October 5, 2015 - Meeting Minutes
Brewster Village Council met in regular session with Mayor Mike Schwab presiding.
7:00 P.M. – CALL TO ORDER
MEMBERS PRESENT:
VILLAGE OFFICIALS/EMPLOYEES PRESENT:
MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 21, 2015 REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING:
Mayor Mike Schwab asked if there were any additions or deletions to the September 8, 2015 Council meeting minutes.
COUNCIL MEMBER THARP MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FOX and motion carried to accept the minutes as presented. The vote: All yes.
PRESENTATION OF BILLS:
COUNCIL MEMBER THARP MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FOX and motion carried to accept the bills for the amount of $ 179,429.32. Council Member Hilliard gave a heads up to VA Pauley that the tree trimmers are moving at a snail's pace and consider whether to pay them hourly in the future. 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.
Tanya Davis, 264-2nd St SE, thanked Council for repairing the alley behind her home. She also stated that the Village did an awesome job. Council Member Fox stated that she was welcome and Council Member Tharp stated that the Street Department deserves the credit.
Audience in attendance: Ann-Margaret Lambo.
CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCES:
Third Reading: An Ordinance adopting an Employee Stand By program and modifying employee call out pay and adding both to the employee handbook. COUNCIL MEMBER GODWIN MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FOX to bring the ordinance forward for passage. Mayor Schwab pointed out a typo that Council may wish to correct by amendment. Council Member Mackey asked HR Consultant Barkan to explain his interpretation of the emergency call out pay. There was a lengthy discussion on how different scenarios of call outs would be paid. Council Member Mackey felt it needed to be looked at further before passage. COUNCIL MEMBER GODWIN MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER THARP and motion carried to table the ordinance to allow further discussion of amendments. The vote: All yes.
Second Reading: An Ordinance to amend Chapter 13 of the Codified Ordinances of the Village of Brewster regarding Municipal Income Tax.
First Reading: Resolution Designating Bimeler Ball Park Field #3 as Denny Gehring, Sr. Field.
First Reading: Authorize the Modification of Ordinance 21-2002 to provide Two Way Traffic on Pennsylvania Place (an alley off N. Wabash between 525 & 537 N. Wabash Avenue).
First Reading: Authorize a One Year Contract with Attorneys Larry Chapanar & Ian Crawford for Village Prosecutor services in 2016 at $12,000.
ORDINANCE 36-2015: An Ordinance amending the Master Service Agreement between the Village & AMP Partners to Clarify that AMP is the Village Agent for Purposes Related to Economical and Reliable Power and other services and declaring an emergency was given first reading. VA Pauley explained that this allows AMP to communicate for the transmission, distribution, and purchase of power for the Village.
COUNCIL MEMBER GODWIN MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FOX and motion carried to suspend the rule requiring three separate readings and bring the ordinance forward for passage. The vote: All yes.
COUNCIL MEMBER FOX MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODWIN and motion carried to pass the ordinance as presented. The vote: All yes.
MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENTS:
FIRE DEPARTMENT:Chief Chris Colucy
Chief Colucy stated that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Association has commemorating t-shirts to sell to the public.
This is Brewster's year to host a silent parade and memorial service for Stark County's fallen Fire Fighters. The parade will run from the north side car wash to Friends Church on West Main Street. The parade starts at 9:30 and the service will follow.
POLICE DEPARTMENT: Chief Harry Porter (absent)
Council Member Hilliard stated there was a street light that has a dim bulb on McKinley between 6th and 7th Streets .
VILLAGE SOLICITOR:Attorney John Anthony
Continuing to review contracts and legislation for several Village projects including the new tax legislation. The OML sample ordinance was discussed along with keeping the old tax ordinance on the books for previous years submissions.
Atty Anthony has been working with Dwight Neiderkofler of GPD on FirstEnergy Easements. He stated it has been a very slow process but has three agreement assignments recorded. The appropriate language has been established and can be used as a template for others.
HR CONSULTANT JOHN BARKAN:
Mr. Barkan provided verification of police department figures for Council Member Hilliard that was a chart breaking down officers per resident of Brewster compared to other communities he felt were similar. He stated once the wage numbers are set for the Police Department it will move along quickly as you just mesh the positions into the pay bracket they fit into. He stated he plans to have a draft of the revised employee handbook that is up to date with federal and state regulations ready for January. He stated that if he were doing this work on an hourly basis it would have cost the Village around $26,000 and that his charges were a good deal.
Mr. Barkan needs to get with Clerk King to coordinate getting the employees that didn't make the EEO training on the first round into a class. He also needs to meet with Chief Colucy to provide EEO training the Fire Department.
COMMUNICATIONS:
Shearer Foods: Continue to invest in their Wastewater Pretreatment facilities in 2016 - they are replacing a 80,000 gallon EQ tank: installing an inline oil/water separator along with other improvements.
Recreation Board: Ray and LaVonne Heitger are requesting an amount not to exceed $600 for the Village Halloween party. Council Member Hawk received a request from resident Jay Huff of McKinley Avenue to be placed on the Recreation Board.
VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR: VA Robert Pauley
Administrator’s report for period 09/22/2015 thru 10/05/2015:
Street department completed 7th St SE (final grade & seeding to be done) and Harmondale NE ditch projects using rented equipment.
Curbside leaf collection scheduled to begin October 19th as weather permits, and will continue as leaves and weather permits. Residents are urged to rake leaves to the treelawn to avoid blocking curbs, gutters & ditches.
Contacted Mt. Hope Fence / Frontier Gazebos final invoice reflected $204 credits for items non-performed.
Street department placed “Children at Play” signage for Chessie Place Alley (immediately north of Brewster Parke facility).
Sweetwater project startup testing continues for all systems, next progress meeting scheduled for October 14th – should be the final progress meeting as project have achieved substantial completion and beginning of warrantee periods for installed equipment continues as weather permits.
Discussions with interested parties regarding potential solar field project continues.
Electric department will be operating 1-linesman short beginning October 12th for approximately 6 weeks.
Locked in 2 1-MW blocks of 7x24 base power & energy contracts at $33.00 MWh (2016-2017) and $35.00 MWH (2016-2020).
GPD planning/engineering continues for the McKinley Circuit rebuild project.
Attended AMP Annual conference, legislative and regulatory updates & participants meeting for each of the projects that the village participates in. These include Gorsuch station, AMPGS, Hydro Phase 1, JV 5 (diesel peaking – not run during 2015 YTD due to changes in RICE/NESHAP regulations), JV 2 (combustion turbine peaking units), JV 1 – hydro base load, MESA (engineering services). Rate charges were established for 2016 – changes were mainly due to changes in PJM Reliability Performance Measures auction and regulatory requirements.
AMP’s notice for Strategic Plan – Focus Group meeting emailed to council. Focus Group meeting scheduled for November 6, 2015 – contact me if you are able to participate.
Requested proposal/information to participate in Hosted Solutions – Smart Grid/Smart Metering project. The Hosted Solutions project encompasses both electric and water meters/meter reading/use& error detection.
From the AMP Conference: The Village may qualify for a rebate program for changing the remaining street lights on St. Rt. 93 to LED. Many updates were provided including: legislative, tracking reports, department reports, and membership reports. This is Public Power Week and the Village was given bookmarks and temporary tattoos from APPA to pass out.
Council Member Hilliard asked that "Do not rake leaves into the street" be put in the newsletter. He also reiterated that we should allow more than $9,000 to street sealing if it is needed to complete the job. VA Pauley stated the crack sealer should be in tomorrow.
Council Member Hilliard complimented Supt. Rick Patterson and Village Technician Jim Spivey for the 7th Street ditch project and the alley they fixed between Main and 2nd Streets. He stated they did a nice job.
Council Member Hawk asked VA Pauley if the Village would pick up some branches from a home that the resident was unable to take to the yard waste themselves. VA Pauley stated that the Village doesn't normally do it, but given these circumstances provided, would pick them up.
Council Member Hawk suggested VA Pauley speak with a north side resident about fence rules and permits.
VILLAGE MAYOR: Mike Schwab
Finalizing Pavilion Project for ODNR reimbursement:
A. Natureworks/ODNR Grant Agreement has been filed with County Recorder; documented for ODNR.
B. Invoice received from Mt Hope Fence/Frontier Gazebos: On tonight’s Bills. Invoice and cancelled check to be submitted to ODNR with final documentation came in under budget at $ 44,165.00.
C. Walking Path modifications for handicapped accessibility underway. This should satisfy County Building Dept for Final Inspection; documentation to be provided to ODNR. Once all modifications are completed the final cost will be provided to Council.
Zoning addition proposal for Alternative Energy Systems and Wind Energy will be submitted to Village Planning Commission on October 29th at a Planning Commission meeting for their review; Notices and materials to be provided to the Planning Commission members this week.
Parking Space striping in downtown area will be completed by vendor in coming weeks; in front of Huntington Bank of eastside of Wabash, and from Barber Shop to W. Fourth on the west side.
Proposed Solar Project: Discussions continue with Atlas Power, Solar Planet, and AMP-Partners; we have touched bases with Fairless Supt. Bidlack.
We will meet on Wednesday with Engineering Associates and Mt Eaton officials to talk about water service from Brewster to Mt Eaton.
The Mayor asked Council if they desire that the Village prepare to submit applications for the next Round of Issue II funding due to be submitted before September of 2016. If so, it may be a good idea to get started in order to have everything needed.
VILLAGE CLERK-TREASURER:Kris King
September Financials and Year-to date report.
Amounts and Rates Resolution for 2016 is due by the end of the month. The figures were emailed to my office on September 30th.
Setting up department head meetings to start the budgeting process.
Meeting with CompMgmt to see which programs are paying off as far as Workers' Compensation discounts. The maximum discount the Village can earn is 59%. We are currently earning 46%. You have to be accident free for the max discount.
Meeting with Huntington concerning a commercial credit card on October 14th.
AFLAC will be in on October 21st to meet with employees to sign up or review their current plans.
Flu shots are being scheduled for October 30th at Village Hall.
Recreation Board is requesting a budget not to exceed $600.00 for the Village Halloween party.
I spoke with the software company that supports our income tax collections. They will be ready for the new tax laws.
Sweetwater Pump Station Project: OWDA did not increase the unencumbered loan amount. Paperwork has been sent in to get it taken care of.
Council Member Hilliard thanked Clerk King for the work she did on the Arts on the Boulevard and stated he had people ask why the "lightbulb people" weren't there. Clerk King stated they were supposed to be there and doesn't know why they didn't show up. Council Member Hawk stated the Massillon Public Library would like to include the Bookmobile next year.
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
Council of the Whole minutes from September 28, 2015.
Council Member Tharp asked Solicitor Anthony asked if it was permissible to go into executive session if it is for discussion and no action is taken. Atty. Anthony stated as long as it falls follows ORC 121.22(G) procedures.
COUNCIL MEMBER THARP MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MACKEY and motion carried to go into executive session for the purpose of considering the discipline of an employee of the Village of Brewster at 8:25pm. The vote: All yes. All Council Members, the Mayor, the VA, and Atty. Anthony went into executive session.
COUNCIL MEMBER FOX MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER THARP and motion carried to exit executive session at 9:18pm. The vote: All yes. No action was taken.
REMINDER: Trick or Treat – October 31st 6 – 7:30 pm; Rain Date November 1st
EXPENDITURE REQUESTS from past Meetings:
None
PENDING PROPOSALS FROM PAST MEETINGS:
Ohio Insurance Services Agency (Brian Savage) offers administration of COBRA program for $650 per year (Council copy on 09/21/2015).
ODNR Natureworks Grant applications deadline is May 1 each year.
OLD or NEW BUSINESS: (Council Rules dictate a one meeting review period for expenditures, unless deemed an emergency)
From the Mayor: Respectfully suggest:
1. Create legislation for accepting the amounts and rates of property tax as provided by the County and considering it under emergency.
COUNCIL MEMBER THARP MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FOX and motion carried to have a resolution drawn up accepting the amounts and rates of property tax as provided by the County and considering it under emergency. The vote: All yes.
COUNCIL MEMBER MACKEY MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FOX and motion carried to schedule a Council of the Whole meeting on Tuesday, October 13th at 6:30pm to continue discussion on Police Department personnel wages and benefits and to discuss the tabled call out and standby pay ordinance. The vote: All yes.
COUNCIL MEMBER HILLIARD MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GODWIN and motion carried to allow the Recreation Board to spend up to $600 on the Halloween party out of the Recreation Fund. The vote: All yes.
COUNCIL MEMBER THARP MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FOX and motion carried to adjourn the meeting at 9:22 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Kris King, Village Clerk-Treasurer
Mike Schwab, Mayor