City Council

City of Groveport 655 Blacklick St. Groveport, OH 43125 614.830.2052 www.groveport.org . Meeting Minutes Monday, March 9, 2020 6:30 PM Council Chambers City Council Mayor Lance Westcamp Council Members - Jean Ann Hilbert, Ed Dildine, Shawn Cleary, Becky Hutson, Scott Lockett & Chad Grashel City Council Meeting Minutes March 9, 2020 I. Call to Order by Mayor Lance Westcamp at 6:30 p.m. Staff Present: BJ King - Administrator, Kevin Shannon - Law Director, Jason Carr - Director of Finance, Ralph Portier - Chief of Police Jeff Green - Asst. Admin. / Development Dir. Guests Present: The Guest Book is on file with the Clerk of Council. II. Moment of Silence The Mayor asked everyone to join him in a moment of silence. III. Pledge of Allegiance Chief Portier led the Pledge of Allegiance. IV. Roll Call A motion was made by Council Member Lockett, seconded by Council Member Hutson, to excuse Council Member Hilbert from the meeting. The motion carried by the following vote: Excused: 1- Hilbert Yes: 5- Cleary, Dildine, Grashel, Hutson and Lockett V. Approval of Minutes - February 24, 2020 Approved as submitted. #049-2020 City Council Minutes 2.24.2020 Attachments: City Council Minutes 2.24.2020.pdf VI. Business of Guests A. Cheryl Ballou Cheryl Ballou, 4817 Briar Grove Drive, addressed Council on the concerns she and her neighbors have pertaining to the truck ordinance Council is considering for passage. She doesn’t understand why the City Council would want to allow 19,500 lb. commercial trucks to park in driveways and streets in our community. She sees no benefits for property value or even the people walking on the streets. These trucks will make the neighborhood unsightly and won’t do anything to increase City of Groveport Page 1 City Council Meeting Minutes March 9, 2020 their property value. She thinks what City Council should be thinking about is the voters and their property values because that increases the City’s money to spend on the community because the taxes are based on property value. Ms. Ballou was under the impression Groveport City Council makes decisions based on the majority of the residents not just the few who want to park their tow truck, panel truck or bucket truck, on their driveways. There is no reason for that. She does not want them parked next door to her and she doesn’t think Council Members would want them parked next door to them. She doesn’t know why the City needs to go over 10,000 lb. for trucks in her community. If the City passes this legislation, the City will have trucks damaging sidewalks and streets causing the City more repair work. If there are only a couple of people needing this legislation, then she thinks it should be majority rules. It should not be done for just 2 or 3 people, it should be what is best for the majority of the community. She thinks the majority of the community does not want that size of trucks parking in their next door neighbor’s yard or backyard. Ms. Ballou is also concerned that she read in a newspaper article that the City Council tried to pass this legislation as emergency legislation. She stated that according to the City Charter “Council shall declare an ordinance to be an emergency measure only in the event of a demonstrated threat to the public peace, health, safety or welfare of the Village or its residents”. It concerns her more because she does not see this legislation as an emergency. Ms. Ballou hopes Council will consider not passing this legislation but if Council does pass it, she has people willing to work with her to go door to door with a petition to get it on the ballot. She feels this is not good for the community, unless there is someone who can convince her there is a reason that makes it good for the community. Council Member Dildine countered that Ms. Ballou needed some clarification. Right now there are no limits regarding weight in the City’s code. Ms. Ballou interjected she thought there was a 10,000 lb. weight limit. Mr. Dildine clarified Ms. Ballou is talking about two different ordinances. The 10,000 lb. which is already in effect relates to on-street parking and is a traffic code enforced by the Police Department. This matter is a zoning code that currently has no restriction on weight and is enforced by the Zoning Department. Ms. Ballou wanted to know why Council does not just match the zoning code to the traffic code limiting both to the 10,000 lb. Ms. Ballou stated that she is not talking about people with their F250s or F350s or whatever. She is talking about commercial vehicles which are not the same. She doesn’t understand why City Council doesn’t make it match the traffic code; 10,000 lb. is a City of Groveport Page 2 City Council Meeting Minutes March 9, 2020 reasonable limit for people to park in their driveways or next to their houses. She understands the City made a mistake when it changed the street parking and she thinks Council needs to go back and make it the same and not increase the weight limit. Mr. Dildine commented the City put limitations on the zoning code because there was nothing on the code before this ordinance. Ms. Ballou said she understood that but the City didn’t limit the other, she read the article. Mr. Dildine restated that there are two separate matters being discussed here. Ms. Ballou said she understood that, the zoning and the housing (residential), as on the streets and residential. She wanted to know why a person would need to bring their 19,000 lb. truck home. Mr. Dildine responded because there have been gentlemen and ladies come to the Council meetings for the last year and a half asking Council to look at these two separate ordinances, one for street parking which Council passed and one for zoning. For the last year and a half, Groveport residents have expressed concerns that if they are not allowed to park vehicles up to a certain weight, they will no longer be able to operate their businesses out of their homes. Ms. Ballou commented, why can’t Groveport, as a City that has vacant property at College and Main Streets, vacant property behind Ace Hardware and she thinks the City has vacant property at Cruiser Park, let people park these vehicles there instead of in their driveways? Mr. Dildine stated he has dealt with big trucks in his neighborhood for 20 years and having them park in their driveways is whole lot better than having them parked in the streets. He reiterated there is no limitations now and what you see now is what you will see in the future. He asked if Ms. Ballou has an issue in her neighborhood now with the current zoning code having no limitations. Ms. Ballou stated no, but it will be. Why are we not planning for the future? How many people want to park their 19,500 lb. vehicle in their driveway, three people? There was a gentleman in attendance at this meeting who has a rollback tow truck. Ms. Ballou doesn’t argue that he should have a place to park, but she thinks that it should not be in a residential area. That is her opinion and the opinion of most of her neighborhood. B. Barry Ketchie Barry Ketchie, 5761 Rarey Avenue West, has lived in the area for 25 years, the last 18 years in Elmont Place. Mr. Ketchie mirrors the concerns of Cheryl Ballou. He is concerned that when new home buyers visit his neighborhood and they hear the name Groveport, they decided to buy elsewhere, like Canal Winchester. Mr. Ketchie has been concerned about the image of Groveport for a long time. This particular City of Groveport Page 3 City Council Meeting Minutes March 9, 2020 Ordinance concerns him for several reasons. It’s not just the image it will represent but the safety of his neighborhood for visibility with these trucks parked in different places around the neighborhood. It also invites crime into his neighborhood. There have been problems with break-ins and tools being stolen. It invites the wrong element into his neighborhood as well. Mr. Ketchie sees Groveport as a gem in the rough. All the towns around Groveport have been growing by leaps and bounds moving in a direction he hasn’t quite seen Groveport moving into. He doesn’t see this particular Ordinance helping to improve Groveport’s image. Mr. Ketchie expressed concerns that the Elmont Place subdivision’s Homeowners Association (HOA) has deed restrictions and covenants that are more restrictive than the City’s code and there is nothing mentioned in the City’s regulations to honor those restrictions and covenants. If the City is going to make changes, City Council needs to honor the more restrictive regulations in their communities and neighborhoods. It needs to be addressed. As a member of the HOA Board, he’s had problems trying to get the local police to help the HOA to enforce some of their restrictions. The police department can’t help enforce the HOA’s restrictions, it is the Board’s responsibility to enforce their restrictions. Law Director Kevin Shannon advised Mr. Ketchie that with respect to the deed restrictions he mentioned, they are still enforced. There is nothing to prevent the enforcement of those deed restrictions. Police departments cannot enforce deed restrictions because that is a civil action that must be brought by the homeowners association against the property owner that is not complying with the deed restrictions. If there was a situation where a particular homeowners association does not permit vehicles of 10,000 lb. to be parked in the driveways, that is an enforceable restriction that can be brought forward in civil court by a homeowners association against that particular property owner. If the property owner comes in to court and says the City of Groveport has a local ordinance which allows them to park their vehicle there, that is not a suitable defense in a civil case. They bought that property with that restriction on their deed and they have to abide by that restriction. Groveport’s Building Department goes out of its way to inform the public. On all of the literature that is distributed it specifically states that a homeowner needs to consult their local homeowners association because there are rules, guidelines and restrictions that are enforceable by the HOA. The City is not the final approval and the City is very clear in disseminating that information to potential home buyers wanting to come in and do anything with their property. If a HOA has someone get the approval City of Groveport Page 4 City Council Meeting Minutes March 9, 2020 from the City and ignores the HOA restrictions, civil court is the HOA’s remedy at law. C. Roger Studley As Council may recall, at the January 21st Committee of the Whole meeting, Mr. Shannon had brought forth some concerns that Roger Studley had regarding Groveport Road west and the need to consider some improvements to the road as it is right now. Mr. Studley had a phone conference with Kevin Shannon and Mayor Westcamp wherein his concern was two-fold. One was that Mr. Studley felt that the corridor study that was undertaken was inadequate because it did not address the need of improvements to the roadway. Mr. Shannon had explained that the purpose of the study was not to get into improving the roadway or what would be the best improvements, but rather to discuss uses in the area. Giving Groveport a look at what kind of uses it wants to have implemented on SR317 and Groveport Road. Mayor Westcamp had pointed out to Mr. Studley that perhaps the first domino has fallen at the corner there with respect to the development of Hartman farm. As part of that development agreement, as Council knows, there is going to be an improvement to Groveport Road and Saltzgaber Road and the intersection there. Also, the County is moving forward on the Toy Road project addressing traffic issues in the area. Mr. Studley is here tonight because he feels the time is right for Council to give Groveport Road west a look now. Even though it has been on the City’s capital improvements plan (CIP), it was extended out and wasn’t something to be considered in the immediate future. Mr. Studley was given the information on a scope of a study, provided by an engineering firm engaged by City Engineer Steve Farst, indicating what will be undertaken in the weeks and months ahead. Essentially what that will involve is this firm studying the improvements that are going to happen with respect to the development of the Hartman property, Saltzgaber Road, the Franklin County project and also examine the other jurisdictions (Obetz, Madison Township and Franklin County) in the area as to what they foresee happening in the area. Then the firm will come back to Groveport when they have an idea of what is the best improvement given all those considerations and present the study to Council with a cost assessment so Council can determine if the project should be moved up on the CIP project list. The City’s thoroughfare plan does show Groveport Road west as a major arterial and, as such, that means that if improvement is to be undertaken it’s at least a three-lane, five-lane type of situation. City of Groveport Page 5 City Council Meeting Minutes March 9, 2020 Mr. Studley asked if Council or staff had any questions for him; they have been at that location for 24+ years. He is not present to benefit himself and his family, they just watch the cluster of growth in the area. Mainly the development of the thirty seven acres that was granted to build at the corner of Saltzgaber Road and Groveport Road west. He sees that project as the impetus that he has been communicating with Kevin Shannon for over a year. When this popped up it adds fuel to this report but at the end of the report there was no definite solution to the problems because nothing had happened. In other words, money is money and if you don’t have money to do it, you don’t do it. Groveport Road is not a developer funded road. There are three churches, a Catholic church and two Baptist churches, who don’t pay taxes and a bunch of small single family homes who all front Groveport Road all the way to Swisher Road. The community has always waited for a development driven reason to improve the roads and since the developer is going to benefit the most they should pay the lion’s share of the costs. The developer does pay the lion’s share of the costs for road improvements. Mr. Studley thinks the City has an opening now to take a closer look at improvements in the next year or so. Do all the improvements at once while the road is already torn up. Mr. Studley thanked Council for their time. VII. Ordinances and Resolutions A. 3rd Readings Ord. 2020-009 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ADMINISTRATOR TO SOLICIT PROPOSALS AND TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT FOR COLD BEVERAGES FOR CITY CONCESSIONS Sponsors: Dildine Clerk of Council Ross read by title Ordinance No. 2020-009. A motion was made by Council Member Dildine, seconded by Council Member Hutson, to adopt. The motion carried by the following vote: Excused: 1- Hilbert Yes: 5- Cleary, Dildine, Grashel, Hutson and Lockett B. 2nd Readings Ord. 2020-012 AN ORDINANCE TO LEVY A MUNICIPAL MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSE City of Groveport Page 6 City Council Meeting Minutes March 9, 2020 FEE PURSUANT TO OHIO REVISED CODE SECTION 4504.173 Sponsors: Hutson Clerk of Council Ross read by title Ordinance No. 2020-012. Ord. 2020-013 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING PART ELEVEN - PLANNING AND ZONING CODE, TITLE SEVEN - SUPPLEMENTAL LAND USE REGULATIONS, CHAPTER 1177 OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING, 1177.08 LIMITATION OF PARKING IN RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICT AND THE DECLARATION OF AN EMERGENCY Sponsors: Dildine Attachments: 1177.08 Limitation of Parking in Residentail Zoning Districts.docx Mayor Lance Westcamp stated Mr. Dildine has referred this matter to the Committee of the Whole meeting scheduled for Monday, March 16 at 5:30 p.m. for further discussion. Council Member Lockett asked if everyone in attendance was here regarding this item. Mayor Westcamp explained the Committee of the Whole is a work session meeting where Council can thoroughly discuss matters. Mr. Shannon advised that staff requests Council to consider emergency legislation when there is a code whether it is a traffic code, criminal code or in this case, a zoning code. The City has enforcement officers, the police department and three inspectors within the Building and Zoning Department. In order for them to be able to take immediate enforcement action staff always requests that Council consider taking emergency action so the enforcement officers can set out and do their jobs immediately upon passage. Mr. Shannon advised that the City has at least one enforcement action that it has stayed any type of further activity on while this matter is being considered. The emergency language on this legislation wasn’t a need for speed to pass a law, it was a need to pass it as an emergency because of the City’s enforcement capabilities being in place as soon as possible. Ms. Ballou interjected that this specific reason for emergency measures should be stated in the City Charter. Mr. Shannon advised it is stated in the City Charter where it talks specifically about it being considered to be within the health, safety and general welfare of the community, so the City’s police officers and code enforcement officers can take immediate enforcement action on the code. That is part of the existing City Charter. For example, if there was a matter of a traffic code that needed added or amended it would have its three readings and have it go into effect 30 days thereafter. What the City likes to do is if Council is going to pass an enforcement provision City of Groveport Page 7 City Council Meeting Minutes March 9, 2020 the City wants to have the ability to have Sgt. Adams go out, after the ordinance has passed and been signed by the Mayor, to take immediate enforcement action. That is considered in the course of this State to be following within the health, safety and general welfare of the community to have enforcement officers to be able to act immediately. The same is true for the Building & Zoning officials. This Ordinance pertaining to truck parking is enforced by the Building & Zoning officials. There is one Council Member absent tonight and there would need to be five affirmative votes to pass legislation as an emergency measure. Sending the matter to the Committee will allow the opportunity for more discussion since obviously this is a controversial issue. The matter can be brought back when there is a full Council. Mr. Ketchie wanted to know if the emergency language was to set a standard to allow or disallow a commercial vehicle to be parked. As to the zoning provision it was to provide a standard of 19,500 lb. to make it clear as to what size vehicles would be permitted to be parked on private property on a paved driveway, paved side yard or rear yard surface. Mr. Ketchie stated then this is to set the standard for anyone else to park these vehicles in the neighborhood just because of one person. Mr. Dildine reiterated there is no standard now, it can be done now without any restrictions. Mr. Ketchie understands that but they are trying to improve their community by setting standards that make sense. Mr. Dildine stated that is why the matter has been referred to the Committee of the Whole. Council has been talking about this issue for a year and a half. Council has reached out to the public for input over and over, there have been articles in the newspaper and no one has come to the meetings to contribute any input until after Council makes a decision. Ms. Ballou asked how Council has asked for input. Mr. Dildine said the matter has been addressed on meeting agendas for a year and a half, articles have been written in the Southeast Messenger and the Times numerous times. It was passed, suspended, generated a subcommittee and brought back before Council. Then passed and suspended again, then Council passed the street portion on the traffic code but missed the zoning code. Then the zoning provision went to the subcommittee and back to Council. Mr. Ketchie said this (agenda) is the only time he has seen the item. Mr. Shannon explained that the way a community lets the public know what is going on with respect to this issue is, it posts its agenda and it indicates on that agenda that the matter is up for its first reading. The agenda lists the ordinance by title which states specifically what it’s going to cover. An Ordinance will have a first reading, a second reading and then a third reading. Between City of Groveport Page 8 City Council Meeting Minutes March 9, 2020 those three readings the matter goes to the Committee of the Whole which has its own separate agenda where Council will discuss this matter at its workshop session. This truck matter has been discussed in the workshop session numerous times. There are minutes to all these meeting which the public has access to on the City’s website or come in person to obtain copies. This issue started, and there was a story in the paper, when our police officers were having problems doing enforcement of vehicles that were parked in the roadway that were not necessarily business vehicles but rather a large panel truck type vehicle used for a home improvement type of endeavor. It was a very large vehicle. The City had to address the issue because the vehicle limitations set forth at the time prohibited many pickup trucks that are currently legal to park on the street. Then you could have officers basically writing people tickets for parking something on the roadway for all intent and purposes was not a business vehicle. First Council looked at the problem facing the police department and they addressed that problem. In the course of doing that the City had other property owners come forward and say that their understanding was that they were allowed to park their truck in their driveway which is the same size as the guy’s down the street. Then there was a domino affect, there were at least a dozen residents having the same concerns about parking their vehicles. They had been parking their vehicles for several months, if not years, and now they were worried about all of the sudden enforcement taking place. So there is some frustration on the part of this Council which has been addressing this issue both at the traffic level and the zoning level for well over a year. Mr. Ketchie sees a problem here, he stated there needs to be an education process for Groveport’s residents. He was not aware of the avenues available to him to review what goes on with the City Council. He thinks it is something the City can help residents with and he will address the matter with his HOA Board and neighbors that they need to be more aware of what topics the City Council is taking under consideration. He thinks the City has an obligation to educate the residents on what their responsibilities are in being aware of the same. Mr. Dildine commented the agendas are posted at four locations within the City, and agendas, minutes and codified ordinances are all on the City’s website. Mr. Dildine suggested that maybe an educational piece can be put in the paper. Mayor Westcamp commented the Committee meeting is next week at 5:30 p.m. and it, as are all Council meetings, is open to the public. As Mr. Dildine stated, Council has been dealing with this issue for a long time and every time Council had a meeting, Mr. Maynard City of Groveport Page 9 City Council Meeting Minutes March 9, 2020 was present because it affects him. Mr. Maynard, the guy who has the truck, is the only one coming to the meetings, not a neighbor or anyone down the street. Council Member Lockett added that this Council is trying to meet the needs of the residents, the folks who have shown up and plead their case. The City doesn’t want to cause a hardship on anyone. He is glad to see everyone here tonight, otherwise Council would be making decisions in a vacuum. Council stressed to Rick Palsgrove to put the matter out there in the newspaper. The matter was delayed numerous times, once for almost six weeks, hoping for people to come to meetings to speak their mind. Nobody came. So the decisions Council made, although it sounds like they jumped way up to 19,500 lb., the whole thing has evolved. Mr. Ketchie had posted on social media (Nextdoor) where his community communicates amongst the residents and some other neighborhoods. There were a lot of comments both ways, but primarily it looked to him there were a lot of people against the 19,500 lb. limit. He doesn’t know if Council could reference that post, he’s sure Council has access to Nextdoor as well. Mr. Lockett added Council will move forward from this point on. Clerk of Council Ross read by title Ordinance No. 2020-013. This Ordinance was referred to the Committee of the Whole Ord. 2020-014 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE GROVEPORT SPECIAL OLYMPICS OHIO COLLECTION FOR CHARITABLE DONATIONS Sponsors: Lockett Clerk of Council Ross read by title Ordinance No. 2020-014. C. 1st Readings Ord. 2020-015 AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF NOTES IN THE AMOUNT OF NOT TO EXCEED $560,000 IN ANTICIPATION OF THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF DESIGNING, ENGINEERING, AND CONSTRUCTING VARIOUS WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS, WITH RELATED SITE IMPROVEMENTS AND APPURTENANCES THERETO, AND RETIRING NOTES PREVIOUSLY ISSUED FOR SUCH PURPOSE; AND APPROVING RELATED MATTERS Sponsors: Dildine Law Director Kevin Shannon requested Council to consider making a motion to suspend the rules as to the three readings. This is considered an appropriations ordinance under the City Charter and it City of Groveport Page 10 City Council Meeting Minutes March 9, 2020 would go into effect immediately upon passage by Council and signature of the Mayor. Mr. Carr added that it was entirely up to Council as to suspending the rules. Staff does have the ability to schedule all three readings and it would become effective on its third reading if passed. It is not required to be passed by emergency. These notes mature on May 1st, so there is sufficient time to have the three readings. Mr. Dildine referred the matter to the Committee of the Whole. Clerk of Council Ross read by title Ordinance No. 2020-015. This Ordinance was referred to the Committee of the Whole. Ord. 2020-016 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY'S COMPENSATION PLAN ESTABLISHED IN ORDINANCE 2012-010 (ADOPTED 5-9-2012) AND ORDINANCE 2017-002 (ADOPTED 1-23-2017), WHICH AMENDED THE SAME, THEREBY AMENDING THE CURRENT PAY SCALE FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF GROVEPORT Sponsors: Grashel Attachments: Ord. 2020-016 Exhibit A.pdf Clerk of Council Ross read by title Ordinance No. 2020-016. This Ordinance was referred to the Committee of the Whole. #050-2020 Wage Study Report To Council Attachments: Wage Study Report To Council.pdf Ord. 2020-017 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE PAY SCALE Sponsors: Hutson Attachments: Ord. 2020-017 Exhibit A.pdf Clerk of Council Ross read by title Ordinance No. 2020-017. This Ordinance was referred to the Committee of the Whole. Ord. 2020-018 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING PART ONE - ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, TITLE FIVE, CHAPTER 137, BOARD OF CEMETERY TRUSTEES Sponsors: Cleary Attachments: Ord. 2020-018 Exhibit A.pdf Clerk of Council Ross read by title Ordinance No. 2020-018. This Ordinance was referred to the Committee of the Whole. Ord. 2020-019 City of Groveport Page 11 City Council Meeting Minutes March 9, 2020 AN ORDINANCE SETTING THE ANNUAL COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FOR THE COMPENSATION OF THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF GROVEPORT Sponsors: Hilbert Clerk of Council Ross read by title Ordinance No. 2020-019. This Ordinance was referred to the Committee of the Whole. VIII. Reports A. Mayor - Lance Westcamp Mayor Lance Westcamp has been working with Community Affairs Director Patty Storts and Administrator BJ King on this year’s Farmers Market getting a schedule together for the City of Groveport. It will run from the middle of June through the middle of September on Tuesday nights. The location has been moved to Groveport Middle School Central where everything will be setup on the east parking lot. Vendors will setup in the grassy areas. The 4th of July Committee is already planning this year’s celebration. The 4th is on a Saturday this year and the Committee set the rain date for Sunday, July 5th. If events take place on the 5th the parade will be moved up to step off at 1:00 p.m. B. Administrator - BJ King Administrator BJ King updated Council on the annual street program. It is set to advertise on March 18th with a bid opening on April 2, 2020. Steve Farst, Jason Carr and Mr. King will be getting together tomorrow to take a look at the budget. The SWACO recycling and waste collection pre-bid meeting is on April 2, 2020 and the City will have representation at that meeting and they will report back to Council. #051-2020 Admin report to Council March 9, 2020 Attachments: Admin report to Council March 9, 2020.pdf C. Chief of Police - Ralph Portier Nothing further to report. D. Director of Finance - Jason Carr City of Groveport Page 12 City Council Meeting Minutes March 9, 2020 Finance Director Jason Carr reported letters were sent out today to rental and other property owners who have dual meters and only one shut-off valve. The letter indicated that in the past there have been issues where one side may have paid their water bill and the other side had not paid and the City has not at all times effectively enforced the code section. This letter is a notification that if service is not received for either property, the City of Groveport will shut-off water service regardless if one account is paid in its entirety. The utility service relationship is between the City and the property owner (landlord) not the City and the tenant. It is a matter of being consistent on enforcement and the letter is just notification. In regard to the water system notes, Mr. Carr clarified that the notes mature on April 29, 2020 not May 1st. The City is paying down $100,000, the previous amount was $660,000. The City is retiring $100,000 of that amount and the $100,000 was already included in the budget for 2020. #052-2020 Finance_Director_Council_Report_03_09_2020 Attachments: Finance_Director_Council_Report_03_09_2020.docx.pdf E. Director of Law - Kevin Shannon Law Director Kevin Shannon suggested that Council consider going into Executive Session under Other Business to discuss land acquisition. F. Asst. Admin. / Development Dir. - Jeff Green Asst. Admin. / Development Director Jeff Green reported that last year’s First Tuesday will become Third Thursday this summer. The venue will be changed to the area in front of the middle school allowing the food trucks to set up on the same side of the street. That way people won’t have to walk back and forth across Main Street. Staff definitely wanted to keep it downtown because it is a downtown event. The event is in its planning stage and any ideas from Council are welcome. G. Council Members - Jean Ann Hilbert, Ed Dildine, Shawn Cleary, Becky Hutson, Scott Lockett and Chad Grashel Council Member Dildine wished Council Member Hutson a Happy Birthday! City of Groveport Page 13 City Council Meeting Minutes March 9, 2020 H. Clerk of Council - Ruthanne Sargus Ross Nothing to report. I. Standing Committees Trees & Decorations: Council Member Dildine reported that there was a Trees & Decorations Committee meeting today and Council can look to get the minutes as soon as they are done. Scott Clinger was elected Chairperson and Dawn Bellamy was elected Co-Chair. Arbor Day is Friday, April 24th. Council will be updated with details as soon as they are finalized. The Committee has completed the 12 military banners; they have been ordered and will be received in time to be displayed on the poles the day after Memorial Day until the day before Veterans Day. They will be given to the family members at the Veterans Day Ceremony. The company has done a tremendous job on paper, I can only image how the real banners will look. The banners should be a very nice addition to the City. Cemetery: Council Member Cleary reported the Cemetery Committee met last week and he thanked Administrator BJ King and Finance Director Jason Carr for attending and for everything they brought to the table. The Committee is moving forward with some great ideas. Shawn Cleary was elected to serve as President with Dawn Bellamy serving as Vice President. The Committee is moving ahead with some good ideas and some cost increases. Mr. Cleary will update Council at the next Committee of the Whole meeting. The Committee has plans for the podium that was budgeted this year. Walt Wagner and Chris Tomlison have done a great job with the burials increasing. IX. Other Business A. Executive Session Law Director Kevin Shannon requested Council to consider making a motion to go into Executive Session pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22(G), (2) To consider the purchase of property for public purposes, or for the sale of property at competitive bidding and economic development pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22(G) (8). To include all members of Council, the Mayor, himself, City of Groveport Page 14 City Council Meeting Minutes March 9, 2020 the Administrator, the Finance Director and the Assistant Administrator/ Economic Director. A motion was made by Council Member Cleary, seconded by Council Member Hutson, to go into Executive Session at 7:30 p.m. pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22(G), (2) To consider the purchase of property for public purposes, or for the sale of property at competitive bidding and economic development pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22(G) (8). To include all members of Council, the Mayor, the Law Director, the Administrator, the Finance Director and the Assistant Administrator/ Economic Director. The motion carried by the following vote: Excused: 1- Hilbert Yes: 5- Cleary, Dildine, Grashel, Hutson and Lockett A motion was made by Council Member Hutson, seconded by Council Member Lockett, to come out of Executive Session at 7:52 p.m. with no action taken. The motion carried by the following vote: Excused: 1- Hilbert Yes: 5- Cleary, Dildine, Grashel, Hutson and Lockett X. Adjournment Council Member Cleary made a motion, seconded by Council Member Hutson to adjourn at 7:53 p.m. All in favor stated AYE, None Opposed. Motion passed. __________________________________________ Lance Westcamp, Mayor __________________________________________ Ruthanne Sargus Ross, CMC Clerk of Council PLEASE NOTE: THESE MINUTES ARE NOT VERBATIM. A RECORDING OF THE MEETING IS AVAILABLE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS. 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