January 16, 2017 - Meeting Minutes

MINUTES
BREWSTER VILLAGE COUNCIL
January 16, 2017
7:00 P.M.
 
Brewster Village Council met in regular session with Mayor Mike Schwab presiding.
 
7:00 P.M. – CALL TO ORDER
 
Council Members bowed their heads for the invocation provided by Clerk-Treasurer
Kris King followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
 
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Mike Schwab, Mayor
Dale Fox, Council Member                           Chuck Hawk, Council Member
Tom Hilliard, Council Member                    Paul Mackey, Council Member
Steven Tharp, Jr., Council Member
 
COUNCIL MEMBER FOX MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MACKEY and motion carried to excuse Council Member Godwin.  The vote: All yes.
 
COUNCIL MEMBER FOX MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MACKEY and motion carried to excuse Council Member Tharp.  The vote: All yes.
 
VILLAGE OFFICIALS/EMPLOYEES PRESENT:
Kris King, Clerk-Treasurer                             Mike Miller, Village Administrator (VA)
 
MINUTES FROM THE JANUARY 3, 2017 REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING:
Mayor Mike Schwab asked if there were any additions or deletions to the January 3, 2017 Council meeting minutes. 
 
COUNCIL MEMBER FOX MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MACKEY and motion carried to accept the minutes as presented.  The vote: All yes. 
 
PRESENTATION OF BILLS:
COUNCIL MEMBER FOX MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MACKEY and motion carried to accept the bills in the amount of $ 28,320.79.  The vote: All yes. 
 
AUDIENCE:
Ray Heitger, 317 Seventh St. SW, as a Recreation Board representative, has attempted contact with the music dept. at the high school to try to schedule a concert by the students but has not been able to get anyone to return his calls.  He also stated the Recreation Board will be coming to council soon with an Easter egg hunt budget.
 
CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCES:
Second Reading: A Resolution Authorizing the Renewal of a Sugarcreek Township Fire Contract. 
 
Second Reading: An Ordinance Amending Ordinance 18-2015 to Modify General Funds Transfers.
 
Second Reading: An Ordinance Authorizing the Adoption of an Employee 5.01 Holiday Policy for Employee Handbook.
 
Second Reading: An Ordinance Authorizing the Adoption of an Employee 5.02 Vacation Policy for Employee Handbook
 
MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENTS:
Fire Department: Chief Chris Colucy (absent)
Councilman Hilliard asked if the new cots had been installed.  Mayor Schwab replied that one was installed last week and the other will be installed later this week.
 
Police Department: Chief Keith Creter (absent)
Part Time Police Officer Candidate Jeffery Martin passed his physical and drug test and took his Oath of Office on this past Friday.
 
VILLAGE SOLICITOR:Attorney John Anthony
On December 7, 2016, Senate Bill 331 was passed to go into effect in March.  Solicitor Anthony summarized the bill.  In essence, this bill gives allows public utilities to install small cell/wireless facilities on light poles, traffic signals, and signs.  It is yet more Home Rule being chipped away.  A municipality no longer has the authority to deny consent.  Councilman Mackey asked if that was the case, could the municipality charge rent.  Solicitor Anthony will look into it.
 
Another bill discussed concerned military personnel having the same right to carry a weapon as any other citizen that has a CCW.  He stated this could change the employer/employee relationship where it comes to bringing weapons on the premises.  The Village may want to tweak our rules such as allowing weapons in locked vehicles.  The bill also allows weapons on government property if the government chooses to allow it.
 
COMMUNICATIONS:
Massillon Cable TV: Rate increases on 02/01 for subscribers to their services; increase dependent on the specific bundle and level of service.
 
Columbia Gas: filed request with PUCO to continue the IRP monthly Rider on customers’ Bills thru 2022; this Infrastructure Replacement Program allows distribution line improvements and the          installation of AMRD (automated meter reading devices; residential customers will see a maximum monthly increase of $ 6.00/month over the five-year period.
 
Stark RPC: Sunshine Law Training on Friday 04/28 from 9 am – 12:15 pm at Stark Park Exploration Gateway at Sippo Lake; Register at www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov.
 
Brewster American Legion: Village sponsorship of a Boy’s State participant - $ 325.00.
 
VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR: Mike Miller
Administrator’s report for period 1/4/2016 thru 1/16/2017:
 
  • I sent out drafts of a number of policies to be included in Brewster’s Employee Handbook. They are:
  • 4.10 Administrative Leave with Pay - Draft 4
  • 6.03 Drug Free Workplace - Draft 3
  • 6.06 Sexual Harassment & Harassment - Draft 8
  • 6.07 ADA Employment Policy - Draft 2 (update)
  • 7.15 Fitness for Duty - Draft 3 (update)
  • 9.08 Voluntary Disability Separation - Draft 2 (update)
  • 9.09 Involuntary Disability Separation - Draft 3
 
Policies 4.10, 6.03, 7.15, 9.08, and 9.09 all involve the potential expenditure of Village funds, so I am requesting Council adopt those.
 
While 6.06 and 6.07 don’t necessarily involve the expenditure of Village funds, but they are of high enough importance to have Council adopt as well.
 
These have all been vetted by Law Director Anthony as well as outside Counsel who has been involved in employee issues.
 
One area that is still unsettled is the appeal process. This would apply to 6.06 and 9.09. Rather than have Council be the final appeal for these issues, my suggestion is that we have the final appeal be:
 
… an outside third party be picked by the Mayor, Law Director, and Chairperson of the Personnel Committee of Council.
 
While each of these policies is lengthy, they can be inter-related and is the reason I am submitting them as a “package”
 
  • I forwarded a copy of a presentation to Council from AMP regarding modernizing the Village’s meters and meter reading system.
 
Based on a presentation given Wednesday, we “confirmed initial interest”. By confirming initial interest, we are allowing data to be gathered to obtain a high level estimate. This is non-binding on the Village at this point, and gives us enough data and firm enough cost estimates for Council to make an informed decision to go further. We have been providing information requested by AMP towards that end.
 
Once AMP is able to arrive at a “High Level Estimate”, it will be presented to Council. At that point, the Village still has not made a binding commitment, and to proceed further would require Council adopt a “Non-Binding Letter of Intent (LOI)” to proceed.
 
The bottom line is that this is something that the Village needs to explore to become more efficient.
 
  • Our contract with RCAP for Cooperative GIS services has been finalized. We will begin training shortly. We are also, because of our membership in RCAP Cooperative GIS services, able to use RCAP to help us complete a new Ohio EPA Lead Report due March 15th.
 
VILLAGE MAYOR: Mike Schwab
AMP SOLAR PROJECT:
  • AMP advises that they have submitted a purchase agreement to the Millers, at their asking price, for the 12 acres of farm land for the AMP/Brewster Solar Field
  • Have reached out to Supt. Bidlack to touch base on the negotiations with the Fairless Board of Education for the 1.52-acre approach lane from Seventh Street.
  • The construction of a Village pole line from the solar field to the existing Village pole line west of the Corp levee.  VA Miller and Supt. Radich will provide a material cost and construction timeline.  With the exception of the connection to the solar field, plans are for Village employees to perform the work.
  • The Village will need to re-contact the Army Corp about the easement across their property around the Water Tower hill as well as an easement across their levee for the new connecting pole line.  I assume AMP will want to get construction of the solar field completed in 2017.  If everything falls into place, in the summer of 2017 the Village Street Department will be busy on the rehab of the Water Tower lane, and the Electric Department will be constructing a pole line.
 
 Sugarcreek Township Trustees:
  • The committee meeting with the Sugarcreek Township Trustees is a go for Monday, January 23rd at 6:30 pm
  • Suggest a couple of topics: cooperative efforts between Sugarcreek Township and Brewster, invite Township employees to Village employee safety sessions, renewal of the Township Fire/EMS Contract, and so forth
 
2017 State of the Village:
  • Mayor’s Financial Review of 2016
  • Mayor’s Suggested Plans for 2017
 
The Mayor also provided Council with a revised list of 2017 Council Committee Chairs, Current Appointed Committees and Boards, and the additions to the Rules of Council.  Council Member Chuck Hawk was elected as President Pro Tem.
 
VILLAGE CLERK-TREASURER:Kris King
December Fire Pay = $ 6,338.46
 
I’m continuing to work on our 2017 Certificate of Total Amount from all Resources in order to prepare the appropriations.  My goal is to have it ready for the next Council meeting.
 
Brian Bankert from Government Accounting Solutions will be in on Wednesday to complete the 2016 Annual Report from our records.  
 
I plan to complete W-2’s this week or the beginning of next week.
 
I will be meeting with PNC representatives next Monday to continue with moving one of our accounts.  We plan to have the scanner for the checks installed later this week.
 
There will be a network training session on February 9th at 9:30am.
Councilman Mackey asked if I was satisfied with the current IT support.  I am. 
 
COMMITTEES or COUNCIL REPORTS: The Goal of any committee meeting is to discuss an issue or proposal and to provide, by a consensus of the committee members, ONE recommendation to Council
Mayor Schwab reported on the Tree Board meeting this evening.
 
Economic Development Committee minutes from 01/03/2017.
 
George Bjelovuk of AMP made an AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) Program WebEx presentation on Village Hall monitor on 01/04; Councilman Mackey, VA, & Mayor attended; Council will be asked to allow the Village to explore this program further; VA will outline the process              
 
REMINDERS:
                                January 19th at 7 pm - Planning Commission Meeting
                                January 23 at 6:30 pm Committee Meeting w/Sugarcreek Twp. Trustees
                                February 6th at 6 pm – Parks & Grounds Committee Meeting                   
                                               
PENDING PROPOSALS FROM PAST MEETINGS:
From Employee Healthcare Agent Brian Savage – Benistar Option in Employee Healthcare Plan.  Mayor suggests that this option be made available to any Village employee eligible for Medicare; this option will get such an employee off of the Village employee healthcare plan & provide the employee with a supplement to his Medicare coverage.
 
Council appointment of two members of the Village Community Reinvestment Area Council.
 
Council appointment of two members of the Village Board of Income Tax Review.
 
VA: Proposed additions to Employee Handbook - 4.10 Administrative Leave with Pay, 6.03 Drug Free Workplace, 6.06 Sexual Harassment & Harassment, 6.07 ADA Employment Policy, 7.15 Fitness for Duty, 9.08 Voluntary Disability Separation, 9.09 Involuntary Disability Separation.
 
OLD or NEW BUSINESS: (Council Rules dictate a one meeting review period for expenditures, unless deemed an emergency)
COUNCIL MEMBER HILLIARD MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MACKEY and motion carried to approve the fire pay of $6,338.46 from the Fire Equipment Fund.  Councilman Hilliard suggested cutting the weekly meetings down to two trainings a month.  Councilman Hawk feels the weekly meetings are not a bad investment.  The vote: All yes.
 
COUNCIL MEMBER FOX MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HAWK and motion carried to sponsor a young man to Boys State through the American Legion at a cost of $325.00 from the General Fund.  The vote: All yes.
 
COUNCIL MEMBER MACKEY MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HILLIARD and motion carried to create legislation for each of the following policy additions to the employee handbook:  4.10 Administrative Leave with Pay, 6.03 Drug Free Workplace, 6.06 Sexual Harassment & Harassment, 6.07 ADA Employment Policy, 7.15 Fitness for Duty, 9.08 Voluntary Disability Separation, and 9.09 Involuntary Disability Separation.  The vote: All yes.
 
“VILLAGE SPEAKS”:
 
AUDIENCE COMMENTS:
 
COUNCIL MEMBER FOX MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MACKEY and motion carried to adjourn the meeting at 8:15 p.m.
 
 
Respectfully submitted,
 
____________________________________________________
Kris King, Village Clerk-Treasurer
 
____________________________________________________
Mike Schwab, Mayor