April 20, 2015 - Meeting Minutes
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 K. Kris King followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Mike Schwab, Mayor
VILLAGE OFFICIALS/EMPLOYEES PRESENT:
MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 6, 2015 REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING:
Mayor Mike Schwab asked if there were any additions or deletions to the April 6, 2015 Council meeting minutes.
COUNCIL MEMBER HILLIARD MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER THARP and motion carried to accept the minutes as presented. The vote: All yes.
PRESENTATION OF BILLS:
COUNCIL MEMBER GODWIN MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER THARP and motion carried to accept the bills for the amount of $191,640.77. The vote: All yes.
AUDIENCE:
Council Rules: Members of the audience shall rise to be recognized, state their name and address, ask their questions or make their comments in a direct manner, and receive their answer in a like manner. Members of the audience shall only speak at audience time, and shall be ruled out of order if they attempt to join in Council’s discussions. Courtesy shall prevail at all times.
Jay Huff, 756 McKinley Ave SW, voiced his concerns about the police uniform allowance. He stated the difference between $750 and $1,000 was insignificant. He stated the ordinance proposed should be amended back to the original $1,000 allowance for fulltime officer. Further discussion ensued between Council Members and Mr. Huff.
Ray Heitger, 317 - 7th Street SE, thanked Council on behalf of Judy Maybaugh, Toni Hess, Mary Lou Klein, LaVonne Heitger, and himself for the letter of appreciation for the Easter Egg hunt. Council Member Tharp stated there will always be people that put you down for no matter what you do. (This was a reference to Facebook comments). It’s great to have people in our community to step up and give their time to volunteer for community activities.
Others in the attendance: Cindy Mackey and Ann Margaret Lambo.
CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCES:
ORDINANCE 12-2015: An ordinance amending Ordinance 30-2014 to certain employee benefits (as amended would increase full time police officer's uniform allowance from $480 to $750 and part-time police officer’s uniform allowances from $250 to $350) was given third reading.
COUNCIL MEMBER THARP MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FOX and motion carried to pass the ordinance as amended. Council Member Tharp stated that part of the reason for the reduction from $1,000 to $750 for the full time police officers was because of financial reasons. Going forward Council needs to look again at the cost of uniforms as officers bring in receipts. The increase is modest but will be looked at in the future. Council Member Mackey stated the issues around the decrease were caused more by the vehicle that brought it about than the decrease itself. All business should be sent to committee to study before putting it before Council. It was not just the cut but how it was done. The vote: All yes.
ORDINANCE 13-2015: An ordinance authorizing the Village Administrator to prepare and bid for Standby Generation for Electric Department buildings was given third reading.
COUNCIL MEMBER THARP MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FOX and motion carried to pass the ordinance as read. Council Member Hilliard asked if this was the $75,000 generators for the Electric Department. VA Pauley stated the estimates are around $50,000 and it includes the fencing and everything else needed for the project. Mayor Schwab stated this only allows the VA to bid the project out and then Council will have to decide whether to accept the bids. The vote: All yes.
First Reading: An ordinance authorizing the creation of a non-paid Lieutenant position in Fire Department.
First Reading: A resolution approving placing a 4 mil Replacement Fire Levy on the November 3rd Ballot.
First Reading: A resolution approving a Request to the County Auditor to Certify Property Valuations for a 4 mil Replacement Fire Levy.
Council Member Tharp asked about the tabled ordinance listed below. Mayor Schwab stated the draft has not been approved by ATSI/FirstEnergy’s legal department.
Ordinances Tabled on 04/06/2015 at third reading:
Third Reading: An ordinance authorizing a Purchase Agreement for the Sale of 1.5 miles of Brewster 69kV Transmission Power Line to ATSI/FirstEnergy Corp.
MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENTS:
FIRE DEPARTMENT:Chief Chris Colucy
From Mayor: Handout showing history of creation of Village FD & the Officer positions.
Chief & Mayor to provide Council with a draft of a job description for a Lieutenant position for review.
Chief Letter: Recommendation for the appointment of Mike Maybaugh as Assistant Fire Chief for fire operations.
Received payment from Tuscarawas Township. Chief plans to attend a township meeting.
Pumper #151 is expected to be returned next week and returned to service.
Chief provided insurance forms for the Firemen's Festival including the liquor liability coverage.
The department is considering not blowing the fire siren anymore. It will still function for tornado warnings. Council Member Hilliard stated he was in favor of it as long as the siren was tested regularly.
POLICE DEPARTMENT: Chief Harry Porter
Working with John Barkan on Job Descriptions.
Chief & Captain are working on new Standard Operating Procedures.
Chief Porter reported on an arrest and confiscation of 110 grams of crystal meth at a house on west 2nd Street this evening.
Council Member Hilliard stated someone on a 4-wheeler and a bunch of diesel pickup trucks have been waking up the neighborhood at 3am on Sunday morning. Chief Porter stated that the Police Department hadn’t received any calls reporting these incidents. Council Member Hilliard stated he was just making the department aware of the situation.
VILLAGE SOLICITOR:Attorney John Anthony
Progress on research on junk vehicle regulations. He will be continuing his research by reviewing our Zoning Ordinance next.
COMMUNICATIONS:
Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel: Invitation to Brewster to participate in OhioCheckbook.com project; This is a new website that could post & display the Village’s checkbook level spending at no cost to Brewster to provide transparency of Village operations/expenses.
Ohio Municipal League: suggest that members of Council visit Web site at www.omlohio.org.
VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR:VA Robert Pauley Administrator’s report for period 03/14/2015 thru 04/06/2015:
- Street department reports garage door and material for the Recycle Center Garage Door addition project are in & expects to begin project this week.
- Second scheduled street sweeping (Reilly Sweeps) is May 19th – weather permitting.
- Street Department, with assistance from other departments, will be doing Curbside Spring Cleanup beginning: May 4th thru 7th.
- Attended AMP participants meetings for JV1, JV2, JV5 (peak shaving and demand response projects the village is involved with) and MESA projects.
- With Utility Clerk, Mayor and Clerk-Treasurer had project kick-off meeting for on-line payment project. This is for utility payments only at this time. Target roll-out timeframe is late July.
- Mt. Hope Fence (Frontier Gazebos) resubmitted plans to Stark County Building Department for review of the Bimeler Park Pavilion/Gazebo project, received notice of approval 4/20/2015, will pick up permit later this week. Construction will begin in June after the Fireman’s Festival. Wood Electric to submit electrical plans for permit from Stark County Building Department.
- Sweetwater pump station project, next progress meeting scheduled for May 21, 2015.
- Substation changeover electric power outage notices were sent to the small business and large power customers. Notice was printed on the utility bill and included in the newsletter. 3 additional notices will be sent to all utility customers on April 6th, April 13th and April 20th. Substation cutover electric outage is scheduled for April 25th at 5:00 a.m. and is estimated to last 6 hours. The severe weather date is April 26th at 5:00 a.m. Mayor suggested that a post outage letter be sent to residents and businesses thanking them for their patience and to explain the benefits derived.
- Final construction sequence meeting with GPD, village electric personnel, FE personnel & contractor and village contractor (Vaughn Industries) scheduled for April 21st at 10:00 a.m.
- Beginning the week on April 27th, the Electric Department will have an email address. Please update your contact address book to reflect bxelectric@sssnet.com
- Mt. Eaton possible providing potable water request – Mayor’s information about the proposal discussed under Mayor's portion of the meeting.
Council Member Hilliard would like to see little cards put on the windshields of cars parked in the street stating that street sweeping will occur the next day. Council Member Godwin stated some cities do it the day before in order to give them notice.
Council Member Hawk has been asked by several people if the outage only affected people on Brewster power or is the a larger area. VA Pauley stated it is only the people that are on Brewster's electric system. Mayor Schwab stated there will be all four police vehicles on the road, four-way stop signs at the traffic lights, and the Fire Department will be manned and available.
Council Member Mackey was disappointed that the day after the street sweeping people would blow their grass clippings into the street and is wondering if it is worth the cost.
Council Member Godwin stated he spoke with a business owner that did not wish to see painted parking spaces on the east/west side streets.
Fire Chief Colucy stated that the Fire Department is not allowed to fill oxygen tanks for residents because it is consider a prescription drug. Oxygen can only be administered to patients on an ambulance call.
VILLAGE MAYOR: Mike Schwab
Council Letter of Appreciation to the Family Dollar store provided for Council signatures.
Council Letter of Welcome to Just Ice Cream for Council signatures.
Memos to VA: Water Utility Cross Training, Utility Office Cross Training, and Mt. Eaton Water proposal. The Water Utility cross training would involve having an employee work 4 hours a day in the Water Department for three to four months followed by a second trainee the following three to four months. The Mount Eaton proposal involves a five mile water line metered at our Village limits. Superintendent Pepper has stated he does not feel the Village is in the position to provide the 62,000 gallons per day they require. An engineering study was discussed in order to quantify what the Village system is capable of producing. The Mayor stated the filters are made to only process so many gallons per day and that there is room for one more filter if Council wants to make the investment. VA Pauley would like to see a proposal from the engineers. Council Member Tharp asked how this proposal had come about. Mount Eaton was trying to determine if it was more feasible to run a line to Brewster to purchase water or develop a wellfield outside of their village limits. Council Member Mackey asked if the proposed GIS System that is in the proposals pending would be helpful in a case like this. VA Pauley stated it would help to better know the distribution system but not the system capacity or the system capability.
Request for additional materials to complete Village Hall remodel. Council provided with a copy of the material list. This would complete the chair railing around Council chambers. The molding around the small bathroom door. A bookshelf for the Record of Proceedings and Book of Ordinances for the Village’s permanent records. Council Member Mackey described the reaction of visitors and residents and how he was embarrassed of the condition of Village Hall. Recently he had some revisit for a meeting and they stated how nice it looked and how they felt comfortable in it. Now Council Member Mackey would like to see it finished. He would like to see a council table and chairs that does not predate World War II along with a display screen.
Handout for Village employee cell phone use in preparation for an upcoming Finance Committee work session. The numbers were provided by the Village Clerk; Mayor provided a clipping from Wooster Daily Record concerning cell phone policy.
Proclamation: May is Motorcycle Awareness Month in Brewster
Proclamation: May 15 & 16 Poppy Days in Brewster
Council Member Tharp commented on the Mayor's memos to the VA that he felt that cross training of people in other was a good opportunity to utilize our people in a better way. Mayor Schwab commented that this was only a suggestion to the VA and didn't tell the VA he had to do this.
VILLAGE CLERK-TREASURER:Kris King
Check register for tonight's meeting provided for Council's signatures.
Received notification that the California Common Sense record request has been answered to their satisfaction.
March fire pay is $5,724.14.
VILLAGE SPEAKS: Communications Received by Council members from Village residents
Barber Suzie Hostetler advises that she would prefer not to have marked parking spaces on West 2nd Street.
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
Street Committee Work Session Minutes from April 6
Council of the Whole Committee met this evening – Council Rules review
Councilman Godwin: request from FYBSA for permission to install french drain on Field #3 (Mayor would suggest review from Supt. Patterson)
Bimeler Pavilion construction is scheduled for June; contractor working w/County Building Dept.
Consultant John Barkan Employee Project Update: All employee audits have been completed but the Police and Fire personnel. Preliminary review should be completed in June.
REMINDER: Arbor Day in Ohio is Friday, April 24
Village Wide Electric Outage April 25 beginning at 5 am
Finance Committee Work Session May 4 at 6 pm
Drug Free Safety Training Meeting on May 5 – morning & evening sessions
EXPENDITURE REQUESTS from past Meetings:
Donation request/application from Fairless Youth Baseball/Softball Association.
PROPOSALS PENDING:
From Councilman Mackey – Update of Council Rules
From Council: Review of Employee Wage/Structure pending Consultant John Barkan’s work
From Councilman Hilliard: Review of Village Official Salaries
From Mayor: Formulation of a plan and protocol for use of the Sidewalk Repair/Replacement Fund
From Economic Development Committee: The creation of a Brewster Business Association
From VA & Mayor: RCAP proposal for a GIS Project in the Village Utilities
From Mayor – Engineering for Utility Projects (Underpass replacement, McKinley Pole Line, etc.)
From Mayor – In-house review of Water Rates to position utility for future infrastructure needs
From Chief Porter: - Full-time Police Officer cell phone reimbursements
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 firemen's pay for March at a cost of $5,724.14 from the Fire Equipment Fund. The vote: All yes.
COUNCIL MEMBER THARP MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FOX and motion carried to accept Mayor Schwab and Chief Colucy’s recommendation of Mike Maybaugh as Assistant Fire Chief on the fire side of the department. The vote: All yes.
COUNCIL MEMBER GODWIN MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FOX and motion carried to donate $1,000 to the Fairless Youth Baseball/Softball Association from the Recreation Fund. Council Member Hilliard asked if Council Member Godwin had requested the balance of the association’s checkbook and if they were doing the work on Field #3. Council Member Godwin stated he did not know the balance of the association’s checkbook and the association was doing the work. The vote: All yes.
COUNCIL MEMBER MACKEY MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HILLIARD and motion carried to hold a Council of the Whole meeting on May 18th at 6:00pm to finalize the 2015 Rules of Council. The vote: All yes.
COUNCIL MEMBER HILLIARD MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODWIN and motion carried to adjourn the meeting at 8:38pm.
Respectfully submitted,
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K. Kris King, Village Clerk-Treasurer
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Mike Schwab, Mayor