Minutes of a Regular Council Meeting



City of Olmsted Falls

Minutes of a Council Caucus Meeting

Tuesday, September 23, 2014, at Olmsted Falls City Hall

26100 Bagley Road - Council Chambers, 6:30 p.m.

Council President Kathleen Fenderbosch called the Caucus to order at 6:30 p.m. Roll call was conducted. Councilmen Jay Linn, Linda Garrity, Bob Sculac, Kevin Roberts, Terry Duncan and Sam Pulice.

Ms. Fenderbosch indicated that Council and the Mayor have worked together to form Caucus meetings in an attempt to expedite the Regular Council meetings. Please bear with us as this is the first Caucus being held. She believes the finance committee will take the bulk of this meeting. The Clerk sent an email to all committee chairmen requesting any topics that needed to be specifically discussed. The reason for this request is to make sure all members have the materials needed to discuss the specific subject. The only chairman who did reply was Ms. Duncan who indicated that she had nothing to discuss in terms of the Insurance Committee.

Also Present: Gregory Sponseller, Law Director, Ann Marie Donegan, Mayor.

Finance Committee: Chaired by Bob Sculac

Mr. Sculac asked if Mr. DeSan could bring Council up to date on Republic Services. Mr. DeSan stated that the finance department is working on refunds to residents. Mayor Donegan stated that the refunds are for residents who double paid or were short. There are also a number of residents who paid after the deadline. With regard to the audit the administration is working on a purpose statement, objectives and tasks. This is in relation to a motion that was passed during a previous Council meeting. Mr. Presley has also contacted a couple of vendors to determine the best use of the $5,000.00 and is suggesting that the city begin in 2013. After 2013 is completed we will audit 2012 then 2011.

Mr. Sculac stated that he would like budgets completed and forwarded to Council by October 15th. Mayor Donegan stated that administration would like the budget to run three readings. She indicated that Mr. Presley informed her that he would be able to provide some of the information to Council by October 15th. Mr. Sculac stated that he would like a separate finance committee meeting in order to discuss budgets. He would suggest only bringing in the larger departments rather than bring in each and every department. Ms. Fenderbosch would like to suggest that this meeting not be scheduled prior to a Council meeting. Mr. Sculac would like the finance department to bring Council up-to-date for the first three quarters of the year to show Council where the city stands financially.

Mr. DeSan stated that during negotiations there will be discussions regarding moving the city payroll to bi-weekly rather than bi-monthly. This would begin at the first of the year.

Mr. Sculac asked which collective bargaining agreements were expiring. Mayor Donegan replied that five will be re-negotiated and two will be dissolved as a result of the regional dispatch agreement.

Ms. Duncan asked if the finance department could prepare a pie chart and indicate what percentage of the general fund goes for which department or activity. She stated that if Council is going to ask residents to change the way the city is financed Council should be aware of this information. Mayor Donegan also suggested some historical financial information. Mr. Sculac stated that there are many residents who do not understand what percentage of each dollar actually comes to the city and what percentage is sent to the schools and other government entities. Mayor Donegan also suggested that the finance department put together an annual financial report to be distributed to residents.

Insurance Committee: Chaired by Terry Duncan

Mayor Donegan indicated that as Council is aware the city’s property and casualty liability insurance will expire November 14, 2014. The administration has been trying to develop an accurate and complete inventory list. She indicated that Mr. DeSan, Mr. McLaughlin, Ms. Jones and Mr. Borczuch have been working for many months with Kelly McCann. Some of the returning Council members will recall that when the city previously went out with an RFP there was a total insurance amount of our property listed at $7 million dollars but the fact is that it is more like $14 million dollars. We had a number of insurance companies were stating that the city’s properties were valued more by the companies submitting RFP’s than our current carrier had us listed for. Our carrier was relying on the information the city sent them a decade ago, there were no updated lists. She would like to assure Council that this list is being updated. We will also develop a policy with finance that deals with this issue. The departments will perform an audit of their departments on an annual basis so this issue does not reoccur. She indicated that Mr. Presley has handled these types of issues before and rather go out for an RFP per say there are only a handful of carriers that write municipal insurance. Therefore, we are getting quotes from a number of groups and they are not just quoting on anything they want Mr. Presley is assigning them certain items based on their book of business that they do write. The administration is working through this process and asked Ms. Duncan to keep updated on this progress and should have something for her by the end of October.

There has also been an issue regarding does the city own the 252 Underpass Bridge. According to Mr. Presley, and we are getting confirmation, the city does not own the bridge therefore we do not have to insure it. The city will receive confirmation from Ms. Bonnie Teeuwen. The city received a proposal from Jackson Diekman in 2011 to insure this bridge in the amount of $18,000 annually. Ms. Fenderbosch stated that if the city did not own the bridge then we would not be responsible for maintenance. Mayor Donegan indicated that she would need clarification regarding maintenance. The city does have issues with the sidewalks which will go back to HNTB.

Legislation Committee: Chaired by Kevin Roberts

Mr. Roberts indicated that the Mayor previously mentioned the recommendations from the Blue Ribbon HR Committee. Those recommendations may require some legislation as well as organizational changes. These subjects could be on the agenda in the Fall. He has also received inquiries regarding a bow hunting deer ordinance to help reduce the deer population. Ms. Fenderbosch asked if the Mayor if the Legislation Committee would need to address the HR Blue Ribbon Committee’s recommendations. Mayor Donegan indicated that she does believe the report is worth discussing and there would be some legislation required. As far as the deer issue, the Mayor’s and Manager’s Association have put together some information that she would forward to Mr. Roberts. Mr. Roberts indicated that ODNR does have standard legislation that was adopted in Hudson and Solon, Ohio. Basically the legislation requires a five acre area and you have to be so many feet from houses or roads and the hunters have to shoot downwards. Everyone has to have a license, be trained and prove they will not hit any structures.

Mr. Linn asked if there was a problem in the city and where in the city do these problems exists. Mr. Roberts indicated the Lindberg, West, River Road areas. He also knows that in Solon there is a deer versus vehicle problem which was reduced by 70% with their program.

Ms. Garrity indicated that she would not be in favor of this type of legislation. She suggested that Mr. Roberts contact the City of Broadview Heights and speak with their council members because this legislation could be contentious. There was a gentleman who spoke at NOACCA and there are a lot of other solutions that can be done first prior to allowing bow hunting to reduce the deer population. The first issue that needs to be looked at is car collisions and how many the city has on record each year.

Mayor Donegan suggested that Mr. Roberts list all of his concerns and the direction he would like to move in then work with the Clerk to pull together all the information and see what other cities have on record.

Ms. Fenderbosch indicated that Mr. Pulice is having an issue with resident feeding feral cats. She asked if he would like to have Mr. Roberts look into some sort of legislation. Mr. Pulice stated that this particular resident is intentionally attracting stray cats, raccoons, skunks and other animals that are looking for food. Mayor Donegan indicated that she and Ms. Garrity met with Berea Animal Rescue regarding feral cats. There are a lot that can be done. There are at least four or five pods of feral cats, one in the Westlawn/Lindberg area; one in Falls Pointe; couple in the Flair Development; Tyndall area; and Falls Family Restaurant. She believes Berea Animal Rescue is ready to do some interventions for the city to eliminate these pods. Essentially, feeding feral cats is not as much of an issue as not catching, neutering, and then releasing. Studies have shown over years that feral populations have been eliminated if you catch and release. She stated that Ms. Garrity did attempt this solution with a resident in the Flair Development.

Mr. Roberts stated that the old library district will need to be rezoned if the city wants the area to be commercial which will require legislation. Ms. Fenderbosch asked if this request would need to be presented to Planning Commission for comments. Mayor Donegan stated that she believes Planning and the City Planner need to review the zoning issue and then present to the legislation committee for a final legislation. Mr. Linn stated that a re-zoning issue can be initiated by either City Council or Planning Commission.

Mayor Donegan stated that there should also be legislation in order to allow the residents to vote regarding the Allied Waste invoices being placed on their property taxes. City Council somewhat committed putting this issue on a ballot. Mr. Linn stated that he brought up this issue during a special Council meeting and would like to develop some type of mechanism to place this issue on a ballot in order to give the residents a choice of keeping billing services with Allied Waste, the city do handle in-house, or place on property taxes and the associated costs with each option. Ms. Fenderbosch stated that Council will need to make sure this issue is very clear to the residents indicating all the costs to each resident. She also indicated that some of the Allied Waste legislation will need to be changed and indicated that whatever is needed from the administration or clerk to contact us. Mr. Sponseller stated that the previous processes of how to handle delinquent amounts are still within the codified ordinances. Although the legislation that Council recently adopted repeals these provisions and he believes it will be cleaner to simply repeal the previous processes.

Community Development Committee: Chaired by Linda Garrity

Ms. Garrity indicated that Community Development will meet on Thursday in order to discuss the city’s website. She stated that five bids were received and the full packet of information is available with the Clerk. She did have permission to use the County’s RFP in order to make sure we could compare accurate information. There is a large variance in the pricing and she is concerned that we are not going to be able to look at things equally. There is also a wide range of tech support one is for 24 hours and another is one year. She asked if she could contact a particular vendor in order to get clarification on their RFP. Mr. Sponseller indicated that she could contact one or all five.

Ms. Fenderbosch indicated that she would also like Mr. Presley to review and comment to Council.

Mr. Roberts asked which company currently updates the website. Mayor Donegan indicated that the Clerk performs updates but her access is limited. At-Net Plus currently does what she cannot because the website is old. She then asked Community Development to capture the titles of what they would like and direct administration she will attempt to fill in those blanks.

Mr. Roberts stated that he did review the proposals and they all sound the same and asked if the companies could come in and make a presentation. He would also like the city to consider purchasing some type of visual screen in order to allow vendors to make presentations to Council. Mayor Donegan indicated that administration will be providing Council an overhaul of IT/computer inventories. Mr. DeSan has been working with Mr. Presley to vet out not only computers but the server is almost full and needs to be moved from the basement.

Ms. Garrity asked if the committee should narrow down the presentations to just two or three vendors. Mr. Roberts stated that he is not sure how much usage the city needs. Mayor Donegan indicated that the city does not need as much as what some are proposing. Simple is the best. She believes the committee could narrow down some of the topics and forward to Mr. Presley.

Mr. Linn stated that topics need to be outlined and then you ask the specific vendors how much it would cost to provide those specific items. It is then very simplified and can indicate how many forms we need to place on line with a specific number for expansion.

Mr. Roberts indicated that he has performed some internet litigation and the city needs to make sure that our hosting services are not “high-jacked” if payment is not received on time. He has been involved in litigation where a third party has control of the domain name or hosting server.

Miscellaneous

Ms. Fenderbosch stated that the Council Rules of Order will be presented to Council for adoption. She would like Council members to stick with Reports of Committee Chairman’s rather than officials reports. If any member of Council has an issue with a resident that is something that can be handled either through the Mayor or the appropriate department heads. If there are any questions regarding any information in your Council packet please contact that department in order to get those answered rather than questioning Mr. Presley during the Council meeting when he does not have the information with him.

Adjournment

Mr. Roberts moved to adjourn; Ms. Duncan seconded. Voice Vote: 7 ayes; 0 nays. Motion carried.

The meeting adjourned at 7:22 p.m.

Kathleen Fenderbosch, Council President Angela Mancini, Clerk of Council

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