December 4th, 2017 Council Minutes
Once approved, a link to the official council minutes will be at the bottom.
COUNCIL MINUTES
DECEMBER 4, 2017
St. Clairsville City Council met in Council Chambers on Monday, December 4, 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
Mike Smith, Council-At-Large Tom Murphy, Planning & Zoning Director
John Tomlan, Council 4th Ward Don Smithberger, Electric Superintendent
The meeting was called to order by Council President Jim Weisgerber.
MINUTES
Minutes of the November 20, 2017 regular meeting were distributed to Council. A motion to accept the minutes was made by Mike Smith and seconded by Linda Jordan.
Roll Call Vote:
Bukmir Yes
Jordan Yes Smith Yes
Oprisch Yes Tomlan Yes
Olsavsky Yes
Roll Call Vote: Six (6) Yes Zero (0) No Motion Approved
Minutes of the November 29, 2017 meeting were distributed to Council. A motion to accept the minutes was made by Mike Smith and seconded by Linda Jordan.
Roll Call Vote:
Bukmir Yes
Jordan Yes Smith Yes
Oprisch Abstain Tomlan Yes
Olsavsky Yes
Roll Call Vote: Five (5) Yes Zero (0) No One (1) Abstain Motion Approved
CITIZENS HEARING: There were no Citizens present who wished to address Council.
REPORTS:
Service Director: Jim Zucal
I don’t have an official report tonight but I do have a request at this time for an Executive Session in two matters one regarding personnel and the other one involving confidential matters with City utilities. I would also ask that individuals that have been elected to Council and the future Council President and Mr. Kasper could please stay for the Executive Session. A motion was made by Mike Smith and seconded by Jake Olsavsky that Council go into Executive Session per Ohio Revised Code section 121.22 (G) (1) to discuss status of public employees and Section 121.22 (G) (5) to discuss matters required to be kept confidential.
Roll Call Vote:
Bukmir Yes
Jordan Yes Smith Yes
Oprisch Yes Tomlan Yes
Olsavsky Yes
Roll Call Vote: Six (6) Yes Zero (0) No Motion Approved
A motion was made by Jake Olsavsky and seconded by Mike Smith to return to regular session.
Roll Call Vote:
Bukmir Yes
Jordan Yes Smith Yes
Oprisch Yes Tomlan Yes
Olsavsky Yes
Roll Call Vote: Six (6) Yes Zero (0) No Motion Approved
Jim Zucal: I want to read an official notice:
The City of St. Clairsville will be converting to Belmont County 911 Police Dispatch service. Our constituents can be confident that they will continue to receive the same quality service for matters involving the Police Department as in the past.
The costs of implementing effective in-house, full-time police dispatching services (especially on afternoon, midnight and holiday shifts: has escalated with no relief in sight. This change is an administrative decision that we feel is fiscally responsible as it will provide a significant savings to the City’s general fund. For nearly a decade, this change has been discussed as a possible cost savings measure since the Belmont County 911 system was already in existence and providing dispatching for fire and EMS. The City will now be taking advantage of this benefit and eliminating the duplication of these services, for which taxpayers already pay though the Belmont County 911 levy.
After the first of the year as a part of this transition, the City plans to hire another permanent,
Full-time police officer. The administration feels that adding an additional officer will allow for two (2) officers on each shift and provide additional safety for the officers as well as better service and safety for our residents. This will bring us up to the full staffing levels for the police force which we experienced in the past.
Mayor: Terry Pugh:
The Street Department will be picking up both loose and bagged leaves the remainder of this week.
Police Chief, Jeff Henry: No Report
Finance Director, Cindi Henry: No Report
Planning & Zoning, Tom Murphy:
The December 4th Planning Commission meeting was canceled. The only item on the agenda was the final plat for the St. Clair Commons. There were many items that the developer was working on that they were not able to complete prior to that date. Those things included street lights, permanent electric being tested, grading and seeding certain sanitary line ditches, purchase of the correct water meter, and pump issues with the lift station. Beth Oprisch: What does that do to the project? Tom Murphy: The project is progressing. The work will continue on it. It really doesn’t affect what they are doing now. We are protecting the City and making sure that when we do except that final plat everything is complete.
COUNCIL COMMITTEES:
Finance, Mike Smith: No Report
Utilities, Frank Sabatino: Not Present
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: No Report
Planning Commission, Mike Smith: No Report
Fire District, Frank Sabatino: Not Present
Recreation, Linda Jordan:
We want to express our appreciation to Sam’s Club who donated a very large amount of flowers which are being planted around the center as well as some Brian Kralovic has planted around the City. The next meeting will be held Monday the 18th.
Park District, Linda Jordan: No Report
ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS
Law Director, Richard Myser:
The only thing we have tonight in the way of legislation is the third reading for Ordinance No. 2017-49. This is the Ordinance prohibiting the medical marijuana cultivation, process and retail distribution.
There was presented and read to Council on its third and final reading by title only, ORDINANCE NO. 2017-49; AN ORDINANCE TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL MARIJUANA CULTIVATION, PROCESS AND RETAIL DISTRIBUTION WITHIN THE CITY OF ST. CLAIRSVILLE AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. Mike Smith: I would like to possibly table this if we could just to learn a little more about it. Hopefully to get some information from Tom Murphy where it could go. I know it can’t go in town because of the library, churches & schools. A motion was made by Mike Smith to table Ordinance No. 2017-49 until the next meeting. John Tomlan seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote:
Bukmir Yes
Jordan Yes Smith Yes
Oprisch Yes Tomlan Yes
Olsavsky Yes
Roll Call Vote: Six (6) Yes Zero (0) No Motion Approved
NEW BUSINESS: Mayor’s Report for November, 2017.
The Mayor’s collection for November was $2,167.00. A motion to accept the Mayor’s Report was made by Jake Olsavsky and seconded by Linda Jordan.
Roll Call Vote:
Bukmir Yes
Jordan Yes Smith Yes
Oprisch Yes Tomlan Yes
Olsavsky Yes
Roll Call Vote: Six (6) Yes Zero (0) No Motion Approved
NEXT MEETING:
The next Council meeting will be Monday, December 18, 2017 at 7:30 P.M. in Council Chambers.
There being no further business to come before Council a motion to adjourn was made by John Tomlan and seconded by Jake Olsavsky.