City Council

NEW PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL MET IN REGULAR SESSION IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON JANUARY 27, 2025 WITH PRESIDENT DON KEMP PRESIDING. COUNCILMAN WALKER OFFERED A PRAYER, AND ALL IN ATTENDANCE RECITED THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. COUNCIL MEMBERS IN ATTENDENCE MR. KRIS KREINBIHL MR. DAN LANZER MRS. CHERYL RAMOS MR. STEVE RIPPETH MR. BRIAN SEARS MR. TOM SIMMELINK MR. MICHAEL WALKER EXCUSED ABSENSES: NONE  MR. LANZER MOTIONED TO ADD ORDINANCE 3-2025 TO TONIGHT’S AGENDA MR. RIPPETH SECONDED THE MOTION 7 YEAS ORDINANCE 3-2025 HAS BEEN ADDED TO TONIGHT’S AGENDA  MRS. RAMOS MOTIONED TO APPROVE TONIGHT’S AGENDA MR. WALKER SECONDED THE MOTION 7 YEAS TONIGHT’S AGENDA HAS BEEN APPROVED  MR. KREINBIHL MOTIONED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR SESSION OF COUNCIL ON JANUARY 13, 2025 MR. SIMMELINK SECONDED THE MOTION 6 YEAS (MR. SEARS ABSTAINED) MINUTES FROM THE JANUARY 13, 2025 REGULAR SESSION OF COUNCIL HAVE BEEN APPROVED CORRESPONDENCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLERK, JULIE COURTRIGHT 1. To Council and Administration from Mayor Day, dated January 16, 2025. This is an email titled “2024 4th Quarter Fact Finding and Consolation Stats”. It states the following: “The table in the PDF shows wage increase information from the State Employment Relations Board. This is necessary information as we continue contract negotiations with the City’s four bargaining units. 2. To Councilman Lanzer from President Kemp dated January 16, 2025. This is an email titled 2025 Material Bids. President Kemp asked Mr. Lanzer to take this into his Committee. 3. To President Kemp, Finance Committee Chair Rippeth and Council Clerk from Municipal Court Administrator Judith Dziegel, dated January 24, 2025. This is an email titled “New Philadelphia Municipal Court Presentation to Council”. 4. To Council and Administration from Mayor Day, dated January 25, 2025. This is an email titled “OMEGA Regional Transportation 1  Planning Organization Long Range Planning Survey”. Mayor Day is requesting that each recipient to the email take the survey. 5. To Councilman Walker from President Kemp dated January 27, 2025. This is an email asking for Mr. Walker to take Proposed Ordinance 1-2025 and Proposed Ordinance 2-2025 into his Committee for Consideration. To Councilman Lanzer from President Kemp, dated January 27, 2025. This is an email asking for Mr. Lanzer to take Proposed Ordinance 3-2025 into his Committee for consideration. 6. To Councilwoman Ramos from President Kemp, dated January 27, 2025. This is an email asking Mrs. Ramos to take Proposed Resolution 1-2025 into her Committee for Consideration. 7. To Council and Administration from Mayor Day, dated January 27, 2025. The Mayor’s Report. MAYOR’S REPORT/REQUESTS ….MAYOR JOEL B. DAY Mayor Day had the following report: Planning Commission Recommends to Build Them Where They Are: At its January 14th monthly meeting, the members of the City Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend that a new high school and middle school be built at the schools’ present location at 4th Street and Ray Avenue NW. The Commission has been working with the New Philadelphia Schools administration over the past two months to find a suitable location that voters could support and a location that conforms to the City’s Master/Vision Plan. Locations outside of the City limits were explored. But when transportation logistics and costs were also considered, the Commission members felt that keeping both schools at their present location was the best option. The final decision on the location will be made by the New Philadelphia Board of Education. The Final Revision to the City’s Master/Vision Plan Is Underway: The City’s Master/Vision Plan is undergoing its final revision, to incorporate the new zoning and planning code adopted last year by City Council. Completion of the project is expected to take three to four months, at which time the Plan will be presented to the City Planning Commission and City Council for approval. The Master/Vision Plan will act as a blueprint for City administrations to follow to manage the growth of New Philadelphia. An Alternate Member Is Appointed to the Design Review Board: I have appointed local Artist and entrepreneur Jessica Haney as an alternate member of the City Design Review Board. The new zoning and planning code expands the board’s authority, so it has more say in building façade design and the design of signage in the City. Ms. Haney is a well-established artist and business owner in New Philadelphia who will bring another level of expertise to the board. Lockport Lager Is Coming Back Home: The owners of the popular Lockport Brewery in Bolivar have announced that they are opening a second location at 1700 East High Avenue in New Philadelphia, in the former Five Barrel Bullet Brewery building. The new location will be called Pilot Brewhouse, because of its proximity to Harry Clever Field. A springtime opening is planned. New Philadelphia’s first brewery opened in 1864. One of the beers it made was Old Lockport Lager. Lockport Brewery brews its own version of Old Lockport. So now the beer is coming back home. You can read more about it here: https://ohiocraftbeer.org/lockports-old-is-new/. Welcoming Brian Sears to New Philadelphia City Council: Congratulations to Brian Sears for being appointed as the new Ward 2 representative on New Philadelphia City Council. The New Philadelphia members of the Tuscarawas County Republican Party’s Central Committee recently appointed him to fill the position vacated by Mitch Pace, who moved on to become a Tuscarawas County Commissioner. Councilman Sears brings a solid business background and a history of community involvement to City Council. Mark Your Calendars and Get Your Fishing Gear Ready Organizers Jeff Miller and Mitch Pace have announced that Saturday, May 3rd is the date for the annual spring Trout Derby at Tuscora Park. More details to follow…. ## SERVICE DIRECTOR………….. Service Director Ron McAbier: 2  Mr. McAbier had the following report: 1. From two weeks ago when we met there was a cold snap and we had three leaks in the waterlines because of that. One was a main line to one of the grocery stores. 2. We’re now out patching. 3. We had 14 calls for burst pipes due to cold temperatures. 4. We finally installed the 13 led lights around the high school. Mr. Walker asked how we were doing on salt. Mr. McAbier answered that right now we’re at 960 ton so we’re doing good. AUDITOR ……………MRS. HEATHER DENHAM Mrs. Denham had the following comment: We finished our W-2s and our 1099s so if someone doesn’t receive theirs just let us know and we can get a copy sent out. I received several revised budgets last week, probably half of them were increased instead of decreased. We put an extension for our financial statement so I can focus on the budget. SAFETY DIRECTOR ………..MR. GREG POPHAM Mr. Popham had the following report: A couple things this evening. First in the police department on March 27th we’re going to give an entrance exam to try to establish an eligibility list. In the fire department on March 8th Mike Slabaugh, a six year fire fighter/ medic is leaving to join the private sector in management. Also in the Fire Department we are just starting to put together some information about the fire truck we have on the government website, a 1949 American Pumper. Mr. Kreinbihl mentioned that he saw the fire department in the lagoon practicing water rescues and it was very interesting to watch. TREASURER . . . . MR. TOM GERBER…………….NO REPORT LAW DIRECTOR……MR. MARVIN FETE Mr. Fete had the following report: I had the privilege of serving as the mock trial advisor for New Philadelphia High School. That was a real treat for me to do because that’s my alma mater, that’s where a graduated from in 1988. We didn’t have mock trial when I was there. I would have loved it. Years ago when I first became an attorney I tried to get a mock trial program started in New Phila but I couldn’t find the teaching advisor that wanted to do it. They have a full class and you can take that every year and it counts toward your social studies credit for college. The teacher is Mrs. Stephanie Jenkins. She recently took a group of students to do the Band of Brothers Tour in Europe. I wanted to give a shout-out to some of my students: the winner for Best Witness was Anna Sidel and for Best Attorney was Bri Raushaven. We were primarily freshmen and sophomores so we’ll really do great next year. One of the students, Olivia Miller, will be doing an internship with me. She was recently accepted at Indiana University so that was very exciting. I’m really proud of those kids and I’m thankful I got to be a part of that. 3  I also wanted to two members of our City Department; Reed Anderson and Tim Creighton. I was one of the 14 calls that had his pipes burst. It was at my law office, and this is the first time this has happened. These gentlemen got the valve shut off very quickly and I’m very grateful. BOARD/COMMISSION REPORTS: PLANNING COMMISSION……………….MAYOR JOEL DAY The Planning Commission made that recommendation about the location of the high school and middle School. Also, they approved a property annexation on McDonald Dr. That has been assigned to Councilwoman Ramos’ Zoning and Annexation Committee for future consideration. The Planning Commission will be meeting the second Tuesday of next month at 1:00 PM here in Council Chambers. . BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS…….MR. RON MCABIER The Board of Zoning Appeals will meet February 11th at 5:00 PM here in Council Chambers. . AIRPORT COMMISSION…….MR. DAN LANZER The Airport Commission will be meeting February 11th at 6:00 PM at the Harry Clever Field Meeting Room. PARK BOARD……………………….MR. SEARS The Park Board will be meeting on Wednesday, February 19th at Noon. CEMETERY BOARD…………………MR. SEARS The next meeting will be Thursday, February 13th at 8:00am. HEALTH BOARD ………………….…. MR. TOM SIMMELINK 4  The Health Board will be meeting on February 12th at Noon in Council Chambers. STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS: FINANCE COMMITTEE ………………MR. STEVE RIPPETH………..NO REPORT PUBLIC WORKS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE…MR. DAN LANZER Mr. Lanzer had the following report: The Public Works and Economic Development Committee met this evening at 7:00 PM. We had one item to discuss tonight, Proposed Ordinance 3-2025. After a short discussion we voted unanimously to add it to tonight’s agenda and hold it for three readings. SAFETY, HEALTH, AND SERVICE COMMITTEE……MR. TOM SIMMELINK…..NO REPORT ZONING AND ANNEXATION COMMITTEE……MRS. CHERYL RAMOS…….NO REPORT SALARY COMMITTEE………..………MR. KRIS KREINBIHL……….NO REPORT PARKS AND CEMETERY COMMITTEE……………MR. SEARS…….NO REPORT SPECIAL AND CONTACT COMMITTEE……MR. MIKE WALKER…….NO REPORT Mr. Walker had the following report: The Special and Contact Committee met this evening at 7:15. We had one item to discuss which was a liquor license renewal for Red Lobster Hospitality LLC DBA Red Lobster #564. After some discussion we have decided that it doesn’t need a hearing so we’re going to send that to Council for a voice vote (a Yes vote means no hearing needed). ROLL CALL VOTE 7 YEAS COUNCIL RECOMMENDS NO HEARING IS NEEDED FOR THE RED LOBSTER LIQUOR LICENSE REQUEST Mr. Walker stated that the meeting ended at 7:15. 5  VISITOR’S COMMENTS_....................NONE Council Comments Mr. Kreinbihl had the following comment: The school will be having a meeting on February 3rd at 6:30. READING OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS ORDINANCES: 3-2025 AN ORDINANCE BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW PHILADELPHIA DIRECTING THE SERVICE DIRECTOR TO ADVERTISE FOR BIDS AND TO ENTER INTO CONTRACTS WITH THE LOWEST AND BEST BIDDER FOR THE CITY’S REQUIREMENTS OF VARIOUS MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES FOR 2025. 1st Reading RESOLUTIONS: UNFINISHED OR OLD BUSINESS: NONE NEW BUSINESS: NONE With no other business to discuss Mr. Lanzer motioned to adjourn at 7:55 PM. 6  CLERK OF COUNCIL______________________________________________________ Julie Courtright APPROVED ______________________ PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL __________________________________________________ Don Kemp 7