City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening everybody. It is 6:30 and we'd like to get the municipality and public's utility committee going here. Start with a roll call. Miss Mount here. Miss Dailyy here. Mr. Bianke, it's all yours. Are you ready to go? I

think so. Testing. So, we're going to be starting with the hydrant. Yes.

Okay. I noticed he didn't ask me for help with the IT stuff.

Well, thank you everyone. Thank you for having us. I've got Chief Crow here with with me and we're going to talk about a hydrant maintenance and testing program that's been implemented by the administration and uh kind of show you what's what you can expect over the next coming months. So with that, I will turn it over to Chief Crow and we'll have a conversation hopefully about 10 to 12 minutes on this first topic.

Yeah, hopefully. Uh good afternoon. Um so just a little background on kind of this program. Uh we do currently have a a a program where we do flushing uh inspections and testing of our hydrants. And uh each year we do about a quarter or 25% of the hydrants in the city. And uh it was last fall at the end of that program that we met with uh you know the directors and engineering and water repair and we just discussed kind of the the outcomes of our program and uh some of the gaps that we were having and then thinking of ways that we can kind of uh meet better meet the standards and also uh you know get more data out of it. That was a big overarching theme is that we're doing work but we're not meeting the standard that we want to set and the data that we have is uh is a little bit lacking in terms of what we use for planning and decision- making. Uh and rather than just tweak the program, we actually said let's go back to the drawing board and try to come up with a program that does that. So we looked at NFPA and ISO standards and EPA standards. Uh we realized that what we were doing uh was falling short. Namely, we weren't touching every hydrant every year and that was causing issues for us. uh and also that the way the fire department had historically collected the data wasn't giving us the the picture of how the system was performing. It tells us how a single fire hydrant performs but what our engineering uh colleagues need is data that tells us exactly what the performance of our entire water system is. Uh so with that uh we came up with this plan and I'll let Bob talk a little bit more about the specifics of uh of how the plan's going to work here in the next couple months.

We have 2,800 hydrants in the city. The EPA requires the city to flush a hydrant every four years. So, we've separated the city in four zones and those hydrants are flushed every year. Now, as part of that process, they are also tested. There's a static test, a residual test, and a flow test. So our goal is number one now that we have the water man water mane replacement program when we select water manes to be replaced it's vital that that information is correct right heard the term garbage in garbage garbage out right so when we when we bring up the data in GIS that the fire department has tested a hydrant we want to make sure that that's correct now there's different ways ways to test hydrants. And there's the method that's the best method is testing off of two hydrants where you have a hydrant with the static and a hydrant with the residual and you operate those two hydrants to get the data you need. Our goal is to hire a company that knows exactly how to do that and does it very well and will provide us with very good information. That company is True North. We've met with them. We have uh looked at their policies and their procedures and how they operate as a company and we would like to hire them on a pilot program. So, we've already went to board of control. We've been approved to execute a contract with them, but we wanted to let you know that what you can expect to see is True North out in the field flow testing 900 hydrants in 2026 through the month of May.

Actually, it may be the end of April to and through August to September. So 900 hydrants flushed, tested, the data will be entered into our GIS program and the administration and our department, the fire department water repair will have daily access to how many hydrants were tested, what's the data look like, is there a hydrant that needs repaired, is there a hydrant that needs replaced? and we'll have that that data on a daily basis readily available. In addition to the 900 hydrants, the fire department under under the direction of director porch, every hydrant will be inspected. So, while True North is doing their 900 hydrants, they're going to also inspect the hydrants to make sure they're functioning as intended. Meanwhile, the other 1900 1900's hydrants, the fire department is going to be inspecting each one of those and recording the data as its condition is. So, this program is it's vital that our office has accurate data that the fire department, of course, when they pull up GIS and when they're running an emergency, they know what to expect out in the field. and then water repair as they maintain our system. So, that's the program. You're going to start seeing more activity in the field coming in the spring. And let's turn it over. We also have um just just to let you know, of course, our GIS program. And our GIS, I think you may know, is online available to anyone who'd like to see it. Just go to the engineers website. You can click on hydrants and you can look at the data as

well. any anytime you'd like. So, um and with that, you want to talk about the flow indicator?

Yeah. So, one of the other things that you're going to see with this program is we are going to be installing uh reflective rings on the front of each hydrant that are going to indicate the flow. In the past, we had that painted on, but as things change and hydrants go in and out of service or out for repair, uh this will give us more of a real-time uh way of telling exactly what the status of that hydrant is. So, we put the chart on there as you can see uh with the different colors and what they mean. So, just so you have some, you know, idea as you see these popping up around town, uh, kind of what they mean and and, u, you know, why they're there. They're also reflective, which should help us, uh, you know, in the evenings, uh, locate them a little bit quicker. Uh, and it's something that we're excited. I think this is going to be positive for all of our stakeholders, our engineering, our repair people with the work order system and the fire department as we're uh, using these hydrants, uh, you know, in service to our citizens and, uh, and and being able to pull up the data quickly and and reliably. So,

any questions? So, on the map here,

is is this a live map to where on on a daily you can see, oh, wait a minute, we got that hydrant that's not reading, we're not flowing enough. So that that data we can get you access to. The data that I'm specifically talking about is you'll have access to all 2,800 hydrants to click on any hydrant you'd like to see the when it was tested and what the flow information looks like. The status update, we could talk, but we're going to provide that to the administration. So every Monday morning, they'll get an email they can click on and see what was done this previous week. and I'll we'll be glad to share that information um with anyone who'd like to see it. So

any question um how do you prevent overlapping of because you said true north is going to do 900 and the rest would be the fire department. How do you prevent overlapping or how do you differentiate who does what? It's what?

Yeah. So, you know, um, Blair and Engineering built a really nice dashboards. So, True North will have their own system that they go in which will actually identify on the map all the hydrants that they're supposed to do. And as they're sitting in front of the hydrant, they'll they'll click on it. They'll do the entire work order process of putting the data in for that hydrant. And then it'll clear itself out and ultimately, you know, change color on their screen to show that it's been done. And the fire department will have an entirely separate dashboard that'll show all the hydrants that are up for us to inspect are up for us to in inspect this year. And then as we go through there, we'll we'll clear out our board and it'll basically be turn all the turn all the dots, you know, into the blue color and they're all done. So, um, yeah, that's kind of how it's been separated.

So, when it's done, it updates the system that you have for all the hydrants. So, they're able to see what was done. Yep. So if let's say all the hydrants that haven't been done are red, if it is done, that dot will turn green and you'll be able to visually see how they're moving through the city, how much is done, and you can also query that data as well and in a spreadsheet or there's lots of information you can gather from that. I have one more question. Um, I noticed that you said the different color codes, but I looked at the white, the one that says white, less than 250 gpm, unusable based on flow only and no mechanical defect indicated. So, what is what is it there for if

Yeah, those would be the ones. So, we are in the process of updating the water manes. We're all aware, right? We passed our income tax to do that. Uh, there are still hydrants out there as we go through that those small water manes and repair them that have nothing wrong with them. and they're just on a a main that's so small it will not give us enough water to put out a fire. So that's simply an indicator for our crews not to connect to that hydrant, but also knowing there's nothing that can be repaired on it other than the fact that we need the new water. The water man is completed, right? Whereas a whereas the uh the out of service tag would mean that there is something mechanically wrong on the hydrant that we're waiting to get repaired. Okay. Thank you.

Go ahead. Is it currently anticipated that the repairs can be done in-house in a reasonable manner like accessibility to parts and all that? Yes, we've we've met with water repair and they plan to have parts available and able to replace hydrants, repair hydrants as needed. We are going to monitor that too. Um I know the administration is going to be looking at when they were given the work order and and when it's when it's repaired. So I guess one further the work orders will now be able to be tied to that specific hydrant. So they'll know that that's the hydrant that's been fixed. Yes. Okay. Wonderful. Any additional questions.

Would you outside your committee? I certainly will. I have a couple quick questions. I I divided uh 2,800 by four. I got a slightly lower number. Are we doing bonus for extra 200 because it's we've picked 900. Um there's a little bit more than 2,800 hydrants, but just for round numbers. Now you rounded on me. All right. No, I'd say there are also some hydrants that have been missed, you know, in those last four years that have been missed that were identified as needing a flow test as well.

All right. And then what's the difference between a true north inspection and a fire department inspection from this day forward? I'm assuming True Door is doing what the fire department was expected to do in the past, but are they doing exactly the same in the future or we

So the first year 900 hydrants, they will be flow testing, flushing the hydrants and flow testing according to standards. They will also be inspecting the hydrant because they're right there. The next year they'll do another 900. But the ones that they don't do, the fire department will inspect. They will inspect the hydrant by looking at the lug nut and the stems, the caps, making sure they will open it and close it, but they will not flush it. Um, and we won't take any readings off of it. That's the big difference, right? That's why I was getting that. Okay. So, you're open it, you're water will flow or not flow,

right? And that's true or false. It it flows, it didn't flow. That's all the fire department's going to do. Hence for on our checklist there, it there is a kind of a visual gauge of whether it's flowing correctly because on the on the workflow that engineering built for us, it tells you what it should flow, right? And then there's just a visual indicator. Does it look I mean, if if it says it's going to flow a thousand and you open and it trickles, there's a problem, right? it's not flowing as to what you would expect it to, go ahead and and and do a work order for that. But no, we're not going to measure it because the measurements we were taking, even though it gives us some information, it doesn't give us the true Okay. assessment of the system. Okay. So, the 900 will be fully specked out. Yep. And the balance will at least be looked at, touched, and you'll know

correct it looks okay or doesn't look okay. Yeah. And it'll and we'll do the preventative maintenance like lubing the threads, uh, making sure all the moving parts operate, clearing weeds, those types of things that just keep them in decent readiness state for us to use. Thank you. Any other questions? Yeah. How do you differentiate what 900? Is it based on area or So it it's selective throughout the city. So it's not 900 in the south end or north end. It is distributed amongst the city through our GIS program. Yeah.

Thank you. Okay. Would you like to move on to uh the pre-treatment? Sure. Thank you.

Sherry, would you like to join me? So this this uh bill 26-06 063 amends chapter 935 of the sewer use of pre-treatment regulations. Essentially, put it in a nutshell, the city has guidelines for certain industries that meet pre-treatment requirements that they the sewage that they send the city has to meet certain thresholds that is outlined in our pre-treatment ordinance. So, that simply what we're doing today is updating um that ordinance and I'll let Sher discuss that. So, in our uh permit that was renewed by the EPA in early last year, we were required just like we do at every start of every new permit to do a technical justification of our local limits which um require us to do sampling from our industry sampling in town and then we do a calculation that um tells us what limits we need to put in place to protect our treatment process. So, we have done that. The limits have been approved by the EPA. We they h were posted by the EPA for a 30-day public notice for a comment period. And now we are just needing to finalize that new limit table. What we're asking to do is to

remove the table from the ordinance. Yes. Yes. So, um we would then hold that um administratively. We that those limits would be held at the wastewater treatment plant approved by the EPA. Yes. And would be updated administrative administratively as as needed.

True. Yes. It it it depends on it's could be very slight changes. I mean very slight changes. Yes. And it's just to be to be more efficient. It's all approved by the EPA. It's what they're requiring. Nothing's going to really change that. And we're just complying with the EPA administratively rather than taking that step to go through council on a minute change. And the removal of the table will allow us to streamline the process so that we can get the industrial permits renewed faster and stay on track with our compliance deadlines so we can make the EPA happy and stay on track with that and not slow down the process of renewing permits for the industries. So,

we have any questions. So, I think this is just make sure I'm understanding it right. They're still going to have access to whatever the current table is when they get their permit and that's how they'll know what the requirements are. Yes, this table. The table is always listed in their permit. um they not only have to follow local limits but some industries have to follow other categorical limits. So that's always listed out for them. Um and then we are also planning on making it available on the city website as well. So if they ever wanted to refer to what our local limits are or a new industry wanted to look, it would be on our website.

Very good. So this is just so that you don't have to come back to us to change it every time the EPA says you must change this. Correct. and it just speeds up the permit renewal process for us. Thank you, Mr. Falcat. Would you like to Well, considering Thank you. considering I don't have a chemical engineering degree, I'm just as happy not to approve this. And I believe you're the new wastewater treatment person. Yes, I am. Well, congratulations. Thank you. And and you lived through it being in front of council. Yeah. despite the rumors. I know there's rumors out there. So, all right. Thank you. Thank you.

Are we complete at this point? Would you like to move to the Clear Fork sediment study?

Yes, please. I'm going to invite our consultant, Kyle Blakeley, who works with Stantech. I'm going to invite him up to the the desk here and we're going to share with you the findings of a report that was brought to city council. City council authorized the city a year and a half ago to enter into a study to figure out how much sediment has filled in at our 75year-old Clear Fork Reservoir. So, we hired Stantech. Year and a half later, here we are. We're going to share the findings with you. So, I'll turn it over to Kyle. Good evening. Thanks for having me.

Evening. Thank you.

Uh so yeah, we're here to summarize the study that we uh conducted on the sedimentation within the reservoir. Uh as Bob mentioned, uh the reservoir was constructed in 1949. So for over 70 years, it's been a water supply reservoir for the city. Um just like all reservoirs, uh sediment can gradually accumulate within the reservoir over time uh through rainfall events, snow melt events, um the soils and fine particles wash in through the watershed and and settle out within the reservoir. Um that sedimentation can impact the water capacity in the reservoir uh and maybe have potential impacts on the operations within um the water supply um and how much is available. So our study um was focused to evaluate how much sediment, how fast the sediment had been accumulating over the lifetime of the reservoir um and use that information to support long-term water supply planning um out into the future. Uh yeah, a little bit more on on why the study was conducted. Um sedimentation's normal. it can't be can't really be avoided. It's something that happens. It's happening all across the country in these types of reservoirs and at the age of these types of reservoirs. Um it's going to happen but unmanaged um it can reduce the volume of water available. Um Clear Fork has had some reports as early as the 60s that talk about sedimentation within the reservoir. Um, and I think, you know, in in Bob reaching out to us

was, hey, let's see where we're at with this and and see where we're headed. Um, so we wanted to collect baseline current data on on the status on that amount um of sediment so that we can have proactive planning on what to do to do next. um overarching conclusion here as we get started that we found that the reservoir is performing well today. Um under the current water demand and the sedimentation levels um that this water supply is reliable um and things the study just kind of identified things to consider and monitor moving forward. So I'll talk some more about that but that's the overarching kind of let's lead with that right. Um how we how we conducted the study um we kind of set it up in four steps. First we were doing data collection. We took a survey basically measured the depth of the reservoir mapped the bottom uh of the of the lake where the sediment surface was. We found historical maps from 1949 and 1999 that we could compare that measurement to and evaluate how much sediment has accumulated. Um the city provided us about 10 years worth of reservoir elevation data that they had collected and we were able to create a model u an engineering model with that to um develop a water balance for inflows, outflows, evaporation, what's this thing doing on a cycle every year? um that we could use that data to to build out a model into the future and kind of make some estimates on on projections on on capacity and

reliability that way. And then the fourth step was to introduce some potential sediment management options. Um we were here to to evaluate sediment. So we wanted to look at if we did need to initiate a project, what could that look like? So, we looked at several different options for that. Um, again, the overarching conclusion was things are reliable as they stand. So, those options aren't recommendations at this point, but um I've got a slide on those later. All right. So, what did we what did we find on sediment? How much sediment? Um, this colorful blue map was our survey data that we took in 2025. it's showing the elevations of the lake bottom. Um, so that doesn't show the comparison with the earlier maps, but that's that's the map that we developed. Um, what we found was that the largest sediment accumulation hap had happened within the original stream channels. So way down in the original stream channels under under the lake and then at the far upstream end as well um right at the headarters of the lake. And in some locations we saw uh as much as about 10 feet of settle of sediment within the lake bottom. Um but it's it has happened gradually. Uh and and like I said earlier that's kind of typical for reservoirs of this age. So we want to look if we want to put the numbers on that. Uh that looks like about five and a half million cubic yards of sediment since 1949. Sounds like a a big number, but it comes down to about 26% of the capacity over that 70 plus year period. Um so again, this

study resulted in um it showed that the reservoir still reliably meets the water demand today. um what we saw comparing some of the maps that maybe the sedimentation rate has increased a little bit over the past 20 years compared to the first 50. Um that's based on the estimates from the maps that we had available. Um but it does but quantifying the sediment figuring out how much is there helps to evaluate these management options moving forward. Um again, yeah, the main thing is it's reliably meeting today's need um for withdrawals. Um so no immediate corrective action came out as a recommendation from the study. Um it the reservoir currently supplies about 4 and a.5 million gallons per day of the city's water supply. Um that's about 40% of the supply. The other 60% comes from a well network. Um what we found looking at that 10 years of data that was provided and projecting that out in the future, it looks like the reservoir reliably refills annually. Um so enough rainfall, snow melt, everything to to replenish um based on the withdrawals and that evaporation that we found. And currently the sedimentation level doesn't impact the operation of the intake structure sending the water to the plant. Beyond just the volume and the sedimentation rate, we did want to project what that reliability looks like moving into the future. So um we we developed a mathematical

model to simulate the next 50 years to about 2075. Um and confirmed that the reservoir can maintain function as long as the intake structures remain operational. Um the water supply will be reliable over that time frame at that 4 and a half million gallons per day withdrawal. Um so again um continued monitoring and planning around sedimentation is a good idea just as it continues. Um but no major sediment removal is urgently required at this time based on the results of our study if if the demand were to increase. We also tried to take a look at that too, knowing that as communities grow um and developments happen and things like that, we wanted to look at that. So um the total total water use for the city is about 9 and a half million gallons per day. Like I said earlier, about 40% of that is from the reservoir, the rest from the wells. So we looked at um the same kind of assessment assuming 9 and a half million gallons withdrawn from the reservoir per day um and on up to levels higher than that even um and we found that the supply would be reliable up to about 11 million gallons per day withdrawal. So about two and a half times the current withdrawal rate is still reliable for the next 50 years based on what we had seen. um and again assuming all the intake structures remain operational o over the course of that time. So what one big key takeaway from that study for me was that the water demand has a greater influence on the supply

reliability than does the sedimentation. Um so looking ahead future planning wise having a good understanding and an idea of what the water need is into the future will help drive some decision- making on on any kind of projects or things to engage moving forward there. So while it's important to focus and continue to focus on the sediment that accumulates, it's more important to look at our demand. And as economic development improves and and and the capacity is needed at the plant, that's when we start to look at the reservoir again in terms of capacity and sediment. Does that make sense? No. You want me to keep going?

Yeah. Do we have any questions on the committee? We have just a couple more slides here. Um we'll just talk real quick about the dredging. Yeah,

sure. Yeah. Uh so again, our fourth stage of this study was to look at what options would look like for sediment management, um sediment removal if needed. Uh we looked at large largescale dredging projects um kind of a routine dredging program every few years. So large scale would be like a one-time event that removes significant amounts of sediment in one shot. um a maintenance dredging program is a kind of a middle ground still pretty good amount and you do it every few years or we looked at potential for using targeted removal around intake structure or other critical areas that might have um isolated if if there were isolated issues at those locations. Um, again emphasize we would look at these if the future demand warrants it. Not because the current sedimentation warrants it. It would be looking ahead. If the future demand warrants something, you might want to consider one of the options, but that's not a recommendation at this point. Um the large scale projects come with um it restores a lot of storage but it comes with a significant cost and and a lot of complexity with something to manage that much volume. Um the maintenance dredging are a little bit more flexible um adaptive to where you can go from year to year um event to event. And the targeted areas are smaller volumes. So you can um do that with a lower cost but um really could if you target the right areas could make a impact on operational flexibility and things like that with

with the water supply. um for a major dredging project, the planning horizon tends to take 5 to 10 years to to look at um of planning, permitting, designing the dredging, um securing funding, that kind of thing. So, when you're looking long-term outlook, you know, would want to plan for five to 10 years of of a planning horizon on a program like that. Um we also touched in the study on some non-dredging strategies which would be include um bypassing sediment through the lake which would be um set up via pipeline and and pulling it out and distributing it downstream if if possible or using some of the current infrastructure to bypass the um water intake. to the plant and just let it let the water out, the sediment laden water out at the toe. Um, that would take a lot more study, I think, to determine permittability um and suitability of something like that. We also touched on some upstream strategies that could reduce the sedimentation. Um, and and those things are described in the report, but again, not recommendations at this point, just things to consider for planning purposes. Um, I mentioned the large project can they can be tens of millions of dollars and take five to 10 years of planning. these big dredging projects are are popping up for communities all over the place. Um that may or may you know they might need those some areas but again that's not a recommendation here. The water supply is reliable here. Um takes

a lot of coordination with permitting regulatory agencies. Um the main thing is the early planning for something like that is important. Um to to consider something like that. Um you want to a study like we did collecting the data getting some projections helps be prepared and ready to make thoughtful decisions on that moving forward based on water demand estimates. Um so the last slide I have is just the key takeaways. Um the reservoir remains a dependable water support water source. Um it can maintain supply for decades under the current load and a moderate increase in in demand as well. Um sedimentation is more of a long-term consideration here. Um should be monitored uh but doesn't require an immediate action based on what we found. Um, and the next steps would be to continue that monitoring that water demand. Um, maintain awareness about sedimentation. Do some periodic checks on that to make sure it's not amplifying or or ramping up in areas that you don't want sedimentation. Um, and then consider future actions like bypassing or sediment removal if the demand warrants it. um through through the city's planning efforts.

That's that's my summary. Yeah. Committee have any questions?

I just wanted to add that um the city was taking a proactive appro approach to this and that this is something that needed to be done and this survey gives us a good baseline of where we're at currently with our sedimentation. One of the things that we just did a couple months ago, we did get some easement property through West Creek at the headarters of the Clear Fork was 112 acres that was designed to give us some of that buffer to filter out some of that sedimentation and other agricultural runoff that would come into the lake. So, we're trying to be proactive. We're taking steps right away and working with our partner with West Creek and our other count with our consultants and things. we're going to have a better idea of where we're at and where we could go in the future. If we had not done this, we would not know none of this information. So, this is a good baseline for us. And as you can tell, we're good for right now, but we need to be proactive and start planning because at some point we're going to have to uh get rid of the sediment to keep the capacity of the reservoir.

Miss Mount, mine was just a comment. Thank you to the administration for taking a look into this and uh engineering department and then also you for doing the study. It's very helpful to have that point in time of what exactly is going on with the lake and what we need to look at. So it's very good information. Thank you all. Yes. And I just had a quick question. So I it looked like it decreased, but you were saying over the last 20 years where there were some increases um that took place. Um what accounted do we know what accounted for when this increase took place? Was that development or what? A significant flood in 2007.

Okay. And in 2011 that discharged a lot of sediment. Okay. Uh to the reservoir.

Okay. Was one of my um second part of my question. Um, you talked about the large dredging, so that's quite expensive, but the non-dredging aspect of it. Which of those would be safer for water sources? Like in an opinion, if we looked at it, are we and we're also I know we're staring at like what's going to take place and what development will look like in the next couple of years. But if we start to prelook at that, what would be the safest ways to keep our water systems the safest? Yeah, I think um so part of that planning for any of those dredging programs would include the controls around that area to to reduce. So you could still pull the water from the supply without getting that um muddy water that's getting drummed up. You wouldn't pull it through. So a lot of that planning and the design of a program

would account for that. Um, I think you know if you were to intercept sediment upstream, you're not going to impact that won't have a lot of impact on the water quality coming through the intake. Um, if you're I think the bypassing option if that were to to be feasible from a permitting standpoint and a property standpoint, everything which was beyond the study that we have done so far. Um, I think that has potential because you could direct that material around the intakes um and not dredge it up as much um and and do that. Does that answer your question?

I think so. Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Falcut. Any questions? Yeah. Did did you especially at the head especi especially at the headwater end did you have any concerns that it was tech my big technical library getting swampy as opposed to being fresher water? I mean, is it coming up? Is it more supportive of lily pads and things like is that because of that's the way it's always been or is the bottom of the lake coming up, especially at the headwater end of it?

Yeah, up at the headwater end the the level is coming up. There were definitely some limitations when our team was out there doing the survey as far as getting further upstream. Um, and that is where our mapping kind of showed more sedimentation was on that upper end. Um, we didn't we didn't scope a lot to look at the different vegetation and things. So, um, that's something that could be evaluated in the future probably. But yes, you're right that up on the headwater end there's more evidence of that sedimentation. Okay. Now, as far as our capacity, we seem to be healthy for now. We have some time to go. What's the qual did did this touch base at all about the quality of the water?

We did some screening level sampling and didn't identify um within Well, we we did screening level sampling of the sediment. Um we didn't do water samples as part of this study. We while we were out doing the survey, we took some samples of the sediment on like on the lake bottom and didn't identify um any chemical constituents that would be um of concern within the sediment. And then we looked at that those samples also for their um composition suitability to dredging and management and it seemed like it was possible to to handle it

when the time comes. Now, is this our final report or is there a followup next week, next year, 10 years? What's Well, we're going to continue to monitor the the capacity of the of the reservoir, especially as demand increases, we will make sure that if let's say 9.5 million gallons a day, and then two years from now, we're at 15 or 16 million gallons a day, we will certainly need to revisit the sedimentation study. So, all right, council. Thank you. Um, you answered part of the question. I guess the other part of the question is I'm looking at the cost of this.

So, are there federal, state grants out there that possibly would help pay for some of this? And if so, as we have this proactive approach, which I really appreciate that you guys have done, are we going to to seek that funding out and maybe be able to move hopefully on that instead of waiting until we get to the point where this needs to be done?

Right now, there are no grant funds to support. When I say no grant funds, there's loan programs out there, but no grant funds that'll help fund. And we hope that in the coming decades as of course more reservoirs silt and this becomes more of a global problem that perhaps the grant dollars will open up from the federal government and help support more larger dredging efforts. And when he says tens of millions, it's tens and tens and tens of millions of dollars to do a large dredging project.

Well, and and I think we're running into that. you know, the Army Corps of Engineers did a lot of these reservoirs back around that time and it's kind of like our our sewer infrastructure and some other things now were catching up to to us and it's kind of falling on us. So, that's why I was I was questioned. Thank you. Y Okay. Yes. So I'm what I'm asking is um based on your report, how soon do we really look at starting judging? Well, 10 years, five years. That's what I mean.

Right now, it's it's a good question. I I can't tell you right now. It's again, it's really based off of our our demand. We've been sitting at 9 and a half million gallons for a very long time. Um, so we've kind of been static with our usage. As that grows, we need to we know now that we need to we need to always be mindful of sedimentation as our econom economic development outlook improves

and we start to get larger users. So that's really an important part and component of this study is we know know what to look for and what to focus on in the future. But I can't say right now, you know, seven years or 17 years. But suppose it say constant at nine. How, you know, would that give you an idea how much? Well, we're good. When would 50 to 75 years out, we're still at Oh, the ability to use 9 and a half million gallons a day. Okay. Time. Thanks.

Okay. I believe that concludes this portion of the committee. Um, yes, sir. I was going to have Mr. Miller come up. Would you like to stay and join him or um Mr. Miller, come on up. He's got a brief conversation for us to talk about. Kind of falls under the same category of the clear fork. So, uh thank you council members for letting us speak here today. And you've all gotten um a one-page summary of of our basic request. Uh so I'll just give you a little bit more background. Uh there were six environmental groups that unanimously endorsed the Mansfield water main initiative and all of them did that after the board of trustees discussed the matter and uh recognized the water main initiative as a precursor to being able to address the reservoir. And we're very grateful uh that that uh the administration jumped right on this and commissioned this study and it was certainly very thorough uh 123 page study and I got the opportunity to read it when it became available to the city. We certainly thank you for that. Um, one thing that we wanted to see that citizens group that I'm a part of is a focus on harmful algae blooms. And that's a term of art that you refer to them as habs, but it refers to a variety of of mostly single cell organisms because they're single cell. They don't have a nucleus in their cell. They can divide rapidly. Some of them can reproduce uh double their number every 15 minutes when they have ideal moisture, nutrient, and temperature conditions. So, they're

capable of just massively overpopulating a body of water when you hit conditions that are ideal for them. So when I refer to habs or harmful algae blooms, I'm actually referring to uh a number of different types of organisms. Most of them single cell, some bacteria, some algae, and some are arguably in a totally different kingdom, not fungi, not plant, not animal, another kingdom altogether. So um and if you look at them in terms of their ability to survive as an organism, some of them their family of organisms has been around for three billion years. So they're masters of survival. And uh we we like to say about humans, a rule of four is a human can go four minutes without oxygen and then we're we're we're done for. Four days without water and then we're done for. Well, some of these organisms can do without oxygen altogether. Uh, some of them can uh if the water isn't right for them at that time, they can coat themselves with a hard exoskeleton. They can go dormant for seven years or more. Seven years without water or oxygen. So, we're talking about organisms that know how to survive and and uh and they are capable of very rapid uh overpopulation. So, some of them can, and I put this in scare quotes, poison a water supply. Um that's maybe too dramatic a term, but we're talking about a variety of organisms. Some literally will put out a poison. Some will simply make water uh smell so bad you can't treat it effectively. Um some don't harm the water directly but they massively

overpop populate. They die and then this biomass biodedegrades and harms the water supply. So overall, what we're concerned about is what we'll call HABs and their ability to overpop populate rapidly and affect a water supply. And uh so what we want folks to consider is that climate change favors them and it disfavors us. So to the extent we continue to load the atmosphere, there's more energy in the atmosphere, our rain events will tend to more frequently be large pounding rain over a short period of time rather than long slow rainfall. Well, that increases runoff. That's going to increase sedimentation. That's also going to bring more nutrient into the reservoir. Climate change means warmer temperatures of the water especially in the summer when a reservoir gets more shallow and once again that favors the HABs. So um our concern is that um the time frame that we would have to make the reservoir good for the long term could get shortened by events that are beyond our control. climate change and ideal water and nutrient conditions. So, um again, the study's 123 pages. It's excellent. I don't dispute a single line in that study or the quality of the work. Um, we feel that council should focus on HABs with some kind of study and determine whether or not that is a threat to the long-term viability of the reservoir.

Now, we're not asserting that's a a threat to the um excellent network of pumps that supply half to 60% of our water. But it seems to us that um these organisms could surprise us as they have other communities. We've seen it happen to reservoirs, especially you look at the western states that get less water and have warmer summers. But to some extent, that's where we're headed. So at any rate, um we're again uh grateful for the study that's been done. We think that council ought to at least at the committee me level bring some people in who have studied the HABs and who can address that and determine whether or not that's something you should be factoring into your long-term plan. And um if we're wrong, if if those of us who think it's a concern and it needs to be addressed now, if we're wrong and the experts come in and say so, well, hey, that's something good to know. Um if they say that there's reasonable preventive action that a prudent com community should take now, then we need to know about that. So, we feel that um that this would be part of the proactive approach you've started and uh diligence could prevent a a crisis sneaking up on us. And so, for that reason, we've prepared a proposed motion for you and uh we gave you the wording of what we'd like to see. I'll mention, by the way, of course, I'm not an expert. No one signing this request claims to be an expert in this field. and we would offer some input as to who you might go to to um get some expert testimony.

Moving forward, you'd like to have a motion that as a committee we would revisit this, talk to you and a couple of other experts at a different EP. Yeah. talk to us about expert selection and and then possibly you'll want to hear from someone in the business community about factoring in uh the local economy and the need to protect the local economy through some kind of study and preventive action. So that's our request and um we thank you for giving us some time today. Excellent. Thank you. We will consider things.

Okay. I close the municipal and public utilities committee today. We are ready to Did anybody have any questions? We are closed and floors are all yours. Thank you, sir. With that, I will call this session of Mainsfield City Council caucus meeting to order. Are there any committee reports? Mr. Tiaz isn't here. So, okay, moving on. Mayor, you have good news for us or news?

Uh, sure, why not? Uh, just a few things I wanted to um announce tonight and remind people of. So I did want to say thanks to everyone who came out for the public pool uh information sessions uh public feedback sessions uh we had some really robust discussion earlier in the day with the stakeholders uh and then the public in uh public feedback session I'm sorry I'm fighting a bit of a cold so uh was also pretty well attended um however we're not done with that so um there is a survey that is going up on uh Facebook tonight. Um and I would just encourage specifically council if you can share that on your pages uh if you can share that with folks that you know um that have been voicing their desire for a public pool. Uh we really want to hear from people and know kind of what they're looking for when we're talking about this. So now is the time. I know anytime a public pool is talked about, there's lots of comments on Facebook and comments on Facebook are fine, but they don't count in the survey. So, please, please, please encourage people to take that. Um, I did want to just say uh thanks to uh we had a few folks joining us for the CIC planning meeting a couple weeks ago. We had some really good discussion. It all centered around how do we uh better take care of the entryways into Mansfield and specifically North and South Main Street being the primary entryways. Um I will have kind of an executive summary coming out of that soon. We will have our next meeting. We did cancel the meeting scheduled for tomorrow uh because we don't have a quorum, but uh I will have some more details on that soon. But I thought it was a good night. We had a lot of really good discussion with folks and and thanks to those who were able to come. Um, I did want to let everyone know too, you know, obviously you can see the construction has started on Main

Street again. I think we're on schedule to have Park Avenue closed Monday, April 20th.

Oh, April 20th. Okay, we're back a week. So, um, that is going to go from Diamond to Walnut. So, uh, the world will not end, but please, uh, just keep an eye on the detour signs for that. That is about 45 days, I believe. And we will be doing the work in Central Park during that time. So, it is exciting. When you drive through, you're starting to get to see different things each time. And then the last piece is state of the city. I'm a little later this year than normal. Uh we're going to do things a little bit differently this year. It's going to be on Tuesday, April 28th at 7 o'clock. So, that is an off council week. Um, I have a about a five minute video that kind of captures what happened throughout the city in 2025 and then instead of just a straight speech, um, I'm going to have a Q&A dialogue with Carl Hunnel and we're going to talk a little bit about what's been going on and and switch it up. We will live stream it on Facebook, so I've talked with uh Mark Huckleberry um uh for that. So, that'll all be uh public as well. So, I just wanted to let everyone know that. Thank you. Thank you, Director Andrews.

Uh we just hired our program coordinator. Uh she starts tomorrow. So, one of the first things that she'll be working with is our summer program that's going to be happening in the parks this year. We're going to be something doing something a little bit different. We're going to be rotating our programs between three parks. And we picked those parks because they have a shelter, they have restrooms, they have good parking. sort of facilities where if we have bad weather, we can take the kids inside. Uh we plan on having some fishing derbies. We plan on doing several different programs. Uh so once we get our new person started tomorrow, that's her priority is to make sure we get all these programs and we will release them and uh get that information out. Uh we went to council the last time to get the transfer land for the easement there at Camp Covert. Uh we're working with legal now and with West Creek to officially switch everything over to us uh the city of Mansfield. We're also working with the Ohio bird sanctuary because they have interest in using part of that property for educational recreational programs. It's adjacent right to them. So we're working on an agreement with them with our legal council so that we can come up with a multi-use as well as public um can use it but also have that for the Ohio bird sanctuary as well. So, we'll be seeing something from the council within the next month or so with all the details what we're going to be doing there. Thank you.

Thank you, Director Ports.

Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, from the police department, the chief advised that uh they have a new updated website for Metro. So, please, council members, if you can go on and check that out, it's at metric.com. Um the airport uh the runway project for 14 and 32 will begin the second week of May. So just to highlight that that was $7.5 million uh paid for by the FAA and ODOT. Not $1 came from local funds which was phenomenal. So uh this date that they're starting in May is all dependent on weather. So hopefully weather cooperates with the construction crews and they'll get started in that second week of May. Uh the fire department uh has received a gold status this year from the American Heart Association for cardiac and stroke care. Uh last year they earned a s silver status. So they definitely have stepped up their game and we're proud that they received that award. So definitely highlights the chief's priority and training and uh new equipment that they have received for those specific uh care. So that's all I have.

Thank you. And Deputy Director Madden uh yeah no updates from the law office. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. We shall now proceed with legislation. And so starting for uh council or for caucus, excuse me, we will start with 26 060 and um I'll call on Miss Mount.

Thank you, Mr. President. Bill 2660 is honoring Kim Hilddrth upon her retirement from the city of Mansfield Engineering Department. And do we want to go ahead and have read the full um version now and then? Yes, that would be great.

Yes, she is. Oh my gosh. Sorry. So, you get to read it now in full. Dang it. Now I have to read the whole thing. You'll be fine.

All right. Honoring Kim Hilddrith upon upon her retirement from the city of Mansfield engineering department. That council on behalf of the government and the citizens of the Mansfield community is privileged to honor and pay tribute to Kim Hilddrth upon her retirement from the city of Mansfield. effective March 31st, 2026. After more than 30 years of dedicated public service, Mrs. Hilddress's career with the city of Mansfield has truly been remarkable. She began her career with the city on March 20th, 1995, serving as a program coordinator with litter control, ultimately becoming a project planner in the engineering department. Throughout her tenure, Miss Mrs. Hilddrith was instrumental in the development, coordination, and success of numerous programs that have left a lasting mark on the Mansfield community, including the Shade Tree Commission, Tree City USA, America in Bloom, Mansfield in Bloom, Earth Stewardship, Mansfield Area Beautifification, Save Our Streams, Safe Roads to School, Operation Clean Sweep, and the city's municipal storm water program. Most notably, Mrs. Hilderth played a key leadership role in establishing and growing the earth stewardship program which has engaged hundreds of volunteers along with schools, organizations, and environmental education, litter cleanup, and community improvement projects. Her ability to bring people together around a shared purpose has had a measurable and lasting impact on the Mansfield community. Her career has been defined by integrity, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to making Mansfield a better place to live. Kim consistently gave above and beyond her assigned duties serving as a model public servant. Mrs. Hilddrth is incredibly hardworking and loyal to the city. We all extend our best wishes and congratulations, Mrs. Hilddrth, and wish her continued success in all her future endeavors.

Kim, would you uh have anything to say? I'm sorry, Mrs. Hilddrth. That's going that's it's been what it's been for many years. So

without a shadow of a doubt. Um first off, thank you so very much for such a kind legislation. U definitely undeserving. Um there are simply no words to describe. I tried to earlier um to express the privilege I have had and the honor to work for the city of Mfield for the past 31 years. Um, I also have had the privilege to work at Mansfield since I was still in college starting out at the center and my commitment to Mansfield has been here all along. Um, there are so many cliches that can be said, but I'm so very thankful for all the mentors and all the people who have been a part of my journey and my career. If I started to name off all those people, I would forget somebody. So, I'm not going to do that. But none of us get through any of this by ourselves. And when I say how kind it was for you to put that legislation out there, none of these accomplishments was because of Kim Hilddrth. It was because of people working together. And I've said for many, many years that Richland County is truly a wonderful place to live. And we were named Richland County because there were rich soils. But the bottom line is we are truly rich in the people who live and work here. When I say over the years, I've had the privilege of working with so many folks. I've been a part of United Way. I've seen people step up. You ask people and they will come. It is so very important that instead of focusing on our little flaws that what we do is we focus on who we are and what we can truly become. And I truly do believe that. I thank you for your commitment. I thank you for your time and I thank you for the privilege

of allowing me to work for the city of Gfield.

Don't go too far to I just if I could just reiterate a few things that were said in this resolution if you don't mind but some of the words uh Kim gave over and above her assigned duties serving as a role model as a public servant hardworking loyal and went over and above and and if you've worked with Kim I know some of you have on programming and projects you know that she was the person that would go over and above and get the job done and do her absolute best and and take her performance to the next level. And I'll just give you an example. When I started in 2007, Kim was doing the safe routes school program and that was a very rigorous program funded by the federal government through ODOT and she had to get this program up and running. And what people don't know is that she worked hundreds of hours over her 40-hour work week for free to get that done. That's who Kim was in her career here at the city. When I when we were tasked by the EPA with our storm water permit and they said, "You got to take this seriously. You've got to permit the handle or we're going to be having some conversations." There was no one better than Kim to give that job to and she did it with perfection. We never got in trouble with the EPA. She kept us out. So I Kim, you just worked so hard and so um did such a great job with the city. You're going to be missed. So thank you.

Thank you. Any start? Thank you, Mr. President. Um Kim, yeah, I was going to say it's uh um I go back to a very young officer um at MPD and and I it was actually right around 95 96 I got the pleasure of sharing a community policing office with Kim down on uh West Third Street there at uh Western if I remember correctly. Third and Western.

Yep. And uh we we had a Yeah, we had a lot of great times. And I can tell you that when she talks about mentors, Kim was a mentor to me because as a young officer and and being actually in very inexperienced at that time to come into the community, she did show me what being a part of the community is about. And I think it's very reflective in this legislation right now and this proclamation to you. I think that you know what you've done for the city. I would love to see so much more of that. I know how much time you've given. I'd run into you in the elevators here once we got in the city building and you were always on the move, always coming and going and I just want to thank you for what you've done for the city and what you taught me personally. Thank you.

Thank you, Kim. I think um you mentioned that if you ask they'll come, but I really think if you ask more people would come and and you were the spark, the synergistic effect that moved things forward better and and uh that's something that that's all you and we appreciate it. Thank you. I believe was 99 when I first met you and I was new to the community and like you said a lot of people have the little negative things we have to say about our community but we have a tremendous loving community that come together and coming together it takes somebody that's that spark as you mentioned because it starts with that spark and that's how that fire gets going and you've always been that spark that gets that fire rolling and going and again, you're one of the great pillars of our community. Thank you.

And I just want to say for a while we have been Facebook friends, but not and definitely um in such agreement with many of the things that you say. It was difficult for us to even comment. The speech that you just gave could not be followed by anything. So, I really think representation is everything and for women to just see women getting out there being servant leaders doing it. Thank you and we appreciate you. This proclamation just speaks volumes and even what they say. But just knowing because I knew things that you did long before we were just Facebook friends, but then even just our our banter back and forth, it's wonderful to see that. So congratulations on your retirement and your collaborative work I know will continue even after retirement or hint hint we're all hoping because

yeah absolutely because when you ask we do we definitely want to help. So thank you so much. Thank you Kim for your work your service to the community. I remember my church got a earth stewardish um award for our community god. were one of the first community garden to start it. I didn't know you were involved in it, but thank you. I remember meeting you in the elevator not too long ago and you told me your name. I say, "Oh, I've seen your name all the time." So, thank you for all you have done and enjoy your retirement. Thank you. Bye. It's

hard to top off everything, but I just wanted to say heartfelt thank you for all you did for so many years. It made a tremendous impact on the community and just know you'll be very missed but the impact will live on. It's tremendous. Thank you. Kim, just real quick, I'd add to what all's been said, but uh known you a long time and appreciated all your work for the city and and you like everything has been said before, you've done your all 100% 110%. So, I just wish you and John a uh happy retirement and and enjoy and don't be a stranger. So, be around. Thank you.

Not a lot to add. Um but I met you uh shortly after I came to the chamber and had uh the chance and opportunity to get involved with earth stewardship for many years. and uh you know when I became mayor, you were always a friendly face and encouraging to me when I ran into you and uh just really appreciate um your your work ethic and truly your care for the community. I mean, you do work hard. I agree with everyone else, but you do it because you care and that is really really evident and we do need more people like that and I just want you to know that um that did not go unnoticed by lots and lots of people in the city and throughout the community. So, thanks so much.

Uh Kim was one of the first ones that I see out because I was one of the few people that I knew in the city from her connection with John who worked with me when I first came here in '92 to Malibar. So, it was nice to see a friendly face, had some good conversations, and uh I think we moved uh the arrow in a positive direction for the Shade Tree Commission because the first time ever they got some money instead of begging and borrowing and all that. So, uh thank you again for all your service. I appreciate it. Thank you, Kim. Congratulations. You always cheered me up in the elevator so when I was down so yeah, many years. So, I uh I wish you nothing but the best. Congratulations.

Do you mind if I say one thing? I hesitated whether I would or not. As most of you have noticed, I look a little different. I have a hat on today and I'm wearing a mask. Um, and the reason why I'm going to tell you what is going on, if you have not heard yet, is because I think there's an extremely strong message that needs to be sent out. Um, in January I was diagnosed with breast cancer and currently I am undergoing chemotherapy. Will be doing that till hopefully the end of May if I don't have to skip anything. Had it because I wanted to look like Director Porch

and I honest to God And honest to God, I truly don't know how people wear hats. Um, but what is so important is October is breast cancer awareness month and I know many women and when you talk about women in the community, I stand on the shoulders of many women who are my mentors, but also I stand on the shoulders of many survivors of breast cancer. One of the things though that I have learned that is so very important is in October we always talk the importance of getting yearly mammograms. What I want to remind everybody. Yes, get your yearly mammogram. But the other piece that is extremely important to do that many times people forget and they everybody who I've talked to um I've talked to many other women this has happened to. I did have a mammogram end of July and it was clear and in November I found a tumor. Do those monthly breast exams because one of the things that I have discovered is there are more women than many of you realize who actually find out in between mamograms by doing those monthly exams. So, I encourage you to please tell your friends, your family, your sisters, your daughters, everybody, get the word out that it's so extremely important to do those monthly exams. Again, thank you so very much for giving me just one second. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to do that. Um, you will still see me around, but that's part of why I'm also wearing the mask. My, uh, immunity is a little compromised right now, so uh, no big deal. I've been feeling great. I've tolerated chemo very well. And thank you for again the opportunity to work here and also to allow me to also say a few words in

regards to a journey that many women have gone through. Let's keep it going so that more women find it early. Thank you. Okay, moving on. Um, bill 26-061 and I'm going to call on Miss Robertson on for this one.

Thank you, Mr. President. Bill 26-061 is the appointment of members to the Mansville Public Arts Commission for a term commencing August 1st, 2026. Any discussion, questions, discussion on 26-061? Mayor,

I just I know we've had a lot of arts commissions uh appointments recently. Uh Jenny Panel has been serving, so this is just a reappoint for her. She's currently the chair. She works out at MOESC. Um we've got some some more exhibits coming up at the library. She's really been the the brains behind those. So um she's she's done a great job uh since taking over the commission. So thank you. Okay, moving on to bill 26-062. Miss Mount.

Thank you, Mr. President. Bill 26062 is accepting the donation of $300 from Alpha GMC and $300 from Owls Lounge to be used by Mansfield Police impacts neighborhood impact section for the um bika this year.

Any questions, discussion, comments? Okay, moving on to bill 26 that is 063. Mr. Miranda This would be amending chapter 935, the sewer use and uh pre-treatment regulations of the Mansfield uh codified ordinances. Any questions, discussion on 26-063? Okay. Would we like to move this up to vote?

Mr. President, I move that we move legislation be placed upon the floor for further discussion and put on the floor for vote. Second.

Okay. It's been regularly moved seconded that we wave further readings of bill 26-063 and bring it forward tonight for council for a final vote. Motion is in front of you. Okay, motion passes 6 to zero. Bill 26-064. And well, Miss Robertson, why don't we, these are all the uh claims, so why don't we for caucus purposes just go from 64 through 71.

Thank you, Mr. President. In reference to bill 26-064, this is authoring authorizing the reduced payment of the approved claim number 04-022326 to Danielle Brandom uh in reference to a claim and that involved a right front wheel replacement amount and balance and it is in the amount of uh let me see $250 if I read that correctly. Miss Miss Roberts. Yes. For Caucus, she can just kind of give a brief and then because she'll she'll read the details.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I had to for caucus. You can just give a brief. Okay.

So then the next one 26-065 again is authorizing a claim to Mr. Hilderman. And we'll talk about that more. That is in reference to uh a issue on the roadway that um caused some damage to his car in reference to um legislation number 26-066. It's authorizing a payment uh to Geneva Armstead and this is in reference to uh a claim that has to do with a rain event and uh we'll talk about that more later. Any question? If anybody has any questions, you can ask me at the end that work. Next is claim 26-067. This is authorizing a payment of a claim for Justin Attie. It also has to do with some water issues. In reference to claim number 26-068, it's a claim that we're going to talk about from Mark Henderson in reference to an issue with a pothole. Claim 26-069 is uh authorizing approved claim for Matthew Roberts and that is going to be um in reference to some uh rainwater or water coming in. We'll talk more about that if anyone has any questions later. 26-070 is in reference to authorizing an approved claim to James Bell. And this one is in reference to uh some uh digging that went on on his property that turned out it was his property, not the city's. And the last claim-6-071 is authorizing a payment to Ann Deetmer in reference to a chip that happened with her windshield.

Okay. Are there any questions, discussion, comments on bill 264 through 267?

I have a concern on 2608. If I recall the details on that one, that one was the one where the individual did not have any insurance beyond liability insurance on their vehicle and therefore wanted us to pay the full price. I personally feel I could see paying maybe the equivalent of a deductible, but I don't foresee that we should be responsible for the full amount being that he chose to not have insurance on that vehicle. One of the great challenges Okay. And and also in reference to this, I did talk to the law director and um it's my understanding, and please uh Mr. Madden, correct me if I'm wrong, that uh any pothole once it's reported to us, and this one was reported that day, we did send a crew out. However, um he struck the hole that he said he had prior knowledge on uh that it had been there, but that the cones had been scattered or moved and he didn't realize it was there. But we do have 72 hours to repair a any pothole or issue in a roadway uh without a liability to the city. Um this had just been reported again and and they were sent out. So that's also something if anyone wants to take that into consideration. Um, Miss Mount, did you have any different suggestions on this?

I guess see if there's any motions and counsel, but I just at the way it is right now, I would probably vote against just doesn't I don't feel like we should be responsible for the entire sum with him having chosen his lack of coverage. Mr. Faul. Thank you, Mr. President. I guess as long as we're going to get into it. Um, did we approve did the committee approve the entire amount or did we approve a lesser amount? How much did he ask for?

He asked for it was a full settlement of $1,654 that the committee moved to put before council. And that was a recommendation of the law director at the time. Mr. Falcat,

would the law director be able to maybe support that considering the 72-hour period? It's a political decision. I mean, uh, the council is certainly welcome to decline to pay. Uh, we process the claim as received. Um this is the one where there was uh as as Councilman Robert Councilwoman Roberts said uh there there is cones out to market. The cones had been moved. Um he ran into the he ran into the pothole. Uh as Councilman Councilwoman uh Mount uh brought forward. He didn't have insurance. I mean, you know, take that as you will. That's a that's purely a political decision. Mr. President, I move that this uh claim be adjusted to $250.

Second.

Yes. Yes. Okay. It's been moved and seconded that you be amended to

Mr. President. I do have to point out on this particular uh legislation I have to recuse myself from it. I guess while she's ask

I I just had a quick question. So, it's being reduced to just the with liability. Would there be a deductible? He's saying that he was not insured for this particular event. Yeah. He did not carry insurance on the car to to uh cover this is my understanding. That's what So, there is no there wouldn't be a deduct because with liability it just means it covers if he harmed anyone else, but it is nothing. He doesn't have comprehensive. No comprehensive at all. So there is no deductible at all. Correct. And I and I can Mr.

My I guess I'm at the point where on the one hand we could give zero. We got 72 hours with no liability at all. Sounds like we probably told the guy he's got $1,000 coming. Hate to go to zero. I just pulled 250 out. Sound like a good number to me. I'm flexible. I find that to be a more reasonable solution with all the factors considered. Any other questions on the motion?

Okay, you have a motion before you Uh I do believe that uh covers all the claims legislation unless someone has something to comment about another one of the claim claims. If not then we'll move on to bill 26-072. Miss Mount.

Thank you Mr. President Bill 26072 is regarding entering into a collective bargaining agreement with the FOP blue unit discuss discussion questions. Okay. Hearing none and then bill 26-073. Miss Mount. Thank you, Mr. President. Bill 26073 is regarding entering into a collective bargaining agreement with the FOP gold unit. Any questions, discussion on bill 26- 0, excuse me, 73. Okay. Is there anything else to come before caucus this evening?

Move to close. Second. Been regularly moved and seconded. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I. I. Oppos. Same. Caucus is adjourned. This time I'll call this session of Mansfield City Council to order. Please stand for the pledge and remain standing for the pledge.

I pledge algiance 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. Heavenly Father, we ask that you be with us this evening. Grant us wisdom and guidance in our decisions and discussions this evening. Look over our city and our nation. Uh protect all of our first responders. We pray. Amen.

Okay. With that, I'll call on the clerk to now call the role. Mr. Miranda present. Mrs. Meyer. Move. It should be excused. Second. Been regularly moved and seconded that Mrs. Meyer be excused. Shall vote on the motion. Motion pass six to zero. She is excused. Mrs. Davis whis present. Miss Dailyaly here. Mr. Diaz move the excused second.

Been regularly moved and seconded Mr. Diaz be excused. Motion is before you. Mr. Diaz is excused. Six to zero. Miss Mount here. Miss Robertson here. Mr. Flet here. President Scott

present. Okay. Unless there is an objection, the reading of the journal and correspondence will be dispensed with. Hearing no objection, we'll move on. Do we have anyone signed up for public comment? Nope. Okay. Are there any committee reports? Anything further from mayor directors? Okay, we shall now proceed with legislation. What?

Oh, I'm sorry. I always want to skip miss daily. Suspension of the rules. Suspension of the rules. Monday deadline. There's no lake suspension of the rules. I move with respect to all bills that come before council this evening that the rule requiring reading on three different days be suspended and that each bill be read one time by title only. Second.

Second. I'm sorry. Didn't have my mic on.

Oh, that. Okay. Yeah. I'm sorry. I'm I'm thinking about something else. Um I'm just wondering when do we want to go into executive sessions? Now or right before those two pieces. Okay. I'm sorry. That's where my mind was and I wasn't when we wanted to do that. Okay. Okay. Moving on to bill starting off with legislation. We'll start with bill 26-052. Ms. Robertson. Thank you, Mr. President. I move with respect to bill 26-052 that be uh placed upon the floor for discussion. Second.

Been regularly moved and second and the clerk shall read bill 26-052. Authorizing the mayor to submit an annual action plan for PY 2026 indicating proposed uses for the city's 2026 community development block grant funds under the provisions of public law 93-383 as amended and declaring an emergency. Is there any discussion on bill 26-052? Mr. Kit

just as long as our director's back here. Maybe she could give us highlights of this. Just walk us through it fast and then I have a motion. I have a motion after that.

Okay. Um, yeah, real quickly, uh, of course I I pulled together the numbers, average everyone's numbers based on our estimates. Uh, kind of a last minute thought today. I hadn't heard from HUD yet, but I was like, let's just see if I can find something. Normally, they email that we've gotten an allocation. Um, and it looks like they did publish those on Friday. So, I went ahead and updated with the actual grant balances. So this this page right here, this section, this is your fi is the final totals and the percentages um of the actual grant amounts based on your averages and then applying those uh percentages to the actual grant amount. home was a little bit less than the estimate and CDBG was more. So if you're seeing some variances there, you will see that home is those activities are funded a little bit less. CDBGs are funded a little bit more based on the percentage.

Any questions from council? Yes, I'm good. Mr. I make a motion that I be allowed to be abstained from voting on the bill 2652. Second. It's been regularly moved and seconded that Mr. Fulette be allowed to abstain from bill 26-052. We'll just we'll wait a we'll wait a minute.

Miss Chris Davis Dis had to go to the restaurant.

Okay. Okay. Cory sing right We'll have the new guys. So, I'll do it.

Okay.

Motion passes six to zero. So, Mr. Falquette will be allowed to abstain. I ask now that I be asked to abstain from um this vote and I apologize. Second.

Okay. It's been regularly and moved and seconded that Miss Davis Whis also be allowed to abstain from this vote on bill 26 days 052. Motion passes six to zero. So, Miss Davis Dwis will be permitted to abstain. With that, I'll call on Miss Robertson. Thank you, Mr. President. I move with respect to bill 26-052 that be um placed on the floor for final passage.

Second. Then regular move second. Council shall cast a vote on bill 26-052.

Crystal, we just It's okay. Reset. Okay. Bill passes four to two with four yes and two abstensions. Okay. Moving on to bill 26-053. Ms. Robertson.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move in respect to bill 26-053 that be placed upon the floor for discussion. Second. Regularly moved and seconded. The clerk shall read bill 26-053. Authorizing the mayor to submit Mansfield's PY 2026 action plan to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for PY 2026 home investment partnership program funds and declaring an emergency. Is there any discussion on bill 26-053?

None. Okay. Thank you, Mr. President. I move with in respect to bill 26-053 that be placed on the floor for final passage. Second. Been regularly moved and seconded. Council shall cast a vote for final s of bill 26-053. Bill passes 6 to zero. Bill 26- 060. Miss Mount. Thank you, Mr. President. I move bill 260 be read and placed upon the floor for discussion. Second.

Been regularly moved and seconded. The clerk shall just read the abbreviated version. Honoring Kim Hilddrth upon her retirement from the City of Mansfield Engineering Department. Is there any discussion? We've had discussion and comments, but is there anything further on bill 26 060? Okay. Hearing nothing, Miss Mount. Thank you, Mr. President. I move that bill 260 be placed upon the floor for final consideration. Second, been regularly moved and seconded. Council shall cast their vote for final passage of 26 days 060. Bill passes six to zero. Bill 26-061, Miss Robertson.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move in respect to bill 26-061 that be placed upon the floor for discussion. Second. Been regularly moved and seconded. The clerk shall read bill 26-061, approving the appointment of the following members to the Mansfield Public Arts Commission for a term commencing August 1st, 2026. Is there any discussion on bill 26-061? Okay. Hearing none, Miss Robertson. Thank you, Mr. President. I move in respect to bill 26-061 be placed upon the floor for final passage.

Second. Been regularly moved and seconded. Council shall cast a vote for final passage of bill 26-0. Bill passes 6 to zero. Bill 26-062 Miss Mount. Thank you, Mr. President. I move that bill 26062 be read and placed upon the floor for discussion. Second. Been regularly moved and seconded. The clerk shall read bill 26-062,

authorizing the safety service director to accept and appropriate a donation of $300 from Alpha GMC and a donation of $300 from the Owls Nest Lounge to be used by the Mansville Police Impact Section for the 11th annual Bika Palooa. Is there any discussion on bill 26-062? Mr. Falquette.

Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, two things. One, I think, uh, thanks go out to Alpha GMC and the Owls Nest. The total is $600. Didn't know if uh, Officer Edwards might have a again highlevel idea where he might spend $600 for this program. Yeah. So, the uh, the donations are both earmarked for the Bike Palooa event that we'll be putting on May 9th uh, this year. Uh it will be for expenditures and bicycles and and equipment for that uh program on on that date. Thank you, sir. Yes, sir. Anything else, Miss Mount?

Also just want to thank Officer Edwards for his hard work and getting all these donations and grants and all that in for the biker. Yes. Thank you. With that, Miss Mount. Thank you, Mr. President. I move that bill 26062 be placed upon the floor for final consideration. Second. Been regularly moved and seconded. Council shuts a vote for final passage of bill 26-062. Bill passes 6 to zero. Bill 26-063. Mr. Morena. Mr. President, I move that bill 26063 be read and placed upon the floor for discussion. Second.

Been regularly moved and second. And the clerk shall read bill 26-063 amending chapter 935 sewer use and pre-treatment regulations of the Mansfield codified ordinances. Is there any discussion on bill 26-063? Hearing none, Mr. Miranda. Mr. President, I move that bill 26063 be placed upon the floor for final passage. Second.

Been regularly moved and seconded. Council shall cast their vote for final passage of bill 26-063. Bill passes 6 to 0. Bill 26-064. Miss Robertson. Thank you, Mr. President. I move with that bill 26-064 be placed upon the floor for discussion. Second. Been regularly moved and seconded. The clerk shall read bill 26-064

authorizing the reduced payment of the approved claim number 04-022326 of Danielle Brham 4926 Sanduski Street Sulfur Springs Ohio 44881 and declaring an emergency. Is there any discussion on bill 26-064? Hearing none, Miss Robertson. Thank you, Mr. President. I move with respect to bill 26-064 that be placed upon the floor for final passage. Second.

Regularly moved and seconded. The clerk shel shall cast their vote for final passage of bill 26-064. Bill passes 6 to zero. Bill 26-065. Ms. Robertson. Thank you, Mr. President. I move the bill 26-065 be placed upon the floor for discussion. Second. Clerk shall read bill 26-065 authorizing the payment of the approved claim number 05-022525 of Tim Hilter 1086 Hunter Ridge, Manswood, Ohio 44904 and declaring an emergency.

Is there any discussion on bill 26-065? Hearing none, Ms. Robertson. Thank you, Mr. President. I move in respect to bill 26-065 that be placed upon the floor for final passage. Second. Been regularly moved in a second and council cast their vote for final passage of bill 26-065. Bill passes 6 to zero. Bill 26-066. Miss Robertson. Thank you, Mr. President. And I move in respect to bill 26-066 to be placed upon the floor for discussion. Second.

Been regularly moved and seconded. Clerk shall read bill 26-066. Authorizing the reduced payment of the approved claim number 27-091725 of Geneva Armistad 637 Westview Boulevard, Mansfield, Ohio 44907, and declaring an emergency. Is there any discussion on bill 26-066 hearing? None. Miss Robertson. Thank you, Mr. President. I move in response to bill 26-066 that be placed upon the floor for final passage. Second.

Been regularly moved and seconded. Council shall cast their vote for final passage of bill 26-066. Bill passes 6 to zero. Bill 26-067. Miss Robertson. Thank you, Mr. President. I move that bill 26-067 be placed upon the floor for discussion. Second. Been regularly moved and seconded. The clerk shall read bill 26-067.

Authorizing the payment of the approved claim number 21-070925 Justin Addie 273 Davis Road, Mansfield, Ohio 44907. And declaring an emergency. Is there any discussion on bill 26-067 hearing? None. Miss Robertson. Thank you, Mr. President. I move the bill 26-067 be placed on the floor for final passage. Second. Been regularly moved and second. Council shall cast a vote for final passage of bill 26-067. Bill passes 6 to zero. Bill 26-068. Miss Robertson.

Thank you, Mr. President, I'm going move that bill 26-068 be placed upon the floor for discussion. Second. And regularly moved and seconded. Clerk shall read bill 26-068 authorizing the payment of the approved claim number 20-062425 of Mark Henderson 1659 Pulver Road, Mansfield, Ohio 44903 and declaring an emergency. Is there any discussion on bill 26-068? Mr. Mr. President, I'd like to uh abstain from this vote. Second. Been regurgent.

Yeah. Okay. Um that Miss Robertson, we have a we have something to vote on right now. Was that Did you just put it up ahead? Okay. You're just a little before me then. Yeah. Sorry. Me abstaining. No. No, not yet. It's just ahead of Okay. I just want to make sure we're on track. Uh, in reference to bill 26-068, I move it be placed upon the floor for final passage. Council shall cast their voter. Huh? Wait a second. Oh, second. Okay,

I'll second. It is before clarification. This is as amended, correct? Yes. I was wondering if we should not mention add that as amended. Yes. Is it sufficient to just state that or do we need Thank you. I thought about that. Thanks. I should have caught that. And I guess one other question. We had the abstension with a second. Do we need to withdraw the second? He he they second to handle that motion. So she's redoing it then right now. The clerk is Thank you.

Did you? Yeah, I put as amended. Okay. Okay. The vote is five. Yes. One abstension. Bill 26-069. Miss Robertson. Thank you, Mr. President. I move that bill 26-069 be placed upon the floor for discussion. Second.

Then regularly moved and seconded. Clerk shall read bill 26-069. Authorizing the payment of the approved claim number 12-050825 of Matthew Roberts, 597 Derlham Lane, Mansfield, Ohio 44904 and declaring an emergency. Is there any discussion on bill 26-069? Seeing none, Miss Robertson. Thank you, Mr. President. I move that bill 26-069 be placed upon the floor for final passage.

Second regularly moved and seconded. Council shall cast their vote for final pass bill 26-069. Bill passes 6 to 0. Bill 26- 070. Miss Robertson. Thank you, Mr. President. I move the bill 26-070 be placed upon the floor for discussion. Second. and regularly moved and second that a clerk shall read bill 26-070

authorizing the payment of the approved claim number 05-022525 James Bell 936 Olivesburg Road Mansfield Ohio 44905 and declaring an emergency is there any discussion on bill 26-070 hearing none miss Robertson thank you Mr. President, I move that bill 26-070 be placed upon the floor for final passage. Second

and regularly moved and seconded. Council should cast their vote for final passage of bill 26-070. Bill passes five six to zero. Six to zero. And bill 26-071. Miss Robertson. Thank you, Mr. President. I move that bill 26-071 be placed upon the floor for discussion. Second. Been regularly moved and seconded. Clerk shall read bill 26-071

authorizing the reduced payment of the approved claim number 09-040825 of Anne Deetur 6586 State Route 95 Butler, Ohio 44822 and declaring an emergency. Is there any discussion on bill 26-071? Hearing none, Miss Robertson. Thank you, Mr. President. I move that bill 26-071 be placed upon the floor for final passage. Second.

Been regularly moved and the council shall cast their vote for final passage of bill 26-071. Bill passes five. Yes. One abstension. Okay. Uh, if I may, before we go to executive session, Yes. Um, did we only have four voters on 26052? Is that the um CBDG? Yes, that's correct. Yeah. Um, so I apologize. We're going to need a motion to amend and then we're going to need a motion to table. Uh, we have a minimum of five to to maintain a quorum. I thought I wondered about that. I move to um

would that table that bill? Second. What? Wait, we need an amended. Yeah, hold on. Which bill? 052. We had a majority of those present, but it so it could not go through as an emergency. Mmc 121D1 states we need five for a quorum and uh president can only break ties. Yes. Okay. Okay. I I wondered about that. Give me one second.

You but I don't know on that. We have a quorum to have I I guess explain it. I I'm not here it. So if if we look to uh the Mansfield municipal code section 121D1, it's it's actually not based on a on an equation. Uh it's just a statutory requirement of five members must be a voting uh to establish a quorum. But they were they just couldn't vote on that bill, but they were there. If they abstain, they're not then they are not

for the purposes of of the vote on that bill. So we we do need to table that. and uh and circle back next meeting. Thank you. Okay. Okay. So, do you may I suggest we do executive session and then Dellay can get that reset up for a vote when we come back out? Sounds good to me. Yeah. Okay. Do we have a motion to So, so we'll revisit that later. I will make a motion to go into executive session uh with respect to matters involving collective bargaining agreement and invite Director May into that session.

Second. Okay, that's been regularly moved and second we go into executive session. Council shall vote on needs to be roll call I believe for executive session. Yes. Oh, okay. Yeah, those time we did that, I didn't have it in the voting system to do that. That's why we did roll call. Okay, motion passes six to zero. We are in executive session.

Mr. President, First, can I have a motion? Miss Mount like to make a motion to end executive session and resume regular session. Second. Been regurged.

We have the vote in front of you.

Okay. Motion passes six to zero. Out of executive session. Okay. We're going to back up just a hair to what we were discussing with the U bill 26-052 about tableabling that um because of of the vote being four in favor and two obtessions. So, do you have that ready to post? Okay, everybody a minute to look at that motion and then uh vote accordingly.

I got a second one. What are weing to? We're amending the vote that was on the bill. Like we're pulling the vote away. So, and then the next one is motion to table the bill until the next scheduled council meeting. Okay. So, are we basically voting to cancel a previous? Yeah, basically. Yes. That didn't tell me that specifically. So, thank Can we vote on it

at the next meeting?

Okay. So, we'll act on this motion first. Okay. Motion passes six to zero. Now we have the second. We have a another. Yes.

Okay. Any questions, discussion on this motion? Any of these? Yes, we should. You got a second. I will second the motion to table bill 26-052 until the next schedule council meeting.

Okay, it's been regularly moved and seconded on bill 26-052 and it passes 6 to zero. We probably should have had the second on the that first motion, but

it was put out there, but it was my bill. So, I'm in agreement with the motion. So, you made the motion and David second. Okay, we got through that. Let's go to bill 26-052. Oh 72. I'm sorry, it's getting late. It's almost past my bedtime. You got that right. 26-072. Miss. Thank you, Mr. President. I move that bill 26072 be read and place upon the floor for discussion. Second.

Been regularly moved and seconded. The clerk shall read bill 26-072. authorizing the mayor, safety service director, public works director, and human resource director to enter into a collective bargaining agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police Ohio Labor Council blue unit lodge 32 for the contract period January 1st, 2026 through December 31st, 2028 and declaring an emergency. Is there any discussion on bill 26-072? Hearing none, Miss Mount.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that bill 26072 be placed upon the floor for final consideration. Second and regular move second. And council shall cast their vote on bill 26-072. Bill passes 6 to zero. Okay. Bill 26-073. Miss Mount. Thank you, Mr. President. I move that bill 26073 be read and placed upon the floor for discussion. Second. Regularly moved and seconded. The clerk shall read bill 26-073

authorizing the mayor, safety service director, public works director, and human resource director to enter into a collective bargaining agreement with the fraternal or police Ohio Labor Council gold unit lodge 32 for the contract period January 1st, 2026 through December 31st, 2028 and declaring an emergency. Is there any discussion on bill 26-073 hearing? None. Miss Mount. Thank you, Mr. President. I move that bill 26073 be placed upon the floor for final consideration.

Been regularly moved and seconded. Council shall cast a vote for final passage of bill 26-073. Bill passes 6 to zero. Is there anything else to come before council this evening? Miss Mount, just go ahead. If the council members could hang around an extra minute so we can get a picture with the bicycle for the bike of Palooa. Okay. Anything else? Oh, if anybody's got those forms filled out for the IT department, give them to Delane. If there's nothing else, I'll accept a motion to move to close. Second

been regularly moved and seconded. All in favor signify by saying I. I post same. We are June.