September 18th, 2017 Council Minutes
Once approved, a link to the official council minutes will be at the bottom.
COUNCIL MINUTES
September 18, 2017
St. Clairsville City Council met in Council Chambers on Monday, September 18, 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 Tom Murphy, Planning & Zoning Administrator
Frank Sabatino, Council 2nd Ward
Mike Smith, Council-At-Large
John Tomlan, Council 4th Ward
The meeting was called to order by Council President Jim Weisgerber.
MINUTES
Minutes of the September 5, 2017 regular meeting were distributed to Council. A motion to accept the minutes was made by John Tomlan and seconded by Jake Olsavsky.
Roll Call Vote
Bukmir Yes Sabatino Yes
Jordan Yes Smith Abstain
Olsavsky Yes Tomlan Yes
Oprisch Yes
Roll Call Vote: Six (6) Yes One (1) Abstain Zero (0) No Motion Approved
CITIZENS HEARING: Charlie DeClemente, Candidate for Richland Township Trustee
I am running for Richland Township Trustee on November 7th. For the last 2 ½ years I have been attending the Township meetings just solely to familiarize myself with how the meetings are conducted and the operation of the Township. I have owned and operated my own business for over 40 years. I am very skilled at what I do. I feel that I can take that knowledge from running my own business for over 40 years and use that to work with the other Trustees that are in office or will be in office to work with them try to cooperate with them for the betterment of the Township to try to move the Township forward in a positive even better way. Thank you for your time and it is nice meeting all of you.
Greg Reline, Richland Township Trustee
I just wanted to thank Mayor Pugh and City Council for both assisting and lending us some equipment for a recent paving project the Township had west of town. With the addition of two trucks from the city and three or four guys it really made the job go much quicker. I want to add that Mayor Pugh showed us his paving expertise from the sixties and he is still with us. He made it through that day. Half way through that first day that the city helped us we had one of the city Street employees running the other side of the paver which freed up one of our Township guys to do other projects. I think the Mayor will agree the guys worked very well together. Some of the employees even made mention what can be done with an 11 man street crew versus four or five.
Jim Zucal brought the idea of the durapatcher and mentioned it to the Mayor I think that is going to be a very positive thing for both entities. Why should the City of the Township spend 100% for a piece of equipment when we can split it right down the middle. And both get the same amount of use out of it. I think we are going to do a little bit of chip and sealing on a street for the City and maybe we are going to get together on a paving project. I just look at it that it is not the City helping the Township or the Township helping the City, it is when we work together we are one and that is how it should be. We have the start of a foundation and I hope it does nothing but continue to grow and move forward. As I said to News 9 we are neighbors and we should work together, there is no reason not to. Again I thank you and I hope we can continue. There is one more positive the City Finance Director is the Township Clerk and when she loosens the purse strings on one end there is a benefit to loosen them on the other end.
REPORTS:
Service Director: Jim Zucal
Scott Brown our Utility Superintendent did provide to me a report. We did embark on a program to put LED lights in the Wastewater Plant which is one of our high end users. Of course we have our own Light & Power system but in turn we did reduce the electric by 20%. It accumulates to the first billing cycle of three months to about $23,000 per year which would be retail electric. That is electric that we are taking off the grid, it is helping our system so that is a plus for the city.
The water tank that was leaking, the 1984 tank. It did have a leak in the stand pipe, we did talk about that it was an emergency repair. It did get fixed, the water is safe. The repairs have been done but I do want to put it on Council’s radar that we have some aging infrastructure and the fix for that will be to get a new pipe entirely. I am concerned and want to watch that closely. I have been working with the Mayor and Cindi and all the administration, together we work as a team. We are going to put all of these things on the radar and get them fixed and do things the right way.
We are also going to start a crack sealing program. A gentleman came down from the Youngstown area. He was an acquaintance of the Mayor’s. I believe Terry met him at a Mayor’s Conference. We are going to start a program that I don’t think has ever been done before. I am going to take any streets that you suggest that have smaller cracks but not really in bad shape. Get a list to me, I will look at them and see if it warrants. The crack sealant that we are going to use is a rubberized product so it is not a petroleum product it is a heated rubber product, that is what they are using today. We will purchase it on the State Program. They are going to let us use their machine, train our guys at no cost if we buy the material off of them at State purchasing price. A skid runs around $1,600 in typical lanes it will do about 2.5 miles with average amount of cracks. October is the month to do that and the material goes in really hot and cools down really quickly. I think it is a good program so we are going to work on that.
We are also going to finish up some concrete work around the City. We did isolate the water issues around the Recreation Center. We put in seven new catch basins, and poured a new stoop. Lindsay is very happy that we are getting things done. We roughed it in with base asphalt and I think as Greg Reline has mentioned we are going to work with the Township and get their paver out there and at least start some paving this year.
Mayor: Terry Pugh:
The Durapatcher is here. It is at the City garage on Reservoir Road. I would ask that you please consider passing Ordinance No. 2017-43 tonight if possible. We are not going to use the durapatcher until October and before we even use it the manufacturer is going to send in a Rep. to train both the City and Township employees. I am happy to have it on board.
I mentioned paving at the Recreation Center. I talked to Greg Reline and we are definitely going to do some patching over there. I think the School and maybe the Saints Club who make money off the parking are willing to put in some money for the asphalt. We haven’t come up with a final bill but I have put some of them on notice that we could use some help with that. We may not get the whole project done this fall but we are going to make a big dent in it I hope. We are looking at starting this around the first of October.
You all got an email that was sent to me about an individual to be considered for the Recreation Board. I am going to table that tonight. We are not in any real urgency to find someone. We can wait and see if we get any other recommendations.
I want Council to know we will have a new employee in the Utility Office. She will be starting next Monday. We have structured that position to be clerical. There will be three clerical people. Anita Robinson will be the lead person, the other full time person will be clerical also, and we will have Sue Black who will remain part time. The young lady we offered the position to is Lacy Paxton. She lives in the city, she is an Army Veteran and did two tours in Iraq. We felt she is very qualified for the position. We had 75 applicants. We had an interview team to make the selection.
Police Chief, Jeff Henry:
No Report except the requests that I gave to the clerk for parades.
Finance Director, Cindi Henry:
The catch basins were put in and the water was directed away from the Recreation Center. The double doors coming out of the gymnasium into the parking lot and the other single door closest to the stadium need replaced. We had a company come in and give us estimates and they are ordered. We are putting new doors in and the threshold has been fixed.
Planning & Zoning, Tom Murphy:
Equity, the group that handles St. Clair Commons contacted me regarding setting up a Planning Commission meeting for final plat approval. That has been put on hold for the moment just because the City Staff will have to confirm that the utilities and any infrastructure is put in according to what we want to see. It will just take some time to get all of that finalized. The good news is they are working in the direction of finalizing the project. It is probably a couple months off yet but still the fact that they are giving us a call shows that they ae moving forward appropriately.
There is a home on Clark Avenue that will be torn down. We are working with the property owner. The hope is that sometime this week that will occur. The hope is that someone will build a new home on that lot. That is always good for property taxes. Beth Oprisch: Who pays for that demolition? Tom Murphy: The homeowner.
COUNCIL COMMITTEES:
Finance, Mike Smith: No Report
Utilities, Frank Sabatino:
It was good to hear the report on what Scott Brown has done to save electricity in the Wastewater Plant.
Police, Mark Bukmir: No Report
Street North Side, Jake Olsavsky: No Report
Street South Side, Linda Jordan: No Report
Safety, Beth Oprisch: No Report
Building & Grounds, Mark Bukmir:
Asked Jim Zucal to comment on the old Street garage: Jim Zucal: The Route 9 Garage is almost complete. They have to paint some of the front of the building and our Street Department employees will do that. I am glad we saved that building, it is very worthy to have. It turned out great. We did spend about $22,000 on the building. It has new roof, gutter and doors. Some of the employees have come up to me and said we are glad you saved that building it is going to work out good for us. There ae plans for storing equipment. It turned out nice and I appreciate Mark’s cooperation.
Planning Commission, Mike Smith: No Report
Fire District, Frank Sabatino:
There was a nice article in the Sunday paper about the Fire District. Our next meeting will Wednesday, September 30th at 3:00 at the Main Station.
Recreation, Linda Jordan:
Bark in the Park will be October 7th. Registration starts at 1:00. Indoor pickle ball will be starting the end of October.
Park District, Linda Jordan: No Report.
ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS
Law Director, Richard Myser: Not Present
There was presented and read to Council on its second 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. John Tomlan 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 Sabatino Yes
Jordan Yes Smith Yes
Olsavsky Yes Tomlan Yes
Oprisch Yes
Roll Call Vote: Seven (7) Yes Zero (0) No Motion Approved
There was presented and read to Council on its third and final reading by title only, ORDINANCE NO. 2017-42. A motion was made by Linda Jordan and seconded by John Tomlan that Ordinance No, 2017-42 be passed by Council.
Roll Call Vote
Bukmir Yes Sabatino Yes
Jordan Yes Smith Yes
Olsavsky Yes Tomlan Yes
Oprisch Yes
Roll Call Vote: Seven (7) Yes Zero (0) No Motion Approved
Ordinance No. 2017-42 was declared adopted.
There was presented and read to Council on its second 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. John Tomlan moved that the rules requiring ordinances and resolutions to be read on three separate readings be suspended and declaring an emergency; Linda Jordan seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
Bukmir Yes Sabatino Yes
Jordan Yes Smith Yes
Olsavsky Yes Tomlan Yes
Oprisch Yes
Roll Call Vote: Seven (7) Yes Zero (0) No Motion Approved
There was presented and read to Council on its third and final reading by title only, RESOLUTION NO. 2017-43. A motion was made by Linda Jordan and seconded by John Tomlan that Resolution No. 2017-43 be passed by Council.
Roll Call Vote
Bukmir Yes Sabatino Yes
Jordan Yes Smith Yes
Olsavsky Yes Tomlan Yes
Oprisch Yes
Roll Call Vote: Seven (7) Yes Zero (0) No Motion Approved
Resolution No. 2017-43 was declared adopted.
NEW BUSINESS:
Trick or Treat:
A motion was made by Frank Sabatino and seconded by John Tomlan to hold Trick or Treat night in St. Clairsville on Tuesday, October 31, 2017 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Roll Call Vote
Bukmir Yes Sabatino Yes
Jordan No Smith Yes
Olsavsky Yes Tomlan Yes
Oprisch Yes
Roll Call Vote: Six (6) Yes One (1) No Motion Approved
CORRESPONDENCE:
The Clerk read a letter from The St. Clairsville Area Chamber of Commerce requesting permission to change the Christmas Tree Lighting and the Christmas Parade. The Tree Lighting will be held on Saturday, November 18th at 5:00 p.m. and the Christmas Parade will be held on Sunday, November 19th at 2:00 p.m. A motion by Jake Olsavsky and seconded by Linda Jordan to accept the changes in the Tree Lighting and Christmas Parade
Roll Call Vote
Bukmir Yes Sabatino Yes
Jordan Yes Smith Yes
Olsavsky Yes Tomlan Yes
Oprisch Yes
Roll Call Vote: Seven (7) Yes Zero (0) No Motion Approved
The Clerk read a letter Cathy Campbell, Director of the Tri-County Help Center requesting permission to hold a “March” for Domestic Violence Awareness on Wednesday, October 18th from 6:00 to 7:15 p.m. A motion was made by Beth Oprisch and seconded by Linda Jordan to permit the march.
Roll Call Vote
Bukmir Yes Sabatino Yes
Jordan Yes Smith Yes
Olsavsky Yes Tomlan Yes
Oprisch Yes
Roll Call Vote: Seven (7) Yes Zero (0) No Motion Approved
The Clerk read a letter from Christina Sirbaugh, St. Clairsville Student Council Advisor to request permission to have their homecoming parade on Friday, September 29th at 6:16 p.m. A motion was made by John Tomlan and seconded by Mike Smith to approve the Parade.
Roll Call Vote
Bukmir Yes Sabatino Yes
Jordan Yes Smith Yes
Olsavsky Yes Tomlan Yes
Oprisch Yes
Roll Call Vote: Seven (7) Yes Zero (0) No Motion Approved
Next Meeting: The next Council Meeting will be Monday, October 2, 2017 at 7:30 in Council Chambers
There being no further business to come before Council, a motion to adjourn was made by John Tomlan and seconded by Mike Smith.