September 5th, 2017 Council Minutes
Once approved, a link to the official council minutes will be at the bottom.
COUNCIL MINUTES
September 5, 2017
St. Clairsville City Council met in Council Chambers on Tuesday, September 5, 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 Tom Murphy, Planning & Zoning Administrator
John Tomlan, Council 4th Ward
The meeting was called to order by Council President Jim Weisgerber.
MINUTES
Minutes of the August 21, 2017 regular meeting were distributed to Council. A motion to accept the minutes was made by John Tomlan and seconded by Beth Oprisch.
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
CITIZENS HEARING: Doug Walsh, Director St. Clairsville Public Library
I wanted to come here today to tell you a little bit about the Library and the current status of it.
First of all I wanted to thank you for supporting our summer reading program. The City provided some parking during the time of the event and offered other help as needed. Just getting the parking by itself offered more visitors and we had 415 people for that open house event. That was higher than ever before and I think that attributed to our summer reading success. We had over 1,300 people attending our programs during June and July. It was a record for us and I wanted to thank you for that. The Library as you know is very important to this community. We help pre-school students learn basic literacy skills to help prepare them for kindergarten. We help students from kindergarten all the way through high school. First and third grades visit the Library as part of their experience during the day, there is a story read and they have an opportunity to check out books. We are going to have an after school period for 5th grade thru 8th grade where after school kids can come down they can watch movies, play games, and there will be snacks. Last year we offered this and again we had record numbers like 20 to 30 kids in that age group coming to the Library because their parents know it is a safe place. This year we are adding some things to it. There will be an opportunity for them to learn how to create a comic book with a local comic artist. There will be an opportunity for crafts also. It is not just children though, we also have outreach to seniors in the area. We go to each of the senior living residences in this area. We deliver books and videos to them once a month. We are already working with the new senior residence that is being built. I also believe the Library is good for business in the city. For the summer reading program we worked with 18 businesses along Main Street and had a story walk. The Library is funded mainly through the State. We bring into the community $400,000 a year. Since 2001 the State has reduced funding. Currently we are operating on 24% less. We have cut back in just about every area. At one point we had 11 full time employees now we have 5 full time staff. We are one of very few Libraries in Ohio who do not receive local funding. The Board of Trustees have approved the Library going on the ballot this fall for a ½ mill levy for the Library. John Tomlan: Recently Central Park was mulched. I took my grandson and the Library was involved there. The Easter program at the Rec. Center Library people were doing a lot of activities there. It is not just what they do at the Library.
REPORTS:
Service Director: Jim Zucal
I want to assure you that we have been very busy. One of the priorities for us administratively was to work with the Utility section Water & Wastewater on the chlorine issue that we now have resolved and our safe for the community. We want to look at the big picture so the Mayor, Scott Brown and I have been doing that. I have a brochure on the Accu Tab System that I will be glad to share if you want to look at it. It is a dry chlorine system, it is a puck system about the size of a hockey puck. It is administered through the water at the wastewater plant through the out fall system. We have to comply with the EPA law through November 1st. This is something I will keep Council informed on that in the winter months we might want to consider as a course of action. It is very safe and recognized by the EPA and a lot cheaper than the UV System. We have ongoing meetings with the Engineer and the team that handles this system and actually I like it, I think it is a great alternative to gas. That is our goal to get away from that. We are going to start with the wastewater plant and possibly look at the drinking water system.
We are also working on some concrete issues, we need catch basins and such. We have installed five catch basins around the Recreation Center. Our Contractor is Hipkins Masonry, they are currently getting the water away from the building. We feel that is the appropriate course of action. We put new storm sewer pipe into the east of the building and down over the hill. We are going to tie that in. In the next phase we are going to put in some base asphalt and may be doing some finish asphalt work along the building and the parking lot.
The general paving of the city went exceptionally well, Cast & Baker was the contractor, and Dave Lash was the principal for them. We had a nice paving project. It is a good start and it was done right. I had some questions and my goal is to do things right and we have streets that need work but if they have sub-base or water issues I would need to clean up those issues to take care of that first, that is the right way to do it we will put the asphalt on eventually. It is a yearly project and it will get better but I think it went well this year and it will be there for a long time.
The 1984 water tank, the one farthest to the north, we do have a leak in the stand pipe. It is not a major issue, it is a small leak that is just kind of running down the pipe. We found out about it mid last week so we do have a company coming in to fix that tomorrow. These issues were pointed out to the city numerous times in the past, I was not aware of this document and I don’t think anyone in the administration was. We do have a copy of it now and we are learning more about it. We want to have preventative maintenance in our vocabulary and our program here in the city. We are going to meet with Pittsburg Tower & Tank and they are the company that handled the inspection early last year. We are going to get it fixed and do a comprehensive evaluation to fix any emergency repairs and to also look at the future of that tank because that tank will be around for quite a long time I think.
Mayor: Terry Pugh:
Our Auction brought in a little over $13,500. For a bunch of well used equipment that we were able to auction off I think we did real well. I think adding up the last auction and this we are probably in the area of almost $25,000.
In addition to the paving we have done we are looking at bringing in a company to do some crack sealing. One road that it is really noticeable is Bett-Mar Lane. For some reason some wider cracks have opened up on that street. I am mentioning this because each one of you should take a look in your ward and if you notice some other areas that need done we definitely want to do them while the company is here. We are not talking pot holes we are talking cracks.
On Thursday, August 28th the City and Richland Township did something that if it ever has been done it has been a very long time. The reason some of the employees were not at the Safety Meeting was that our Street Department and our bigger trucks were working with the Township blacktopping Brokaw Road. The only one who suffered that day was myself. I did something that I have not done since back in the 60’s. I want to say it was really enjoyable seeing the comradery between the City and the Township everybody worked together and we are looking forward to the Township with their paver helping us on the Recreation parking lot project. This is going to be a real plus for everybody. John Tomlan: I went out when the paving was going on in town and it was terrific. I told the Mayor that was a great job. I also saw the job they were doing on Brokaw and it was terrific.
Police Report for August
Calls and Complaints 245
Special Teams Call Outs 1
Accidents 19
Arrests 28
Parking Tickets Issued 96
Traffic Stops 43
Miles put on Cruisers 6,536
Gasoline Used 699.9 gallons
Frank Sabatino: When you said to look around our Wards, I noticed a lot of the intersections are pretty beat up. Mayor Pugh: If you give us a list we will go out and take a look at them.
Police Chief, Jeff Henry: No Report
Finance Director, Cindi Henry:
I emailed Ordinance No. 2017-42 last week. This is just housekeeping on the RBC program where I have to book Federal-State share of the money and just put it on the books and take it off.
Planning & Zoning, Tom Murphy:
A Board of Zoning Appeals meeting has been set up for Wednesday, September 6th at 6:00 p.m., if you have any questions just give me a call.
The Senior Living Facility is moving along pretty good. Jim Zucal and I were out there not too long ago and you can see ODOT’s part of the road they already have curves in it. It is moving along. The section around Sears and Rural King is complete.
COUNCIL COMMITTEES:
Finance, Mike Smith: Not Present
Utilities, Frank Sabatino:
The Utility Committee met this evening and Jim Zucal covered what was discussed pretty well. Don Smithberger updated us on the electrical. It was a very good meeting.
Police, Mark Bukmir: No Report
Street North Side, Jake Olsavsky: No Report
Street South Side, Linda Jordan: No Report
Safety, Beth Oprisch: There was a Safety Meeting on August 28th at the City Garage. The title of the meeting was “Safety the 21st Century” and Kyle from American Municipal Power gave the presentation. There were about 20 employees present. I do know that in 1970, 39 people died a day and in 2017, 12 people died a day.
Building & Grounds, Mark Bukmir: No Report
Planning Commission, Mike Smith: Not Present
Fire District, Frank Sabatino:
Met on Wednesday, August 23rd as usual a busy meeting. We talked about part time personnel, we discussed the Ohio Bureau of Workers Comp. Grant. Recently the Chief had some work done on the front door and the back steps at the Main Station. We talked about some equipment replacement. Next meeting Wed. September 20th at 3:00 at the Main Station.
Recreation, Linda Jordan:
Due to his work schedule Doug Butts had to resign from the Board. He was a City appointee so we will need to replace him.
The Bark in the Park will be October 7th at Central Park. Registration starts at noon or you can register on line. It is $5.00 per animal.
Park District, Linda Jordan: No Report.
ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS
Law Director, Richard Myser:
We do not have anything for a third reading to pass tonight. We do have an Ordinance and a Resolution on first reading tonight. Ordinance No. 2017-42 is the Ordinance that Cindi talked to you about for additional permanent appropriations. There is emergency language in the Ordinance and it can be passed tonight if Council so desires. The next one is Resolution No. 2017-43 that is a Resolution to enter into a contract with the Board of Trustees of Richland Township to jointly purchase, use and maintain a DuraPatcher.
We will meet in Executive Session tonight under Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22 (G) to consider compensation of employees.
There was presented and read to Council on its first reading by title only, ORDINANCE NO. 2017-42; AN ORDINANCE TO MAKE ADDITIONAL PERMANENT APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE NORMAL EXPENSES AND OTHER EXPENDITURES OF THE CITY OF ST. CLAIRSVILLE, STATE OF OHIO, FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 1, 2017 THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2017, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
There was presented and read to Council on its first reading by title only, RESOLUTION NO. 2017-43; A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF RICHLAND TOWNSHIP, OHIO TO JOINTLY PURCHASE, USE AND MAINTAIN A DURAPATCHER AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
NEW BUSINESS:
Mayor’s Report to Council:
The Mayor’s Collection for August, 2017 was $3,252.80. 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
EXECUTIVE SESSION:
A motion to go into Executive Session was made by Jake Olsavsky and seconded by John Tomlan per Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22 (G) to consider compensation of employees.
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
A motion to return to regular session 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
Richard Myser:
I have a new Resolution to come before Council it will be Resolution No. 2017-44. It will be a Resolution to give an across the board salary increase of 2 ½ % for all non-union, non-bargaining city employees. It will be effective September 5th. In that Resolution we have emergency language that would allow Council to pass this on an emergency basis this evening.
There was presented and read to Council on its first reading by title only, RESOLUTION NO. 2017-44; A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY COUNCIL TO INCREASE THE YEARLY COMPENSATION OF SOME OF ITS EMPLOYEES AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. Linda Jordan moved that the rules requiring ordinances and resolutions to be read on three separate readings be suspended and declaring an emergency; Jake Olsavsky seconded the motion.
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
There was presented and read to Council on its third and final reading by title only, RESOLUTION NO. 2017-44. A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY COUNCIL TO INCREASE THE YEARLY COMPENSATION OF SOME OF ITS EMPLOYEES AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. A motion was made by Linda Jordan and seconded by Beth Oprisch that Resolution No. 2017-44 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
Resolution No. 2017-44 was declared adopted.
Next Meeting: The next Council Meeting will be Monday, September 18, 2017 at 7:30 in Council Chambers
There being no other business to come before Council, a motion to adjourn was made by Beth Oprisch and seconded by Linda Jordan.