City Council

City of Groveport 655 Blacklick St. Groveport, OH 43125 614.830.2052 www.groveport.org . Meeting Minutes Monday, September 26, 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 September 26, 2022 I. Call to Order Mayor Lance Westcamp called the City Council meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Staff Present: Kevin Shannon - Law Director, Jason Carr - Director of Finance, Casey Adams - Chief of Police, Jeff Green - Development Director, Seth Bower - Recreation Director, Ruthanne Sargus Ross - Clerk of Council, Mindy Kay - Assistant 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 - September 12, 2022 The September 12, 2022 City Council Minutes stand approved as submitted. #191-2022 City Council Meeting Minutes 9.12.2022 Attachments: City Council Meeting Minutes 9.12.2022.pdf Approval of Minutes - September 15, 2022 The September 15, 2022 Special City Council Minutes stand approved as submitted. #192-2022 City Council Special Meeting Minutes Attachments: City Council Special Meeting Minutes 9.15.2022.pdf Proclamation After reading the 2022 Constitution Week Proclamation, Mayor Westcamp presented the proclamation to Jill Hawse a representative of City of Groveport Page 1 City Council Meeting Minutes September 26, 2022 the Elizabeth Sherman Reese Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Ms. Hawse thanked City Council for taking the time to read the Constitution Week Proclamation. The Elizabeth Sherman Reese Chapter of DAR promotes patriotism and reiterates the ethics of the U.S. Constitution. #193-2022 Constitution Week Proclamation 2022 Attachments: Constitution Week Proclamation 2022.pdf VI. Business of Guests A. State Representative Richard Brown State Representative Richard Brown appreciated the City Council and the Mayor's reading of the proclamation recognizing Constitution Week. The Constitution of the United States of America is the most important document of our foundational documents that everyone should know, read and study. Many people talk about the Constitution but have never read or studied it. Mr. Brown agrees with the Mayor's words in the proclamation urging citizens to study the Constitution, which is vital to our country. Before the Constitution, there was the Articles of Confederation which didn't work as well. Hence, the founding fathers drew up the Constitution. It made the federal government a little stronger than it had been, understanding that states' rights were also important. It provided a limited federal government allowing us to live together as a union but still allowing individual states, individual rights, and individual freedoms. He thanked the Mayor and Council for the proclamation and is glad the City recognizes Constitution Week every year. B. Cheryl Raver Irving Cheryl Raver Irving addressed Council about an expected date for the completion of work on Brook (Hickory) Alley to College Street (Hickory Alley Storm Sewer Improvement Project.) Mr. Carr responded the project is to be done by the end of November. The contractors have encountered some challenges in identifying water and sewer lines the original map didn't show. Hopefully, the project will finish by the end of November. Mrs. Irving asked about the opening of the buildings and new restaurants. Mr. Green said the interior work started today in the Rarey's Port building. Delaney's Diner will open by the end of this year. The Little Italy project is more complicated and should open in early 2023. City of Groveport Page 2 City Council Meeting Minutes September 26, 2022 Mrs. Irving asked if Mr. Green knew what would happen with the building that Little Italy occupies now. Avery Ward has some interest in the building, but Mr. Green is not at liberty to comment on the matter. The first-floor space of both buildings is nearly all rented. The second floors of both facilities are still undetermined. There are some limitations in use due to the financing structure of the project. For now, the City will use the space for government purposes. C. Joy Bivens and Chanda Wingo Joy Bivens and Chanda Wingo addressed Council as representatives of the Senior Options Levy Committee, asking for Groveport’s support and endorsement of the Senior Options Levy on the November 2022 ballot. The Senior Options Levy provides many resources to our senior citizens so they can remain safely in their homes. Services include emergency response systems, meals-on-wheel programs, home improvement programs, and non-medical transportation and transportation to doctor appointments. It also provides supportive services like unskilled nursing aids in their homes. Again Ms. Bevins entreated Groveport’s support and endorsement of the levy that impacts 60,000 seniors within Franklin County. Franklin County residents already pay for this no-tax levy, and seniors are one of the fastest-growing populations in Franklin County. The Senior Options Levy is Issue No.10 on the November 8, 2022, ballot. VII. Ordinances and Resolutions Introductions of New City Employees Recreation Director Seth Bower introduced Kelsey Valine, the City’s new Aquatic Manager. Ms. Valine comes from the Cleveland area with a wealth of knowledge and experience in aquatics. The Department is excited to have her on their team. Kelsey Valine added she was with her last employer for fourteen years and held her latest position for seven years. She has been a lifeguard instructor/trainer since 2018. She is starting her fourth week with the City and is happy to be here. Clerk of Council Ruthanne Ross introduced the new Assistant Clerk of Council, Mindy Kay. Today is Ms. Kay’s third day with the City. A. 3rd Readings None City of Groveport Page 3 City Council Meeting Minutes September 26, 2022 B. 2nd Readings None C. 1st Readings Ord. 2022-034 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE PAY GRADE FOR THE GROUP SWIM INSTRUCTOR CLASSIFICATION IN THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND ESTABLISHING COMPENSATION FOR THE STATED CLASSIFICATION Sponsors: Lockett Attachments: Ord. 2022-034 Exhibit A.pdf Finance Director Jason Carr clarified that the City currently provides private individual group swim instruction through a City employee or an independent contractor. Based on certain risks in delivering that service, staff feels employees should provide the service, not independent contractors. This legislation moves the current group swim instruction classification from grade 2 to grade 3. When giving swim lessons, the City will pay employees with a water safety instructor certification an additional $2.00 per hour. Clerk of Council Ross read by title Ordinance No. 2022-034. This Ordinance was referred to the Committee of the Whole. VIII. Reports A. Mayor - Lance Westcamp Mayor Westcamp and Chief Adams went to the Paddock Pub last Thursday, honoring the 50th Anniversary of the Madison Township Police Department. The administration organized the event well, and David Brobst gave a great speech. David Brobst’s father, Robert Brobst, was a Madison Township Trustee at the start of the police department. B. Administrator - BJ King Administrator BJ King was not present. City of Groveport Page 4 City Council Meeting Minutes September 26, 2022 C. Chief of Police - Casey Adams The Ohio State Highway Patrol called for assistance on a vehicle pursuit out of a hit-skip this afternoon. The vehicle came back as being stolen. The car went southbound on Rager Road and took Sims Road toward Ebright Road and the slight curve where it went into the cornfield. The Chief and Lieutenant Short immediately phoned Recreation Director Seth Bower, Public Service Director Brian Strayer, Turnpoint Church, and the Groveport Madison School District. Chief Adams also notified the Mayor and Jason Carr to inform them of what was happening. The school did a lockdown as a precaution as it was unknown exactly where officers located the suspect. After an hour, the suspect was apprehended just south of Loeffler Heights, about 150 yards into the cornfield. There was no weapon, the arrest was uneventful, and no one was injured. The incident involved six different responding agencies. It was a good team effort to apprehend the individual. Four cars are out on the streets sporting the new cruiser design. The new design mirrors the Department’s patch colors and adds a more consistent look. The stripes on the old cruisers are inconsistent in size and peeling off. Officers are excited about it, and new vehicles will display the new design. Chief Adams spoke on the news about the $19 million catalytic converter theft investigation. Law enforcement agencies expect six individuals to receive several felony indictments on the thirteen thousand catalytic converters stolen in or around Central Ohio. This investigation was ten times bigger than the one last spring. Legislation needs to change to deter the loopholes the theft rings use to sell and profit from the stolen catalytic converts. State Representative Brown stated there is legislation pending in a committee in the Ohio House of Representatives. There are disputes about the precise wording and language of the bill and other issues to resolve. Mr. Brown hopes to see the matter passed in the committee and move forward for passage by the end of this year. D. Director of Finance - Jason Carr Mr. Carr informed Council that the City had funded the Groveport Community Improvement Corporation with the first payment of $500,000 referenced in his report. Mr. Carr will update the Council when money is spent to track the interior build-out. City of Groveport Page 5 City Council Meeting Minutes September 26, 2022 Mr. Carr handed out a spreadsheet referencing the Aquatic outdoor pool activities for the calendar year 2022. He wanted to show the comparison with the last year’s rate increases between 2021 and 2022. There were concerns about what impact the increases would have on attendance and use of the pool. The data shows a 39% increase in visits from 2021 to 2022. Seth Bower commented there were more membership sales in 2022. Mr. Bower will report to the Council numbers of memberships versus day passes and residents versus non-residents. Mr. Dildine thinks the City needs to look at the numbers before COVID-19. More or discontinued programs could open up again to bring people back to the outdoor facility. Mr. Cleary thinks the public is happier with the added security; they feel safer. Mr. Rupp asked if the City knew what subsidies other community pools pay from the General Fund each year. Mr. Carr responded he does not know if other cities track their pools, like Worthington or Westerville. He does know some have a separate fund all by themselves and have to subsidize. It is difficult to say what aspects of the recreation operation are supported. This spreadsheet shows the Groveport Recreation Fund, not just for the outdoor pool. As to those other community recreation funds, it would be hard to say if it is specifically for the pool, programs, or whatever. Historically, Groveport averages between 1.2 and 1.4 million dollars. Looking at the operating income or loss, the outdoor pool had a loss of $82,000, which was the General Fund subsidy in 2021. Looking back through the years, the City’s Recreation Fund has not operated at a profit. He knows the City is not profit-driven, but the Recreation Center has never broken even in past years. There is a way to track the fund for the outdoor pool, but once you get into the indoor pool or just the building itself, you are dealing with utilities and items that are fixed costs and it is difficult to control those. #194-2022 Finance_Director_Report_09_26_2022 Attachments: Finance_Director_Report_09_26_2022.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 reported that the interior work began today in the Rarey's Port and Wert's Grove buildings. Workers widen openings to get earth-moving equipment into the building to install plumbing. City of Groveport Page 6 City Council Meeting Minutes September 26, 2022 G. Council Members - Jean Ann Hilbert, Ed Dildine, Shawn Cleary, Becky Hutson, Scott Lockett and Jack Rupp Council Member Jean Ann Hilbert informed Mrs. Hutson that she would not be attending the Committee of the Whole meeting in October. 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 None. X. Adjournment A motion was made by Council Member Hilbert, seconded by Council Member Hutson, to adjourn at 7:01 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 7