City Council

NEW PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL MET IN REGULAR SESSION IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON FEBRUARY 10, 2025 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 MRS. CHERYL RAMOS MR. STEVE RIPPETH MR. BRIAN SEARS MR. TOM SIMMELINK MR. MICHAEL WALKER EXCUSED ABSENSES: LAW DIRECTOR FETE  MR. WALKER MOTIONED TO ADD ORDINANCE 1-2025, ORDINANCE 2-2025, AND RESOLUTION 19-2024 TO TONIGHT’S AGENDA MRS. RAMOS SECONDED THE MOTION 7 YEAS ORDINANCE 1-2025, ORDINANCE 2-2025, AND RESOLUTION 19-2024 HAVE BEEN ADDED TO TONIGHT’S AGENDA  MR. SIMMELINK MOTIONED TO APPROVE TONIGHT’S AGENDA MRS. RAMOS 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 27, 2025 MR. LANZER SECONDED THE MOTION 7 YEAS MINUTES FROM THE JANUARY 27, 2025 REGULAR SESSION OF COUNCIL HAVE BEEN APPROVED CORRESPONDENCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLERK, JULIE COURTRIGHT 1. To Council and Administration from Executive Administrative Assistant to the Mayor Jami Bailey, dated January 31, 2025. This is the month-end report for the Mayor’s Office 2. To Council and Administration from Income Tax Administrator for the City Carly Loos, dated February 3, 2025. This is the Monthly Report for the City of New Philadelphia Income Tax Department. 3. To Councilman Walker from President Kemp, dated February 3, 2025. This is an email titled “Volleyball National Championships”. President Kemp asked Mr. Walker to take this issue into his Committee. 4. To Council and Administration from Mayor Day, dated February 3, 2025. This is a forwarded email from Ethan Zucal with the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District with details on the Regional Engagement Meeting which will be held on February 25, 2025. 1  5. To Council and Administration from Mayor Day, dated February 10, 2025. The Mayor’s Report. MAYOR’S REPORT/REQUESTS ….MAYOR JOEL B. DAY Mayor Day had the following report: Thanks to the County Commissioners for Creating More Downtown Parking Thanks to the Tuscarawas County Commissioners, more after-hours parking is now available in the downtown area. They have opened three of the county’s downtown lots for public parking during the hours from 6pm to 6am on weekdays and all day on Saturdays and Sundays (note the language on the new signs posted in the parking lots). The three lots are: • COURTHOUSE LOT – at Ashwood Lane NE and 1st Drive NE • OLD JAIL LOT – at Fair Avenue NE and 2nd Street NE across from the County Child Support Services building • FRONT AVE SE LOT- at 1st Drive SE and Allen Lane SE across from the City Fire Station Also available for after-hours parking are the City lots by City Hall (John Knisely Municipal Centre) on East High Avenue and by the Mini-Shop Drive Thru on South Broadway at Allen Lane SW. Members of the NPAct parking committee worked for several months with the Commissioners to make this happen. Opening the county lots should be a great benefit for downtown businesses that are open during weekday evenings. NPAct Community Improvement Projects Improving downtown parking is just one of several projects undertaken by the New Philadelphia Advancing Our Community Together (NPAct) organization. NPAct is having a fundraising pancake breakfast this Saturday, February 15th from 8am -11am at Tuscora Park. The proceeds will be used to fund downtown and community events this year. NPAct is also planning a summertime cultural festival downtown and a weekend outdoor music event at The Delaware on Fair Avenue NE. These are in addition to the annual Art on the Alley events in May and October and the downtown merchants’ Sidewalk Sales event. NPAct is always looking for volunteers. The group meets on the first Wednesday of the month at 8am in the City Council chamber. Applauding the Local Enbridge Representative for His Quick Response I want to commend Mike Cunnington of Enbridge Gas Ohio for his efforts to minimize the chaos resulting from the recent drilling accident that cut natural gas service to customers in the Front Avenue SW area. Enbridge paid for rooms in local hotels where the affected customers, and their pets, could stay while repairs were made. Mr. Cunnington provided the City with progress updates and assisted the residents and businesses in documenting any losses they incurred during the service outage. What happened? A subcontracted crew for a local fiber optic company accidentally drilled through a City water line and Enbridge gas line in the 1st Drive SW area. Water got into the gas line, and it took several days for the line to be purged. A telephone cable was also severed, which resulted in that service being lost to Municipal Court and at least one downtown business for over a week. City Design Review Board Elects Officers During its recent monthly meeting, the members of the City’s Design Review Board elected its officers for the year. Tim Sidel will be the board chairman, Erika Metzger its vice-chairwoman and Wilma 2  Mullet its secretary. Under the City new zoning code, the Design Review Board must elect officers at the first of each year. The new code has expanded the authority and duties of the DRB. It now reviews construction, renovation, expansion and demolition projects within the Central Business District. A reminder…the John Knisely Municipal Centre (City Hall) will be closed on Monday February 17th in observance of Presidents’ Day. SERVICE DIRECTOR………….. Service Director Ron McAbier: Mr. McAbier had the following report: I wanted to go over our larger projects again now that Mr. Sears is on Council so he has a better understanding of what we’re doing. 1. We’re doing a waterline project on 21A. We have to bore underneath Rt. 250 and pop up by Freeport Press. 2. We have our Small City’s Paving Project this year which is Union Ave. from the corporation limit line to Ray Ave. NW, also Reiser to 2nd Street and Ray Ave. to Front St. NW and Front St. SW and Fair Ave from 2nd St. NW to NE. 3. We also have Phase II of the Glen Dr. project. We’ll do another 500 ft of that which is the new storm sewers. 4. We have Phase I of the Roswell Trail, which will go from Hillandale to St. Rt. 39. 5. The lift station this year, and removal of the dam next year. 6. The Downtown Square Quadrant. Mr. McAbier noted that the City was able to secure $9, 350,000 in grant for these projects. We’ve been working with Building Code Administrator Mathias we’re working on a small grant for removal of some abandoned encampments and two active ones. We had a local contractor price it out for us. We just need an agreement and we’ll be able to move those encampments. March 4, 2025 is the bid opening for Glen Drive. AUDITOR ……………MRS. HEATHER DENHAM Mrs. Denham had the following comment: We’re still working on the budget and I hope to have it finalized next Council Meeting. SAFETY DIRECTOR ………..MR. GREG POPHAM………NO REPORT TREASURER . . . . MR. TOM GERBER…………….NO REPORT LAW DIRECTOR……MR. MARVIN FETE………………EXCUSED ABSENSE BOARD/COMMISSION REPORTS: PLANNING COMMISSION……………….MAYOR JOEL DAY The Planning Commission Meeting for this month has been cancelled. The Commission will Meet again on the 2nd Tuesday of March at 1:00 PM here in Council Chambers. 3 . BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS…….MR. RON MCABIER With no variance requests to be heard there will be no Board of Zoning Appeals Meeting For the month of February. . AIRPORT COMMISSION…….MR. DAN LANZER The Airport Commission will be meeting tomorrow evening at 6:00 PM at the airport meeting room. PARK BOARD……………………….MR. BRIAN SEARS The Park Board will be meeting on Wednesday, February 19th at Noon. CEMETERY BOARD…………………MR. BRIAN SEARS……..NO REPORT HEALTH BOARD ………………….…. MR. TOM SIMMELINK The Health Board will be meeting on February 12th at Noon in Council Chambers. STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS: FINANCE COMMITTEE ………………MR. STEVE RIPPETH Mr. Rippeth had the following report: We did hold some budget meetings this afternoon and we’re working toward that budget as the Auditor mentioned. I scheduled a meeting for 6:30 PM the night of the next Council Meeting where hopefully we will have some budget information that we can discuss, also to allow the Municipal Court to do a short presentation on some things they would like to bring before the Committee. PUBLIC WORKS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE…MR. DAN LANZER….NO REPORT 4 SAFETY, HEALTH, AND SERVICE COMMITTEE……MR. TOM SIMMELINK…..NO REPORT ZONING AND ANNEXATION COMMITTEE……MRS. CHERYL RAMOS Mrs. Ramos had the following report: The meeting that was going to be set needs to be rescheduled to make sure we are following the new code and the county code. SALARY COMMITTEE………..………MR. KRIS KREINBIHL……….NO REPORT PARKS AND CEMETERY COMMITTEE……………MR. BRIAN SEARS…….NO REPORT SPECIAL AND CONTACT COMMITTEE……MR. MIKE WALKER Mr. Walker had the following report: The Special and Contact Committee met tonight at 7:00 PM with three items to discuss. The Meeting adjourned at 7:10 PM. VISITOR’S COMMENTS_ Bill Fritz, Treasurer of the Trinity Episcopal Church had the following comment: I have a problem with my billing, and I went to the office and they gave me a phone number and it wasn’t a phone number for a person I had to reach. What happened was the Automatic Meter Reader was sheered off of the building due to construction. My billing shows an additional cost of $200 for that new reader. I just need to know who I can talk to to get this resolved. Mr. McAbier gave Mr. Fritz his contact information. Council Comments Mr. Rippeth had the following comment: 5  I just want to express my gratitude to the Commissioners for freeing up the parking spaces. It makes parking so much better on the weekends. READING OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS ORDINANCES: 1-2025 AN ORDINANCE TO REPEAL CODIFIED ORDINANCES CHAPTER 1339-WIND ENERGY FACILITIES AND CHAPTER 1333-DOWNTOWN DESIGN STANDARDS. 1st Reading 2-2025 AN ORDINANCE BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW PHILADELPHIA, OHIO TO AMEND CHAPTER 1309 BUILDING PERMIT FEES OF THE NEW PHILADELPHIA CODIFIED ORDINANCES. 1st Reading 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. 2nd Reading RESOLUTIONS: 19-2024 A RESOLUTION BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW PHILADELPHIA, OHIO TO COMMEND THE WOMEN’S KENT STATE VOLLEYBALL TEAM ON THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS, INCLUDING THE FIRST USCAA DIVISION II NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN SCHOOL HISTORY. 1st Reading UNFINISHED OR OLD BUSINESS: Mr. Walker had the following comment: This coming Wednesday night the New Phila. Delphian Chorale will be singing with the Swedish a cappella group at the PAC. Tickets are $15.00 and it starts at 7:30 PM. 6 NEW BUSINESS: NONE With no other business to discuss Mr. Lanzer motioned to adjourn at 7:50 PM. CLERK OF COUNCIL______________________________________________________ Julie Courtright APPROVED ______________________ PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL __________________________________________________ Don Kemp 7