Committee of the Whole

City of Groveport 655 Blacklick St. Groveport, OH 43125 614.830.2052 www.groveport.org Meeting Minutes Tuesday, February 17, 2015 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 February 17, 2015 I. Call to Order by Committee Chair Cleary 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, Dennis Moore - Public Works Superintendent, Kyle Lund - Parks and Recreation Director, Tom Walker - Director of Golf, Tom Byrne - Director of Facilities Management, Ralph Portier - Chief of Police Guests Present: The Guest Book is on file with the Clerk of Council. II. Moment of Silence Committee Chair Cleary asked everyone to join him in a moment of silence. III. Pledge of Allegiance Madison Township Battalion Chief Pruden led the Pledge of Allegiance. IV. Roll Call Present: 6 - Council Member Cleary, Council Member Dildine, Council Member Drury, Council Member Hilbert, Council Member Hutson, and Council Member Rarey V. Approval of Minutes - January 20, 2015 Approved as submitted. #024-2015 COTW Meeting Minutes 1-20-15 Attachments: COTW Meeting Minutes 1-20-15.pdf VI. Business of Guests a. Madison Township Fire Chief Bates - Monthly Update Madison Township Battalion Chief Pruden, in attendance for Fire Chief Bates, was available for any questions on the fire department's monthly report and the 2014 Annual Report. #025-2015 MTFD Monthly Report City of Groveport Page 1 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes February 17, 2015 Attachments: MTFD January 2015 Monthly Report.pdf MTFD 2014 Annual Report.pdf VII. New Business- None VIII. Unfinished Business a. 605 Cherry Street William Kurey of 286 Walnut Street addressed Council with his concerns of the brick building located at 605 Cherry Street being torn down. He opposes the installation of a parking lot for KidSpace. He would like to see the building renovated and put to use. He thought the replacement cost of the building would far exceed any benefits the City would receive by tearing it down. He wanted to know who is behind the issue of tearing the building down and who on Council wants it torn down. Council Member Cleary informed Mr. Kurey Council has looked into several options for the building: tearing it down for a parking lot; refurbishing the structure for public use or the City using it for storage. Mr. Kurey wants Council to advise the residents of any decisions made before anything is started on the site. He is not opposed to green space being installed instead of a parking lot if it is decided the building will be torn down. He would be okay with the food pantry occupying the building. He favors using the place as a police substation or museum. Council Member Cleary referred to Facilities Maintenance Director Tom Byrne's January 20, 2015 report on the matter. Council Member Dildine commented the matter had been discussed at least a year ago with the intention of having the building already razed and no one had come forward with concerns. Residents have only come forward after the discussion had been re-opened. Mr. Dildine stated he can live with a green space but feels the building that has not been utilized since 1992 needs to come down. To rehab a 75 year old building for double the value of the structure is not a good use of taxpayers’ dollars. The building would have to be brought up to today's codes for public use and the City does not need to keep it for storage. Council Member Rarey commented he is a proponent of keeping the building to be used by different City programs, such as, the food pantry. He feels city staff can refurbish the building at a lower cost. Council Member Hutson asked Administrator Hall if the City could provide Mr. Kurey with a copy of the report from Tom Byrne that shows the costs involved with each option. Mrs. Hutson does not think restoring the building is making good use of the taxpayers’ dollars. Ms. Hall responded the report is a public record and he will be provided with a copy. Council Member Cleary read the costs of the three options from the report. Ms. Hall clarified the estimated amounts reflected in the City of Groveport Page 2 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes February 17, 2015 report are assumed costs with City employees doing the work. The items City employees can't perform, reflect assumed costs to bring in an outside company. Mr. Cleary is in favor of keeping the building for storage. Mr. Dildine commented if the building is retained for storage the City still will have continual maintenance and utility costs. Mayor Westcamp stated Council needs to decide what they are going to do with the building. The Mayor likes the idea of green space versus parking. The Mayor asked for clarification on the estimate to bring the building up to code for the food bank. Ms. Hall responded the building would have to meet current Groveport Building & Zoning codes to be utilized by the public. Council Member Hilbert informed Mr. Kurey if the City does go with a parking lot for the site it would include a landscape plan. Chief Building Official Stephen Moore advised there would have to be a landscape plan between the parking lot and the residents' homes consisting of shrubs and different plantings to screen the parking lot from the houses. As no motion can be made at the work session of Council, this item will be on the City Council agenda for February 23, 2015. IX. Ordinances and Resolutions A. 3rd Readings ORD. 15-005 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SURETY BOND AGENCY FUND Sponsors: Hutson Finance Director Jeff Green informed Council when the City has a development that involves any infrastructure that will be publicly dedicated upon completion, the City requires the project be bonded or guaranteed. In the past developers have provided the City with a bond and on completion of the project it drops to 10% for the one year warranty period. A lot of the companies elect to provide the City with a certified check to cover the amount. Currently these monies go into the General Fund and don't carry over. Finance has to budget those funds to be repaid the following year. Creating the Surety Bond Agency Fund makes it completely transparent, allowing Finance to roll the funds over and repay the developer. Chair Cleary read by title Ordinance No. 15-005. A motion was made by Council Member Hilbert, seconded by Council Member Dildine, to recommend approval to the City Council. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Cleary, Dildine, Drury, Hilbert, Hutson and Rarey City of Groveport Page 3 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes February 17, 2015 B. 2nd Readings ORD. 15-006 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 14-048 (ADOPTED 11/10/2014), THE ANNUAL APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF GROVEPORT, OHIO, FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 2015 Sponsors: Rarey Attachments: ORD. 15-006 Exhibit A.pdf Finance Director Jeff Green informed Council this is something that has to be done every year. Finance can only project what the carry over will be from year to year. Chair Cleary read by title Ordinance No. 15-006. A motion was made by Council Member Hilbert, seconded by Council Member Drury, to recommend approval to the City Council. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Cleary, Dildine, Drury, Hilbert, Hutson and Rarey ORD. 15-007 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NO.12-005 (ADOPTED 02/27/2012), PART ONE - ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, TITLE NINE - TAXATION, OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF GROVEPORT BY AMENDING CHAPTER 181 - INCOME TAX, SECTION 181.15 - ALLOCATION OF FUNDS Sponsors: Cleary Finance Director Jeff Green stated when Finance starts to repay the Rainy Day Fund in 2015, they will take money right off the top of the income taxes as they are collected. Currently the allocation is $100,000 to the Rainy Day Fund, 20% to the Debt Service Fund and the remaining 80% to the General Fund. This Ordinance is asking to change the allocation to start repaying, the City still has a lot of projects in the queue for this year. Right now there is approximately $1.5 / $1.4 million in the Debt Service Fund. The City's Debt Service is already taken care of this year. The $1.4 million is more than enough to pay for next year, plus the 15% will still be covering the Debt Service for the following year. This Ordinance allows Finance to take an extra 5% to put into the General Fund this year. Chair Cleary read by title Ordinance No. 15-007. A motion was made by Council Member Dildine, seconded by Council Member Hutson, to recommend approval to the City Council. The motion carried by the following vote: City of Groveport Page 4 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes February 17, 2015 Yes: 6 - Cleary, Dildine, Drury, Hilbert, Hutson and Rarey ORD. 15-008 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE TRANSFER OF CASH FUND BALANCES AND APPROVAL OF RAINY DAY FUNDS Sponsors: Dildine Finance Director Jeff Green explained this Ordinance allows Finance to transfer money from the General Fund to the Street Fund, Recreation & Aquatic Fund and the Golf Course Fund. This also authorizes moving money from the Rainy Day Fund into the other accounts. Chair Cleary read by title Ordinance No. 15-008. A motion was made by Council Member Drury, seconded by Council Member Dildine, to recommend approval to the City Council. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Cleary, Dildine, Drury, Hilbert, Hutson and Rarey ORD. 15-009 AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE RECODIFICATION, EDITING, AND INCLUSION OF CERTAIN ORDINANCES AS PARTS OF THE VARIOUS COMPONENT CODES OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF GROVEPORT, OHIO AND THE DECLARATION OF AN EMERGENCY Sponsors: Drury Law Director Shannon stated it is the City's standard recodification. This Ordinance will include any changes to Ohio laws that have occurred that are mirrored in the City's general and traffic codes, as well as, include anything the City has enacted that would cause the City to recodify the Groveport Codified Ordinances. Chair Cleary read by title Ordinance No. 15-009. A motion was made by Council Member Hilbert, seconded by Council Member Dildine, to recommend approval to the City Council. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Cleary, Dildine, Drury, Hilbert, Hutson and Rarey ORD. 15-010 AN ORDINANCE CREATING THE POSITION OF COLLEGE INTERN, ACCEPTING THE POSITION DESCRIPTION AND PAY GRADE THEREFORE Sponsors: Hilbert City of Groveport Page 5 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes February 17, 2015 Attachments: College Intern.pdf Administrator Marsha Hall informed Council that MORPC has implemented a college intern program. When the program was originally brought to Administration's attention last fall, it was a program to be implemented this summer and was to include a stipend of approximately $1000 to be paid to the intern. When the program was actually implemented, MORPC stated the person should be a temporary / seasonal part-time employee. The position would be for 12 hours a week for 10 weeks, at a rate of $8.10 an hour; which is a little under $1000. Since MORPC wanted the position to be an employee of the various municipalities, Administration had to create a job description and put it in a pay grade that was commensurate with their qualifications. The intern qualifications through MORPC entails the person having thirty hours of completed college course work, an interest in a public service career, hold a 2.5 or above GPA and attend a college or university within 15 counties of MORPC's area and sphere of interest. Ms. Hall commented both Building & Zoning and Engineering have projects for such a position, such as, taking an inventory of the City's sidewalks and going through records for records retention. Chair Cleary read by title Ordinance No. 15-010. A motion was made by Council Member Hilbert, seconded by Council Member Hutson, to recommend approval to the City Council. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Cleary, Dildine, Drury, Hilbert, Hutson and Rarey ORD. 15-011 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE PAY SCALE Sponsors: Hutson Administrator Marsha Hall explained this Ordinance adds the position to the pay scale at a grade 1 and adds the position of part-time receptionist, which was inadvertently left off the pay scale. Chair Cleary read by title Ordinance No. 15-011. A motion was made by Council Member Hilbert, seconded by Council Member Drury, to recommend approval to the City Council. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Cleary, Dildine, Drury, Hilbert, Hutson and Rarey X. Financial Report #026-2015 Finance Report January 31, 2015 City of Groveport Page 6 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes February 17, 2015 Attachments: Finance Report January 31, 2015.pdf Nothing further to report. XI. Other Business - None XII. Reports A. Mayor - Lance Westcamp Mayor Westcamp thanked Public Works Superintendent Dennis Moore and his crew for the great job they did plowing the City's streets. Thanks to Community Affairs Director Patty Storts there is a 4th of July meeting scheduled for Thursday, February 26, 2015. Mayor Westcamp addressed Council on the very important meeting scheduled for next Monday night concerning the Schottenstein property. If Council has any added questions, get with City Engineer Steve Farst, Chief Building Official Stephen Moore or Administrator Marsha Hall. A large crowd is expected next Monday. B. Administrator - Marsha Hall Administrator Hall had nothing further to report but noted her request to go into executive session in her report. #027-2015 Admin Report to Council - Feb 17 Attachments: Adm Report to Council - Feb 17.pdf C. Director of Law - Kevin Shannon Nothing further to report. D. Director of Finance - Jeff Green Mr. Green informed Council the Annual MORPC Luncheon is coming up on April 2nd. The City has reserved a table. Any Council Member interested in attending needs to contact Mr. Green or Executive Assistant Jessica Reeves as soon as possible. E. Chief of Police - Ralph Portier Chief Portier reported Captain Kurt Blevins will be in attendance at the next meeting. Chief Portier will be on vacation. City of Groveport Page 7 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes February 17, 2015 #028-2015 PD Council Report Attachments: PD Council Report.pdf F. Public Works Superintendent - Dennis Moore Public Works Superintendent Dennis Moore reported crews are back to watching laying down salt. The City's salt supply is down to about 280 ton. The City still has 90 ton of salt available with the SWOP4G Program from Franklin County Engineer at $112.00 per ton. Council Member Cleary appreciated the department getting the street lights up and running on Mohr Avenue and Holton Street. #029-2015 Attachments: PW Council Report.pdf G. Chief Building Official - Stephen Moore Chief Building Official Stephen Moore reported the department has issued the occupancy permit for the Groveport Senior Village Apartments. #030-2015 B&Z Council Report Attachments: B&Z Council Report.pdf H. Director of Golf - Tom Walker Nothing further to report. I. Parks & Recreation Director - Kyle Lund Parks & Recreation Director Kyle Lund provided Council with a hardcopy of the March Connection. #031-2015 Rec Center Council Report Attachments: Rec Center Council Report.pdf J. Community Affairs Director - Patty Storts Nothing further to report. #032-2015 CA Council Report - February City of Groveport Page 8 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes February 17, 2015 Attachments: CA Council Report - February.pdf K. Director of Facilities Management - Tom Byrne Nothing further to report. #033-2015 FM Council Report Attachments: FM Council Report.pdf L. City Engineer - Steve Farst City Engineer Steve Farst reported there are several projects developers have been constructing with infrastructure that will be dedicated to the City upon completion. In the next few months Council will see legislation introduced to accept the improvements. The Newport Village, Section 4 project has been resurrected. There are 20 lots to be finished. The project started construction in 2005 with all the underground utilities put into place but the project was shut down when the market went down. Homewood Corporation wants to finish the project. The pre-construction meeting was held and Homewood has posted their surety and inspection deposits. When the weather breaks the project will start construction to extend Tallman Street to meet Rohr Road. The company has been asked to make sure the construction access entrance comes off of Rohr Road and not off Harbinger Drive or Tallman Street. #034-2015 Engineers Report 2-11-15 Attachments: Engineers Report 2-11-15.pdf M. Clerk of Council - Ruthanne Sargus Ross Nothing to report. N. Council Members - Ed Rarey, Jean Ann Hilbert, Donna Drury, Ed Dildine, Shawn Cleary and Becky Hutson Nothing to report. XIII. Executive Session Law Director Shannon advised Council that staff has requested Council consider making a motion to go into executive session pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22(G)(1): To consider the employment of public officials. To include all Members of Council, City of Groveport Page 9 Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes February 17, 2015 the Mayor, Administrator, Assistant Administrator and the Law Director. A motion was made by Council Member Dildine, seconded by Council Member Hilbert, to go into executive session pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22(G)(1) at 7:12 p.m. to consider the employment of public officials and invited the Mayor, Council, Law Director, Administrator and Assistant Administrator. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Cleary, Dildine, Drury, Hilbert, Hutson and Rarey Executive Session A motion was made by Council Member Hilbert, seconded by Council Member Dildine, to come out of executive session at 8:02 p.m. with no action being taken. All in favor stated AYE, None Opposed. Motion passed. XIV. Adjournment Council Member Hilbert made a motion, seconded by Council Member Drury to adjourn at 8:02 p.m. All in favor stated AYE, None Opposed. Motion passed. __________________________________________ Shawn M. Cleary, 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 10