Tallmadge City Council Regular Business Meeting (2013-2019)

REGULAR MEETING in Council Chambers @ 7:00 p.m. February 26, 15 1. CALL TO ORDER: President of Council Donovan called the Regular Council meeting of Thursday, February 26, 2015 to order at 7:00 p.m. 2. PRAYER: Kurran Bishop, Shephard’s Pasture for All Nations Church, Tallmadge. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. 3. ROLL CALL: Mr. Donovan, Mrs. Kilway, Mr. Rensel, Mr. Sisak, Mr. Stalnaker, Ms. Tricaso – present. Also present were Mayor Kline, Dir. of Pub. Service Esler, Dir. of Finance Shanafelt, Dir. of Law Raber, Economic Developer Loughry and Clerk of Council Burton. Mrs. Ray will be late. 4. MINUTES: 2-12-15 Regular Council meeting minutes. Mr. Rensel moved to adopt the 2-12-15 Reg. Council meeting minutes. Seconded Mr. Sisak. Voice vote 7-0. The 2-26-15 Reg. Council meeting minutes were adopted by a vote of 7-0. 5. PUBLIC HEARINGS: None. 6. COMMUNITY INPUT: Pres. of Council: You get to be the first ones to hear the new message. Tallmadge City Council meets on the second and fourth Thursday’s of the month for the Regular Council meetings and the preceding Monday’s are the Council Committee meetings. At the Committee meetings legislation is discussed thoroughly with Council deciding to adopt, amend, reject, hold, or table the legislation. We do allow time for community input at this point in the meeting. Is there anyone who would like to address Council, please come forward and state your name and address. I would like to welcome all the students that are here this evening. It is nice to see you and thanks for coming. 6.A. ANNOUNCEMENTS: None. 7. REPORTS OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES: None. 8. AGENDA ADDITIONS: None. 9. REPORTS OF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS: MAYOR, DIR. OF PUBLIC SERVICE, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, DIRECTOR OF LAW AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPER Mayor: As I stated on Monday night, we had the Police test and that was on Tuesday night and we had 177 applicants actually take the test and so that was . . . I just want to recognize the Civil Service Commission Chairman Jan Naso, Christine Higham and Tom Kot and especially Allison Ilg, who is the Administrative Assistant in that department who really did an outstanding job with the help of our outside agency who does the test. That is a lot of people to get through and we got them right in and I think they finally left about 8:30 p.m. It was all over with. That is just Phase I of the test. As soon as they get those results, then they have to do the physical agility portion which will be done at the Tallmadge Rec Center and then after that we will be given the top ten on that list for them to start looking at some background checks and after they finalize that then they will certify the test and then we can make a offer to a patrol officer. The case . . . I don’t know if you followed the radio today that the double homicide in Tallmadge actually went to the jury around 2:00 p.m. and they are sequestered and so . . . I did talk to Sgt. Bohon around 3:00 p.m. who was the lead investigator for Tallmadge and he has been stressed out over the last two years on this case and he has done an extremely great job representing Tallmadge and hats off to the whole Tallmadge Police Department for this case and now it is in the jury’s hands. Who knows what is going to happen, but as soon as they know they will call and let us know, but they are sequestered and will stay there until they come up to a final decision. End of report. Mr. Rensel: Just a quick question. Mayor; of the 177 applicants; were there any from the City of Tallmadge? Do you know? Mayor: I didn’t personally look at the individual applications. It was a very diverse group of folks. There were a lot of young academy folks, several females and different ethnic groups were there. I think we will get a real nice mix. Mr. Rensel: So, like if our contractors, if they are Tallmadge based they get a slight advantage in the bid process? Mayor: We do not give credits . . . Mr. Rensel: We can’t do that for these people; right? Mayor: No, the only credit that is offered is military. I think there were like 43 or 44 that had military credits. Mr. Rensel: Good. Thank you sir. Mayor: People actually flew in from out of state to take this test. Dir. of Pub. Service: I will talk a little bit about the salt again tonight. We keep getting mixed messages. Late yesterday I got an e-mail that we were going to be cut off and not be able to get any salt. As I told you earlier in the week that they said we would get 165 tons this week and that would be it. Well, we have received more than that already. The truck drivers that are bringing it say they know nothing about cutting us off. Their figures don’t really jive with ours and we are showing that we still have 360 tons remaining to get before we have reached the 20% in excess of our allotment. So, we are just kind of keeping quiet right now as long as they keep bringing it! As long as they keep bringing it; we are not calling Cargill. The plowing; I don’t know if you guys are getting any calls about the snow being put in the driveways or anything. It is so high along the roads now that the plows can’t get it off any further and so it is either going out in the road further or as they are going along, the only place  REGULAR MEETING in Council Chambers @ 7:00 p.m. February 26, 15 Dir. of Pub. Service (Cont’d.) for it to get off the plow is in the driveways. So, if you get any calls like that, there is really nothing we can do about it. We need a thaw to get those piles along the road down so we can get it back off the road some more. End of report. Dir. of Finance: I have not report this evening. Dir. of Law: Just briefly, it was my pleasure to do Police in-service on Friday and Monday of this week. Assistant Law Director Scavelli was integral on that and so we were able to do three-hour trainings for our Police Department and it was really good. End of report. Mr. Rensel: Yes, thank you. Ms. Raber; up in Cleveland the hot topic right now is First Aid training; can you make a comment about the status of our Police Officers in Tallmadge as far as for First Aid training? Dir. of Law: For First Aid training; I’m not sure what the status is for all of them. I know they have basic fundamental First Aid, but I don’t know where that is and whether they need . . . I don’t know. I can inquire. Mr. Rensel: I would . . . Dir. of Law: I am pretty certain that they all have that. Mayor: Yeah, each vehicle has a little medical kit and they do respond with the EMS also, but they have basic First Aid and CPR. Mr. Rensel: That was the argument in Cleveland because EMS had First Aid and so the Police Officers didn’t need it, but they found out that the Police Officers really do need First Aid and they started looking around in the region and found out that most Police Officers are given First Aid on a regular basis and so I thought I would just inquire. If you could come back at the next session or e-mail me; that would be great . . . or the Mayor . . . I just asked Ms. Raber because . . . Dir. of Law: Like I said, my understanding is that they all have that. Mr. Rensel: Yes, I just wish to confirm. Dir. of Law: OK. Economic Development: Let’s give you an update. Ten Minute Lube will reopen on March 7th under new ownership. There will be a slight modification in the corporate name. So they will probably come in to P&Z to get a new sign, but we are glad to have them reopen. Steel Plate, who has leased space for several years in the S.D. Myers building; it looks like they will be leaving. We have been working with them for over three years to try to find a suitable site and to get them to stay, but it just did not work out. Testa Companies has officially purchased the property next door. That is significant because typically Testa Companies doesn’t buy vacant land just to let it set. They wait as long as they need to and then they close when they are ready to do something and so that should be good news for us. We have two sites on Crystal Parkway that will be developed. Both of them are existing companies in Tallmadge looking to grow and so I will have more information on that when it becomes available. Cortabella’s will be opening for breakfast Monday mornings 6:00 a.m. They will be open Monday through Friday at 6:00 a.m. and open Saturday at 7:00 a.m. and open Sunday at 7:30 a.m. with a breakfast buffet available and so . . . it has been several years since we have had a breakfast restaurant in Tallmadge and so I would ask everybody to please support Cortabella’s. Thank you. Pres. of Council: For the record; it is 7:10 p.m. and Mrs. Ray is here. Are there any questions; Mr. Rensel? Mr. Rensel: Yes, for Mr. Loughry, Steel Plate was an issue of square footage or location or both in terms of trying to keep them in Tallmadge? Economic Developer: It was both and a couple of other factors. Initially and again this has been a three, three and a half year process since we have been meeting with them. Initially they wanted to be closer to an on/off ramp and they did not want to be in Portage County. They did not want to build. They wanted to find an existing building. Well, if you want 50,000 square feet in Tallmadge near an on/off ramp and you exclude Portage County; that handcuffs us a little bit. So sometimes the objections you get are real and sometimes they are smoke screens and you have to sort through that. They also have a location in Atlanta, Georgia, and they try to leverage that location to get additional help from the State, but ultimately it came down to . . . they would agree to build new possibly if they could get land at a very good price and so presently they are in negotiations with the City of Green, the City of Barberton and the City of Akron. Akron has the best deal on land. But, I will say this, Akron did everything exactly correct in the spirit of our agreement. Sam DeShazior has been great to work with; my counterpart over there and everything was above board from the very beginning. We had the Greater Akron Chamber involved because the intent; our intent is always the City of Tallmadge first, whether that is Summit or Portage and then the JEDD and then the region and the Greater Akron Chamber works with us in that spirit, but ultimately when the decision is hey, we are going to leave Tallmadge; that decision has been made and then you do what you need to do to keep them in the region and so that is what we have all been trying to work towards. 2  REGULAR MEETING in Council Chambers @ 7:00 p.m. February 26, 15 Mrs. Kilway: Just in reference to Steel Plate Akron; I do know that there is a logistical problem with them getting semis and flatbeds into their facility. I know when I was coming here tonight, there were two huge flatbed trucks in the turn lane waiting to come in so they could get off loaded and I know that their semis actually miss the turn many times and come down Van Evera and then they really get stuck in that point in time. So I know that is a huge concern with the company too. Economic Developer: I wish if we had a 50,000 square foot building, the Mayor and I would both be nervous, but then when you need one and you don’t have one . . . you know, it is like a catch 22 at times. 10. Ordinance 23-2015 At 2nd Reading. FINANCE Authorizing the Mayor to enter into a contract for the lease/purchase of an EMS squad vehicle through the State Purchasing Program and providing for immediate enactment. Mrs. Ray moved for the adoption of Ord. 23-2015 at 2nd Reading. Seconded Mr. Sisak. Roll Call: Mrs. Kilway, Mrs. Ray, Mr. Rensel, Mr. Sisak, Mr. Stalnaker, Ms. Tricaso, Mr. Donovan – unanimous. Ord. 23-2015 is adopted by a vote of 7-0. 11. Ordinance 24-2015 At 2nd Reading. FINANCE Authorizing the Mayor to enter into a contract for the purchase of two 2015 Ford SUV Interceptor police cruisers for the Police Department through the State Pur- chasing Program and/or pursuant to T.C.O. 143.06 and providing for immediate enact- ment. Mrs. Ray moved for the adoption of Ord. 24-2015 at 2nd Reading. Seconded Mr. Sisak. Roll Call: Mrs. Ray, Mr. Rensel, Mr. Sisak, Mr. Stalnaker, Ms. Tricaso, Mr. Donovan, Mrs. Kilway – unanimous. Ord. 24-2015 is adopted by a vote of 7-0. Mr. Rensel: Would you like to tell our students about why we are going so fast. Pres. of Council: I think we did that in the original announcement that I read. 12. Ordinance 25-2015 At 2nd Reading. FINANCE Authorizing the Director of Public Service to advertise for bids and the Mayor to enter into a contact for replacement of the roof at 46 North Avenue and providing for imme- diate enactment. Mrs. Ray moved for the adoption of Ord. 25-2015. Seconded Mr. Sisak. Roll Call: Mr. Rensel, Mr. Sisak, Mr. Stalnaker, Ms. Tricaso, Mr. Donovan, Mrs. Kilway, Mrs. Ray – unanimous. Ord. 25-2015 is adopted by a vote of 7-0. Pres. of Council: Mr. Rensel; did you want to further clarify? Mr. Rensel: Yes, thank you. The announcement at the beginning of the meeting is proper and goes very fast, but once you get into the organization and the process of the meeting, you may wonder why we just say yes, yes, yes. You are sitting there saying then why are we there? It is all discussed on the previous Monday and that is what the announcement was where City Council meets on the previous Monday. So if you would have been here on Monday, you would have heard some discussion about these ordinances. This is the business meeting and as such we are basically simply going through the process of the formal approvals for signatures and so forth. Thank you. 13. Ordinance 26-2015 At 2nd Reading. PUBLIC SERVICE Amending Chapter 160.06 of the Tallmadge Code of Ordinances for economic develop- ment programs, demolition of real estate program and providing for immediate enact- ment. Mr. Sisak moved to amend Ord. 26-2015. Seconded Mr. Rensel. Roll Call: Mr. Sisak, Mr. Stalnaker, Ms. Tricaso, Mr. Donovan, Mrs. Kilway, Mrs. Ray, Mr. Rensel – unanimous. Ord. 26-2015 is amended and will remain at 2nd Reading. 3  REGULAR MEETING in Council Chambers @ 7:00 p.m. February 26, 15 14. Ordinance 27-2015 At 1st Reading. PUBLIC UTILITIES Authorizing the Director of Public Service to advertise for bids and the Mayor to enter into a contract for the replacement of a waterline on South Avenue and providing for immediate enactment. Pres. of Council: Ord. 27-2015 is at 1st Reading and is assigned to the Public Utilities Committee. 15. Ordinance 28-2015 At 1st Reading. FINANCE Authorizing the Mayor to enter into an agreement with WARDJet, Inc. for a New Jobs Program Grant pursuant to T.C.O. 160.05 and providing for immediate enactment. Pres. of Council: Ord. 28-2015 is at 1st Reading and is assigned to the Finance Committee. 16. Ordinance 29-2015 At 1st Reading. PUBLIC SERVICE Authorizing the Mayor to enter into a three- year contract with Great Lakes Recycling, Inc. dba Simple Recycling for the collection of soft recyclables in the City of Tallmadge and providing for immediate enactment. Pres. of Council: Ord. 29-2015 is at 1st Reading and is assigned to the Public Service Committee. 17. Ordinance 30-2015 At 1st Reading. PLANNING & ZONING Approving and granting a conditional zoning certificate for special nonresidential development at 1077 East Avenue for con- struction of a barn and fence to house seven male alpacas. Pres. of Council: Ord. 30-2015 is at 1st Reading and is assigned to the Planning & Zoning Committee. 18. Ordinance 31-2015 At 1st Reading. PLANNING & ZONING Amending the zoning map by rezoning the P.H. ON 4-9-15 @ 7:03 P.M. property of applicant, HTH, LLC, dba Silver Star Motors, LLC on behalf of owner, West and Industry LLC, from Industrial-1 to Com- mercial-4 consisting of approximately 1.58 acres located at 257 West Avenue. Pres. of Council: Ord. 31-2015 is at 1st Reading and is assigned to the Planning & Zoning Committee. Mayor: For the record, that is the old bakery on West Avenue. Pres. of Council: I will schedule a public hearing for 4-9-15 at 7:03 p.m. Mr. Rensel: Since I have the Mayor’s attention; they are asking for re-zoning and not a conditional permit? Mayor: That is correct. Dir. of Law: They were given the choice of either and I believe that they chose to ask for re-zoning. Mr. Rensel: The previous occupant was conditional commercial? Mayor: Industrial. Mr. Rensel: They were industrial even though they sold bread? Mayor: On West Avenue, if you look at the zoning map and I can point it out when we are done; on that side of the road there are a couple parcels that are industrial and across the street it is C-4 and down a little bit is C-3. So, a C-4 is automotive and C-3 is commercial and industrial is industrial. Mr. Rensel: But the question was is that they actually sold . . . it was a day old bread store and you could go and buy bread there and so the question is; how does that translate from Industrial to Commercial? I mean we have plants that make tires in the Carolinas’ but then we sell them through the store. That is why I asked that question. Dir. of Law: It could have been a legal nonconforming use or it could have been or maybe they were operating under a conditional permit, but because of the abandonment of that, any new and non- conforming use has expired. Mr. Rensel: That is what prompted me to ask that. Thank you. 4  REGULAR MEETING in Council Chambers @ 7:00 p.m. February 26, 15 19. ADDITIONAL ITEMS: Pres. of Council: I have a reminder to anyone who would like to donate Easter baskets to Children’s Services or if you would like to give Susan money and she will assemble one for you. We are trying to beat the City of Green in the number of baskets we donate. Mayor: Next Tuesday night Tallmadge plays Benedictine at the High School as part of the start of the playoffs. 20. ADJOURNMENT: Mr. Rensel moved to adjourn. Seconded Mrs. Kilway. Voice vote 7-0. The Regular Council meeting of 2-26-15 adjourned at 7:24 p.m. sb Approved: _____________________________________ __________________________________ Susan E. Burton James M. Donovan Clerk of Council President of Council 5