City Council

September 16, 2024 The Fredericktown Village Council met in regular session on September 16, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. at the Fredericktown Municipal Building. PRESENT: Council Members de Rojas, Brewer, Hobson, Lanuzza, McKnight and Shoemaker; Administrator Snell; Chief Myers; Fiscal Officer Graves. President Pro-Tempore Lanuzza called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. INVOCATION: Jim Shaum, Batemantown Church. MINUTES: • de Rojas made a motion to approve the August 19, 2024 council meeting minutes. Seconded by McKnight All Yea. VISITOR COMMENTS: • Mickey Cochran would like to have a placed on St. Rt. 95 about his sister and her accomplishments. • Kristine Lindeman and her husband have purchased 80 N. Main St., 0 Pleasant St., 13 E. College St., 21 and E. College St. They are planning to open up an ice cream shop and have a place for teens to recreate. She also asked if a shovel and bucket could be located at the W. First parking lot for Amish citizens to clean up after their horses, as well as some handicap parking spaces marked in municipal parking lots. LEGISLATION: (Second Reading) ORDINANCE NO. 2024-19 - AN ORDINANCE MAKING SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS McKnight made a motion to waive the third reading of Ordinance 2024-19. Seconded by Brewer. All Yea. Brewer made a motion to pass Ordinance 2024-19. Seconded by Shoemaker. All Yea (Second Reading) RESOLUTION NO. 2024-20 - ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 2023 KNOX COUNTY TAX INCENTIVE REVIEW COUNCIL CONCERNING PARCELS OF COMMERCIAL REAL PROPERTY IN THE VILLAGE OF FREDERICKTOWN RECEIVING TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR PURPOSES OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (Second Reading) RESOLUTION NO. 2024-21 - A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE AMOUNTS AND RATES DETERMINED BY THE BUDGET COMMISSIONS AND AUTHORIZING THE NECESSARY TAX LEVIES AND CERTIFYING THEM TO THE COUNTY AUDITOR Hobson made a motion to waive the third reading of Resolution 2024-21. Seconded by McKnight. All Yea. Hobson made a motion to pass Resolution 2024-21. Seconded by Brewer. All Yea (Second Reading) ORDINANCE NO. 2024-22 - AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 708.09 (9)(d)(1) OF THE VILLAGE OF FREDERICKTOWN ZONING CODE TO ALLOW COMPACTED GRAVEL DRIVEWAYS IN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS (Emergency) RESOLUTION 2024-23 – A RESOLUTION TO AMEND APPROPRIATIONS Brewer made a motion to waive the three readings of Resolution 2024-23. Seconded by McKnight. All Yea. Hobson made a motion to pass Resolution 2024-23. Seconded by Brewer. All Yea (First Reading) RESOLUTION NO. 2024-24 - A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR TO PREPARE AND SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE OHIO PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION LOCAL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AND TO EXECUTE CONTRACTS ON BEHALF OF THE VILLAGE AS REQUIRED (First Reading) RESOLUTION NO. 2024-25 - A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR TO PREPARE AND SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR OHIO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (ODOT) FUNDING THROUGH THE TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES PROGRAM (TAP) OLD BUSINESS: • Water Improvement Grants. Awarded $750,000 One Time Strategic Investments Grant Program (State Representative Beth Lear): U.S Representative Troy Balderson, likely get about $900,000. Total 1.65 million. • Hobson, generator cost? Snell said Miller electric has not given him an estimate yet. • Gibson Chen, Avetin Engineering gave recommendations on sewer belt press and dryer. The new dryer will likely save the Village $3,000 to $5,000 monthly on electricity bills. Hobson made a motion to move forward with engineering for the belt press, seconded by Shoemaker. All Yea. NEW BUSINESS: • Harvest Festival and Streetscape Project Ribbon Cutting – Saturday, October 5 at Noon. • Trick or Treat night in the Village – Thursday, October 31 from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT: • Village employee had an accident in village vehicle (not on road). Employee was drug tested, and tested negative. There was about $8,000 in damage. • Getting quotes for new plow truck to replace the Ford F550. • See report. FISCAL OFFICER'S REPORT: • Council reviewed the bills, financial reports and bank reconciliation statement for the month of August 2024. Hobson made a motion to approve the financial reports, bills and bank statement for August 2024. Seconded by de Rojas. All Yea. POLICE CHIEF REPORT: • Neighborhood Watch Meeting, Tuesday, September 17, 6:30 p.m. • New Police Officer Wheeler is patrolling on his own, and Police Officer Hoffman is in his 4th week. • Attended Law Enforcement Recruitment Seminar in August. • Looking at updating camera system at the police department. ZONING INSPECTOR’S REPORT: None SOLICITOR’S REPORT: None COMMITTEE REPORTS: PLANNING COMMISSION: Next meeting September 23rd at 5:00 p.m. FINANCE, PUBLIC WORKS, SAFETY: Next meeting October 21st. MISCELLANEOUS COMMITTEE REPORTS: • Lanuzza, Recreation District said there was damage done to the restrooms at Merrin Park, as well as the Storybook Trail. Restrooms at Merrin Park are closed until further notice. Looking at installing cameras at the restrooms. ADJOURNMENT – Hobson made a motion to adjourn. Seconded by de Rojas. All Yea. Meeting Adjourned at 7:42 p.m. _____________________________________ Rick Lanuzza, President Pro-Tempore ___________________________ Suzan Graves, Fiscal Officer TO: MAYOR & COUNCIL FROM: BRUCE SNELL, VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR DATE: SEPTEMBER 16, 2024 SUBJECT: ADMINISTRATOR’S UPDATE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS The Board of Zoning Appeals did not meet in August as there was no business to discuss and we do not anticipate a BZA Meeting being scheduled in September. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT The Fredericktown Community Development Foundation (FCDF) will meet on September 12th at 7:30 AM at the Old High School to discuss economic development in the community. The group is now meeting on the second Thursday of the month, so FCDF will meet next month on October 10th. OHIO PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION The deadline for reapplying for 2025 OPWC funding next year is November 1st. We will have legislation for Council consideration at the September 16th Council Meeting giving the Mayor the authority to apply for funding for the proposed 2025 Street Improvements, which will essentially be the same as the proposed 2024 Street Improvements – paving East College Avenue and the north half of College Street. I’m told no townships in Knox County are seeking funding and neither is Mount Vernon, so our odds of getting funding are better this year than in previous years. We will send this legislation to the Public Works and Finance Committees, asking for a recommendation for Council approval. We have heard nothing new back from OPWC in regards to our 2024 funding request. We had requested grant funding in the amount of $129K for a $268K project for the 2024 Street Improvements. We plan on reapplying next month for similar funding for the same project. PATIO FIREPLACE The group of volunteers (Irl Rule, John Stone, Paul Smith, Keith “Skeeter” Chester and Glenn “Corky” Hannan) have worked diligently pouting the foundation, and laying block and brick for the patio fireplace on the southeast corner of the Public Square. The fireplace is expected to be completed this fall. PLANNING COMMISSION The Planning Commission met on Monday, August 26th to discuss the rezoning of the Crum Property, located at 97 Mount Vernon Avenue. The property is currently zoned R-2 (Residential) and the owner has requested rezoning the parcel M-1 (Manufacturing). There is no known opposition to the rezoning request. With a 5-0 vote in favor and one member abstaining, the Planning Commission recommends Council rezone this parcel to M-1. We have legislation ready for Council consideration at the September 16th Council Meeting. SERVICE DEPARTMENT The service department has been mowing, collecting brush, and assisting with the installation of new trash receptacles and park benches. SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS (2027) 1/2 We have also been awarded $800,000 for new sidewalk funding. There will be no local match required for the sidewalk work. This project will begin roughly across from Carol Drive, on West Sandusky. The new sidewalk will run west on Sandusky Street to Forest Cemetery, then cross the street around FCNB. The sidewalk will continue west to Bollinger Drive, then go north to the existing sidewalk near Bollinger Drive and Malibu Court. Several safe crossings will also be added for pedestrians to cross State Route 95 within the scope of the project. Construction of this project will likely occur in 2027. ODOT posted the Request for Proposals for engineering & design of the sidewalk improvements. I worked through the Public Works Committee in evaluating the Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) and ODOT requested those evaluations so they could notify the highest scoring engineering firm, of the three firms that had submitted SOQs. KE McCartney (KEM) scored the highest of the three firms and ODOT will work with KEM on negotiating a contract for the design and engineering of the sidewalk improvements. According to ODOT staff, construction of this project will likely take place in 2027. STREETSCAPE Approximately a dozen park benches have been installed throughout the project and we are currently waiting on one more bench to arrive and it will be installed upon arrival. The stop sign on E. College at Main Street will be moved several feet to the west in an effort to make the sign more visible to motorists. TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM FUNDING We met with ODOT staff to discuss the W. Sandusky/Bollinger Sidewalk Improvement funding. ODOT would prefer to replace and install sidewalk on the south side of W. Sandusky Street, as opposed to the north side. The deadline for this year’s TAP funding is October 31st. ODOT seemed enthusiastic about the possibility of continuing sidewalk/accessibility improvements south on Main Street to Columbus Road, and possibly continuing out Columbus Road until the sidewalk connects with the Safe Routes to School (2017) sidewalk at Mohican Drive. If Council doesn’t object, we could have KE McCartney give us an estimate for engineering and construction for the proposed project with and without replacing streetlights along with the sidewalk improvements. Mayor will be asking Council for authorization to apply for TAP Funding for this proposed project. UTILITIES 2025 Water Infrastructure Improvements: Mayor and I met with Congressman Balderson and his staff earlier this month and they indicated that we may move forward on the engineering and design of this much needed project. We publicly requested qualifications for any firms interested in engineering and designs on this project and we received a Statement of Qualifications from Prime AE and KE McCartney. If Council doesn’t object, we plan on moving forward with KE McCartney on the engineering and design of this preliminary estimated $1.6 million project. WWTP Improvements: Gibson Chen submitted a proposal to the Village for the cost of designing, engineering, and negotiating. Gibson is waiting for a few more quotes on the cost of replacing the twenty-year-old bio-solids belt press. He is also waiting for several quotes on the costs of replacing the belt press and the microwave. We expect to spend a total of less than $1.5 million (engineering, design, equipment, and installation) to have both the belt press and the microwave replaced. Gibson is confident that he can find financing for the dryer and he will look into getting us a low-interest loan for the dryer. WILLIAM “BILL” BURGETT MEMORIAL HIGHWAY HB 380 was passed by the House and this bill will include the naming of the William “Bill” Burgett Memorial Highway, which will cover the State Route 13 Bypass. This bill will now go before the State Senate for consideration and hopefully Senate approval. 2/2