City Council

MINUTES City of Geneva Council Meeting March 27, 2023 6:00 p.m. Mr. Cordova opened the Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. Roll Call – Mario Butera, Philip Cordova, Robert Rosebrugh, James Baehr, and William Baker Absent – Jeffrey Griffiths, John Barbo Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was said and prayer was offered by Phyllis Dunlap, Clerk of Council. Motion was made by James Baehr to approve the minutes of the March 13, 2023 council meeting, seconded by William Baker. Roll call, 6 yeas, (Butera, Cordova, Rosebrugh, Baehr, Baker). Motion duly passed. Presentation – Street Department – Tim Bittner, Presenting. A new contract for yard debris has been signed. Yard debris pick-up will begin the second week in May and run through the end of October. Pick-up will be on the second and fourth Mondays. Branches need to be bundled, nothing over four feet long. Small sticks and leaves can go into the bags. Limbs can be put in a trash can. The Street Department can dump the can and leave it. The Pleasant Ave. project has begun. The City used 400 tons of salt this year. The City has used 28 tons of cold patch thus far due to the freeze and thaw effect on the roads. The Department will be doing snow plow damage repair and trimming the trees on Route 534. New street signs have been installed in section four which is First, Second, Third and Fourth Streets. The trees are on order. There is no funding to do line striping on the roads due to budget restraints. Citizens – None. City Manager Report: The third bid opening secured no bids. The City immediately tried to understand why no bids were submitted. Contractors indicated rising costs of supplies. Contractors are being selective on what they bid on. There is a lot of work. The City applied for the Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Grant requesting $3 million. The City was informed our application is being re-evaluated. If the City is able to secure that funding it will allow the City to increase the estimate and decrease the debt 1 financing. One option being discussed is scaling the project back even more. This project remains a high priority. Pleasant Ave. widening is an ongoing project which began last week and will continue through April 1st. The annual yard waste cost remained the same. The SRO MOU has been signed. Mr. Varckette thanked the School District, Chief Camper and Gary Pasqualone. The MOU is for the 2022 – 2023 school year. Council asked if the City could get something in place for next school year. Mr. Pasqualone stated that they were meeting to request and extension to December 2024. On the agenda is the agreement with Ciuni & Panici, CPAs (C&P) in the amount of $13,832 for GAAP conversion assistance for Fiscal Year 2022. GAAP conversion is the first step in the process of the audit. On the agenda is approval of an agreement to install and maintain signage for the U.S. Bike Route System. ODOT would furnish and install the signage (2 signs). All future maintenance would be the City’s responsibility. Mr. Rosebrugh requested that Exhibit A be forwarded to Council. Items for Consideration of Council: Ordinance No. 3326 – Third Reading. An Ordinance to Amend the Language of Section 1610.01 of the City of Geneva Fire Prevention Code. Roll call on passage, 5 yeas (Butera, Cordova, Rosebrugh, Baehr, Baker) Resolution No. 3572. A Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Enter Into an Agreement with Ciuni & Panici, CPAs to Assist the City of Geneva in the Conversion of Cash Reporting to GAAP for Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2022, and declaring an emergency. Motion by Philip Cordova, seconded by James Baehr that the rule of law requiring certain Resolutions be read at three separate meetings be waived and suspended and Resolution No. 3572 be placed on the final roll for passage. Roll call, 5 yeas (Butera, Cordova, Rosebrugh, Baehr, Baker). Motion by Philip Cordova to declare and pass Resolution No. 3572 as an emergency measure, seconded by William Baker. Roll call, 5 yeas (Butera, Cordova, Rosebrugh, Baehr, Baker). Roll call on passage, 5 yeas (Butera, Cordova, Rosebrugh, Baehr, Baker). Resolution No. 3572 duly passed. Resolution No. 3573. A Resolution Authorizing All Actions Necessary to Accept Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC) 2023 Energized Community Grant(s) Funds, and declaring an emergency. Motion by Philip Cordova, seconded by James Baehr that the rule of law requiring certain Resolutions be read at three separate meetings be waived and suspended and Resolution No. 3573 be placed on the final roll for passage. Roll call, 5 yeas (Butera, Cordova, Rosebrugh, Baehr, Baker). Motion by Philip Cordova to declare and pass Resolution No. 3573 as an emergency measure, seconded by William Baker. Roll call, 5 yeas (Butera, Cordova, Rosebrugh, Baehr, Baker). Roll call on passage, 5 yeas (Butera, Cordova, Rosebrugh, Baehr, Baker). Resolution No. 3573 duly passed. 2 Resolution No. 3574. A Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Enter Into an Agreement with the State of Ohio, Department of Transportation for Sign Installation and Maintenance, and declaring an emergency. Motion by James Baehr, seconded by William Baker that the rule of law requiring certain Resolutions be read at three separate meetings be waived and suspended and Resolution No. 3574 be placed on the final roll for passage. Roll call, 4 yeas (Butera, Cordova, Baehr, Baker), 1 nay (Rosebrugh). Resolution not passed. Unfinished Business: Weeds and Vacant Property to be on the next council agenda. New Business- None. Payment of Bills – None. Committee Reports – None. Citizen – None. Philip Cordova made a motion to adjourn to executive session at 6:30 p.m. to discuss matters to be kept confidential with regard to contractual issues upcoming. James Baehr seconded the motion. Roll call on passage, 5 yeas (Butera, Cordova, Rosebrugh, Baehr, Baker). James Baehr made a motion to reconvene at 7:34 p.m. William Baker seconded the motion. Roll call on passage, 5 yeas (Butera, Cordova, Rosebrugh, Baehr, Baker). Philip Cordova made a motion to adjourn. William Baker seconded. Council meeting adjourned at 7:34 p.m. Recorded by: Phyllis Dunlap Clerk of Council ___________________________________ President of Council ________________________________ Clerk of Council 3