Committee of the Whole

City of Groveport 655 Blacklick St. Groveport, OH 43125 614.830.2052 www.groveport.org Meeting Minutes Monday, August 18, 2014 6:30 PM Council Chambers Committee of the Whole Mayor Lance Westcamp Council Members - Ed Rarey, Jean Ann Hilbert, Donna Drury, Ed Dildine, Shawn Cleary & Becky Hutson Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes August 18, 2014 I. Call to Order by Committee Vice-Chair Hilbert at 6:30 p.m. Staff Present: Marsha Hall - Administrator, Kevin Shannon - Law Director, Jeff Green - Director of Finance, Stephen Moore - Chief Building Official, Patty Storts - Community Affairs Director, Steve Farst - Engineer, Kyle Lund - Parks and Recreation Director, Tom Walker - Director of Golf, Ralph Portier - Chief of Police Staff Not Present: Dennis Moore - Public Works Superintendent, Tom Byrne - Director of Facilities Management Guests Present: The Guest Book is on file with the Clerk of Council. II. Moment of Silence Committee Vice-Chair Hilbert asked everyone to join her in a moment of silence. III. Pledge of Allegiance Chief Portier led the Pledge of Allegiance. IV. Roll Call Absent: 1 - Council Member Dildine Present: 5 - Council Member Cleary, Council Member Drury, Council Member Hilbert, Council Member Hutson, and Council Member Rarey V. Approval of Minutes - July 21, 2014 Approved as submitted. #178-2014 COTW Meeting Minutes 7-21-14 Attachments: COTW Meeting Minutes 7-21-14.pdf VI. Business of Guests 1. Joyce Fridley City of Groveport Page 1 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes August 18, 2014 Joyce Fridley of 300 Holton Street wanted to thank Council for their support on the mosquito issue in her area. The Franklin County Board of Health has taken tests and sprayed the foliage around the path and United McGill's property. Last week the Board of Health fogged the area. Council Member Cleary commented the Public Works Department has placed pellets in the area also. 2. Madison Township Chief Bates - Update Madison Township Chief Bates updated Council on the July fire department report. The department estimates they will respond to close to 6100 alarms by the end of this year; an increase of a couple of hundred from last year. Investigations into the one working fire in Groveport in July are still ongoing in collaboration with Chief Portier and the Groveport Police Department. In September the department will be holding their annual 9/11 ceremony and invitations will be mailed next week. The ceremony this year will be held at the Motts Military Museum with a speaker from the fire crews present at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. The Department has been in touch with the Insurance Services Corporate Office. The office rates fire departments and use the ratings to set insurance rates. An inspector from their office will be dropping in to the fire department in September for a quick one day checkup. Chief Bates is working with Public Works Superintendent Dennis Moore updating City maps to provide the Insurance Services Corporate Office with current information. Council Member Cleary asked Chief Bates to confirm rumors of Madison Township building a new firehouse. Chief Bates commented there are some things in the five-year plan but he did not want to discuss the matter at this time. #179-2014 MTFD July 2014 Monthly Report Attachments: MTFD July 2014 Monthly Report.pdf VII. New Business 1. Cherry Street Building (Hilbert) Groveport Police Officer Ernie Bell addressed Council regarding uses for the building located at 595 Cherry Street. The building was built in the 1930s as an Ohio Bell switching station. The Groveport Police Department took possession for its City of Groveport Page 2 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes August 18, 2014 headquarters in 1972. Off. Bell referred to the article in the Southeast Messenger regarding the City's plans to tear the building down, he would like the opportunity to use the building for a police museum. If a police museum is not an option, it would still benefit the City to keep the building to use for additional space for Kids Space, City offices or storage to name a few. He stated the building is very strongly built and for historical reasons he would like to see the building remain standing. Office Bell reported to Council the Columbus Historical Society has contacted the Groveport Police Department regarding an extensive display on the history of law enforcement in Central Ohio. Groveport has been asked to display some items at COSI. Groveport Police have 10 to 12 items that will be on display until the end of 2014. Council Member Hilbert was approached by the Steering Committee of the Food Pantry to see if the City had a facility to use for a new site for the Food Pantry. Madison Township has been very generous but the current location has steps going up and down that can be a hardship for some of the volunteers. The Steering Committee was hoping to find a one-floor plan site to move the Food Pantry. Mrs. Hilbert had advised them the matter would be brought forward to Council. Mrs. Hilbert commented to Officer Bell she thought the new police facility would have space to display the department's historic items there. Officer Bell responded space is very limited. She suggested one wall in the large training room could display items and would be seen by anyone visiting the room for training or meetings. She asked for Council Members comments on the possible Food Pantry's use of the building. Council Member Cleary went to the building and stated it is still pretty sharp. Tearing down the building to provide only six or seven parking spaces does not seem to be very sensible with the costs of demolition. Mr. Cleary stated the building is too nice a building to tear down, he wants to see it utilized in some capacity. Council Member Rarey stated Kids Space Program is second to none and growing, the program could utilize the building that is only a few feet away. He does not support tearing down the building. Mr. Rarey commented Community Affairs Director Patty Storts is doing an outstanding job with Kids Space and feels Council should give her all the space she would like to have to improve the program. Mr. Rarey City of Groveport Page 3 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes August 18, 2014 is a very adamant supporter of keeping the building. As to the Food Pantry using space in the building, the basement is very cool for storing food items and would be out of the way of other occupants of the building. Council Member Hilbert inquired of Administration the costs involved in converting the building into the police museum. Chief Portier stated $80,000 to $85,000 would bring the building up to standards. Off. Bell stated that cost included extensive reconstruction of walls and floors. The building could be renovated for much less money. The cost of tearing down the building is approximately $20,000. Mrs. Hilbert inquired of Administrator Hall if she had gone to look at the building. Ms. Hall did not have the chance to look the building over, but there are photos of the building. Director of Facilities Management Tom Byrne had advised Ms. Hall the electric in the building is okay. Finance Director Jeff Green stated the condition of the roof is unknown. A visit to the building showed the interior in bad shape. Tiles are falling down from the ceiling, with spots of the ceiling caving in. It will take some work to bring it up to something the City could actually have people enter. The metal step on the side of the building is just stuck up against the building. Depending on the actual use of the structure, it would have to be brought up to ADA Compliance bringing up a lot of other issues. Adding the cost of utilities and the upkeep of the building once it is converted to something usable. Mr. Green urged Council Members to visit the site by contacting Tom Byrne. Before any final decision is made on the matter, Mrs. Hutson wants a cost comparison for the three possible uses of the building: public use; storage and tearing down the structure for a parking lot, to include landscaping and finishing the lot. If the basement is used for the Food Pantry there is still the issue of the stairs, as with the current township site. If they had the whole building, there would be easy access for all volunteers. Mrs. Hilbert commented the stairs at the present site are a problem. Madison Township picks up all the electricity; heating, air conditioning and four appliances. The Food Pantry serves the whole township/school district. This site would be in the City of Groveport and Council will need to be very clear that they, Council, serve the people who pay their taxes. Everything needs to be considered when looking at this building. Ms. Hall will come back to Council with cost comparisons for the three different options; tearing down to construct a parking lot; refurbishing for public use or storage. VIII. Unfinished Business City of Groveport Page 4 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes August 18, 2014 None IX. Ordinances and Resolutions A. 3rd Readings RES. 14-009 A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND PLAN Sponsors: Rarey City Engineer Steve Farst detailed the Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan focusing on four infrastructure categories: Streets, Water Distribution, Sanitary Sewer Collection and Stormwater Collection. STREETS 1) Top two projects in 2015: our focus for OPWC applications a. Project # 2 - West Bixby Road Rehabilation: i. Re-cycle last year’s OPWC application (Madison Christian School, east to near Hendron Road ii. Pavement section rehab b. Project # 3 – Hendron Road Reconstruction: i. Seeks to establish pedestrian accommodation – Main Street to the Orchard Subdivision ii. Street reconstruction Main Street to Glendenning Drive – lower street, install curb, gutter and storm sewer, sidewalks, multi-use path, street lights and new 12-inch water main. iii. Reviewing with County Engineer iv. Pedestrian walk north to Cherry Blossom Drive in the Orchard Subdivision 2) Projects # 4 and 5 - Wirt Road pedestrian access improvement in two phases a. Phase 1 – College to Heritage Park Entrance – 2015 b. Phase 2 – Heritage Park to Main Street - 2016 3) Project 7 – North Center Street Reconstruction – engineering in 2015 – reconstruction to continue our trend to address a modernization of the street section/street-scape City of Groveport Page 5 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes August 18, 2014 4) Project # 20 - Significant addition (new): resume in 2015, a commitment to undertake about $350,000 per year in STREET MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES a. Near-term and long-term b. Tiered by streets most in need vs. fair condition c. Refer to Street ratings of all streets in 2013 – using ODOT scoring process. 5) Project # 18 – curb ramps Main Street, as needed. 6) Project # 23 – signal head upgrades on SR 317 – LED technology WATER 1) Projects 24,25, 27,28 - Focus of most all projects: line replacement / upgrades taking older 2-, 4-, 6-inch mains out of service and replacing with current standard 8-inch minimum 2) Project # 26 - NEW - Well Field Generator – critical need if a power loss - and in 2017 - well head improvements SANITARY SEWER COLLECTION 1) Project # 29 - New in discussion/development in 2013: Links at Groveport – a new sanitary sewer system for Golf Course. A big undertaking and critical need. Takes out of service a dilapidated and beyond-useful-life aerator system, replacing with San PS and FM to gravity sewer. 2) Project # 30 - Mobile Generators – also a critical need to be prepared to deal with power loss - the City has 5 lift stations and is vunerable to long power outages. 3) Projects # 31, 32 - New emphasis due to our commitment to Ohio EPA on our CMOM program for our system: a. Project 32 - SSES - cite reference – activities to investigate “soundness” of our sanitary collection system – focus in Elmont Place area b. Project 31 - system improvements - outcome of 2015 investigations – not yet defined City of Groveport Page 6 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes August 18, 2014 STORMWATER COLLECTION 1) Project 35 - New focus – establish an outlet at Heritage Park pond. 2) Other items – carry-on 2013 designated projects. The Clerk of Council read by title Resolution No. 14-009. A motion was made by Council Member Drury, seconded by Council Member Hutson, to recommend approval to the City Council. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 5 - Cleary, Drury, Hilbert, Hutson and Rarey #172-2014 WORKSHEET_Capital Summary - 2014 Attachments: WORKSHEET_Capital Summary - 2014_V5.pdf WORKSHEET STREETS.pdf B. 2nd Readings ORD. 14-034 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR TO PREPARE AND SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE OHIO PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION STATE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND/OR LOCAL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM(S) AND TO EXECUTE CONTRACTS AS THE HENDRON ROAD RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT Sponsors: Hilbert The Clerk of Council read by title Ordinance No. 14-034. A motion was made by Council Member Hutson, seconded by Council Member Drury, to recommend approval to the City Council. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 5 - Cleary, Drury, Hilbert, Hutson and Rarey ORD. 14-035 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR TO PREPARE AND SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE OHIO PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION STATE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND/OR LOCAL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM(S) AND TO EXECUTE CONTRACTS AS THE WEST BIXBY ROAD PAVEMENT REHABILITATION (PHASE 1) PROJECT Sponsors: Rarey City of Groveport Page 7 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes August 18, 2014 The Clerk of Council read by title Ordinance No. 14-035. A motion was made by Council Member Cleary, seconded by Council Member Hutson, to recommend approval to the City Council. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 5 - Cleary, Drury, Hilbert, Hutson and Rarey ORD. 14-036 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A GOLF COURSE FUND Sponsors: Cleary Finance Director Jeff Green advised Council Ordinances 14-036 and 14-037 are the same matter. Establishing these funds will pull the golf course and the recreation center out of the General Fund since they produce revenue on their own. It is highly unusual for a municipality to have these operations funded solely out of the General Fund. The City will still provide subsidy to the departments. By isolating the two departments the City can track revenue and expenses better. There will be more transparency and more accountability. The auditors have recommended this to the City for a few years and it's a step we decided to take this year. After the recent financing, these operations have a tendency to be a little bit more of a drag on the General Fund. It was recommended to set up the Special Revenue Funds to separate them from the General Fund, which is mostly made up of income tax. The Clerk of Council read by title Ordinance No. 14-036. A motion was made by Council Member Cleary, seconded by Council Member Hutson, to recommend approval to the City Council. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 5 - Cleary, Drury, Hilbert, Hutson and Rarey ORD. 14-037 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A RECREATION/AQUATIC CENTER FUND Sponsors: Hutson The Clerk of Council read by title Ordinance No. 14-037. A motion was made by Council Member Hutson, seconded by Council Member Drury, to recommend approval to the City Council. The motion carried by the following vote: City of Groveport Page 8 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes August 18, 2014 Yes: 5 - Cleary, Drury, Hilbert, Hutson and Rarey X. Financial Report Report will be made available at the next Council meeting. XI. Other Business XII. Reports A. Mayor - Lance Westcamp Mayor Westcamp thanked Community Affairs Director Patty Storts and Chief Portier and anyone else who helped put Cops 'n Kids Day together. It was an excellent event. The Mayor was unable to attend the car show. B. Administrator - Marsha Hall Administrator Marsha Hall asked Council if everyone was available on Wednesday, October 22, 2014 for the "Budget Workshop" and to have a motion at the next regular Council meeting to move the Committee of the Whole meeting from October 20th to October 22nd. #180-2014 Adm Report to Council - Aug 18 Attachments: Adm Report to Council - Aug 18.pdf C. Director of Law - Kevin Shannon Nothing further to report. D. Director of Finance - Jeff Green Director of Finance Jeff Green informed Council the Audit Exit Conference will be held Monday, August 25th at 5:30 p.m. prior to the Council meeting. E. Chief of Police - Ralph Portier Chief Portier responded to Council Member Rarey's concerns about the increase in traffic on Main Street. There are four officers and one sergeant on second shift. It has been decided City of Groveport Page 9 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes August 18, 2014 to have a minimum of two officers a shift as a safety issue for the officers. In past years it has only been one officer. 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. always has traffic issues with all the businesses closing. Addressing the matter with another officer is not the answer, there needs to be a traffic study conducted to look into the timing of lights. The traffic issue needs to be addressed first. Mr. Green commented there have been some extraordinary circumstances with the Lithopolis Road reconstruction and Winchester Pike improvements, plus Main Street was down to one lane today by the school. Mr. Rarey commented these issues were present before Lithopolis Road started construction. #181-2014 PD July 2014. Attachments: PD July 2014.pdf F. Public Works Superintendent - Dennis Moore Not present. #182-2014 PW August 2014 Council Report Attachments: PW August 2014 Council Report.pdf G. Chief Building Official - Stephen Moore The department has a lot of construction going on with the Ace Hardware building and a warehouse over by Mcgraw-Hill. Kubota is starting construction, there are two large warehouses on Rohr Road and one on Green Pointe Drive currently under construction. There are a lot of things going on in the department. The grass growing season has been longer this year with the cooler weather and rain. Council Member Rarey inquired if there have been any problems at the new construction area. Mr. Moore replied no. #183-2014 B&Z August 2014 Council Report Attachments: B&Z August 2014 Council Report .pdf August 2014 Mowing.pdf H. Director of Golf - Tom Walker Nothing further to report. City of Groveport Page 10 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes August 18, 2014 #184-2014 Golf Report to Mayor and Council 8-13-14 Attachments: Golf Report to Mayor and Council 8-13-14.pdf I. Parks & Recreation Director - Kyle Lund Parks & Recreation Director Kyle Lund reported the new carpet has been installed in the fitness area resulting in a lot of positive feedback from the patrons. Touch-A-Truck was held a couple of weekends ago along with Shred-It. Approximately forty businesses came out to participate. The pool bottom was also done, unfortunately today they were unable to open the indoor pool because some of the chemicals reacted with the new pool bottom. Mr. Lund reported the department's lifeguards are once again state champions and the new senior transportation van is now in service. Council Member Hilbert commented on the new LED lights installed in the indoor pool. Council Member Rarey wanted to know how many vans we have presently. Mr. Lund responded the department now has five vans. Ms. Hall stated the older van is being outfitted as a tool truck for use by the Facilities Management Department to drive from building to building. #185-2014 Rec Center Council Rpt 8-18-2014 Attachments: Rec Center Council Rpt 8-18-2014.pdf Sr Center AugSept 2014 Newsletter.pdf J. Community Affairs Director - Patty Storts Community Affairs Director Patty Storts reported she made it through her first weekend with two events on the same day. She commented she thinks the Police Chief would agree Public Works did a wonderful job opening up the closed streets for the Cops 'n Kids Fest & Back To School Expo, then closing streets down for the Groveport Hometown Car Show. The Cops 'n Kids was a good event. The Car Show had forty two registered cars with not one pulling out due to the rain. Council Member Rarey commented Ms. Storts did an excellent job with the car show. #186-2014 CA August 18, 2014 Attachments: CA August 18, 2014.pdf City of Groveport Page 11 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes August 18, 2014 K. Director of Facilities Management - Tom Byrne Not present. #187-2014 FM 8-15-14 status. Attachments: FM 8-15-14 status.pdf L. City Engineer - Steve Farst City Engineer Steve Farst reported on the progress of the paving on Main Street at Town Center. Paving should have been completed on Main Street today. Crews will keep working into paving the parking area, provided weather cooperates. They have been asked to avoid stacking trucks before 9:00 a.m. to allow traffic to keep moving for parents dropping kids off to school and to wrap up early in the afternoon when parents pick up their children. Hopefully the interference with the school traffic is kept to a minimum. The contractor for the water plant mobilized last week and there will be a lot of changes over the next couple of months. There will be a progress meeting this Wednesday with the contractor Kirk Brothers. Advertising has gone out for a public meeting for the OPWC projects on Tuesday, August 26, 2014 at 9:00 a.m. in the Council Chambers. It is important to have the public meeting regarding the grant to pass the word so the public can learn about the projects. Council Member Rarey asked who was in charge of the Cron Drive situation. The potholes are a major problem, also there is an old tree in very bad condition, if the tree were to come down, it could be a potential danger. #188-2014 EngineersReport_8_13_14. Attachments: EngineersReport_8_13_14.pdf M. Clerk of Council - Ruthanne Sargus Ross Clerk of Council Ruthanne Sargus Ross thanked the volunteers from Moose Lodge 1245 for their help at the Shred-It event on Saturday, August 2, 2014. City of Groveport Page 12 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes August 18, 2014 N. Council Members - Ed Rarey, Jean Ann Hilbert, Donna Drury, Ed Dildine, Shawn Cleary and Becky Hutson Council Member Cleary commented on the article in the Columbus Dispatch regarding Michele Cuthbert's business. He mentioned to the Chief school starting will bring kids walking on the streets and waiting for school buses. Mr. Cleary asked about combining events; Cops'n Kids Fest, Touch-A-Truck and the car show. Administrator Hall stated the three Department Heads have started considering the possibilities of a joint program. Council Member Cleary reported the Cemetery Committee met and is trying to automate record keeping at the cemetery. Mrs. Stoots is creating a spreadsheet from Public Works' records to produce a database to retrieve information more readily. The current process entails manually going through stacks of papers to fulfill an inquiry. XIII. Adjournment Council Member Rarey made a motion, seconded by Council Member Hutson, to adjourn at 7:43 p.m. All in favor stated AYE, None Opposed. Motion passed. __________________________________________ Edward G. Dildine, President Pro-Tem __________________________________________ Ruthanne Sargus Ross, 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 13