planning Commission did review this over a couple of months. A major concern was that the three-story buildings were closest to SR 4 so we were concerned about the landscaping, different facades to change the elevation so we didn’t end up with solid walls and we were very happy with the ultimate submittal and approved it with a 6-1 vote.

Ordinance 23-2007 passed with seven affirmative votes.

ORDINANCE NO. 24-2007 “DECLARING ONE TRACTOR/LOADER, WITH SICKLE, AS SURPLUS PROPERTY AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR TO ADVERTISE, AUCTION AND ENTER INTO A CONTRACT FOR SALE OF SAID PROPERTY AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY”

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

Mr. Vanover asked do you hold a reserve on that?

Mr. Knox replied I have some experience in that and I think, in this case, there would be a reserve figure.

Mr. Galster asked did we sell the police vehicles on e-bay?

Mr. Osborn replied we have sold police radios, etc., but I don’t think we have sold those vehicles yet. We did sell an ambulance from the Fire Department.

    Ordinance 24-2007 passed with seven affirmative votes.

    OLD BUSINESS

    Mr. Danbury said I have Reds baseball tickets. They are $20 and we are selling them for $10. I have an order form for people who want to sit closer to the field. You can get $40 tickets for $20. We have until the second week of April to send back the tickets we don’t sell. The date is May 5th.

    Mr. Knox said I have a reminder notice from the Ohio Ethics Committee that all disclosure statements are due by April 16.

    NEW BUSINESS
   
    Mr. Osborn said I would like to request legislation for a contract with CDS for design services for the improvements on West Kemper Road just east of Springfield Pike. We anticipate construction in 2008. The purpose of the project is to create additional turning capacity into the elementary school as well as well as additional traffic capacity to turn into the new shopping center across the street. It will widen the road from Springfield Pike to Walnut. The cost for the design is $49,800.

    Mr. Osborn said I have a piece of legislation from the State of Ohio. In 2010 we’re hoping to create a double left turn from SR 747 to westbound I-275 and also relocate the eastbound exit ramp to make it more conducive to traffic control. The project legislation commits both parties to the project. When I got the letter I found that the funding that they authorized does not appear to be what I understood it was going to be. It’s 70/30 but I’d like to see if that can be improved on. I anticipate legislation within the next two meetings.

    Mr. Knox said I would like to bring in a resolution raising the limit on purchase orders from $200 to $500. It was raised to $200 in 1996. This is in line with other cities.

    Mr. Parham requested legislation for health insurance for both reinsurance with the third party administrator and stop-loss insurance.

    Mr. Osborn said I would like to comment on the purchase order limit. Even though it would go to $500, that doesn’t mean there is no control over expenses. We still use a requisition process. The purchase order has to be signed by the Mayor, the Clerk and me, and quite honestly, it takes some time for everyone’s signature. We are hoping that on small purchases we can expedite those. Even without a purchase order, there still has to be a request. It would dramatically improve our purchasing process. Thirty-six percent of all purchase orders are under $500, and between $200 and $500. Raising this would cut down on internal paperwork considerably.

    Mr. Danbury asked do you think $500 is high enough.

    Mr. Knox replied I think $500 should cover us barring a big leap in inflation in the foreseeable future.

    Mrs. McNear said I just wondered if they are going to pave the I-275 eastbound direction better than it is. It is very difficult to get on at that entrance ramp. Those lanes seem to be narrower than those further east. Right over SR 4 there is a lot of patchwork and the lanes are very narrow.

    Mr. Shvegzda responded the eastbound lanes are the ones they are going to do the initial construction on so they will be paved but there will be a considerable amount of time before that happens. We have a meeting with ODOT tomorrow and I can relay that information.

    MEETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

    Board of Health                     -     April 12
    Board of Zoning Appeals                 -     April 17
    Opening Day                         -     April 28
    Arbor Day                         -     April 27
    Planning Commission                     -     no April meeting

COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE    -     none

UPDATE ON LEGISLATION STILL IN DEVELOPMENT

Amending zoning codes for electronic signs        -     April 18

RECAP OF LEGISLATIVE ITEMS REQUESTED

CDS design work West Kemper Road        -     April 18
Health insurance (2)                     -     April 18
PO increase                         -     April 18
Springdale/ODOT I-275/SR747 project        -     April 18 or May 2

Council adjourned at 7:40 p.m.

                        Respectfully submitted,




                        Edward F. Knox
                        Clerk of Council/Finance Director

Minutes Approved:

Kathy McNear, President of Council



__________________________, 2007



       

City of Springdale Council


    April 4    2007