City Council

City of Groveport 655 Blacklick St. Groveport, OH 43125 614.830.2052 www.groveport.org . Meeting Minutes Monday, August 22, 2022 6:30 PM Council Chambers City Council Mayor Lance Westcamp Council Members - Jean Ann Hilbert, Ed Dildine, Shawn Cleary, Becky Hutson, Scott Lockett & Jack Rupp City Council Meeting Minutes August 22, 2022 I. Call to Order Mayor Lance Westcamp called the City Council meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Staff Present: BJ King - Administrator, Kevin Shannon - Law Director, Jason Carr - Director of Finance, Casey Adams - Chief of Police, Ruthanne Sargus Ross - Clerk of Council 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 Adams led the Pledge of Allegiance. IV. Roll Call Present: 6 - Shawn M. Cleary, Edward Dildine, Jean Ann Hilbert, Becky Hutson, Scott Lockett, and Jack Rupp V. Approval of Minutes - August 8, 2022 The August 8, 2022 City Council Minutes stand approved as submitted. #170-2022 City Council Meeting Minutes Attachments: City Council Meeting Minutes 8.8.2022.pdf Introduction of New HR Generalist Personnel Director Joyce Myers introduced Annie Short, the City's new Human Resources Generalist. Annie Short is from Grove City and obtained an Organizational Communications Studies Degree at OU. She and her husband currently live in Lithopolis. Today was Mrs. Short's first day with the City. Mrs. Short is very excited to work with everyone at Groveport. VI. Business of Guests A. Paul Smathers - Groveport Madison School District Deputy Superintendent City of Groveport Page 1 City Council Meeting Minutes August 22, 2022 Paul Smathers, Groveport Madison School District Deputy Superintendent, reported on the school safety meeting last week. The discussion was about back-to-school safety concerns. Mr. Smathers came to address Council on the busing concerns and the traffic patterns at the different schools in the City, especially at Groveport Elementary. Currently, the School District has 42 of the 56 busses needed to transport all the Groveport Madison School District students. There are issues obtaining the buses the District needs to transport all the students. Sellers made promises and set delivery dates, but as the dates came and went, the District is doing its best to operate the school. The 42 buses are getting the students to school. It has been slow to obtain the buses. Once the District receives a bus title, the buses must be certified to transport students by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The District cannot do anything until the bus is titled to the District and the OSHP issues a certification sticker for that bus. The process does take some time. The shortage has current bus routes running longer. An example of the issues the bus shortage is causing is one bus picks up its twenty students and then continues to pick up another group of twenty students, which makes the route too long. The District has several children with special needs in wheelchairs. They need wheelchair lifts in their buses. The District was operating with one, then two, chair lifts but needed four. Currently, it has three buses with chair lifts. Specials needs buses have additional safety equipment required by law; tie-downs, safety straps, and safety harnesses. The equipment must be in place and used correctly, and bus drivers must have training on the use of the equipment. Not having enough buses and transporting the charter schools, nonpublic schools, and Eastland Career Center has been challenging. Council Member Cleary asked the status of the District getting the buses when it has been tough getting police cruisers. Mr. Smathers stated the District has already committed to and paid for the 56 buses. The District is having difficulty tracking them down, securing them, and transferring the title. While the District works to track down the buses it bought and gets them titled, they have discussed borrowing buses or leasing from bus companies. The District plans to purchase additional buses and talk to other school districts about borrowing buses. The District has plenty of bus drivers. The District doesn't have buses to drive. The turnover to get the buses ready for use has been quick. The OSHP has worked closely with the District's mechanics to certify a bus as it is received. Transportation is getting better every day. The District contracts with Community Bus Services, but the buses belong to the GMSD. City of Groveport Page 2 City Council Meeting Minutes August 22, 2022 There are concerns about the children walking back and forth across Main Street and Wirt Road to Groveport Elementary. More students are being dropped off behind the Birch to walk across at the corner of Wirt Road and Main Street. There was a lot of discussion on traffic patterns and to see if the District could have one crosswalk on Main Street that students would use to cross Main Street. The District wants to make crosswalks more visible and the people monitoring the crosswalks more visible with safety vests. The District would provide large traffic cones with signage and Groveport Elementary a stop sign. The School District would do safety training with the Groveport Police Department, especially with students walking to and from school with their parents. Another issue is the flashing school zone light; the timing isn't right. The District wants a traffic flow and traffic pattern study done when children are dropped off and picked up. Also, to possibly add signage along Main Street west of Wirt Road and along the ball field on Wirt Road. The traffic has increased because of transportation issues; more parents are dropping their kids off in the morning and picking them up after school. Mayor Westcamp interjected that the Hayes Road closure adds to the increase in traffic on Main Street. Administrator King noted that City Council and Administration had heard the concerns about children crossing the Wirt Road crosswalk but not so much about crossing Main Street. The City is looking into the timing of the westbound flashing school zone light and getting the eastbound flashing light replaced. The City is also looking at Wirt Road; additional signage is already in place, and pavement markings are next. There is not much more the City can do. It has police cruisers with flashing lights on Main Street. Another concern raised was the matter of crossing guards. Mr. Smathers had mentioned the District working with the Police Department. But Mr. King would like to know the School District's status on crossing guards as this matter moves forward because the City has exhausted all its options. Mr. Smathers relayed that the District wants to create a single crossing for all students/parents to use. If they aren't using that crosswalk, they are not following the District's safety plan. Officer Javier Herrera will do safety training with the school administrators, crossing guards, and school staff. The training will cover keeping kids safe when walking to and from school, using a crosswalk safely, and implementing the safety vests and signs along with the tall traffic cones. Some people get confused about whether they can cross or not when they come to a crosswalk. No one wants anyone to be confused. Crosswalks need to be visible, and people need to clearly understand the process with kids and traffic crossing a crosswalk. The school will be placing crossing City of Groveport Page 3 City Council Meeting Minutes August 22, 2022 guards. There were concerns about the lack of focus and attention of the monitors. The principal at Groveport Elementary would like crossing guards with training and staff members. Right now, there are no crossing guards. Older students and staff will have the training to help at the crosswalks. The City would like to see the crossing guards as soon as possible, with trained adults and some older students helping. Chief Adams commented that Madison Township is experiencing the same crossing guard issues as Groveport Elementary. Officer Herrera will be working with the training officer at Madison Township Police Department to be sure the training is consistent across the board. Council Member Dildine spoke about a video on watching out for crossing guards now that school is back in session. The video was a mass reminder by Key West Video Inc. Mr. Dildine suggested putting the speed limit trailer west of Wirt Road. Its current location is past Wirt Road and the west driveway entrance of the loop. An old school sign, a flashing sign, and a crosswalk marked "school" designate a school zone when driving into town from the west. Heading eastbound, there is not a single sign indicating that there is a school there. It is also the side where the flashing light is down. Mr. King stated that the intersection of Main Street at Wirt Road had been the primary concern. He is not in favor of moving the sign away from Wirt Road. Mr. Smathers appreciated the collaboration between the School District, the City, and Police Department, all working together to strive to make this situation safe for our kids. VII. Ordinances and Resolutions A. 3rd Readings Ord. 2022-029 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING PART NINE - STREETS, UTILITIES AND PUBLIC SERVICES CODE, CHAPTER 929 - WATER REGULATIONS OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF GROVEPORT Sponsors: Lockett Attachments: Ord. 2022-029 Exhibit A.pdf Clerk of Council Ross read by title Ordinance No. 2029-029. A motion was made by Council Member Lockett, seconded by Council Member Hilbert, to adopt. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- Cleary, Dildine, Hilbert, Hutson, Lockett and Rupp B. 2nd Readings City of Groveport Page 4 City Council Meeting Minutes August 22, 2022 Ord. 2022-031 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ADMINISTRATOR TO CONVEY AN EXTENSION TO THE DRIVEWAY EASEMENT PREVIOUSLY GRANTED TO DAVID AND JOELLEN STEBELTON IN ORDINANCE NUMBER 2006-035 Sponsors: Cleary Attachments: Ord. 2022-031 Exhibit A.pdf Clerk of Council Ross read by title Ordinance No. 2029-031. C. 1st Readings None. VIII. Reports A. Mayor - Lance Westcamp Mayor Lance Westcamp has had a lot of inquiries about Friday night's incident. He will make an official statement tomorrow. B. Administrator - BJ King Administrator BJ King praised everyone for their quick action on Friday night and good communications with the Mayor, Council, and Administration keeping them well informed throughout the weekend. Administration will request an executive session toward the end of this meeting to discuss health insurance benefits. #171-2022 Admin Report to Council Attachments: Admin Report to Council August 22 2022.pdf C. Chief of Police - Casey Adams Police Chief Casey Adams gave accolades to all involved in Friday night’s incident. The teamwork and a few phone calls to people to handle the logistical issues enabled him to concentrate on policing. It was great working with the School District on Friday night. His officers are working around the clock, not just on the shooting investigation but other cases. Chief Adams learned by watching the news that the Department would receive grant money. He is working on contacting the State on how the City of Groveport Page 5 City Council Meeting Minutes August 22, 2022 City gets the money. When Chief Adams wrote the grant applications, his intent for the money was to purchase surveillance cameras. The officers would like to see the cameras installed at the main intersections within Groveport, where most vehicles pass through. The road crews would be able to log into the system to check the road conditions during inclement weather. D. Director of Finance - Jason Carr Finance Director Jason Carr reviewed the highlights of the July 31, 2022, Financial Reports included in the Council’s packet. Through July, the City’s income tax collections are up 15% from year-to-date July 31, 2021. The City received the second distribution of federal money through the American Recovery Plan Act. Groveport has collected about $591,156.35. Currently, funds are budgeted for the Hickory Alley Stormwater Project. Council may recall discussing increasing the amount the City has under investments based on the increase in interest rates. Since February, the City has increased the amount invested by $8.5 million; currently, Groveport has under investment $21,161,757. Another previous discussion was streamlining the contract process for independent contractors for the Recreation Department. The process has been reviewed and approved by the Administration. Seth Bower, Recreation Director, will notify contractors of the new process established and in place before January 1, 2023. #172-2022 July 2022 Financial Report Attachments: July 2022 Financial Report.pdf E. Director of Law - Kevin Shannon Law Director Kevin Shannon had nothing further to report. F. Development Director - Jeff Green Development Director Jeff Green was not present. G. Council Members - Jean Ann Hilbert, Ed Dildine, Shawn Cleary, Becky Hutson, Scott Lockett and Jack Rupp Council Member Rupp commended the Groveport and Madison Township Police Departments and all the other agencies responding to the Groveport Madison High School on Friday night. When the panic City of Groveport Page 6 City Council Meeting Minutes August 22, 2022 started, his family had just left the football stadium, walking across the tennis courts toward the parking lot. Officers were immediately in the area, asking where the shots were happening. He and his family took refuge in their cars. The officers were not only looking for the shooter but also checking the crowd for any injuries. Council Member Lockett remarked that there was a strong police presence all night. He appreciated the officers' visibility and their show of strength and control. He thanked the officers. Council Member Hutson agreed with the sentiments of Mr. Rupp and Mr. Lockett. She is thankful no one got hurt; it was a sad day. Everyone did a good job, and no one was injured. Council Member Cleary acknowledged the incident on Friday. Still, it reminded everyone not to forget the good coming from these schools. He talked to his buddy, Altman, who was very upset, and Mr. Cleary was very upset. Still, many kids are getting a good education at Groveport Madison High School. There are good teachers in the elementary school who lead that way. There are still positives that are getting overrun by the negatives. The District has busing problems, but many other districts do too. We have good teachers and good kids who want an education. Mr. Cleary thanked all the officers and let the Chief know that this Council has their back. Council Member Dildine, a first responder professional, commented that with these types of incidents, there is always something new to learn and an opportunity to grow and to be better at what they do. Everyone did a great job. Council Member Hilbert said lots of prayers went up. H. Clerk of Council - Ruthanne Sargus Ross Clerk of Council Ruthanne Sargus Ross had nothing further to report. I. Standing Committees None. 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) (1) to discuss employment related matters (insurance) of public employees of the City of Groveport, to include all members of Council, the Mayor, himself, the Administrator, Finance City of Groveport Page 7 City Council Meeting Minutes August 22, 2022 Director and the Personnel Director. A motion was made by Council Member Hilbert, seconded by Council Member Dildine, to go into Executive Session pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22(G) (1) to discuss employment related matters of public employees of the City of Groveport, to include all members of Council, the Mayor, Law Director, Administrator, Finance Director and Personnel Director at 7:15 p.m. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- Cleary, Dildine, Hilbert, Hutson, Lockett and Rupp A motion was made by Council Member Hilbert, seconded by Council Member Rupp, to come out of Executive Session at 7:51 p.m. with no action taken. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- Cleary, Dildine, Hilbert, Hutson, Lockett and Rupp X. Adjournment A motion was made by Council Member Hilbert, seconded by Council Member Cleary, to adjourn at 7:51 p.m. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6- Cleary, Dildine, Hilbert, Hutson, Lockett and Rupp __________________________________________ 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. City of Groveport Page 8