City Commission - Regular Meeting

Vote to the June 22nd Sylvester City Commission meeting.

We'll have an invocation followed by Pledge of Allegiance.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the opportunity to serve the people of Sandusky. As we begin this meeting, we ask for your wisdom and guidance in all that we do. Watch over each of us who serve this community and especially bless those who are facing health challenges. Grant them strength, healing, and peace. Help us to work together with respect and understanding, always keeping the best interests of our residents and our community at heart. Amen.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Ms. Fargo? Here. Mr. Waddington? Here. Ms. Wilson?

Can I get a motion to excuse Commissioner Wilson?

So moved.

Second.

Mr. Koontz? Here. Mr. Crable? Here. Mr. Bugeaud? Here. Mr. Tucker?

Here.

Thank you. Commissioner, as we've received draft of the meeting minutes from the June 8th meeting, what is your pleasure?

Madam Chair.

Yes, Commissioner.

Yes. I move approval of the June 8th meeting minutes and waive the reading thereof. Second.

Is there a motion and a second? Is there any discussion? Hearing no objection, that motion is approved. Next, we are on to audience participation. Anyone who has comments regarding tonight's agenda, please come forward and state your name and your address and limit your comments to three minutes, please. Okay, we will move on to communications. Commissioners, you have several communications from staff recommending legislation. Can I get a motion to accept the communication?

So moved. Second.

There's been a motion and a second. Is there any discussion? Hearing no objection, that motion is approved. All right, does any commissioner tonight wish to move any consent items to the regular agenda?

No.

No, they do not. Ms. Myers, will you present the consent agenda?

Item A, approval of WHO purchase and sale contracts for 1129 Huntington and 1804 Putnam Street. Item B, approval to accept ODOT federal grant funds for the Sandusky Bay Pathway. Item C, approval to submit firefighters ratification grant application.

Commissioners, having heard this ordinance and resolution, what is your pleasure?

Madam Chair.

Yes, Commissioner.

I move to accept the consent agenda as items A through C ordinances as presented in accordance with section 14 of the city charter to take immediate effect.

I'll second.

Can I get a second?

Richard.

Oh, I'm sorry. Richard. I didn't hear you down there. I got a motion and a second. Is there any discussion? Ms. Meyers, will you call the motion on the ordinance and resolution, please?

Ms. Fargo?

Yes.

Mr. Waddington? Yes. Mr. Koontz? Yes. Mr. Crable? Yes. Mr. Peugeot? Yes. Mr. Tucker? Yes.

And now call the roll on the ordinance and resolution, please.

Ms. Fargo? Yes. Mr. Waddington? Yes. Mr. Koontz? Yes. Mr. Crable? Yes. Mr. Peugeot? Yes. Mr. Tucker? Yes.

And those are approved. Ms. Myers, will you present item number one on our regular agenda tonight?

It is requested an ordinance be passed authorizing and directing the city manager to enter into a first amendment to the agreement for professional services with Strand Associates Incorporated of Cincinnati, Ohio for the combined sewer system evaluation project and declaring this ordinance shall take immediate effect in accordance with section 14 of the city charter.

Commissioners, having heard this ordinance, what is your pleasure?

Madam Chair, I move for the adoption of this ordinance on the suspension of the roofs in full accordance with Section 14 of the City Charter. Second.

We have a motion and a second. Is there any discussion? No discussion. Ms. Myers, will you call for roll on the motion?

Ms. Fargo?

Yes.

Mr. Waddington? Yes. Mr. Koontz? Yes. Mr. Crable? Yes. Mr. Bugeaud?

Yes.

Mr. Tucker?

Yes.

And now on the ordinance. Ms. Fargo? Yes. Mr. Waddington? Yes. Mr. Koontz? Yes. Mr. Crable? Yes. Mr. Bugeaud? Yes. Mr. Tucker? Yes.

And that ordinance is passed. Ms. Meyers, will you present item number two on the agenda?

It is requested an ordinance be passed authorizing and directing the city manager to purchase a new 2026 Ford E350 LTVFS cutaway transit vehicle from Bus Service Incorporated of Columbus, Ohio through the State of Ohio Department of Transportation Services Cooperative Purchasing Program for the Sandusky Transit System and declaring this ordinance shall take immediate effect in accordance with section 14 of the city charter.

Commissioners, having heard this ordinance, what is your pleasure?

Madam Chair. Yes, Commissioner. I move approval of item number two, the ordinance there under, and waive the section 14. Second requirement.

Thank you. We have a motion and a second. Is there any discussion?

I guess I'd just like to ask how many vehicles is this for Sadusky Transit? It seems like this has been on the agenda and we're getting state grants for this over and over. I see Mr. Stacey in the back.

Thank you for the question, Commissioner. This is our 11th vehicle paid for with secured funding in the last two years. The reason it's unique this evening, it is an access of funds that are used on other purchases. I applied to ODOT to change the scope to apply to this purchase here today. So it's about $17,000 or so on each purchase that was an access of funds. We pulled together for the 73-750 UC tonight. We use it or we lose it. I obviously ask your permission to use the rest of the purchase obviously with transit funds to make up the difference of the $135,000 and change. $135,000 and change.

That's great. Thanks for finding those funds.

But to answer your question, it's the 11th vehicle. Yeah, thank you.

Any other discussion? Ms. Myers, can you call the roll on the motion?

Ms. Fargo? Yes. Mr. Waddington? Yes. Mr. Koontz?

Yes.

Mr. Crable?

Yes.

Mr. Bugeaud?

Yes.

Mr. Tucker?

Yes.

And now on the ordinance. Ms. Fargo? Yes. Mr. Waddington? Yes. Mr. Koontz?

Yes.

Mr. Crable?

Yes.

Mr. Bugeaud?

Yes.

Mr. Tucker?

Yes.

And that ordinance is approved. Mr. Rodman, it's time for you, all right.

Yeah, thank you. Good evening, commissioners, audience, and staff. We have several donations from families for popsicles for this summer break camp from the Harvey family, the Frierson family, and Debbie Rowe McGinnis. We get a motion to accept the donations.

So moved.

Second. Thank you. And then we have two donations from Commissioner Crable. One is for his continued support of Fisher Park, $255.27. That's for lawn and pesticide applications. And $65.92 for USB flash drives that were used for the police department. Get a motion to accept those donations. So moved. Second.

Thank you, Mr. Crable.

Thank you very much, Mr. Crable. Happy...

And then the city has recently been notified of two successful grant applications for Lyons Park Beach and Shoreline Restoration Project through the Lake Erie Community Grant Program with funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and a cooperative agreement with U.S. EPA. The city of Sandusky was awarded $750,000 for the Lyons Park Beach Project and additionally, recently the state passed their capital budget and the governor signed it last week that provided $200,000 for the project. We thank Commissioner, I'm sorry, Rep Schweringen and Senator Gaviron for their support of that project. So we wanted to notify the staff and the commission and the public that we have received almost a million dollars for that project, which we're excited about. We're gonna bring legislation to the Commission at the next meeting for an award of the design Final design and then acceptance of that grant So we appreciate that and that concludes my comments tonight if I have any questions, I'll take them Thank You commissioners any questions for our city manager tonight.

I Just say thank you so much I mean it's been It's a big plan, it's taken a while, and I can't believe it's gonna be getting started. So it's gonna be beautiful for everyone in our community to have access to the water like that. It's gonna be really unique, so very exciting. Okay. On to old business. Any old business tonight, commissioners?

Madam Chair. Yeah. I just wanted to quickly thank the city commission, the city staff, John Orzek, Tom Horstman, everybody who was involved with the ribbon cutting over at Firewall Park to honor John B. Ferris, Jr. I thought it was an excellent way to honor a man who meant so much. I was proud of the sign that we unveiled, even though we had a little trouble unveiling the sign, but it was worth the time we spent to do so. I thought it was an excellent event. Anytime we get together and do something to honor somebody and at the same time do for our children is great for me. So I just wanted to thank everybody for that. And I'm sure the Ferris family thanked everybody while they were there too. So thank you.

Any other comments for old business? Okay, any new business? I do have one item. I need a motion to schedule a public hearing for the 2027 tax budget on July 13th, 2026. So moved.

Second.

Okay, and that hearing will be set. Okay, audience participation.

I got one more. I'm sorry. Can we need to vote on it?

Do you want us to vote on that?

I think so.

We have to vote on setting that.

You can do it by acclamation.

All in favor? Aye. All not in favor? Okay. That hearing is set. Commissioner Koontz.

Just one thing for new business, because sometimes we get correspondence, and it's really important correspondence, like we received some information from the United Way about the 211 program. And the 211 program, they send out forms for nonprofits and organizations that help the community in any way. They fill that out and they try to provide a one-stop shop for people who need assistance to actually be able to get it without going to this agency and going to that agency, right? And so I just wanted to make sure that everybody was aware of that, anybody who's listening to this live broadcast and get a chance to listen to it later, that they complete that and they actually either give the United Way of Erie County a call so they know exactly what to do when they have those kinds of needs. So just wanted to say that because I appreciate that.

Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Anything else from commissioners? Okay. Audience participation. If anyone has any comments for the commission tonight, you come forward, state your name and your address, and please limit your discussion.

Westpool, 1939 East Old Gate. They thank you for stepping up and correcting the East and West Washington Street, West Washington Street Rural Parking Program. The parallel parking that you put in there, now fire trucks have more than adequate space for access. So that's very good, thank you. Many good things and improvements have come to Sandusky in the last 10 years. This commission and city manager have shown a willingness to not only allow the public to speak, but also as in this case, correct obvious yet small mistakes from the past. Perfection is not likely nor expected from any plan or project, but continuous improvement should be our daily mantra. Last meeting, a citizen came forward with some requests about the detectable warning surfaces on the Columbus Ave streetscape project. It's been two weeks and essentially not any action has been taken at the intersection and none visible, nor have we heard a reply to the request for this change. So would you consider possibility for the answers or updates to citizens' concerns presented in any given meeting and be included in the manager's report at the next meeting? just whatever you've decided. If you've decided to live with it, we're not gonna do anything, we'll be fine. But I think that would be nice going forward, keeping the public informed. Thank you.

Good evening. Barbara Clark, 1808 Sandusky Street, Sandusky, Ohio. The president of the local NAACP unit 3199. Coming to the city to say thank you. I want to thank city manager Ozap, commissioner president Vargo, the city commission as a whole, I want to thank Commissioner Koontz. Also, I want to thank the police department for all your help. And please don't let me leave out Jason. Jason of the park. He was so, I bugged that man. And he was so helpful and gracious in helping us. I just want to thank you for everything that you've done to make the Juneteenth. Freedom Fest, not only on Saturday, but as well as on Friday, a success here in Sandusky. I think the people enjoyed it. We enjoyed doing it. We are looking and reaching out to the community to get more participation. If you can come up with anything to help us to make it better, please let us know. But I just wanted to take this time to say thank you for everything that you've done to make this a success. Thank you.

Ms. Clark, I think we would say thank you to you for everything you did to help make it a success as well. Thank you. Thank you very much. That's a lot. Any other audience participation tonight?