City Council

NEW PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL MET IN REGULAR SESSION IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2024 WITH PRESIDENT DON KEMP PRESIDING. COUNCILMAN RIPPETH OFFERED A PRAYER, AND ALL IN ATTENDANCE RECITED THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. COUNCIL MEMBERS IN ATTENDENCE MR. KRIS KREINBIHL MR. DAN LANZER MR. MITCH PACE MRS. CHERYL RAMOS MR. STEVE RIPPETH MR. TOM SIMMELINK EXCUSED ABSENSES: MR. MICHAEL WALKER  MR. PACE MOTIONED AT ADD ORDINANCE 25-2024 TO TONIGHT’S AGENDA FOR 1st Reading MR. KREINBIHL SECONDED THE MOTION 6 YEAS ORDINANCE 25-2024 WILL BE ADDED TO TONIGHT’S AGENDA  MRS. RAMOS MOTIONED TO ADD ORDINANCE 22-2024 TO TONIGHT’S AGENDA MR. LANZER SECONDED THE MOTION 6 YEAS ORDINANCE 22-2024 HAS BEEN ADDED TO TONIGHT’S AGENDA  MR. PACE MOTIONED TO APPROVE TONIGHT’S AGENDA MRS. RIPPETH SECONDED THE MOTION 6 YEAS TONIGHT’S AGENDA HAS BEEN APPROVED  MR. SIMMELINK MOTIONED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR SESSION OF COUNCIL ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2024 MR. LANZER SECONDED THE MOTION 3 YEAS, 3 ABSTAINED MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 9, 2024 REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING HAVE BEEN APPROVED CORRESPONDENCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLERK, JULIE COURTRIGHT 1. To President Kemp from Law Director Fete, dated September 19, 2024. This is an email titled “Please assign to Mr. Lanzer” with Ordinance 28-2024 as the attachment. President Kemp asked Mr. Lanzer to take this legislation into his Committee. 2. To Council Clerk from Donald Pryor, a New Philadelphia resident. This is an email titled “Community Outreach”. 3. To Council Clerk from Fire Chief Parrish, dated September 16, 2024. This is an email titled “ Updated Burn Ban Effective Today at 4:00 PM”. I forwarded this email to Council and Administration. 4. To Council and Administration from Mayor Day, dated September 23, 2024. This is a forwarded email titled “Ambulance Committee Meeting September 4, 2024” from Fire Chief Parrish with six attachments. Those attachments included the Ambulance Committee 2024 PDF. 1  5. To Council and Administration from Mayor Day, dated September 23, 2024. The Mayor’s Report. . MAYOR’S REPORT/REQUESTS ….MAYOR JOEL B. DAY Mayor Day had the following report: Partnering with NP Schools to Create Safer Routes to School The City is working with New Philadelphia school officials and the Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association (OMEGA) to apply for grant funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School program. We held our first meeting last Thursday to begin gathering the necessary data to submit to ODOT District 11 for development of a School Travel Plan, which is the first step in the grant application process. I initiated the meeting because there is a need to construct sidewalks on the east side of South Broadway from Colonial Avenue to Providence Avenue, no matter if the school’s bond issue passes in November. The School Travel Plan will look at all NP schools in the City and recommend improvements to sidewalks and traffic patterns to make walking and bicycling to schools safer for students. Celebrating The Timken Company’s 125th Anniversary Also last Thursday, Service Director McAbier and I visited The Timken Company plant on East High Avenue to present plant manager Dave Dechellis with a proclamation to honor the company’s 125th anniversary. The New Philadelphia plant was built in 1953. Today it produces precision tapered bearings used in military aircraft and munitions as well as in the aerospace industry. Mr. Dechellis said he is working with Buckeye Career Center to attract the next generation of machinists needed to carry on the plant’s special purpose. The Timken Company was founded by carriage maker Henry Timken in 1899 in St. Louis, Missouri. He developed the tapered roller bearing to reduce friction on carriage wheels while making sharp turns. The company moved to Canton, Ohio in 1901. You can learn more about the company here: https://www.timken.com. The State Fire Marshal’s Burning Ban Postpones the BBQ The extreme drought has caused the State Fire Marshal to issue a ban on all types of outdoor burning. As a result, the Tuscora Park Foundation has had to postpone its annual Chicken BBQ fundraiser until Saturday, November 2nd and possibly include it as an event in the park’s Fall Trout Derby scheduled for the same day. If you’ve already purchased tickets for the BBQ, hang on to them. They can be used at the November 2nd event. Please follow the State Fire Marshal’s order. Lawns and fields are so dry that one hot coal from an outdoor fire ring or grill could cause a fire that would spread quickly. Buckeye’s New Medical Facility Addition Fills a Need Buckeye Career Center has broken ground to construct a new six-million-dollar medical facility addition, which I believe will ultimately improve the quality of healthcare in New Philadelphia and all communities within the Buckeye district. The new addition will house seven classrooms for the Intro to Nursing, Medical Assisting and Pharmacy Technician programs. Buckeye graduates of the medical programs will help fill jobs in the area’s growing healthcare industry. Ironically, last Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony was held on the same day, September 17th, as the groundbreaking ceremony in 1974 for construction of the original building on University Drive. Cutting a Ribbon to Open Another Walking/Hiking Trail in New Philadelphia I invite you to join me tomorrow (Tuesday) in attending a 12-noon ribbon-cutting ceremony and dedication at the KSU-Tusc campus. The University will celebrate the opening of the newest segment of the John Richard Demuth Trail. The ceremony will be held at the trailhead, located next to the Science and Technology Center. The two-mile walking trail was named in honor of Mr. Demuth’s 50 years of service to the campus’ Tuscarawas County University Foundation Board of Directors. *Mayor Day turned over the remainder of his time to Tom Bellish with of Buckeye Energy Brokers for a presentation on a Natural Gas Aggregation Program. 2  Mr. Bellish gave a presentation to Council and Administration. Mrs. Ramos asked the following question: I get my gas by going to Apples to Apples on the PUCO website. I compare the prices for gas and electric and I make my choice based on that. I’ve had people knock on my door for the aggregation and when I tell them what I’m paying they say they can’t match that. For you to have the City market this for you, does the City pay you or do you pay the City? Mr. Bellish: Neither one, we’re paid by the supplier. That’s included in the price. Mrs. Ramos: So the Mayor can make the decision for the opt-in program? Mayor Day: You have to pass a Resolution that is in Mr. Lanzer’s Committee. Mr. Rippeth had the following question: I noticed you’re compared to AEP. We have residents who are on Frontier, Carroll Electric. Are those eligible for this program or not? Mr. Bellish: No, no co-ops, just the large, publicly traded companies like Enbridge, Columbia Gas or AEP and First Energy. SERVICE DIRECTOR………….. Service Director Ron McAbier: Mr. McAbier had the following report: 1. For the last month we’ve had two different times that our water plant went on generators to help lower cost. Usually it’s during the peak hours. 2. Franklin Square: They’re continuing to put in the storm line, they made it to Front Drive and Bank Lane on the Southwest side and they’re making their way up the hill. They hope to be out to Front Street by the end of the week. 3. KSU Connector Trails: On the Northside they’re starting to put the sidewalks and curbs in, past University Drive on the Southside they’ve been completed. The biggest challenge is the storm sewers in the bike lane. The completion date is October 31st. We have a meeting tomorrow to talk about possibly paving a certain section to keep the thing moving. 4. The Low Overhead Dam Removal: We’ve started talking to the Ohio EPA and the H2Ohio Grant. We’re trying to put the connections together and get that filled out and completed. That removes the overhead dams behind AEP. We did receive the grant in the amount of $3,976,794.00. That will pay for 100% of engineering. We’ll bid it out on two different projects; dam removal and an above ground lift station. The overhead dam will be another piece. We’ll probably get that done next year. President Kemp had the following question: On the Connector Trail Project will they grind the curbs? Service Director: Yes, some of it is by design because of pedals. Mr. Pace thanked Mr. McAbier for his hard work on the grant. Mrs. Ramos had the following question: Is Front going to be closing again? Mr. McAbier: Yes Mrs. Ramos: Okay, do you know about when? Mr. McAbier: They’re going to try to get up there this week. 3  Mrs. Ramos: On Miller Ave. when you come off Tusc there’s a florescent green cone over the manhole. I was wondering what that was for. Mr. McAbier: There was a sewer blockage and have risers ordered. The cone is in place of the riser. AUDITOR ……………MRS. HEATHER DENHAM………..NO REPORT SAFETY DIRECTOR ………..MR. GREG POPHAM……….NO REPORT - TREASURER . . . . MR. TOM GERBER……………NO REPORT LAW DIRECTOR……MR. MARVIN FETE Mr. Fete had the following report: I wanted to inform Council that we resolved the Fuel Depot case this morning. After consultation with the judge, the judge ordered a 10% penalty fine of about $10,000 that the defendant was ordered to pay. The judge agreed with me that the purpose of the legislation was to be a deterrent, not discourage new businesses from opening. I was very pleased with the way it was resolved. I hope the gas station will be in business for quite some time. The money will be paid directly to the City of New Philadelphia. The first $5,000 has to be paid within 30 days. The second $5,000 has to be paid within 12 months. Failure to do so may result in Contempt of Court which is a jailable offense. BOARD/COMMISSION REPORTS: PLANNING COMMISSION……………….MAYOR JOEL DAY The Planning Commission did not meet this month. We will be meeting the 2nd Tuesday of October at 1:00 PM here in Council Chambers. BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS…….MR. RON MCABIER The Board of Zoning Appeals met here in Council Chambers on Sept. 11th with one variance request To be heard. It was 1161.04 which is lot coverage. After a lengthy discussion, with the new zoning Changes, if this individual just waits it will get passed. . AIRPORT COMMISSION…….MR. DAN LANZER The Airport Commission will be meeting on October 8th at 6:00pm in the Harry Clever Meeting Room. 4  PARK BOARD………………….MR. MITCH PACE…………….NO REPORT CEMETERY BOARD…………………….MR. MITCH PACE………..NO REPORT HEALTH BOARD ………………….…. MR. TOM SIMMELINK The Health Board meets October 9th at Noon in this building. STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS: FINANCE COMMITTEE ………………MR. STEVE RIPPETH………..NO REPORT *Mr. Rippeth noted that the Finance Committee will be meeting prior to the next regularly scheduled Council Meeting. PUBLIC WORKS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE…MR. DAN LANZER….NO REPORT Mr. Lanzer noted that The Public Works and Economic Development Committee will also be meeting prior to the next regularly scheduled Council Meeting. SAFETY, HEALTH, AND SERVICE COMMITTEE……MR. TOM SIMMELINK……NO REPORT 5 ZONING AND ANNEXATION COMMITTEE……MRS. CHERYL RAMOS Mrs. Ramos had the following report: The Zoning and Annexation Committee met tonight to consider Ordinance 22- 2024, which is the new Zoning Code for the City and the new Zoning Map. This Ordinance was placed on the Agenda for the 1st Reading tonight and there will be 3 Readings. SALARY COMMITTEE………..NO REPORT………MR. KRIS KREINBIHL…NO REPORT *Mr. Kreinbihl noted that there will be a meeting coming up. PARKS AND CEMETERY COMMITTEE……………MR. MITCH PACE Mr. Pace had the following report: The Parks and Cemetery Committee met this evening at 6:24 to discuss Ordinance 25-2024. The Ordinance was passed with a 3-0 vote and added to tonight’s Agenda. We’ll look for it to pass on 1st Reading. SPECIAL AND CONTACT COMMITTEE……MR. MIKE WALKER………..NO REPORT VISITOR’S COMMENTS_....................NONE Council Comments …………….NONE READING OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS ORDINANCES: 22-2024 AN ORDINANCE BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW PHILADELPHIA, OHIO TO ADOPT A NEW ZONING CODE FOR THE CITY OF NEW PHILADELPHIA, OHIO, WHICH IS INDICATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE AS IF FULLY REWRITTEN, AND CAN BE VIEWED IN TOTALITY ON THE CITY’S WEBSITE. 1st Reading 23-2024 AN ORDINANCE BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW PHILADELPHIA, TUSCARAWAS COUNTY, OHIO, AUTHORIZING THE AUDITOR TO ESTABLISH A NEW FUND, CALLED THE DOWNTOWN QUADRANT MAINTENANCE FUND NUMBER 282. 3rd Reading MR. RIPPETH MOTIONED FOR APPROVAL OF ORDINANCE 23-2024 6  MR. KREINBIHL SECONDED THE MOTION 6 YEAS ORDINANCE 23-2024 HAS BEEN APPROVED 25-2024 AN ORDINANCE BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW PHILADELPHIA, OHIO, TO CREATE SECTION 510 WITH REGARDS TO PROHIBITED CAMPING. 1st Reading MR. PACE MOTIONED FOR SUSPENSION OF RULES ON ORDINANCE 25-2024 MR. KREINBIHL SECONDED THE MOTION 6 YEAS RULES HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED ON ORDINANCE 25-2024 MR. PACE MOTIONED FOR APPROVAL OF ORDINANCE 25-2024 MR. KREINBIHL SECONDED THE MOTION 6 YEAS ORDINANCE 25-2024 HAS BEEN APPROVED 27-2024 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEW PHILADELPHIA, OHIO, TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE TUSCARAWAS COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER’S OFFICE FOR THE PROVISION OF LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR INDIGENTS CHARGED WITH VIOLATIONS OF NEW PHILADELPHIA CITY ORDINANCES IN THE MUNICIPAL COURT WHERE SUCH OFFENSES CARRY A POSSIBLE LOSS OF LIBERTY, ESTABLISHING COMPENSATION AND TERMS THEREOF. 2nd Reading RESOLUTIONS: UNFINISHED OR OLD BUSINESS: NONE NEW BUSINESS: NONE With no other business to discuss Mr. Lanzer motioned to adjourn at 8:14 PM. CLERK OF COUNCIL______________________________________________________ Julie Courtright 7  APPROVED ______________________ PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL __________________________________________________ Don Kemp 8