Village Council Meeting

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Village of South Amherst Meeting REGULAR COUNCIL May 8, 2023 Call to order: 7:00 P.M. – The council meeting was called to order by Mayor David Leshinski and opened with the Lord's Prayer followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. The roll was called: Ex officio members: Councilmember Michele Jeffers P Fiscal Officer Michelle Henke P Councilmember Scott Jones P Records Clerk Laurie Beran P Councilmember Becky Siesky P Law Director Matthew Mishak P Councilmember Jeri Leigh Siss P Councilmember David Troike EA (EA – excused absences) President Pro Tempore Jeanne Maschari P Councilmember Jeffers moved to excuse Councilmember Troike’s absence. Councilmember Siss seconded the motion. Jeffers x Jones x Maschari x Siesky x Siss x Troike x Motion passed. APPROVAL OF AGENDA May 8, 2023 Amend the agenda with the following items: SAFD add personnel, promotion, resignation. Councilmember Maschari moved to approve the agenda with the amendments. Councilmember Jeffers seconded the motion. Jeffers x Jones x Maschari x Siesky x Siss x Troike EA Motion passed. APPROVAL OF MINUTES April 24, 2023 Councilmember Jones moved to approve the minutes as presented. Councilmember Siesky seconded. Jeffers x Jones x Maschari x Siesky x Siss x Troike EA Motion passed. VISITORS Fire Chief Dennis Hevener, Assistant Chief Crawford, Firefighter Andrew Lawrie MAYOR National Folk Festival Mayor received information on a folk festival, the organization is looking for a host city. Councilmember Jones will review the material to see if the event would be feasible for the Village. NOPEC Grant Grant application was sent and accepted. The mayor has requested that departments resend their proposals. Community Development Letter – Engineering Study The letter was sent and received by Robert Duncan, Lorain County Community Development Director who will be scheduling a meeting with the County Administrator to discuss the possible funding of an engineering study on the water, storm and sewer line project. Keep Lorain County Beautiful Will be on Saturday, May 20th from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. There will be safety vests, garbage bags, gloves, reachers, enough for eighty people. IF residents would like to help with a Village project or would like supplies to help with their own project, they are to contact the mayor.  RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Village of South Amherst Meeting FISCAL OFFICER Payment Listing 4/21 – 5/4/23 presented. Mayor’s Court Financials – April Gross Receipts Ohio City of Total net Computer Fund Computer Fund General Fund Reparations Oberlin Receipts to SA Clerk Court 9722.00 2156.00 85.50 7,480.00 598.00 180.00 6702.00 Councilmember Siss questioned the fluctuation in the computer fund clerk account. The fiscal officer responded that the amount is a percentage of the citations received. 2024 Tax Budget Worksheets have been distributed to departments. Public Hearing for the budget is at 6:45 p.m. on June 26th at 6:45 p.m., with the vote to take place during the Regular Council Meeting immediately following. RECORDS CLERK April Monthly Building/Zoning 673 S Lake St Roof 251 W Main St Windows There were zero zoning inspections for the month of April. DEPARTMENTS Fire (Fire Chief Hevener presented.) April Fire EMS MVA Mutual Other 15 3 9 6 Training consisted of EMS and one truck catching a hydrant. Computer/Phone Lines There was only one bid for excavating received. The chief recommends that the council approves the submitted bids and the prices are still valid. Councilmember Maschari moved to accept the submitted bid from Holland Computers not to exceed $1300 to be split 25% FD and 75% Water Department. Councilmember Siss seconded the motion. Jeffers x Jones x Maschari x Siesky x Siss x Troike EA Motion passed. Councilmember Maschari moved to accept the bid from Diggers of Ohio for the trenching of pipe not to exceed $3000.00 to be split 25% FD and 75% Water Department. Councilmember Siss seconded the motion. Resignation Chief Dennis Hevener’s retirement is effective June 10, 2023. Mayor Leshinski thanks Chief Hevener for his service and dedication of forty-six (46) years. Councilmember Jones moved to accept Chief Hevener’s retirement. Councilmember Siss seconded the motion. Jeffers x Jones x Maschari x Siesky x Siss x Troike EA Motion passed. Addition to roster Aaron Grimm was recommended as a Firefighter coming from the City of Amherst, pending drug testing.  RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Village of South Amherst Meeting Councilmember Maschari moved to approve the appointment of Aaron Grim as a Firefighter pending the drug test results. Councilmember Jones seconded the motion. Jeffers x Jones x Maschari x Siesky x Siss x Troike EA Motion passed. Promotion Firefighter Andrew Lawrie promoted to Lieutenant with a 30-day promotion period effective May 1 2023. It is also recommended that both Andrew Lawrie and Kyle Urig attend the next session of Officer Training through the Lorain County Fire Association Training Academy. Councilmember Jones moved to approve the promotion of Firefighter Lawrie to Lieutenant. Councilmember Siss seconded the motion. Jeffers x Jones x Maschari x Siesky x Siss x Troike EA Motion passed. Police Blotter Traffic Citations: 77 Speed, 4 Right on Red, 2 Stop Sign, 1Red light, 1 Expired License, 1 DUS, 1 Expired Plates Locations: 40 Russia Rd, 32 W Main, 10 E Main, 14 N Lake, 12 S Lake, 2 Quarry, 1 Annis, 1 Leonard Calls for Service : 10 BOARDS Cemetery Clerk resignation The resignation is effective May 31. Councilmember Siss asked if there is a plan of succession. Mayor Leshinski responded that the “resignation will be accepted at the meeting on May 10 and then the position can be posted. What we are looking to do, the fiscal officer and I had a little discussion if we could have someone assume the cemetery clerk position and the Mayor’s Court clerk position.” Councilmember Maschari inquired that, “once the resignation is accepted, who will be in charge to seek this position of Cemetery/Mayor’s Court Clerk?” Mayor Leshinski stated, “the position will be put on the website, on social media and word of mouth is always a good way of advertising, a letter of interest sent to me as soon as possible.” Councilmember Maschari then inquired as to who would do the training of the next clerk. The mayor responded that the current clerk would do the training or if it is after May 31st that she would stay on to do some training, the board would need to decide. Ms. Maschari confirmed that we were able to post on Indeed.com and asked when Alexandra Tuggle would return from maternity leave, seeing that she was the cemetery clerk backup. The Fiscal Officer stated that August 1 is schedule as Mrs. Tuggle’s return date. Councilmember Siesky asked if the positions were to be combined, how would the hours work seeing that the positions are parttime and we don’t want to go full-time. The Fiscal Officer replied that it should not be a concern. Park Clean up day is May 20 from 9 a.m. to noon, help is always appreciated. Three garbage cans were approved for purchase.  RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Village of South Amherst Meeting SABPA (Councilmember Siss presented.) Russia Rd Culvert Project is completed. Water Rate & User Fee Increase The board voted to recommend the rate increase after a thorough rate study was completed. Two public hearings are scheduled to take place prior to SABPA meetings on May 15 and June 5 at 6:45 p.m. Council requested that a letter be composed explaining the rate increase and sent to residents. Vehicle Mayor Leshinski will discuss with the Police Chief regarding the spare car for use by the BPA. Property Lien The law director was asked about the status of the property lien for 305 E Main. Documentation was sent to the county to remove the lien and we are waiting for any fees that have to be paid. The second part of the equitation should be dealt with in executive session due to possible litigation concerns. COMMITTEES Bldg.& Grounds Committee meeting on May 16th at 7 p.m. with Cemetery Board. Mayor Leshinski stated that we are still waiting on the engineer to give us the specifications for the parking lot and the holding tank. Councilmember Maschari asked the mayor if this can be addressed with Bramhall seeing that it has also been year for both projects. The mayor will discuss this with Bramhall. Street-Sidewalk-Service Annis Rd Bridge Cost for repair is through the county, asphalt layer has been taken off, they will reset the end beams and then resurface the bridge. Safety (Councilmember Jeffers presented.) Statement read by Councilmember Jeffers: In becoming chairperson for the Safety Committee, I have taken it very seriously. That being said, I think it would be wise to take this time to review and to gain a better understanding of the overall running of our Fire Department. First of all, I believe the Safety Committee could better understand the relationship with our firefighters to support them. I also feel that we could utilize this time to review and compare our department with others with all the changes that have occurred in the past two (2) years. this will enable the committee to make a better recommendation to give council and our mayor – recognizing that he does the appointment. As safety chair, I would like to be involved in the discussion with any future candidates or possible appointments. Also, I would suggest that the next appointment be an interim chief to ensure they truly want the job. Committee meeting 5:15 p.m. this Thursday, May 11 for a discussion on an exit interview with the fire chief.  RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Village of South Amherst Meeting Community & Economic Development Memorial Day Meeting this Friday at 5:30 p.m. ORDINANCE Ordinance No. 1768-23 (First Reading) An ordinance repealing existing South Amherst Codified Ordinance Section 921.01 Water Rates; enacting new South Amherst Codified Ordinance Section 921.04 Water Rates and declaring an emergency. Effective Date of rate change will be changed to reflect 28 June 2023 in Ordinance No. 1768-23. The ordinance is listed as an emergency, even though it will have three (3) readings, so that it may go into effect with the July billing cycle. RESOLUTION Resolution No. 697-23 SABPA 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Unfit for Public Use (Emergency) Councilmember Maschari moved to suspend the rules for Resolution No. 697-23. Councilmember Jones seconded the motion. Jeffers x Jones x Maschari x Siesky x Siss x Troike EA Motion passed. Councilmember Maschari moved to pass Resolution No. 697-23. Councilmember Siesky seconded the motion. Jeffers x Jones x Maschari x Siesky x Siss x Troike EA Motion passed. MISCELLANEOUS (Councilmember Maschari presented.) Wreaths Across America The county coordinator for Wreaths Across America will not be working with the national organization this year due to numerous issues that arose this past year and is forming her own group to do a project this year. Ms. Maschari was asked to coordinate for the village again and has declined. The information has been sent to the Cemetery Board for their decision on participation. Flag Donation Sign Council was made aware that the United States Flags, Armed Services and MIA/POW Flags that are displayed along Main St. and at Evergreen Cemetery are donated by the Lorain County Veterans Service Office . Councilmember Siss moved to have the “donated by” signs placed on the welcome signs at both ends of Main St. Councilmember Jones seconded the motion. Discussion: Councilmember Jones would like a discussion at a future date on how to best display multiple signs. Jeffers x Jones x Maschari x Siesky x Siss x Troike EA Motion passed. ADJOURNMENT Time 8:06 p.m. Councilmember Jones moved to adjourn. Councilmember Siesky seconded. Respectfully submitted, ______________________________  RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Village of South Amherst Meeting Fiscal Officer Michelle Henke ______________________________ Mayor David Leshinski