Council - Regular Meeting

You made 645 glasses. Okay, we're opened up for the uh September 25th uh finance committee meeting. Order of business will be the 2026 operating budget and questions and comments were needed. All set.

All set. All right. So, in order to do this budget, I had to kind of project out 2025. So, project out the wages, projected out the remaining health insurance, pension payments, etc. So, that's why there's an amendment on the agenda as well for the 2025 appropriations. Um hopefully the last one we need. Um never know what's going to happen November, December weatherwise that might affect wages, but hopefully uh this nice weather will continue through the end of the year. So, also we're heading into a year of negotiations because our current three-year uh collective bargaining agreements expire at the end of 2025. So when that happens, I never put a percentage, if you will, of proposed wage increases because you don't want to just throw a number out there prior to negotiating with um

you don't want to influence it and you don't want to be wrong. Yeah. Somebody was talking about playing poker recently. You don't want to show your hand

and you don't want to speculate. you know, want to speculate and you um yeah, just want to build that in when it actually occurs and you have a real number. So to follow that point up though, I did leave some cushion in each wage benefit category in 2025. So it's not, you know, it's completely going to be a big hit no matter, you know, if we get whatever the raised percentage is. So some of it or could be all of it will be covered by the cushion that's in 2025. uh as usual uh than my history to just roll over the other category, all the line items that go into that other column that you see unless there's something unique and there is something unique in the police department. Um on page five, I did number the pages this time.

Thanks for that. Yeah. Um, so computer maintenance professional dues, uh, I bumped up a little bit professional dues because they're starting. Oh, there he is. The, um, Lexiple, which is your explain policies. Uh, Lexipole has been around for a long time. How long's the fire department been using Lex? Before Tim retired.

Yeah. So basically, you know, you all are familiar with the Ohio Collaborative and we work very hard to make sure we're compliant with the collaborative that takes a lot of time. The collaborative has recognized Lexapole's standards as something everybody. We meet those standards by being qualified and being um credited through the Ohio Collaborative. But they've went a step further. If you have Lexapole as your policies and updating your SOPs through Lexapole, you're automatically in. You're we don't have to jump through all the hoops every year. Lexipole, just being a member and following their protocol for SOPs, you're already certified.

Can you define SOPs, please? Standard operating policy procedure. My apologies. So, well, they know the thing Lexiple does, it keeps stays current with national and state laws. So as they change at that level, they push down new policies that contain that to protect us

and all their stuff is reviewed by a legal team uh nationally and at every state level. Um some of the changes that have affected us have been the collaborative. Also recently the restraining females that are pregnant after initial arrest. Um neck restraint holds. All those things that have changed recently that have been case law changes. Lexipole is rolling them out to departments that use their service right away. It's a policy all put together, reviewed by Ohio experts. We just implement it. It's kind of a no-brainer for us and it's a little bit pricey, but in the long run, I mean, what's liability? The cost of liability, too.

And one thing I really like about this is in the service, like we if we put out a new policy, we'll let everybody digest it. You read it, you sign off on it, and then we create a test for it. We put it out to everybody, and everybody's got to take the test and resubmit it back. They do all that. It's all done with their system. the testing, the scoring, the, you know, tabulation, maintaining the records that yes, you reviewed this policy, you tested on it, you know that. And we could submit all that to the collaborative instead of putting it together every year like we do. So, it'll be a lot of help. So, who was doing that in the past? Chief,

me and now I've been Christian's learning and it's a lot of work. I I don't know that he realized exactly how much it's been, but he's doing very well at it. But this is this is a game changer for us. So the cost has always been something that's kind of well maybe next year, maybe next year, maybe next year. Uh but with some of the changes in the industry, it's it's about 20,000 a year we're getting right. Y and it's based off department size. Yeah. Okay. So that's that's where in here that's in contracted services for the police department. The 40,000. Okay. That's

it'll be that year or it'll be 20 a year after this year. No, there's other we have other contract. Yeah, there's other contracted services in there. Okay. So, it is additional 20. Yeah. Yeah.

That was really the only unique item that was different from this year in the other category. So, while we're on this page though, the EMS these fees and distributions um for EMS will go up, but that's a good thing because if they go up, the revenue goes up. Correct. So, but that could change throughout, you know, there could be an amendment in 2026 or something like that, but again, that's offset with additional revenue from the bill. So, the general that's pretty much a general fund through page six.

I had a quick question on page one. Okay. Uh the training for council. Yeah, went way up. I know that John you did several things this year. Are we adding next year? I mean, if he's doing similar to what he did this year, it'll be okay. But if we need to add more, we can help next year. Okay. Yeah. So, this year it was was 4,000. Did we add We added four. We added eight. Okay. So, it doubled. It probably go back down. Okay. But okay. Yeah. I know that Jeff and I talked about that I had approved and doing stuff and Jeff approved it too. So

there's also stuff council can go to they want to. Okay. You know they throw most of the stuff that we those that get reelected just online. Okay. I don't know if there's anything else that we can physically go to that I'm not aware of it but if there is I would gladly go to it. Yeah. As in a lot of these appropriations, they're overappropriated as opposed to under. So they never run into a problem. And department has, you know, they don't spend just because it's there, right? What do we typically spend on the code updates? Is it a portion of that 4,000 or usually it varies depending on how much state legislature changes. So

Okay. Some years it could be 10 to 15,000, others it could be like four grand. Okay. And also we kind of mix it with the mayor's court. They kind of split the cost just pertaining to them, not just our local ordinances. So it's kind of under the same umbrella, but it varies from here. Good to know.

Yeah. Then on this page, you have workers comp, which has been pretty steady, knock on wood, throughout the last few years. fuel, you know, that's always a variable, but hopefully that stays in the $3 range. Cemetery services, that's, you know, once here we have that meeting and that's been pretty consistent. County health, that's through the take that right out of our property tax distribution. So, I see the the mayor's office total wages went up and then the finance department wages went down.

Yeah. Kelsey moved moved someone between the offices. Yeah. And then there's going to be a retirement next year in the mayor's office category on HR. So, and definitely will probably not hit this budget.

Again, that's an example of not spending it just because it's there. So if you want to jump to the general fund's not our, you know, not our only fund that we pay for operating expenses out of because I consider any fund that has wages coming out of it as operating. Uh so if you go to page six, we have the SCMR fund the you know what that is? Oh, I knew this. totally slipped my mind. Street for street and maintenance. Street construction, maintenance and repair.

So, um, a lot of our service departments paid out of there. And again, nothing special there. Again, hospitalization. Uh, there is a cushion there. um recently went to the meeting the OGBC Ohio government consortium OGB benefits consortium OGBC that is a consortium currently eight communities that uh Fideli created our insurance broker created

so the larger your insurance pool you kind of sp spread your risk across and we're with medical mutual and over the last couple years. Medical Mutual has other clients in the government world that aren't part of the OGBC and we've I'm on the finance committee of the OGBC and the finance committee and the OGBC as a whole has pushed to ask why why can't you do that? So there's actually at the last meeting potential up to eight more communities. Now, we're not going to we all vote to allow a certain community in to the OGBC's because we don't want, you know, a potential high-risk community with a lot of prior, you know, large claims uh into our OGC and we have advisors that the OPC pays to advise us on that. So that's that's a good thing that they're hoping that our renewal rate will be in the single digits this year. Was it last year we got sucked?

We had pretty hard. Yeah. Single digit as in percentage increase. Last year was around 20 19 I think. Yeah. So it's all based on your usage. So they have formula you know if you If you spend 100% of what you put into it, it's probably not a good look because they need to make money. Yeah. They want you around the 80 85 range the usage. But you're saying that the more communities you get added to that, it'll potentially lower our rate or just keep the increase low. It'll help keep the increase low. Okay. And I did go up. It's always going to go up. That's what I thought. That's why I asked it.

Yeah. And at the meeting I asked I said okay of these eight communities what's you know what's the largest one that you're talking about because they could be member communities of 50 employees there's one with 300 but that 300 could be No that's a potential good one. Oh it's a good one.

Okay. So it's it was a promising meeting last week. Last Thursday actually. So then we have uh street mechanic section. Three mechanics are paid out of there. On page seven, street sign. Uh we don't have anybody paid out of there because that guy is paid out of our 280 fund for, you know, we have one service employee paid out of the 280 fund, safety service fund. Uh three firemen and one police officer. That's the one that comes directly from the levy.

Yeah. Levy

0.25% increase in income tax. Yeah. And so that's SMR fund. The next section is parks and wreck. There's two separate areas of parks and wreck. The one up above is typically the lands, parks and wreck, two employees, two full-time, uh, some part-time and in the summer helping to maintain, you know, the grounds, if you will. Down below is the the 205 section, which is the family rec center. Nothing out of the ordinary here.

Is there a Rita retainer out of the parks rack up at the top? 204 203 because part of our Rita income goes into 204. Oh, okay. So, that makes sense. Yeah. Also in the 204 is the contracted services. Is that the additional resources to keep up the grounds that the service department frees up the service department to do? Yeah. Some of the some of the grass cutting, you know, I think it's called treeine. Is that the name of it? Teacher. Teacher.

Um, and by the way, the capital improvements of this budget that you see a line item here, that comes from our capital improvement meeting we had. So that actually matches what is on the 2026 capital improvement schedule for parks and wreck. So you'll see that again on page nine kind of in the middle of the page capital improvement for the family rec center and there's a remodeling line right above that. Those two items come from our fiveyear capital plan.

What's the the zero for custodial stamp? Are we not doing that? I think we're going back to third. So that's is added in and services. Yeah.

Excuse me. And then we have our safety service fund which I mentioned three firefighters out of the first section there. You have the fire capital, the police capital and the service capital. Those line items are coming from our 5year capital plan. And you have the one service department employee at the bottom of page nine. And then you have the one police officer on page 10. Could you explain what these transfers are?

Transfers. Okay. So, from a government standpoint, your municipal income tax is supposed to come into the general fund unless you have an ordinance that, you know, disperses it like we do. some it goes to well because of the safety service levy if you will that was passed the 0.25%

that goes in the 280 portion of it. So you typically don't need to transfer money into that fund unless you have a large capital item. So let's assume we just have our general fund and then everything else needs a transfer. So to fund those other funds, capital street improvements, family rec center, you have to transfer money from the general fund because you're by law supposed to put all your tax revenue into the general fund and then you transfer it out. supposed to be a one-way street because there's an advance that's not a one-way street

to help support items paid out of all those other funds. So everything comes into that general fund even if it's on a levy. Um no if it's on a levy it goes to 280. Okay. And then we have the road fund. Okay. Because we had another levy that increased the income tax by 0.25%. Like the road levy, that money is earmarked towards just road repair. It can't go in the general fund. Gotcha. Okay. Right. What about the one that is on the ballot this year? That goes to the general fund. Okay.

Only the health support police fire service, not of the general fund. Okay. Are there any more questions or comments. Okay. If there are none, the next uh finance committee meeting will be October 23rd. 25th, right? 23rd. 23rd. Oh, darn it. Oh, I'm thinking September. I was looking at your September 25th.

That's what we did today. That's what we did today. I'm sorry. Okay. Do we need the half an hour again just to make sure? Well, what it'll be is Yeah, I would think uh well, it's on the agenda. Well, it's not on the agenda yet, but you have we went over that piece, we went over the capital piece, we went over the operating piece. Now, I'm going to put it all together into the 2026 annual appropriation. So, Half hour at most. Yeah, we'll meet again half hour before the work session starts to be determined. Okay.

Thank you, sir. Oh, you're welcome. Anyone need a break before we go into work session? All right. Okay. That's why I was offering you. All right. Insulting the mayor over here. Um, we can start with ordinance 51. Um, this is the residential driveways and parking areas. Do you want to talk to it or Sure. The planning commission is still working on this and just pull it up too. So, you really want to give me Don't even need to say it.

Anybody else need a couple more? If

I can add some to this uh What really brought this up is the fact that we really as the building department have no control over those because uh section 132103 tells us that resident need a permit for concrete and asphalt driveway but there's no permission for asphalt driveway. So anybody can just put in a gravel driveway, don't get a permit. There's really nothing we can do about it. So I think, you know, this is another I I didn't say this earlier and I'm not going to say it out there because I want to notify the top, but we really need to have something from the post or at least address that.

And have you said that to the planning commission? Uh okay. Okay. Part of your discussion. This is more of a legal question that I think I need to talk to Mark about it regardless of what happens. I think we need to head some in our ordinance that assuming that we are permitted to continue to use gravel driveway. We should have it to the ordinance that you know not only you need a permit for asphalt and concrete. You also need a permit for gravel. If this doesn't pass, if this isn't come to fruition, that is correct.

I have a question. It may be a legal question also for Mr. Gadetti to chime in on. If somebody's in the process of any of these things that are going to be happening here and it just hasn't gotten to the final approval yet, does that mess up their plan? So you're asking if a if a on a current project prior to completion is going to be grandfathered in is what you're asking basically. Probably. Yes, probably. Okay. Because I was approached on depending where they're at with it. Thank you.

For for a gravel driveway, is there anything that we would do differently? I guess based on like if they got a permit is there a way that they would get denied? Well, we at least we we require a drawing. We we will be able to control how wide is going to be, where is going to be. Got you know what kind of material you use, how much this way we just like how thick, you know, we notice looking through the city that you know there's potholes, there's these weeds, the gravel has been displaced and some is wash out there. My idea is that

if his present changes don't get passed. Right. Right. Yep. Any other questions? Okay. What would you like to do with 53? you were talking about um this is the tip I believe oh again haven't heard anything from the schools don't plan to because we're keeping them whole so third reading and then I could submit it to you know the county to send down to the state okay and then I'm working on the holiday

so we're prepared with the schools to proceed with it you're at or past the statuto 14 period objection period. They haven't objected, so you're okay to move forward. We're okay to move forward. So, um, we'll do third and nobody objects, we'll do third reading on 53.

All right. Um, 55 is the recreational vehicle ordinance. Um, I have received I don't know if anybody else did. I did receive a negative comment related to this via um the city's contact form. I don't know if everybody else did. Um, so at this point I've gotten one person saying we should change it and one person saying we shouldn't. Um, I'm thinking of we can just hold this at second read today, have more discussion on it. I was hoping to get some more um, public participation. Maybe like somebody come talk to us and tell us what they thought about it. What was the what was the contents of the

if I could paraphrase it and I read it a long time ago. It was um something along the lines of don't pass this because um you would have to enforce it and we're not currently enforcing it anyway. And I'm paraphrasing. I did I did get that. Okay. I did get that. Okay. Um I may have paraphrased that wrong, but that's how I remember reading it. Yeah, there was somebody highly upset about that because of the fact that all of this time we haven't enforced it. Now all of a sudden we're going to make a change and enforce it.

And if I'm being honest, that's part of the reason why I brought this forward is if we're not going to enforce it during the summer months when people want to use them, maybe we should look at opening that up and then um in the winter months when they should be parked and winterized and out of sight, out of mind, enforce that, right? Um but we can keep talking about it. I'm not trying to take this to a vote tonight, but I figured I'd read it. I'd move it to second reading tonight and we can keep talking about it in work session. And you'll still need planning commission referral, right? And I don't I don't want to go to that point. Now, we would do that before we went to third, right? Um

unless actually does everybody here want to do that at this point? Should we send it to planning commission and see what their feedback is? residents are clamoring to to tell us so but planning commission is a group of residents and you know they might come back with ideas I'm not even thinking of let's do that sooner than later okay do we need to vote to do that yes is that a separate motion yeah you could a simple motion refer to planning commission all right I will do that motion to refer in lie of any reading right just leave it where it's at okay all right I mean you've technically advanced it a second if you want to, but it's up to you. I'll just do the motion. Um, can I ask a question?

Is there any chance that that 30-day period could be kind of extended because by the time it gets to the planning commission and maybe the meeting is not scheduled for few days after that, they will not have enough time to probably discuss this. Can we That's up to council. They can do that now or they can do that later if the commission needs it. It's really up to We've done it. We've done it before. When do they meet next? Next meeting will be in the 20th of October. Why don't we give it 45 days instead of 30 or more?

Well, they So, you're saying they wouldn't be have time to discuss it on that meeting because it's they have full agenda. Depending how soon can we notify them in the tomorrow? Tomorrow. Okay. Yeah. messages. Okay. And and actually, I was going to ask that we do that. I was going to suggest that anytime we send anything to the planning commission, we should ask the clerk to tell them the next day he's in the office because um I actually heard from the planning commission that um they came to a meeting and had no idea we had sent them something and found out about it when they arrived. And had they known that we had sent it to them, they would have read up on it ahead of our meeting. So, if we're going to send something to the commission, unless it's prohibited,

no, it should go out to the commission as Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Okay. So, if nobody objects, I was going to ask the clerk to do that anytime we do that. That sounds practical. Yeah. Give them a heads up, right? Um Okay. So, then I'll make a motion to to refer it and um we'll go from there and if they need more time, we'll revisit it. Um 56. This is yours. Councelor, um, is canvases still necessary in this particular reading of by title only? I'm sorry. Canvasers, is that can that be deleted from this from the title? Yes. Yes.

Yeah. And you'll want to make a motion to amend to be consistent with the most recent version council got. So, we need to make a motion to amend the title or we just ask to amend the ordinance. But to do we ask the clerk to just not read the word canvasers or are we amending the title too? You well you'll amend so it'll be are we two motions or you can make it together be a motion to eliminate the word canvasers from the title and to make consistent with the most recent version distributed to council. Okay, you got that to be consistent

with the most recent version distributed to council. So basically the version that's in the public packet for tonight.

Okay. I'm sure when I miss this will help me out. What are the changes that are being introduced? Um, we managed to find a legal issue uh that we could uh stay with without eliminating too much as far as the time. Uh, Mr. Gdetti researched that we didn't want to be involved in any constitutional issues, but it now is I believe we have it until 6:00 or no

sunset. So you're essentially eliminating the half hour after sunset and just leaving it at sunset and eliminating canvasing throughout the ordinance. So just complying we're not doing anything with the cost of the permitting the permits or anything else that I mean yeah I don't know if you as far as I know. Okay. What do you mean the cost went up to 100? You're saying it's not changed from the last time we talked about it? He's not raising it again. We're not we're not wait we're not we're not going to be able to go to 100. We're going to have to stay at the $20 permit fee.

That's to a certain extent for council to decide, but it should reflect the actual administrative costs of right doing it. And I and I really get taken out. Is that part of that Mark? There was confusion I think by the way the police department was interpreting the current ordinances and I think that has been clarified. Do you on how the fee should be applied or is that something? Well, I mean there's still a dollar figure in the code. So,

exactly. But the interpretation has always been if you own a business and you got 20 people that solicited for you, you come and get a permit, it cost $20. But the interpretation that's the way it has been for decades. I think we were improperly interpreting that. It really is. It's a per solicitor basis. Yeah. Your 15 20 employees all need to register as it's on the books today. Yes. Okay. Yeah. So that so that means that the costs now also go to each individual that is listed. Is that how we have it written up? It's per solicitor. Yeah. Per solicitor. But that's where that went.

But councelor Victoria, he's also saying that's current law today in the city. That's why we decided we can't one of the reasons why we weren't going to move in. Exactly. Because he had his administrative assistant tally up the time and the effort. Yep. And that's still around $20 per solicitor. Per solicitor. Yeah. So that's not in what we're reviewing. So what we're reviewing says an application is $100 currently. Yeah. I don't know if Mr. Mura had made a decision on what where he ended up.

Okay. So the application So 761.03 03 M says $100. Is that a That is per person. It doesn't say per person in here, but that's not the current. That's a proposed That's a proposed change, which I don't think that's still the current proposed change. Correct. I mean, it has I don't know. I I don't think a decision I'm sorry. You and I talked about this. Yes, we did. Yes. And no, we're not making it $100.

Okay. the my administrative assistant figured out the exact amount of time went through the whole business and if we were going to leave it at 20 however with Mr. that he's helped. The way we were interpreting, the previous administration was interpreting the ordinance incorrectly. Every person soliciting in the city will register, even if they all work for Joe's window cleaning. Everybody Joe sends out in the city has to have a permit. Well, it seems that. So, right now, if we were to vote on as is written, it's says 100. So, that wouldn't change. But I would also suggest that we make it more clear that it's per because it doesn't it's not really clear in the way that it's written.

Yeah, the current code is clear. So I mean I would suggest leaving it at this reading. I can meet with Mr. Ventur and I was just going to suggest to make sure it says on it at the first reading or go into the second reading. I just leave it at the first. Okay. be my suggestion. I'm not even doing it and you don't have to make any motions. Correct. We can clean it up, make it where it needs to be, and just vote it two and three next time. Okay. Are you okay if I move on? Are you okay if I move on or did you have more to talk? No, no, that's it. Okay, I'm good.

Um, number 64 is related to the RVs. I'm just going to leave that since we're sending the other one to planning commission. Is that okay? Okay. Uh, 69.

Okay. So you had the memo. I talked briefly about it. Uh the finance committee meeting changes to the estimated resources were all in the tiff funds because we received our second half settlement and the changes in the appropriations were all wage and benefit related except for the tip funds adjusted to transfers out uh based upon the money coming in that changed. So why was the collections from that one tiff $600,000? That that gets forwarded. We don't even touch it. Comes into us. We forward it to the trustee.

Why is it so much more than that's that was the one that that was summit point. Okay. which is that way and that's how it was voted on uh by council at the time to collect all the money and pass it along to the trustee who then sends it to Summit Point and the schools portion. So they disperse but I don't know why we're involved. We we shouldn't even be involved. Okay. But I wasn't here at the time.

Okay. So, it's not like a huge windfall for It's not a $600,000 windfall for the city. We still get We still get an amount. We get nothing out of it. Okay. Okay. So, 169. Are we going to do one, two, three? Yeah, if you could please. Yeah. Yeah, I would propose that, too. Okay. Um, resolution 70 is uh entering into a settlement. Do you want to talk about that? Just the opioid settlement again.

Yeah, this is for it's a kind of conglomerate of secondary opioid manufacturers. They've reached settlements uh through the state. So again, similar to I think the last council meeting, if you would like the city to participate um then I would say, you know, vote in favor of this resolution. If you're in favor of participating, the deadline for filing the requisite paperwork is October 8th. Okay. Knowing that, I'm going to advocate for one, two, three. Um, ordinance 71. 71 is some title changes that director.

Yep. So, um this is this has to do with our rec manager for aquatics um position um changing the title to just aquatics moving fitness part of that um and add some of those duties onto a specialist's job. So it would go it would just be rec manager for aquatics and then an aquatics and fitness specialist given the amount of work that it takes in the aquatics department adding in the fitness part of things. Um it doesn't there's a lot of duties that fitness part of things also requires. So taking those duties away.

Okay. Anyone have any questions? Um, are you uh looking to do this tonight? 1 2 3 1 2 3 Anyone object? Okay. Do you want to talk about 72? Sure. So, we are Who's on 72, by the way? To offer it? Yeah. It's brand new. I was going to offer it. Do you want to second it? Yeah, I'll second. And I'll make the motion to wave. Okay.

So, this is the next big step in our design build process for our new service building. Um, I can tell you that Director Wilson and Director Galani and I have put in an inordinate amount of time today, uh, with all these folks trying to decide who is the best fit for this. We had 19 submissions for the design build contractor. We narrowed that down to four. Uh, met with them two weeks ago to kind of get questions from them to us. Today, they came in with us asking them questions. Uh, pretty much all day a little tired. home get home a change, but um we've narrowed that down to Beaver. Uh the big thing with this and why I'm I'm pushing this forward and asking you for your support today. You kind of got a lot more than we really needed, but if you look at the schedule on there, they're ready to go next week. Uh we are we are really pushing to get this thing moving. We started this process in 2019. We're at the point now where we're really we're going to start to see some progress. They're well within the numbers of what we have. Um I think they were at 1 six for their their fee for everything, but this is the next big step and if we don't have the support and I can't get them moving, we're installed. So, don't like to rush things, but at the same time, the the the building needs to get done. We're really needing to search forward. Uh the facilities we have, I'm not going to be a divorce. I think I hope all of you have toured them, and if you haven't, you need to. I think Have you Have you toured them?

Have you toured them? Have you toured them? Yeah. So, then you kind of know where we're at. It's It's a safety thing to me and I really want to get this moving and this is the next big step. There's anything I'm missing there? Yes, sir. I'm asking for your support on that. Um, again, a lot of time and effort has got us to this point today. It's been a it's been a long day working on this, but uh you got a lot of information in front of you. You got the last minute and I I understand that stinks that you got it so late, but got to have a little faith in me and where we're headed with this thing and the law department's guiding me on this path. So,

well, it is worth noting. So there's a selection committee internally that was assembled that reviewed all the qualifications that the city initially got and then the proposals that were thereafter solicited the election committee reviewed all those ranked who was the best value for the city and that came out with Bieber. So it's gone through a multi-level review just before it got to you guys. And that selection committee also included GPD. A lot of professionals that do this all every day, all day. They have everything in house. They were very, very helpful with getting to this point to to pick this contractor. So, I'm very confident this is the one and I think this is going to move us forward if I get your support.

Anyone have any questions? I'm assuming based on the urgency to start, we want to do one, two, three, obviously. Yeah, if you look through there next week. Yep, I saw that. Okay, we'll do that. Anyone have anyone anything else they want to discuss before we go out? Got two minutes. 93 years ago.

Live council meeting. It is 7:32 p.m. Mr. Hoover, will you please call the role? Miss Bren here. Mr. Fero here. Mr. Finley here. Mr. Gravis here. Mr. Winter here.

Now I ask Chaplain O'Brien to lead us in the invocation. Honorable members of city council, distinguished guests and fellow citizens, as we gather here today for this important city council meeting, we invoke the spirit of unity and collaboration. In this diverse and vibrant community, we come together with a shared commitment to a betterment of our city and the well-being of our citizens. Let us remember that our roles as public servants carry a profound responsibility to uphold the principles of fairness, justice, and progress. As we deliberate on matters that shape our city's future, may we approach each decision with wisdom and empathy, always keeping the interest of our community at heart. May the discussions and actions taken today lead to a stronger, more inclusive, and prosperous city for all who call it home. And let us be ever mindful of our first responders, those brave men and women who keep our city and its citizens safe both day and night. In closing, we ask for the blessing and comfort for our neighbors who may be suffering from physical, mental, or financial distress. Cheer them and bring them thy blessing of health and happiness. Amen. Now, with hand over heart, please join our mayor in our pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you, Captain O'Brien. Appreciate you.

Okay. Next up on our agenda is the approval of minutes. Mayor, I'd like to make a motion to approve the minutes from the Thursday, September 11th, 2025 regular council meeting. Second. All in favor? I opposed. Next up is public comments. Large crowd today. Don't think we have any. Nope. Correspondence from the clerk.

Yes, sir. I have one message that was sent to the mayor's office. It's from Janet and Jeff Gia at 7608 Tyber Court. Says, "We just wanted to thank everyone involved with the handling of our issue of speeding on Twinsburg Road. From the mayor Nick Molnar to city council president Jeff Garvis, the clerk of council John Hoover to all officers and dispatchers, we appreciate your attention to our problem. We are totally blown away by your concern and speedy response. It makes us know that we definitely have the right people in office. Thank you again. That's all. Thank you. Moving right into pending a new legislation, starting with ordinance number 53. I move to offer ordinance number uh 53 2025 for its third reading by title only.

Second. An emergency ordinance declaring improvements to certain parcels of real property to be a public purpose. Describing the public improvements to be made which directly benefit such parcels. Requiring the owners of the improvements on such parcels to make service payments in lie of taxes. Establishing a NCR municipal public improvement tax increment equivalent fund for the deposit of such service payments pursuant to Ohio code sections 509.40 509.42 and 509.43. Director Varys.

Thank you mayor. This is a TIFF for the project happening up by the northern end of the city next to the bowling alley. It will allow us to capture uh property tax dollars that would have went to the county uh that we can use for public infrastructure improvements needed in that area. Thank you. Just want to make sure they could hear you. Oh, had some residents say they couldn't hear because the mic was up. I will make you repeat all that. Any further discussion hearing? None. What is your pleasure? I move to adopt ordinance number 53 2025 and post same according to law. Second. All in favor?

I opposed. Ordinance 53 carries. All right. Ordinance number 69. 55. Yep. We're holding this. Okay, I'll make Did you guys want to do that? I was going to refer it. Okay, I'm sorry. Ordinance or I'm sorry. Let me Ordinance number 55. So, mayor, I'd like to make a motion to refer ordinance 552025 to the planning commission. Second. All in favor? Opposed? Okay. Thank you. Now, ordinance number 69. Yes. I offer ordinance number 69, 2025 for its first, second, and third reading by title only.

Second. All in favor? I oppos. Ordinance amending ordinance number 74, 2024 relative to current expenses and other expenditures of the city of Macedonia for the period of January 1st, 2025 to December 31st, 2025. Director Varys. Thank you, Mayor. Uh, this has to do with our annual appropriations. It's the second amendment so far this year. Uh, we discussed the few changes that are happening to it in caucus. There's a memo attached. That's it. Thank you. Any further discussion? Hearing none, what is your pleasure? I offer ordinance number 69, 2025 to be adopted and posted according to law. Second. All in favor?

I. Opposed? Nay. Ordinance 69 carries. Resolution 70. I move to offer resolution number 70 2025 for its first, second, and third reading by title only. Second. All in favor? I opposed. An emergency resolution authorizing the mayor to approve and participate in national opioid litigation settlement with Alvagen, Amnil, Apotex, Hikma, Indivor, Milin, Sun and Zitus. Director Gdetti.

So this is similar to the legislation that council passed at the last council meeting. Uh this is essentially to participate in opioid litigation settlements reached by the states. Um this is for what's known as secondary manufacturer of that council that we just read. Thank you. Any further discussion hearing? None. What is your pleasure? I move to adopt resolution number 70 2025 and post same according to law. Second. All in favor? I opposed. Resolution 70 carries. Ordinance number 71. May I offer ordinance number 71 2025 for its first, second, and third reading by title only. Second. All in favor? I

opposed. an ordinance providing the current compensation schedule for the non-union employees of the city of Macedonia, Ohio. Director Echendorf.

Thank you, Mayor. Uh this is just an amendment to two uh position titles uh at the rec center. Uh changing it to an aquatics only position uh named the recreation manager for aquatics. Um and then also amending a specialist's title to aquatics and fitness specialist. Uh it is due to the number of duties that come with both aquatics and fitness that um one person one person would not be able to do both jobs uh to the extent that we need them to. So sharing the duties across both ties.

Thank you. Any further discussion hearing? None. What is your pleasure? I move that we pass ordinance 712025 opposed the same according to law. Second. All in favor? I opposed. Ordinance 71 carries. Ordinance number 72. Mayor, I'd like to make a motion that we wave the 48 hour rule and add ordinance 722025 to the agenda tonight. Second. All in favor? I. Opposed? Nay. And I would like to now offer ordinance 72205 for its first, second, and third reading by title only. Second. All in favor? I opposed.

An emergency ordinance. authorizing and directing the mayor to enter into an agreement with Beaver Constructors, Inc. as the design builder for the construction of a new service building in Salt.

So, as we talked about in in the work session, uh we had 19 submittals for the design build contractor. Uh we narrowed that down to four. I'm referring to the Wii being uh our team here at the city and the GPD group that we hired to come in and help advise us on this process because they did the design for us. uh narrowed it down to the four, met with them two weeks ago for their questions. Uh today was for our questions and we came up with Beaver Construction being the best suited fit for us to move this thing forward. Uh many many steps involved in this, but uh this will be the one that starts to see progress. I think we'll begin to see um actual things on the site probably November, December. So you will actually have equipment moving and and things happening. And I can assure you, we didn't take a feckless approach to this. We're we're doing our due diligence in everything we do and making sure that uh we're on top of our game and and putting a building up that's conducive to the operation that serves our residents. Everything we're doing here is not only for the safety of the employees, which is most important to me, but the way we serve our residents. And Director Wilson will attest this will make a big difference in the way that that department operates, and it's going to only help us to serve the community better. Am I off on that? Any questions or further?

Thank you. Any questions or further discussion? Hearing none. What is your pleasure? I would move that we passed according to law ordinance 20 I'm sorry 72 2025. Second. All in favor? I opposed. Nay.

Ordinance 72 carries. Any other motions or legislative actions? Hearing none, I'll move into the mayor's report. Uh, I'm a little early on this this year, but I'm going to put it out there that Halloween trick or treat is on October 31st from 6:00 to 8. Something we do consistently every year on October 31st from 6:00 to 8. Uh, hope we have a fun, nice evening and the weather is conducive to trick-or-treating. So, October 31st, 6:00 to 8, any of your friends ask, you heard it first here. Uh, this Saturday is Fall Fest. I'm not going to do too much on that. I'm going to let uh Director Echonorf talk about that. I do not want to steal his thunder. Uh, I want to thank those of you that voted to move the service building forward. Uh, I think you all recognize the safety that's needed for our employees and and how this will help serve the community better in the future. And I can't thank you enough for your support along this process. I can assure you that we have put a lot of hours into this. Director Wilson, Director Gerate, Director Gdetti, and myself have put many, many hours into pushing this to forward to to get us to where we need to be. So, I won't uh belabor that point anymore. Um, I want to talk about scam emails. I apparently we had one come through to one of our contractors saying that it was from the planning commission and they needed money and they needed to send money to whatever it may be. It's a very difficult thing and I'm sure uh, Director Collins could talk about this a little bit too, but there's so many scams out there and you just got to be weary of everything. And if you get something in an email asking you to send money, you just got to be weary of it and ask questions. If you get something saying that the city of Macedonia is demanding money from you, call us and ask us. I mean, there's a lot of them out there and there's a lot of scams going, but just be weary because we're we're really I don't think in any way, shape, or form we ever email anyone and ask for any money in any way. Is there am I missing something, gentlemen? So, I mean, there there may be in some instances, but it's very unlikely. And if you're getting it haphazardly and

it's something awkward, it's probably a scam. So just just be weary of everything and know that leerary of everything. Yeah. The only instance would be somebody's going through our mayor's court and they were given their email. So they would anticipate outside of that. Yeah. But just be leerary of those things because there's a lot of scams out there and I' I've know a lot of uh they like to attack the the the older population and they're really nasty with the things they do to them. And I want you all to just be weary of it. And I think Lery, sorry. I know we we're of it, too. Weary and Lery. Yeah, Larry and from it.

I know we I know we do a lot of things through our our senior programs, and I I'm pretty sure we have some people down there talking about that, too. And if there's more things I can get, we'll put out to uh our website and our our social media to talk about that. But it's just keeping an eye out for it. There's so many details and things you got to look for and it's it's just it just boggles my mind that people are so disgusting to steal money from people like that. So anyways, uh we do have a planning commission opening. If you're interested, go to our website. Uh we're asking for resumes for that. It'll direct you to where to send that to. Um I've got one submission so far. If anyone on council knows anyone that may be interested in it, I would encourage you to ask them, too. Um and we'll get the right person in place to to fill that void. And last but not least, don't drive distracted. Please put the phones down. drive the car committee reports.

Parks and Recck Commission has their next meeting at 6:00 on October 15th. Finance Committee meeting will be the next one will be October 23rd at 1 half hour prior to the work session. Okay. Department reports starting with Director Wilson.

Thank you, Mayor. Um, first off, the elevator update project is complete. Uh, thanks to Gable Elevator. They did a fantastic job. So, um, I think it was completed right on time. Something much needed here. So, um, leaf season is, uh, October 14th. We're starting. Uh, we have some new leaf machines. We're excited. And the leaves are coming early. They're already here. We already have some piles out there. So, uh, check the website for all the information, the zones, all that stuff. It's all on the website. Thanks to Christie for all our help. She's always helping me out. Um, also everything the mayor said with the service complex. Um, we have spent a lot of time on it. We really truly have. And, um, it's well worth it. I'm excited. The guys are excited. And just thanks to council for all your support. as always.

Thank you. End of report. Director Echonorf.

Thank you, Mayor. As you mentioned, we are excited for Saturday's Fall Fest. That is from 4:30 to 9:30. Um just a reminder that uh this event is for Nordonia residents, district and city employees, Macreck members, and their guests, and that anyone under the age of 18 will need a parent or guardian. uh to help uh us uh enjoy the evening. Also includes the fireworks uh at the end of the night. Those are at 9:00. Um we'll have plenty of food trucks, some uh beer and wine vendors, and we'll be showing college football games. We'll also have some uh things to do for the kids uh in our kids zone. So, we're excited uh to have everybody at Longwood Park on Saturday from 4:30 to 9:30. Um we have two projects that are uh rolling right now. Uh the first one is the trail project at Longwood Park. As a reminder, that's a 10-ft wide paved trail around the park that um people it is more accessible to more residents uh and guests to the park. Uh they are moving very quickly. We've been fortunate with weather that they've been able to move as quickly as they have been. Um so, uh we're eagerly awaiting the completion of that project. Um and also, um if if you've been in the building, it's been a little noisy over at the rec center. Um they're in the demolition phase of the two projects going on there with the family locker room and the administrative office project on the second floor. Um, so expect a little bit more noise here in the next couple weeks, but it should die down once they get all the walls knocked down and can start making it uh what we need it to be. So, um, again, just making it through all those projects and excited to see the end of it. End of report.

And thank you for all you've done. You're kind of getting thrown to the fire. You're you're a little over two months into your position and uh have a major event and a lot of things going on in that that park and the recreation center. So, thanks for all you're doing. Dr. Varys, uh, just wanted to thank council for approving ordinance 69205 and hope it's the last amendment of the year and the report. Director Collins.

Thanks, Mayor. 32 help desk tickets since the last meeting. Uh, major projects quadrupled our on-site storage uh, as well as fixing a group security sync issue that's been lingering for a little while. Thanks. End of report. Another big thank you to Director Collins. He's been through a lot with our technology of late and uh I can't thank you enough for for keeping us on the up and up and that as I talked about with the scams that are out there. Those are things that uh you look for and you try to keep us safe with our technology. So, thank you for all you're doing. Thank you, Commissioner Monaco.

Thank you, Mayor. The sidewalk program is in full swing. It's not going as fast as I would like it to go. As a matter of fact, they're running a little bit behind. uh completed are uh Langston Road, Firestone, Ledge, Bishop, Long, Eden, Springill, Greasewald, Isabel, and Lton. Currently, the contractor is working on Birkshshire, Deepwood, Long, Long Brook, and Ridge View. The areas that are not started yet be area A, B, E, F, G, and H. So there's a lot of work to be done yet. Uh he actually had two months to complete this. I think he's going to ask for at least one month extension to to get it done. Uh new business in uh in the city, Divinity Landing and Holiday and Express are working very hard to be able to u to pour some kind of uh base so that they're not going to be tracking mud on the street. Uh right now they have all the underground utilities pretty much uh completed. Uh new business in the city other than those two and in Stone Spa it's going to go at 500 East Aurora Road which is right next to DJ Maxx. Floor scrape floor scapes which is a uh flooring company moved in at 576 East Highland Road and Hall Mechanical which is a heating and cooling company. Uh they moved in at 483 and 485 Highland Road. They're occupying two spaces there. And that's the end of my report.

Thank you, Chief Hley. Thank you, Mayor. Just want to remind everyone October 8th we have our annual open house. Um it's we can no longer call it the fire department openhouse. It is for the first time ever combined with the police department um with they'll be swearing in of all of our new employees within the last year. So their families can come, residents can come. Welcome to community. We're going to have food trucks there again. also things for the kids to do and it's always well attended. And I will defer at this point to Chief Yakapovich because he says I always steal the thunder.

Well, I want to thank Chief Ripley, mayor, for not mentioning anything about the open house until it was my parents. That's I thought the plan. Uh actually, we're we're very pleased to be part of their open house. Um our open house for years. The fire department has had this tradition and the police department is glad to join in this year and we look forward it to being a yearly thing. Um, so we really would like to see everybody come out. You can tour the police department. Everybody gets a kick of walking back through the jail cells. We'll be glad to give everybody a tour. There'll be, you know, police cars you can jump in and out of, take a look at them. There's a lot of activities over at the fire department. We'd like everybody to come out. End of report. And

I appreciate your collaboration between the two departments. Um, one thing to also add, I don't think you touched on the the elevator is up and running. So, our senior programs are back on for tomorrow, Chief. They they've been on the whole time. We've been holding them in in the basement in in the bays. Um, and Dan staff has been very gracious to show up first thing in the morning, set up tables and chairs for 60 to 100 people, then come back at 2 in the afternoon and tear it all down so we can park our fire trucks back in the bays. um department for others. Yep. No, that's us. Oh,

it it's it's been stressful um on the senior center staff. If you think of all the supplies they've had in the basement that they thought they brought everything up in the elevator before it went down, but of course they didn't. Um they also had stuff in the park, but the seniors loved it. So, it is nice to have the elevator back. So, they are in the basement tomorrow. Yes. Just want to be clear, the elevator's functioning and they'll be in the basement tomorrow. Yes. or the community room, I should say. Director Gdetti, no report, sir.

I want to thank Director Gdetti today. I have a lot of thank yous today. Uh, this gentleman had a rough day and and was able to come through for me on some legislation that you all supported today. So, I want to thank you for expediting that and and and doing that for me given the circumstances you had today. Any unfinished business? Any new business? Do I have a motion to adjurnn? So, mayor, excuse me. I made a phone call to you earlier that I thought you might bring up for next month. I'll do it next month. Okay. I I wanted to add to that. Okay. Breast cancer awareness. I'm sorry. I was going to do it next month.

Okay. But in in the in the fashion of the past to be prepared for that, uh most council members have shirts that we've worn in the past and I'd like to ask everybody to wear those shirts that we have uh worn in the past for the first council meeting on October. I'm sorry I interrupted you like that, but that was the reason I wanted to get it out there so we were all on the same page. Sorry about that. Any other new business? Do I have a motion to adjurnn? So moved. Second. All in favor? I opposed. We are adjourned.