Council - Regular Meeting

It is 6:30. I'll call this meeting at St. Mary City Council to order. Roll call, please. Here. Luns here. Chrisman, here. Here. Here. Agüero here. Gillan here. All right. Please join Master B in prayer.

Dear heavenly father, we thank you for the safe safety in traveling here this evening. And we pray for safety as we go. Father, we pray for wisdom and guidance as decisions are made this season this evening as um the good of the city is is talked about and uh decided upon. And Father, we pray especially for our new officer that will be sworn in tonight. And we pray Lord for his safety all of the days of his service and that it may it be a meaningful and worthwhile um endeavor and that he feels that this is a calling that you have led him to. Father, we are grateful for all of those who stand in the gap, who those who um come to our relief, those who serve us and who do it so willingly and without um hesitation. Bless them Lord in Jesus name we pray. Amen. Please join me in the 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.

You all received a copy of the minutes of the last meeting. Are there any questions or comments council? If not, may I have a motion to accept, please? Mr. Buff, Mr. Mote to accept, please. All yeses I saw under petitions communications. Another good evening we have the oath of office for Mr. for uh officer Julius Fischer. Chief Turpin have the floor please.

Thank you Mr. Mayor Director Fox and members of council. I'd like to introduce to you our newest patrolman, Julius Fischer. Uh Julius is a graduate of St. Mary's schools. Uh holds a bachelor bachelor's degree in health and wellness from Mount St. Joseph University where I also played collegiate football. Uh he is currently serving in the United States Army Reserves and he just recently uh this month graduated from the Ohio State Highway Patrol Basic Police Academy. Julius Fischer Please raise your right hand. Repeat after me. I, Julius M. Fischer, I, Julius M. Fisher, you solemnly swear or affirm

You solemnly swear and affirm that I will support the Constitution of the United States that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Ohio and the Constitution of the State of Ohio that I will faithfully, honestly, and impartially that I will faithfully, honestly, and impartially discharge the duties of the office discharge the duties of the office of police officer of police officer for the city of St. Mary's for the city of St. Mary's state of Ohio state of Ohio

during my continuence in set office during my continuence in set office congratulations Next communication must transfer request generations cafe. Okay.

Pause for a moment. Okay. Next, uh I missed it at the last meeting all going on and I don't want to adise anyone from the audience wishing to address council. Okay. Under report city officials, we have the auditor's report. Mr. Ez,

I have no correction. Any questions or comments from council? Next, we have the treasures report. changes. Any questions for comics council? Next, we have the service and safety report. Mr. Fox,

uh, Mr. Harris, just a couple things to add if I could, please, just uh, as a reminder, uh, John Maker's retirement party is this Friday. Uh, after 32 years, he's calling quits. Mother Nature gave him a high school away present. Uh, and so it's from 11:00 a.m. to 2 uh down at the general services building. Uh, typically we don't do them for 3 hours, but he's he's been here a long time and he knows a lot of people and so we we've accommodated that. So, you're all welcome this Friday between 11:00 and 2 uh p.m. General Services building. Um, so far with this snowstorm, we have 210 hours of overtime for snow plowing. Uh, they came in early again today. This is we have a separate paid period. So 210 hours thus far removal. So but other than that, I'm glad to answer any questions anyone might have.

Any questions or comments from council? Just one? Yes, sir. Uh you're number five. What was the bids on the grist mill?

So we we did receive bids last Thursday. We had six bids that were submitted. Um all the companies are good companies that we have experience with. Uh most of them are primarily uh local. Out of those six bids, one bid was below our $750,000 grant that we have. So we were pleased with that. So that one bid will get us the structure ready once it's finished will be rentalable space. Okay. But we sent that bid out with uh alternates, four alternates. An alternate basically is just another it just expands the scope of the job. So it's another task. And out of those four alternates, we there's three of them that we are very interested in. And of course that would increase the price some. And I'll cover those few if you'd like me to please. So the first alternate is as you know we have an issue with moisture in the building and that's primarily because the basement is just bud. It's dirt and that causes us some issues over the last few years. We've had to buy uh commercial grade dehumidifiers. We've had exterminators in a couple times because of moisture creates an environment that's good for the bugs. So, what we would like to do is have a cement base poured in that basement. Uh, it won't be anything fancy. It'll just be a cement pad that'll cover that entire basement area, but that will eliminate that moisture issue that we have that's that's just causing us a lot of problems. The second alternative alternate that we would like to do is right now if we don't do anything that the walls will look like this will be finished drywall that will be painted about like this. This is what it'll look like on the inside. What we'd like to do is this called uh shiplap siding, which

basically it's a rustic wood looking siding. Uh that's what we would like to do. If we do that, the drywall will be hung and then this siding will be put over and it won't be finished. If we don't do the siding, it'll be finished out like this. So, that's another alternate that we would like to do. And then the the third alternate that we would like to do is the subflooring. Right now when you're inside, if you look up, all you're going to see is the uh plywood floor. We would like to do the actual subfloor for the second floor, which is has a more rustic appearance to it. And I mean, needs to be done anyhow if we're going to use the second floor, but this will just it'll give it a more rustic appearance overall. So those three alternates would increase the price $82,700. So for additional $82,700 that mill could be exactly the way that we have always envisioned it to be. Um very nice rustic rentable space. Um now we can still rent and it'll still be nice if we don't do any of the ultimates. But with those three ultimates, we've talked about it internally. people talked about with engineering uh it's $82,700. Um of that uh Mr. Burke has indicated that um our lodging tax could pay a third of it if a needs be. We could probably get half of it out of the lodging tax. The lodging tax uh Zach has looked at the language. We could use it for capital improvement projects. Anything that brings tourism in and I would think one of the last remaining finished bris along the Miami area can now certainly do that. So, so that's where we're at. That's a long answer to your question, but that's but that's where we're at. We had six bids. There is one that's below the 750 grant. Um, and if we stick exactly with

that, that will still be a very nice space, rental space. We would like to move forward with the three alternates. Uh, we would like council support on that. I know it's been a touchy subject. Uh but you if you'll recall this 750 is a grant. The primary funds that we used to do the initial phase one was through the revolving loan fund uh that we were told to use. That was over a million dollars I believe.

$1.2 million. So actual city money. There's not a whole lot that's been put into this. Um so that's where we're at. We would just like to get this thing across the finish line. I don't know if the mayor, Mike or Zach would like to add anything to those comments. I don't get into much of decor and how things look, but the basement thing I'm thinking you're you're doing the cost of putting that in the moisture issues. So, I'm going to strongly support that

and the rest of it rest you guys who's more tuned with Well, I I think that the the other two would be Let me shut this table. Go ahead. I I appeal. I mean, we're looking at an old mill and, you know, the shiplap on the walls definitely would give the old mill more than just drywall. They didn't use drywall and the stuff back then. I think I think it'd be a very nice touch to doing those other two with it.

And and that's and that's our opinion as well. We want to keep it as original as we can, as rustic as we can. Um, I think it will add a lot of uniqueness to it. Um, but it is an additional additional cost. But overall, the $82,700 to have this thing exactly the way we've always envisioned it. Uh, even way back when Pat McGon first started with this thing back in 2012. Um, and and I know it's been a long, long road, but we're here and we can finally get this thing across the finish line. And I think the other thing, too, the shiplap, if it's a rentalable space, is going to hold up and withstand a little more abuse than drywall will.

Yeah, we agree. You know, drywall, even if it's just moving a chair, a table, gets nicked, it gets damaged, we got to fix, paint, the shiplap's going to take it and withstand it. We we want to make it a desirable rentable space so that people use it. That's what we want. The 827 is above the grant money. Above the 750. Yes. Well, yes. Yes. 82 right now. They're being So, so it would be 750. So, it's 8327, correct? Okay.

Yes, sir. The parking lot is uh will be paved and that's already been um taken care of by the um street street program. So that there'll be some parking spaces out there. Of course, this will have restrooms inside of it as well. I think uh last summer I met with the folks from the Miami Area Canal Corridor Association. I think Mecca I think is who I talked to and Bob Bley who's a global historian. He's more than willing to give us pictures of the canal and We can set up some sort of displays there. We got some things that we could possibly hang from this ceiling if need be that people can look at that relates to the to the bell and the historic of the canal.

Yes, sir. What kind of occupancy will that building have? We for the events did we talk about like maybe 50 to 60 people? I would say when you get tables and chairs in there, you're probably talking. We we need to talk to Chief Aris, but we're thinking 50 to 60 people is what the engineers have draw along. How do you know approximately how many square feet it is? 60 by 40. So, whatever that math is. 24. Yeah. Yeah. Will this be for like weddings or whatever the people would like to use it for? like a shelter for people

if if if the cap on the personnel fits their needs like um a wedding, a graduation, a re class reunion. Uh we think that the Rotary could have some interest in it. We're not sure about that. Other service clubs. Um, so we we want to we want to make sure that it's it's in the shape that we need it to be so that it there is a strong desire to rent it just like what we've somewhat experienced watching the the birth of the armory over there because of the way she's kept it and what she's done to it really has made that uh a venue that people are interested in. And so we we could see it for class reunions, weddings, baby showers, anything uh that somebody wants an indoor space for.

Any other questions or comments from council? Moving on, under reports of committees of city council, we have the solid waste committee, Mr. Bill.

Yeah, we met last Monday. Uh Aaron and Tach and RS spoke and gave us an update on their draft report. Um the results were very um the information was great. Uh you know they answer our questions. The the committee has taken all that under advisement. Um and we're going to digest the information and we're meeting again on the 2nd to go over our findings based on what was presented. Any questions or comments from council

in that uh ordinance water rates that was for the committee and for council reference in this matter so no legislation I don't think that's ever happened only twice since I've been here Okay, this is the third time. Okay, escape from this land business closing. We have a request for solid waste committee uh February second 5:15. Mand you are good with that? Yes.

Okay. And I will ask council to sit in and hear what's being said. So you're about to see required to be here but this is the last of the big rate changes that we're dealing with. So and with that is there anything else? Mr. Harris I by no means want to borrow any trouble but I guess I just want to make sure that council if we decide to move forward with these three alternates for the bill the council is going to be support that. May may I have a show of hands who supports the three alternates? Okay, thank you.

And that's it. Is there anything else come before council? Mr. P. Motion to adjurnn. Motion to by Mr. P. Mr. Please. Perfect. Sorry. We talk to them all day. about the