City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening. We're going to open our council meeting for March 10th at 6:11 p.m. We're now going to do the pledge of allegiance. Oh, really? I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands. One nation under God, indivisibley and justice for all.

Roll call. Mayor Basiada here. Law director Moore present. Finance Director Frank here. Councilman at large Elliott here. Councilwoman at large Kelly here. Councilman at large Castanzo present. Ward one, Councilman Curiosis here. W two, Councilman Brian Kelly, present. W three, Councilman Snitzky. Ward four, Councilman Mororrow, present. Director of public service and properties, Brida, here. Building commissioner Graci, present. City Engineer Gerson. I'm going to move to excuse Councilman Snitzky and Director Gerson from this evening's meeting. Do I have a second? Castanza second.

All in favor? Any opposed? We're now going to go to the meeting disposal of the minutes. Thank you. Uh, Council President, having read the minutes of the regular meeting of February 24th, I find no errors or omissions, and I therefore move to accept the minutes of submitted. Cir has a second. All in favor? Yay.

Any opposed? Uh written. We have no resolution of condemnation this evening. Uh I want to acknowledge uh we have a guest in the audience tonight. Uh school board member Ashley McTagert is here this evening. Just want to welcome her to this evening's meeting. We now go to reports of committees. Planning and Zoning Economic Development last met on February 24th. Minutes are on file and the next meeting is March 24th. Public works council council pro Tom Castanzo. Thank you, Mr. President. Uh my last meeting was tonight, March 10th. Meeting minutes are pending. My next meeting will be April 14th. Thank you.

Thank you. Community services council person Kelly. Thank you, Mr. President. Our last meeting was today. Minutes are pending and our next meeting is April 10th. Thank you. Uh we now go to police and safety with Councilman Elliot. Thank you, Mr. President. Last meeting was this evening. Uh minutes are are pending at this time and the next meeting will be held on April the 14th. Thank you. Parks and Recreation Council Morrow. Thank you, Mr. President. Our uh last meeting was on February 24th. meeting minutes are on file and our next meeting will be on March 24th. Thank you. Rules, orders, and ethics. Council person, Councilman Kelly.

Thank you, Mr. Council President. Last meeting was held on February 24th. Minutes are on file with the clerk. Next meeting is March 24th. Thank you. Finance, Civil Service, and Personnel. Last met this evening. Minutes are pending. Next meeting is March 24th. We have no appointments or confirmations this evening. Uh no communications, petitions or claims. Council open to the audience on legislation only. Hearing none, we now go to the reading uh and or readings of ordinances and resolutions. Um anybody have any uh well the mayor already asked anybody have any uh thing to talk about with this amended ordinance number nine? Nothing. Okay. Now we're going to go to the third reading of amended ordinance number 9-2026.

Mr. President Council Prom Castanzo, I move to suspend the rules under the charter and read amended ordinance 09-2026 by title only for its third and final reading. Cur a second. All in favor? Any opposed? An ordinance to amend section 373.17 electric bicycles as contained in chapter 373 bicycles and motorcycles of part 9 pedestrians bicycles and motorcycles of part three traffic code of the codified ordinances of the city of seven hills Ohio to put in place stricter guidelines for the use and operations of electric bicycles and declaring an emergency. Is there a further motion?

Mr. President, council prom Castanzo. I move to approve the emergency clause in the last section of ordinance amended ordinance 09-2026. Cur has a second. All in favor? Any opposed? Is there a further motion? Mr. President, council prom Castanzo. I move to pass amended ordinance 09-2026 as emergency measure. Cura second. All in favor? Any opposed? Amended ordinance number 9-2026 has passed. We now go to the first reading of ordinance number 14-2026. Mr. President, Councilman Mororrow,

I move to suspend the rules under our charter and read ordinance 14-2026 by title only for its first and final reading. Brian Kelly second. All in favor? Any opposed? an ordinance authorizing and directing the mayor to enter into an agreement on behalf of the city of Seven Hills, Ohio with Fabrezy Trucking and Paving Company incorporating and appropriating an amount not to exceed $695,998 for the Sky View Waterline Replacement Project in the city of Seven Hills and declaring an emergency. Is there a further motion? Mr. Present. Councilman Mororrow.

I move to approve the emergency clause found in section 4 of ordinance 14-2026. Brian Kelly. Second. All in favor? Any opposed? Is there a further motion? Mr. President, before we do the go to final vote, I may speak just a little bit about this project. Okay. Go on, mayor.

Um, this is a partnership with the Cleveland water. The project will include the replacement of existing water line with new 8 in water line. This for Sky View uh new hydrants and service lines. Trench repair and asphalt resurfacing on Sky View Drive were disrupted by the water line work will also be covered by Cleveland Water. That estimates about 650,000. Estimated cost of resurfacing the area of Sky View not associated with waterline product and this portion will be paid by seven hills will be 50,000. But in doing this uh the residents of Sky will ensure when the water line is replaced uh that they will have a total 100% resurface street in addition to new hydrants water line and any trench repairs that are needed. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you, Mayor. Is there a further motion? Mr. President. Councilman Mororrow. I move to pass Ordinance 14-2026 as an emergency measure. Ryan Kelly second. All in favor? Any opposed? Ordinance number 14-2026 has passed. We now go to the first reading of ordinance number 15-2026. Mr. President, Council Person Kelly, I move to suspend the rules of our charter and read ordinance number 15-2026 by title only for its first and final reading. Cur has a second. All in favor? Any opposed?

An ordinance authorizing and directing the mayor to enter into a contract with Jackson Deacon Associates of Westlake, Ohio and appropriating a sum not to exceed $249,912 for the furnishing of comprehensive municipal liability and cyber insurance renewal effective April 1st, 2026 to April 1st, 2027. Authorizing the mayor and city administration to sign on behalf of the city any and all documents necessary to bind the aforementioned coverages and declaring an emergency. Is there a further motion? Mr. President, Council Person Kelly, I move to approve the emergency clause found on section 4 of ordinance 15-2026.

Carry has a second. All in favor? Any opposed? Is there a further motion? Mr. President, council person Kelly. I move to pass ordinance 15-2026 as an emergency measure. Cur has a second. All in favor? Any opposed? Ordinance number 15-2026 has passed. We now go to the first reading of ordinance number 16-2026. Mr. President, Councilman Elliot, I move that we suspend the rules under the charter and read ordinance number 16-2026 by title only for its first and final reading. Castanza second. Uh, all in favor? Yay.

Any opposed? an ordinance authorizing and directing the mayor to enter into a 5-year 2026 to 2030 memorandum of understanding on behalf of the city of 7 Hills, Ohio with the Kyhoga soil and water conservation district and the northeast Ohio regional sewer district for the purpose of working with the city city of seven hills for an effective collaboration in raising awareness and implementing soil and water conservation measures that the city Seven Hills agrees to appropriate annual funds in the amount of $6,600 per year to Kyhoga SWDC for the 5-year term. The NEO RSD regional storm water management will will reimburse the city of seven hills for the $6,600 through title V of the NEO RSD regional storm water management code and declaring an emergency.

Is there further motion? Mr. President Consellia, I move that we that we approve the emergency clause found in the last section of ordinance 16-2026. A second. All in favor? Any opposed? Is there a further motion? Mr. President, Councilman Elliot, I move that we pass ordinance 16-2026 as an emergency measure. Stanzel second. All in favor? Yay. Any opposed? Ordinance number 16-2026 has passed. We now go to the first reading of ordinance number 17-2026. Mr. President, Councilman Mororrow, I move to suspend the rules under our charter and read ordinance 17-2026 by title only for its first and final reading.

Stacy Kelly second. All in favor?

Any opposed? an ordinance authorizing and directing the mayor to enter into a memorandum of understanding for the years 2026 and 2027 on behalf of the city of Seven Hills, Ohio with the Kyhoga soil and water conservation district to support implementation of a conservation program that promotes best practices for soil and water conservation, storm water pollution prevention, and natural resource protection corresponding with the city's municipal separate Storm sewer system MS4 permit, MCM number four, active construction, and MCM number five, post construction, appropriating an amount not to exceed $18,600 for 2026 and $19,500 for 2027 calendar year and declaring an emergency.

Is there a further motion? Mr. President, Council Memorial, I move to approve the emergency clause on section 4 of ordinance 17-2026. Stacy Kelly second. All in favor? Any opposed? Is there a further motion? Mr. President, Councilman Mora, I move to pass ordinance 17-2026 as an emergency measure. Stacy Kelly second. All in favor? Any opposed? Ordinance number 17-2026 has passed.

Okay, we're going to go to ordinance number 18-2026. And I have something I want to read real quick about this ordinance. This ordinance is an is exercising an option in the original contract that allows us to purchase up to 40% more than our original order at the original contract price of 6140 per ton. The ordinance ordinance language is not to exceed 1,120 extra tons just in case there is need. However, our intent is to purchase approximately 800 tons to help us help us ensure we start next year with a full bin while locking in last year's rate that is certain to be much lower than 2026 rate per ton based on the demand that was created this winter. Anybody have any questions on this? Hearing none. Okay, we're going to go to the first reading of ordinance number 18-2026.

Mr. President, Council Person Castanzo, I move to suspend the rules under the chart under the charter and read ordinance 18-2026 by title only for its first and final reading. Cure has a second. All in favor? Any opposed? An ordinance to appropriate an additional sum not to exceed $74,000 for a change order to ordinance number 31-2025 passed by council on June 10th, 2025, which authorized the initial amount of 171 thou 920 for the purchase of road salt sodium chloride for the 2026 winter season and declaring an emergency. Is there a further motion?

Mr. President Council Prom Castanzo. I move to approve the emergency clause in section 4 of ordinance 18-2026. Chair has a second. All in favor? Any opposed? Is there a further motion? Mr. President, council prom Castanzo. I move to pass ordinance 18-2026 as an emergency measure. Kira has a second. All in favor? Any opposed? Ordinance number 18-2026 has passed. Council open to the audience for comments.

State your name. Uh Damon W. Uh Cherry Lane. Uh I just want to give a big shout out to Jeff Brada and the service department for snaking out my uh line for me. Well, caming out my line for me. I appreciate it. He got back to me quick. I emailed him. He got back to me quick. So, I just want to say on the record, thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you. Any other comments this evening? State your name and address, please.

Ashley McTagert, 412 Sky View Drive, 7 Hills. Um, I wanted to come here this evening uh to just express my gratitude um for your continued support to veterans and service members in our community. Um, as someone who serves, I know that it makes a great deal of difference. Um, knowing that, um, if someone is to go away anywhere that they come back to a community that stands behind them. Um, so today I brought a little something for each of you. Um, it is a, uh, military coin from the 910th Airlift Wing, uh, which is my base. Um, and so it's a long-standing tradition to give a coin to someone that you respect and trust. Um, but also show gratitude. And so I have a coin for each of you today. Um, if I may.

Yes, sir. Bye.

Thank you. Thank you for your service. Thank you so much. so much support.

Thank you. This is on the stage for the record. Um, Miss McTager just thanked the city for uh being the first city to acknowledge Abby Gate uh remembrance day. We had two of them and it is now I believe Ohio state law the state of Ohio remember Abby Gate every uh every year now and we were the first and uh she thanked us for that and we appreciate you you following that and I appreciate this coin. Thank you. Yes sir. School board member McTagard. I guess that's proper. Am I allowed to address her? Um, obviously you gave us these coins. That means you're you're going away. Would you speak on that?

I am set for deployment here shortly, a six-month deployment. Um, and we'll return uh in October. So, our thoughts will be with you. Thank you so much, Justin. Thank you for your comments, your service to our country, and to the school board. Council President, thank you so much. I appreciate that very much. Thank you so much. Okay. Reports and communications from the mayor, safety director.

Thank you, Mr. President. Let me get a um uh Thank you, Ms. Mackagard, for uh the coin again. and know um in the event that you may be heading into harm's way um you'll be in our thoughts and prayers and we wish uh you and your peers um a safe uh stay out of harm's way and come home safe. Uh I want to thank council for their quick action on ordinance 18206. Uh it may not be clear. Uh our contract with Cargill allowed for us to purchase additional salt above the actual contract. And what we're doing is we're loading up on the salt for next year. And why we're doing that is our contract was $61 and change per ton at uh after the last winter storm we had in the winter we had, we were seeing prices between 250 and $300 a ton. And it won't be that high next heading into next winter, but uh but our experience over the last decade coming off a bad winter. It's a supply and demand thing uh that it certainly won't be $60 and it could very well be triple, you know, like a hundred and uh we wanted to lock in as much as we could at the $61 rate. Um thank you service director for Brighter for handling that in the manner that you did. Um this uh Friday at noon once again uh we're going to have an open house at our fire station to show off the newly renovated building. Um like many things we do, it was a partnership of the state of Ohio. Our champion in Columbus was state senator Jerry Sero and I can't emphasize enough without him the half million dollar um state strategic grant would not have happened. So, thank you,

Senator Serino. We had additional great partnership with uh Parma Medical Center Sleep Disorder Institute. Uh they came in and helped um lend their expertise and the design of the new sleeping quarters. Um I've had an advanced tour and there's not one room in my house that is nice as these new individual rooms. And in term um of giving our firefighters good sleeping quarters so they're rested and ready. Uh it also makes us ready for the future when I hope soon not too distant future our fire department becomes co-ed. So on so many levels uh and then even from a comfort standpoint uh it was long overdue kitchen didn't have a hood and um the building wasn't needed much TLC and this grant made all that possible and more. So, um, thank you to the state of Ohio and Senator Serino. Uh, the project came in under our grant amount. So, from a budgetary standpoint, uh, everything that you'll see on Friday, um, did not impact the city of Seven Hills coffers. It was state money that came back to Seven Hills. So, if you had any part in this project, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And I hope to see you on Friday, Mr. President. Thank you for this time. Thank you. Any of the uh directors have anything to say this evening?

I just wanted to wish a happy birthday to one of the greatest dudes around, Jeff Bright. Happy birthday, buddy boy. Anybody else? Okay. I'm going to move to go in executive session for economic development this evening. Do I have a second? Cast a second. All in favor? Any opposed? like you That's

We're going to reconvene from executive at 6:54 p.m. We're now going to go to miscellaneous comments from council. Council person Kelly. Yes. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I wanted to say, Miss M, Miss Tagert, it was nice to meet you. Thank you for the coin, and I hope you have safe travels along with you and your your fellow servicemen and women. You're welcome. And happy birthday, Director Brida. Councilman Mora.

Yes. Um, Miss McTagert Ash, uh, thank you so much for your service and for sharing this coin with us. It means a ton more than you probably even realize. And, um, you know, just thank you for everything you do. You allow us to stay safe here at home and do this. Um and yeah, obviously great. You know, I wish you the best on your on your deployment and I know you'll be home safe. So, thank you. And uh also in regard to amended ordinance 9 2026, I just wanted to share a brief um not story, but there is a uh two brothers that live on Hillside. I believe their names are Justin and Carson. One's at Hillside uh middle school and one's at Normandy. and um they have taken a big interest in riding ebikes and they actually uh when someone in the community gets a gets an ebike they go out of their way to help them learn how to be safe on their bike from helmets to you know how to ride it appropriately. So, um obviously I know we're passing um ordinances to protect everyone in regards to ebikes, but I thought that was a pretty neat to find out that, you know, there are young kids that aren't just, you know, gassing it down the the sidewalk and running people over there. You know, our young men out there that are and women that are uh doing it safely in the right way. So, and uh happy birthday, Director Brida. Thank you. Councilman Elliott.

Thank you, Mr. President. Ashley, thank you so much for the uh coin and wish you well on your deployment. Uh happy birthday to Jeff Brighta and uh thank as always thank the police and fire for their jobs. Chief, thank you for what you do. I know Jamie left, but uh try to get up to the uh fire station on Friday and see the new rooms. That's all I have. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman Kelly.

Uh I'm going to just go right off piggyback everybody. So, Mr. Stagger, thank you very much uh for this coin and uh having uh military and my family, first responders. Um, I'm a huge backer and uh you're going to be in my thoughts and prayers and uh and that's for everyone that you serve with as well. So, thank you and uh Director Brian, thank you and for all the work so far this winter. You did a great job and uh happy birthday, Mr. President. Mr. President, before we conclude, uh was it your intent to No, that's the next meeting. You're talking about the moral.

My question was it was an intent to discuss a moral claim today. The council president has indicated that is for next meeting. Yeah, she she contacted me and said she couldn't make it tonight. So, thank you. Uh, council prom Castanzo. Thought you forgot my name there. No. Uh, director Bride, thank you for everything you do with the city. Uh, you deserve a special day. So, big happy birthday to you, Ashley. everything you do for this country, this community, and our school district. I am truly truly proud of you, and I wish you nothing but the best.

Thank you. Uh Ash, thanks for everything you do for our country, for the school board, and uh be safe. I'm going to move to adjourn at 6:59 p.m. Do I have a second? Elliot second. All in favor? Any opposed? Meeting adjourned. So the lady called me this morning.