City of St. Clairsville

July 17th, 2017 Council Minutes

Posted on July 17th, 2017 by

Once approved, a link to the official council minutes will be at the bottom.

COUNCIL MINUTES

July 17, 2017

St. Clairsville City Council met in Council Chambers on Monday, July 17, 2017, with the following present:

Jim Weisgerber, Council President Terry Pugh, Mayor

Mark Bukmir, Council 3rd Ward Jim Zucal, Service Director

Linda Jordan, Council-At-Large Jeff Henry, Police Chief

Beth Oprisch, Council-At-Large Cindi Henry, Finance Director

Jake Olsavsky, Council, 1st Ward Richard Myser, Law Director

Frank Sabatino, Council 2nd Ward

John Tomlan, Council 4th Ward

The meeting was called to order by Council President Jim Weisgerber.

MINUTES

Minutes of the July 5, 2017 regular meeting were distributed to Council. A motion to accept the minutes was made by John Tomlan and seconded by Linda Jordan.

Roll Call Vote

Bukmir Yes Olsavsky Yes

Jordan Yes Sabatino Abstain

Oprisch Yes Tomlan Yes

Roll Call Vote: Five (5) Yes One (1) Abstain Motion Approved

CITIZENS HEARING:

Rebecca Husey: Associate General Counsel and Nicole Walker, Fiber Construction Engineer.

We have been here for several different months trying to figure out a good plan for a construction project. Basically what we are trying to do is construct a path through the city. We have obtained AT&T duct for the majority of it but there is going to be two sections that we will have to get a dig permit. Jim Zucal: I met with Nicole and a gentleman who was here with her several times. Tom Murphy has been the lead on the project and we are comfortable with it. It is engineered, it is conduit work and it is going to be on Woodrow Avenue. It is an East-West corridor plan. They do want to follow City code. They have been very nice about driving in from New York and meeting with us. It looks doable to us and they just want to get the approval. We think there are benefits to the City in the future. Nicole: We feel like we meet all the requirements of your code under Chapter 1157 and it will be beneficial to the City. It is an investment in the City and also represents some of the state of the art communications infrastructure that will be deployed throughout your city. In addition it will be long term public health, safety and other rewards. Beth Oprisch: Will it benefit the whole city? Will it be able to be used by everyone? Nicole: Operationally it works as a connector from one project that exists already, but to the extent that there may be additional projects or additional clients that may be served from that particular line, that is something that could be a benefit in the future perhaps. Rebecca: It connects an infrastructure from Columbus to Pittsburgh. In the future if there were cities or schools or hospitals or things like that that need to be connected here we could work up some type of negotiations. We do not provide homes it is strictly commercial. Richard Myser: I think it would be wise for Council to pass a motion tonight to allow them to proceed with the project. I assume that there will be a specific agreement forthcoming that we will have to pass. Nicole: Tonight we are specifically seeking a telecommunications utility permit which we understand is similar to a franchise agreement and then paying annual fees each year and our application fee. Jim Zucal: Tom Murphy has worked with them and he thought it would be a good idea for them to come to Council and explain what they want to do and there are many benefits that allow businesses to look at your area and see that we have high speed internet and see it is a good place to locate. Rebecca: The project is basically done except this area and it could be done in one or two days. A motion was made by Jake Olsavsky and seconded by Linda Jordan to allow Fibertech to proceed with the installation of an underground fiber optic line.

Roll Call Vote

Bukmir Yes Olsavsky Yes

Jordan Yes Sabatino Yes

Oprisch Yes Tomlan Yes

Roll Call Vote: Six (6) Yes Zero (0) No Motion Approved

REPORTS:

Service Director: Jim Zucal

I would like to take a little time to introduce Anthony Kotson, he is our new Deputy Superintendent for the Electric and Street Departments. I asked him to come tonight and I appreciate Council’s support. Anthony actually came back every day last week and I think he is happy to be here. Anthony introduced his wife and mother. Jim Zucal informed Council that Anthony was recently discharged honorably from the Air Force. He has done an outstanding job and Don Smithberger is very pleased with him.

We have been very busy. We are still in negotiations with AFSCME, we are going to meet again tomorrow. Their contract deadline is July 21st.

The utility box in the alley behind the building is fully functional. I think it turned out very nice and I encourage everyone to take a look at it.

We are reviewing the IT system of the City and that is going very well. I thank Terry Pugh and Cindi Henry for their co-operation.

The Mayor, Don Smithberger and I left early this morning and went to Columbus for an informal session with the PUCO as is required by Ohio Law. Our Attorneys were there. South Central Power and their Attorneys were there along with Mr. Barack’s personal Attorney. What came out of that meeting, I would call a win again for the City. South Central did not get a denial that the maps were correct. Now we will have to file an official complaint and South Central said that they will file an official complaint. We are moving forward and we will get this ironed out. I spoke one time. The City right now is fully functional in that area and could serve that property with electric. It doesn’t make sense that South Central wants to travel 1,500 feet and set three poles to get to that point when we are right there to serve it. We want to do what is best for the City and we think it is progressing well. The facts so far show that territorially it belongs to the City.

Beth Oprisch: How is the St. Clair Commons proceeding? Jim Zucal: It is doing very well. It is on track. I am pleased to tell you it has been a very interesting project and it is still moving forward. We have a lot of work going on out there. The Young Lane water project is basically complete. We had a meeting with the contractor to close that out. The sanitary sewer work that is being done by Equity Construction Services is about 90% complete. Shelly & Sands is going great guns back to the project road. Terry, Cindi & I learned a lot about TIF financing. I don’t see any major obstacles.

Mayor: Terry Pugh

We are going to have another auction. I also found out that if we have a piece of equipment which we feel is going to bring in more than $1,000 we will have to have an ordinance. We can read it the next two readings but the Auction is set for August 17th.

Police Chief, Jeff Henry: No Report

Finance Director, Cindi Henry:

The City has received their Health Care Rates for this upcoming plan year which starts September 1st. We will be having our insurance broker shop rates for us.

We are going to hold a post Audit. I am going the Auditors from Julian & Grube next week around 7:00. As soon as I get it confirmed I will send a message to all of you.

Planning & Zoning, Tom Murphy: Not Present

COUNCIL COMMITTEES:

Finance, Mike Smith: Not Present

Utilities, Frank Sabatino: No Report

Police, Mark Bukmir: No Report.

Street North Side, Jake Olsavsky: Glad the Legion Road project is complete.

Street South Side, Linda Jordan: No Report

Safety, Beth Oprisch: No Report

Building & Grounds, Mark Bukmir: No Report

Planning Commission, Mike Smith: Not Present

Fire District, Frank Sabatino:

The Fire Board met Tuesday, June 20th. Our meeting dealt with personnel. The Highlight of that was we removed the title of interim Chief from John Slavik and he is now the full time Chief. We are very fortunate to have John. Our meeting with the County Auditor will be August 9th at 2:00. Our next meeting will be July 26th at the Main Station.

Recreation, Linda Jordan: Tonight’s meeting was canceled, however tomorrow the Summer Concert Series continues. It will be 50’s & 60’s music. The next meeting will be July 26th.

Park District, Linda Jordan: No Report

ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS

Law Director, Richard Myser:

We have two ordinances to be read tonight for the third time. Ordinance No. 2017-31 is an Ordinance to extend the time to file the plat for St. Clair Commons Subdivision from September 7, 2017 to March 17, 2018. The next Ordinance is 2017-32. This is an Ordinance Repealing Ordinance No. 943.01 & 943.02 requiring cash deposits of tenants to be refunded. The second reading for Ordinance No. 2017-35 an Ordinance to approve the 2017 reprinting of the St. Clairsville Codified Ordinances.

There was presented and read to Council on its third and final reading by title only, ORDINANCE NO. 2017-31; AN ORDINANCE EXTENDING THE TIME TO FILE THE FINAL PLAT FOR THE ST. CLAIR COMMONS SUBDIVISION FROM SEPTEMBER 17, 2017 TO MARCH 17, 2018. A motion was made by Linda Jordan and seconded by John Tomlan the Ordinance No. 2017-31 be passed by Council.

Roll Call Vote

Bukmir Yes Olsavsky Yes

Jordan Yes Sabatino Yes

Oprisch Yes Tomlan Yes

Roll Call Vote: Six (6) Yes Zero (0) No Motion Approved

Ordinance No. 2017-31 was declared adopted.

There was presented and read to Council on its third and final reading by title only, ORDINANCE NO. 2017-32; AN ORDINANCE REPEALING ORDINANCE NO. 943.01 AND 943.02 REQUIRING CASH DEPOSITS OF TENANTS TO BE REFUNDED OR CREDITED. A motion was made by John Tomlan and seconded by Jake Olsavsky that Ordinance No. 2017-32 be passed by Council.

Roll Call Vote

Bukmir Yes Olsavsky Yes

Jordan Yes Sabatino Yes

Oprisch Yes Tomlan Yes

Roll Call Vote: Six (6) Yes Zero (0) No Motion Approved

Ordinance No. 2017-32 was declared adopted.

There was presented and read to Council on its second reading by title only, ORDINANCE NO. 2017-35; AN ORDINANCE TO APPROVE THE 2017 REPRINTING OF THE ST. CLAIRSVILLE CODIFIED ORDINANCES; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

NEW BUSINESS:

Mayor’s Report to Council:

The Mayor’s Collection for June 2017 was $3,789.20. A motion to approve the Mayor’s report was made by John Tomlan and seconded by Linda Jordan.

Roll Call Vote

Bukmir Yes Olsavsky Yes

Jordan Yes Sabatino Yes

Oprisch Yes Tomlan Yes

Roll Call Vote: Six (6) Yes Zero (0) No Motion Approved

NEXT MEETING: The next Council Meeting will be Monday, August 7, 2017 – 7:30 p.m.

In Council Chambers

There being no other business to come before Council, a motion to adjourn was made by John Tomlan and seconded by Linda Jordan.

July 17th, 2017 Council Minutes