April 2, 2018 - Meeting Minutes
MINUTES
APRIL 2, 2018
7:00 P.M.
Brewster Village Council met in regular session with Mayor Mike Schwab presiding.
7:00 P.M. – CALL TO ORDER
COUNCIL MEMBER HILLIARD MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FOX and motion carried to excuse Council Member Godwin from the meeting. The vote: All yes.
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
Andrew Hess, Council Member Tom Hilliard, Council Member
Sydney Radich, Council Member
VILLAGE OFFICIALS:
John Anthony, Solicitor Kris King, Clerk-Treasurer
Michael L. Miller, Village Administrator
MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 19, 2018 REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING:
Mayor Mike Schwab asked if there were any additions or deletions to the March 19, 2018 Council meeting minutes.
COUNCIL MEMBER FOX MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RADICH and motion carried to accept the minutes as presented. The vote: All yes.
PRESENTATION OF BILLS:
COUNCIL MEMBER FOX MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HAWK and motion carried to accept the bills in the amount of $ 77,978.19. The vote: All yes.
AUDIENCE:
Ray Heitger of the Recreation Board, reported that around 108 children attended the Easter Egg Hunt in Bimeler Park on March 31st. All the children received a chocolate Easter bunny and a gift certificate from Texas Roadhouse for a free kid’s dinner. He also wished to thank the Moose for providing a free lunch afterwards in the lodge.
Capt./Detective Taylor, Ray Heitger, and Fire Chief Colucy.
GUEST:
Loran Soliman, new owner of the Station Restaurant, explained that the Stark County Health Department is requiring extensive upgrades before he can open the restaurant back up. He has also run into problems with the Stark County Building Department concerning a grease trap. He is contracting with a company to get the largest grease trap available but it is going to take a little time. Mr. Soliman’s main purpose in attending the meeting was discuss the C1 License to sell beer for carry-out that he wishes to obtain. He does not intend to use the license at the Station but to transfer it to Giorgio’s in Navarre which he also owns. He has met with Mayor Benson of Navarre and their Council has stated that they will sign a TREX, an Economic Development Transfer. Councilman Hilliard stated in order for him not to have an issue with the license, he would need to have a letter from the Brewster-Sugarcreek Historical Society stating they have no issue with Mr. Soliman using their address to obtain the license. Councilwoman Radich asked if his intentions were to still open the restaurant even though he is unable to use a license at that location. Mr. Soliman stated he has put a large amount of money into the restaurant and intends to open it as soon as he gets all the needed upgrades and passes the necessary inspections. Councilman Hawk asked if a license can be issued since the restaurant is only 120 feet from the park and should be 500 feet according to the state. Mayor Schwab stated that as long as the Village doesn’t object, the license can be obtained. Mr. Soliman asked if there was a business association in Brewster. Mayor Schwab directed him in the direction of Connie Schumaker at Tattered and Worn. She has expressed interest in starting one. Mr. Soliman also asked if the Village had a list of service providers, he has had trouble finding companies to come to Brewster. The Village does not have a list but the Mayor suggested Grabill Plumbing on State Route 93 towards Beach City.
CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCES: Titles of each read by Solicitor John Anthony
ORDINANCE 13-2018: An Ordinance Authorizing the Adoption of a 4.10 Employee Workers Compensation Policy and adding it to our Employee Handbook was given third reading.
COUNCIL MEMBER FOX MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RADICH and motion carried to pass the legislation as read. VA Miller stated this lays out what procedures need to be followed after an accident. The vote: All yes.
ORDINANCE 14-2018: An Ordinance Authorizing the Adoption of a 4.11 Employee Work Related Injury Leave & Benefits Policy and adding it to our Employee Handbook was given third reading.
COUNCIL MEMBER HILLIARD MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FOX and motion carried to pass the legislation as read. VA Miller stated this creates 120 days of injury leave. The vote: All yes.
ORDINANCE 15-2018: An Ordinance Authorizing the Adoption of a 4.12 Employee Transitional Work & Modified Duty Policy and adding it to our Employee Handbook was given third reading.
COUNCIL MEMBER FOX MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HESS and motion carried to pass the legislation as read. VA Miller stated this helps to get our employees back to work faster after an accident. It involves Worker’s Comp programs with modified duties. The vote: All yes.
First Reading: An Ordinance authorizing the Modification of 76.04 Parking Prohibitions to add Fire Lanes and Modifying the Penalty Clause. Councilman Hilliard discussed painting the curbs at intersections.
First Reading: An Ordinance authorizing an Amendment to Ordinance 76-2017 Fire Department Fee Schedule for Patient Lifts at Extended Care Facilities. Councilman Hilliard asked if the Mayor had contacted the facilities in the area. Mayor Schwab stated he had sent letters to Brewster Parke and Country Lawn advising of the pending legislation.
MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENTS:
Fire Department: Chief Chris Colucy
The delivery of the new ambulance has been delayed for interior storage modifications and repainting the lettering. The expected date of delivery has been moved to the week of April 9th.
The 2003 Ambulance has been sold to Physicians Ambulance Service of Warrensville Heights for $15,000. The Fire Department is not able to use it since the non-motorized cot hardware has been removed so we are borrowing North Lawrence’s third ambulance to serve as backup. Thank you North Lawrence VFD!
Chief Colucy would like to advertise and sell the two non-motorized cots with a minimum bid of $2,000 each. VA Miller discussed using the OML website to save on advertising costs.
March EMS collections was $13,611.29. There has been a total of 197 calls for the Fire Department in 2018 with 70 of them in March.
There is a Cancer Awareness meeting at the Fire Station on April 10th at 6:30. The Chief invited Council to attend to see what hazards the firefighters are exposed to.
The Chief expressed his concern that if we get the grant for the new pumper that there is not enough room in the station to house it.
The Gear Extractor that the department purchased with a BWC Grant will be delivered in the next month. The department wishes to sell the old one to Beach City for $750 with Council’s permission.
FEMA Grants will be awarded at the end of May/beginning of June.
JMV is researching an insurance policy for the festival and Budweiser will be providing TIPS training.
A wire broke on a recent call on Pumper 154. It has been fixed and is currently working fine.
Chief Creter and Mayor Schwab met with Fairless Superintendent Broc Bidlack to discuss available safety measures in the three schools.
Chief Creter and the Mayor suggested up to a $4,000 purchase of equipment in the war against drugs.
All Officers are now trained in CPR and on the AED units in the cruisers. The training will be renewed annually.
Gunlocks are available to the public at the Police Station front lobby.
VILLAGE SOLICITOR: John Anthony
Ohio SB 331: The pending Ohio legislation for Wireless Right-of-Way has been challenged by the OML on the single subject rule. Depending on the outcome of the newly written legislation (HB 478), we may need to amend or rewrite our legislation that we passed last year on the subject.
Ohio HB 49 Lawsuit: There is a provision that would make it possible for business owners to file net-profit income tax returns with the State instead of the municipality in which they are located. Solicitor Anthony reported that some municipalities are fighting back by passing an ordinance excluding those businesses that file with the State from Economic Development benefits.
Solicitor Anthony has sent out three more collection letters and Asst. Chief Jen Mohler stated that we are making progress on receiving payment for EMS runs.
COMMUNICATIONS:
Ohio Billing Notice: Increasing costs by 25% to $ 25.00 per run and an ongoing annual increase of 3%.
VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR: Mike Miller
Administrator’s report for period 3/20/2018 thru 4/2/2018:
- Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) – Residential. The annual report for Brewster’s residential CRA Program has been submitted.
- Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) – Brewster Dairy. The annual report for Brewster Dairy’s CRA Tax Abatement has been filed, as well as the Annual CRA Area Report.
- Community Planning Grant. The Village of Brewster continues to work with SCATS (Stark County Area Transportation Study) on choosing the engineering firm for the Downtown to Fairless Schools Connector preliminary plan.
- Substation Expansion. The Village is in the process of completing additional soil borings and Geotech report, a new Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment Survey, and a new wetland delineation study so that GPD can move forward on coordination with the USACE for the Substation Upgrade/Expansion. Following their completion, we will be in a position to move forward with approving an agreement with GPD for engineering, which will need to be approved by Council.
- Yard Waste Collection Site. The Village has received the block grant agreement to participate as a yard waste host site with the District, which is being reviewed by Law Director John Anthony prior to signing and returning it.
- Solar Project. I attended the Board of Directors March 21st meeting for the Solar I & Solar II participants scheduled for at AMP headquarters in Columbus. This meeting was to consider the final terms for the purchase of the Miller property and the subsequent development of a solar facility. The purchase changes were approved, and the purchase of the property is moving forward.
- Efficiency Smart. We received a $600 rebate for the LED lighting that our Electric Department installed on Wabash from 1st Street to North Corporation line. Our Electric Department completed the project to improve lighting and reduce energy usage by replacing existing high-pressure sodium street lights on Wabash from First street north to the corporation limits. In addition to improved lighting, the project will save an estimated 21,681 kWh per year, with an estimated first year monetary savings of $2,166. The expected pay back on the investment is 7.2 years.
- Efficiency Smart. We received a $200 rebate for the LED Lighting that our Electric Department installed in the Underpass. Our Electric Department completed a project to improve lighting and reduce energy usage by replacing existing high-pressure sodium lighting in the underpass with LED lighting. In addition to improved lighting, the project will save an estimated 7,668 kWh per year, with an estimated first year monetary savings of $766. The expected pay back on the investment is 2.1 years.
- 7th Street Levee Gate. There has been a change of direction on the levee gate paving/repair. As you will recall, the Village met with representatives from the US Army Corps of Engineers, Stark County Engineer’s Office, Black Horse Bridge Construction regarding coordinating treatment of the levee gate with the upcoming paving (OPWC funding pending) of 7th Street. The Village wants to see the levee gate be incorporated into the upcoming paving so that there is a smooth transition, because the current drop aggravates the deterioration of the pavement on either side of the gate. While initially the Village was going to have the pavement at the levee gate repaired, the US Army Corps of Engineers has reconsidered and will undertake the repair of the pavement at the levee gate themselves. The indicated they would accelerate the repair to the fullest extent possible.
- Auditor of State’s Local Government Officials Conference. I attended the Auditor of State’s Local Government Officials Conference on March 22nd & 23rd, 2018 in Columbus.
- Symposium on Village Employment. I will be attending a Symposium on Village Employment sponsored by Clemens-Nelson in Dublin, Ohio on Thursday April 12th.
VILLAGE MAYOR: Mike Schwab
Thank you to all that helped at the Easter Egg Hunt especially LaVonne & Ray Heitger.
Thank you to all that helped at the Easter Egg Hunt especially LaVonne & Ray Heitger.
Proclamation – April 26, 2018 as Arbor Day in Village of Brewster.
Proclamation – April 28, 2017 as Arbor Day in Village of Brewster.
Proclamation – May is Motorcycle Awareness Month in Village of Brewster.
1. Follow Up - Ohio Liquor Control – Application for a C-1 (Beer Carry Out) License at the Station Restaurant
- The new owner of the Station Restaurant, Loran Soliman, has made application for a C-1 (Beer for Carry Out Only) at the Station Restaurant location
- Per Council’s direction Ohio Liquor Control has been advised that Council objects to the permit and requests a hearing in Canton, the County seat
- Mr. Soliman is to be at tonight’s meeting
2. Proposed Utility Rate Study Update:
- Financial and Customer Data for 2016 and 2017 in both the Water Utility and the Sewer Utility have been gathered for submittal to RCAP
- Village will meet with RCAP week of April 16 to provide data and information
- Still soliciting quotes for an Electric Rate study; awaiting quotes from two firms
3. Fairless Schools
- Chief Creter and Mayor met with Supt Bidlack on March 23rd to discuss security at Schools
- Village will provide Supt. Bidlack with costs for several staffing scenarios based on Village PD compensation and benefits – full time, part time, a combination of the two, and so forth
- Mayor is suggesting SRO trained personnel
- Advised Supt Bidlack that Brewster cannot financially support additional Officers beyond current SRO Truman on a permanent basis
- State Route 93 through Brewster
- It appears from the ODOT District 4’s website that the paving of State Route 93 through Brewster has been pushed back to 2020
- I believe after the abuse from the pipeline trucks in 2017 this section needs to be paved in 2018
- I have sent a letter to the ODOT District 4 Deputy Director, (copied to Senator Frank LaRose and Ohio Rep. Marilyn Slaby) requesting that this one-mile section of State Route 93 be paved in 2018
- Zoning Amendments
- Researching updates to Village Zoning Code
1. Addition of Screening and Buffering language between dissimilar Zoning Districts
2. Additions to and updating of the Definition section of Zoning Code
- Does Council have any Zoning areas that they would like addressed?
- We will present possible changes to Council in the next month or so for their review and possible referral to the Village Planning Commission
6. Social Media Archives
- Government regulations & potential litigation threats may dictate that Village web pages and emails be archived for ready retrieval
- We are exploring archiving products and services
- Will meet with a vendor Tuesday morning, April 10th.
7. Compensation afforded the Village Clerk-Treasurer
- Council may want to review the current compensation package of $ 37,800/year
- Council may want to consider an increase in the compensation for the next term of this position which will be on the November 2019 Ballot
VILLAGE CLERK-TREASURER: Kris King
March Financial and Year-to-Date Report.
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
1. Minutes from Public Utilities Committee on 03/19 - discussed proposed utility Projects in 2018
2. Note: Sunshine Law Course is available online at https://sunshinelaw.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/
This allows each government Official to be familiar with these regulations. Councilwoman Radich stated that she has taken the course and found it to be very enlightening.
_______________________________________________________________________________
REMINDER: VFD Meeting April 10 at 6:30 pm – Cancer Concern for Firefighters
Crime Watch Meeting April 23rd at 7 pm in Brewster Parke Welcome Center
Spring Clean Up: Saturday, May 19th – North BX, Monday May 21st – South BX
PENDING PROPOSALS FROM PAST MEETINGS:
Ohio Ethics Commission: Suggests that Village Officials take their Ohio Ethics Law E-Course Accessible online at http://www.ethics.ohio.gov/index.html. Councilwoman Radich stated she took the class in person down in Columbus and found it to be very interesting also.
OLD or NEW BUSINESS:
Councilman Hilliard asked the Solicitor to look into legislation concerning lights on Amish buggies traveling through town. Councilwoman Radich suggested Amish Buggy Awareness month.
COUNCIL MEMBER HILLIARD MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HESS and motion carried to approve the bid advertising and sale of the unneeded cots with a minimum bid of $2,000 each. The vote: All yes.
COUNCIL MEMBER HILLIARD MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HAWK and motion carried to sell the old gear extractor to Beach City for $750. The vote: All yes.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAWK MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HILLIARD and motion carried to schedule a Finance Committee meeting on April 16th at 6:30 PM to discuss the Clerk-Treasurer’s wages. The vote: All yes.
COUNCIL MEMBER FOX MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RADICH and motion carried to allow the Police Department to spend $4,000 on equipment for the war on drugs.
VILLAGE SPEAKS: Communications Received by Council members from Village residents
Councilman Hilliard has had complaints about the north side light flashing. Mayor Schwab stated that a contractor we hired to cut the road for a water line replacement has severed the wire so it will be that way until the water line is installed. Councilman Hilliard also asked if we have started flushing the hydrants and what time they start. VA Miller stated they try to hit the time when most residents have left for work.
COUNCIL MEMBER FOX MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RADICH and motion carried to adjourn the meeting at 8:15 PM. The vote: All yes.
Respectfully submitted,
____________________________________________________
Kris King, Clerk-Treasurer
____________________________________________________
Mike Schwab, Mayor