Committee of the Whole

200 South Hamilton Road City of Gahanna Gahanna, Ohio 43230 Meeting Minutes Committee of the Whole Trenton I. Weaver, Chair Karen J. Angelou Merisa K. Bowers Nancy R. McGregor Kaylee Padova Stephen A. Renner Michael Schnetzer Jeremy A. VanMeter, Clerk of Council Monday, February 27, 2023 7:00 PM City Hall, Council Chambers A. CALL TO ORDER: Vice President of Council Trenton I. Weaver, Chair, called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. The agenda for the meeting was published on February 24, 2023. Councilmember McGregor was absent from the meeting. All other members were present for the meeting. There were no additions or corrections to the agenda. B. ITEMS FROM COUNCIL OFFICE: RES-0010-2023 A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING MARCH 2023 AS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH FOR THE CITY OF GAHANNA Councilmember Bowers thanked Clerk VanMeter and Vice President Weaver for assistance in creating the draft. She asked for anyone who had suggested edits to let her know. Bowers shared she would like to invite Kari Hawk and Christy Evans to the meeting on March 6, 2023, to be honored for their work in local history and receive a copy of the Resolution. The theme for Women's History Month this year is celebrating women who tell our stories. In particular, Bowers learned that Ms. Hawk has been the lead contributor working with the Columbus Metropolitan Library on the history installation and cases that will be available to all who visit the local branch. Ms. Evans' contributions have involved unearthing the history of the Big Walnut Country Club. Recommendation: Introduction/Adoption on Consent Agenda on 3/6/2023. C. ITEMS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE: ORD-0013-2023 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS - Damage to City Property Shawn Anverse, Director of Public Service, reintroduced himself to City of Gahanna Page 1 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes February 27, 2023 members of Council. He noted his previous background was with Ohio Department of Transportation as an administrator at five different locations. His experience covers snow and ice removal, operations and budgets, safety programming, working in the field with construction projects, as well as overall team building. The items before the Committee this evening include typical quarterly supplemental appropriation requests. There is also a request for authorization for participation in the SWOP4G road salt bid for 2023-2024. There were no questions from Council. Recommendation: Introduction/First Reading on Regular Agenda on 3/6/2023; Second Reading/Adoption on Consent Agenda on 3/20/2023. ORD-0014-2023 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS - Water Meter Fees Recommendation: Introduction/First Reading on Regular Agenda on 3/6/2023; Second Reading/Adoption on Consent Agenda on 3/20/2023. MT-0007-2023 A MOTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF GAHANNA'S PARTICIPATION IN THE SOUTHWEST OHIO PURCHASERS FOR GOVERNMENT (SWOP4G) ROAD SALT COOPERATIVE BID FOR THE 2023-2024 WINTER SEASON. Recommendation: Introduction/Adoption on Consent Agenda on 3/6/2023. D. ITEMS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & RECREATION: ORD-0015-2023 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS - Reduction in Capital Improvement Fund and Increase in State Capital Grant Fund Stephania Ferrell, Director of Parks & Recreation, said the supplemental is a request to reduce appropriations in the Capital Improvement Fund and increase appropriations in the State Capital Grant Fund. The reason for this is the state grant received for the Price Road House project requires the funds to be in its own account. This action gives the City the ability to move that money into the State Capital Grant Fund. Councilmember Bowers asked what the City anticipates the capacity of the spaces (classroom and meeting spaces) to be at Price Road House. Director Ferrell responded we are looking at about 5,000 square feet of usable space. That will be segmented into three different areas. There will also be a fourth area, an outdoor deck, that can be used for programming. Recommendation: Introduction/First Reading on Regular Agenda on 3/6/2023; Second Reading/Adoption on Consent Agenda on 3/20/2023. E. ITEMS FROM THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES: City of Gahanna Page 2 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes February 27, 2023 RES-0007-2023 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF GAHANNA TO JOIN THE CENTRAL OHIO RISK MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (CORMA) AND ENTER INTO AGREEMENTS AS NEEDED Miranda Vollmer, Senior Director of Administrative Services, said the item before Council tonight concerns the City's property and casualty insurance ("risk insurance"). This will allow the Mayor, Finance Director, and other necessary authorized individuals to execute agreements to join, become a member of, and subscribe to the Central Ohio Risk Management Association ("CORMA"). Under Ohio Revised Code (ORC), municipalities can join with other political subdivisions in establishing and maintaining a joint self-insurance pool for property and casualty insurance. Vollmer explained that this provides members with economies of scale through joint purchasing and greater control over insurance policies and claims covered. There is significant sharing of risk management and loss control practices between member cities in pools. As part of the strategic realignment of staffing and divisions within the City in the fourth quarter of 2022, the City's risk insurance was realigned under the Department of Administrative Services. Vollmer said that the Department began a comprehensive review of the City's current insurance processes, including risk insurance and asset schedule updates. The City currently purchases risk insurance through the Ohio Joint Self Insurance Pool with a term of April 1 through March 31 each year. Risk insurance is purchased yearly. Vollmer stated that in preparation for the renewal, the Department sought to determine options for purchasing risk insurance. Information and indications were requested from three pools, including the current pool, CORMA, and Public Entities Pool of Ohio (PEP). Two indications were received from CORMA and PEP. The current pool was non-responsive. The Department then held meetings with representatives from CORMA and PEP. After review, the Department is requesting to transfer to CORMA. Corey Wybensinger, Senior Deputy Director, provided history and advantages on joining CORMA. CORMA was established in 1997. It serves as the risk sharing pool in accordance with ORC for cities of Westerville, Dublin, Upper Arlington, Pickerington, Grove City, Groveport, Powell, Canal Winchester, Grandview Heights, and Hilliard. These members pooled resources for joint purchase of property and casualty insurance. The governing board is comprised of two members from each city. This board elects officers annually, approves bylaws, establishes policies, and does contracts with service providers. The two step process for joining CORMA includes a vote of the board for inclusion, in addition to Gahanna City Council authorizing joining CORMA, and then passage of authorizing legislation of the council of each of the member cities of the pool. This process is currently ongoing. There is a three-year commitment. CORMA offers coverage on the traditional occurrence and City of Gahanna Page 3 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes February 27, 2023 claims forms similar to the current pool. Wybensinger explained the fundamental difference is that CORMA purchases excess insurance from well-known and regulated insurers. Each member is named as insured on the excess policy. There is privity of contract that does not exist in the City's current pool. The transition will provide the City with greater control of claims administration issues, coordination of risk management and loss control resources, earned income by investing loss funds and loss revenues, a financially sound pool, and surplus fund contributions owned by CORMA and accounted for by its members. Additionally, the City will purchase cyber and crime security coverage outside of the CORMA pool with the assistance of agents representing CORMA. Director Vollmer added that at this time a supplemental appropriation is not requested for the cost of insurance. The City will be joining CORMA mid-insurance cycle. Sufficient appropriations have been approved in the 2023 operating budget. The CORMA insurance renewal period is October 1 to September 30 each year. Therefore, Vollmer said they will be back in August after rate-setting is complete that will provide coverage through September 2024. The budget in 2024 will include the request for 2025. Vollmer stated the Department will come forward at a future meeting to request a supplemental to pay deductibles and claims. Councilmember Bowers asked if the City received any kind of non-renewal notice from the current insurance pool. Vollmer responded the contract requires that the City gives a 60-day notice that it is seeking bids outside the current pool. She added the notice was provided well in advance of the 60 days, and they have been notified that the City intends to not renew with them. Vollmer asked for renewal information in November. She has not received information to date on any renewal quotes from the pool. Bowers asked if there was any indication as to why. Vollmer said the pool has some history behind it. This pool was endorsed by the Ohio Municipal League (OML). In 2017, OML switched their membership to a different pool. Since then, there has been a decline in the pool. It is also operating in the red at this time. Councilmember Padova asked if the current contract was three years or would it be new with this contract? Vollmer said each cycle is on a yearly basis; however, CORMA bylaws require a three-year commitment with the pool because it takes that long to build up the credibility with insurance. Recommendation: Introduction/Adoption on Consent Agenda on 3/6/2023. F. ITEMS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING: RES-0008-2023 A RESOLUTION AMENDING AND ADOPTING THE 2022 SIDEWALK City of Gahanna Page 4 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes February 27, 2023 MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AREA Tom Komlanc, Director of Engineering, said at the Committee of the Whole meeting on February 13, he provided an update on the 2022 Sidewalk Program. It illustrated a significant overage in the projected costs and expenditures for the Program Area identified last summer. At the request of Council, the Department has revisited the streets that were assessed to get a program that would fit within the budget. The Department filtered the streets that were evaluated based upon proximity to local schools within the city. The Department has before Council a proposal to amend the Program Area to include Ashford Glen Ct, Ashford Glen Drive, Avonwick, Haymarket, Codet, Lincolnshire, and Riva Ridge to fit within the appropriation for 2023. The Resolution of Necessity follows the revised Program Area, and then there is a request for permission to bid the program. Councilmember Schnetzer thanked Director Komlanc. Schnetzer said he is hoping to better understand how this approach would lengthen the program in general (not just this year, but in subsequent years). How might it impact some individuals' quality of life? When this program was in its first, second, or third iteration, there was an approach to one of Komlanc's predecessors that the Sidewalk Program would follow the Streets Program. Schnetzer believed the logic was when we redo the streets and intersections, we redo the ADA ramps at the same time. So, there was no sense in doing a Sidewalk Program prior to putting in an ADA compliant ramp. Schnetzer stated what we were witnessing is streets would get done in year one and sidewalks would get done in year three generally. This was the practice that Council saw. There were several streets where it seems like every year is the biggest streets rebuild program the City has had. Each subsequent one tops the prior one. It would seem we would have a lot of ADA compliant ramps attached to non-ADA compliant sidewalks. Is that a mischaracterization of what is going to happen here? Komlanc said his intent is to do a citywide assessment of the sidewalk system to get a baseline and utilize that information in partnership with the annual Street Program. This summer there will be this source information available to help the Department inform the 2024 Street Program and Sidewalk Program so that work is occurring in unison in 2024. The City would provide notice to residents this coming fall to allow property owners the opportunity to opt-out and perform the work themselves and advance the 2024 Street Program and 2024 Sidewalk Program. Komlanc added that this would allow the ADA ramps at the intersections and sidewalks adjoining the frontage of residential properties to be maintained. Schnetzer said that based upon what Komlanc has said, this would occur next year and going forward. What about the two to three-year gap that have already had street rebuilds and ADA compliant ramps but may or may not have City of Gahanna Page 5 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes February 27, 2023 ADA compliant sidewalks? How do we bridge those? Komlanc responded that as we go forward with the assessment, the Department can look back and understand what those costs are and adequately budget for those to take the three-year look-back and put a program in place that would cover the 2024 program and also address previous years within the accommodations of the approved budget. Vice President Weaver thanked Komlanc on the quick turnaround for amending the program and coming back to Committee. Recommendation: Introduction/Adoption on Consent Agenda on 3/6/2023. RES-0009-2023 A RESOLUTION DETERMINING THE NECESSITY TO REPAIR OR REPLACE SIDEWALKS IN THE 2022 SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AREA FOR THE CITY OF GAHANNA Recommendation: Introduction/Adoption on Consent Agenda on 3/6/2023. MT-0008-2023 A MOTION AUTHORIZING THE DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING TO FORMALLY BID CONTRACT FOR THE 2022 SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE PROGRAM Recommendation: Introduction/Adoption on Consent Agenda on 3/6/2023. ORD-0011-2023 AN ORDINANCE TO ACCEPT EASEMENTS OF 0.011 +/- ACRES FOR GENERAL UTILITY, 0.093 +/- ACRES FOR ADDITIONAL RIGHT-OF-WAY, 0.189 +/-ACRES FOR SANITARY SEWER, AND ACCEPT PUBLIC SANITARY SEWER IMPROVEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ALDER PARK DEVELOPMENT AT THE INTERSECTION OF MORRISON ROAD AND WATERBURY COURT Director Komlanc explained this was to accept easements, right-of-way, and public acceptance of sanitary sewer for the private development of Alder apartments. Recommendation: Introduction/First Reading on Regular Agenda on 3/6/2023; Second Reading/Adoption on Consent Agenda on 3/20/2023. G. ADJOURNMENT: Councilmember Bowers said she spoke with President Renner about adding a standing item to the agenda related to facilities updates. Whether or not there is a formal update for Council, her thinking behind having it as a standing item is for an awareness and to keep updated on bid process and things like that. This would help Council be aware of or anticipate items that might come forward with waiver and emergency. Senior Director of Operational Services Kevin Schultz responded the administration plans to be at the first Committee of the Whole meeting every month between now and that time construction is completed and the City moves into the new building. For the second Committee of the City of Gahanna Page 6 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes February 27, 2023 Whole meeting of the month, if there is something of note, the administration will request to get on the agenda. From a process standpoint, based on his previous presentation a few weeks ago, the next time the Council would see the administration come forward with an action item would be for a request to establish a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) that Elford would be setting as the construction manager. Schultz reiterated the administration will give Council regular updates in the first Committee of the Whole of each month and then as needed in the second Committee meeting of the month. Bowers thanked Schultz. With no further business before the Committee of the Whole, the Chair adjourned the meeting at 7:23 p.m. Jeremy A. VanMeter Clerk of Council APPROVED by the Committee of the Whole, this day of 2023. Trenton I. Weaver Chair City of Gahanna Page 7