WAUSEON CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Monday, June 16, 2008 at 5:00 P.M.

This meeting of the Wauseon City Council was called to order at 5:00 p.m. by Mayor Dehnbostel. Following the Pledge of Allegiance and moment of silence, roll was called by the Clerk of Council. Present were Council President Shaw, Mathews, Stiriz, Chamberlin, Huner and Krumm to constitute a quorum for the transaction of City business.
APPROVAL OF PRIOR MEETINGS' MINUTES
Councilor Stiriz made a motion and seconded by Councilor Mathews to approve the previous meetings’ minutes.
VOTE: 6 Yeas – 0 Nays – Motion Carries
INDIVIDUALS WISHING TO ADDRESS COUNCIL AND TOPIC

Karen Vollmer - Safety City – 30 Years
Mayor Dehnbostel said that this is the 30th anniversary of Safety City. Mayor Dehnbostel then read out loud a proclamation honoring Safety City. He said that Safety City was organized in 1978. It has been sponsored in the past by the Wauseon Jaycees, the Wauseon Elks, and Parents Supporting Schools. It is currently organized by the Wauseon Safety City Committee of which the members are Police Chief Torbet, Fire Chief Wheeler, Assistant Police Chief Weber, and Karen Vollmer-Director of Wauseon Safety City. It is funded every year by many local clubs, businesses and organizations. Safety City is a summer program open to any child who is entering kindergarten in the fall. It is designed to give children important safety information and provide an opportunity for the children to become familiar with a school setting prior to beginning formal school. Mayor Dehnbostel then said he is declaring June as Safety City Month for the City of Wauseon.
Karen Vollmer thanked everyone and said without the support of the businesses of our community we couldn’t have Safety City. Since 1995 we have had 79 different businesses and clubs and organizations that have donated to Safety City in the amounts of $25 a year to $1,000 a year. Any and all donations are very much welcome.
John Weber – Sign Ordinance
Mr. Weber said he was here to address the sign ordinance. He said several years ago he was involved in a research committee on the sign ordinance. Recently it was brought to his attention that his copy board sign in front of Tiny’s Dairy Barn is not in compliance with the current sign ordinance. He recently looked at the sign ordinance and he is not sure it is applicable to Wauseon today. He would like to ask that you revisit this. For example, all he has to do to be in compliance it to bolt his copy board into the ground. He doesn’t understand that entirely but if that is what he has to do. Copy boards are very important to independent retail operations. What is on those signs, benefits our businesses. Mr. Weber went on to explain different examples. He would like you to take a look at this.
Tom Hall, Code Administrator, said that monies have been appropriated for redoing the sign code and we are looking for a task force of three businessmen, three Planning Commission members, someone from the sign profession and our engineer. Mr. Weber said he would be happy to sit on that task force.
Committee Reports
Safety and Code
Councilor Chamberlin reported on the June 2, 2008 committee meeting. The committee discussed the definition of sewer connections. We did not have any recommendations from that meeting. We agreed to meet again which was just prior to this council meeting. We will present that committee report at the next meeting.
Tree Commission
Councilor Mathews said the Tree Commission met on June 12, 2008. We had very little damage in the parks due to the heavy storms that hit the area. Councilor Mathews said that he personally received several calls regarding tree damage from the storms. He said many of the calls were about trees that were on private property and not City trees. The Tree Commission voted that the Memorial tree brochures will be sent in the water bills and advertised at Skye Cinema. The project with the boy scouts is underway downtown. They also will be riding on the Tree Commission float in the Wauseon Homecoming parade. Katy Corkle had designed cards for the memorial trees with GPS coordinates on them. Jim Spiess will be coordinating a workshop on ash trees injections. It will be held at South Park and a date to be determined later.
Mayor Dehnbostel said that one reason there was limited damage to the park was because of the Tree Commission’s work.
Mayor Dehnbostel said he recently was at a seminar in which one of the topics was emerald ash borer. He said that injections are needed to be done yearly. He explained some of the things the seminar explained about the disease. Unfortunately the news was dismal about the survival of ash trees.
Park Board
Councilor Huner reported that the Park Board met on June 10, 2008. There was an update on the recent storm damage in the parks. The work on the Cannonball Trail is completed, cracks were filled and the entire trail was sealed. The estimate the board is considering for the tennis renovations is over the $150,000 received from the estate. There also may be contingency costs. They would like to see if the City will contribute to this.
Councilor Stiriz made a motion and seconded by Councilor Krumm to accept the committees’ reports.
Vote: 6 Yeas – 0 Nays Motion Carries



Department Head Reports
Steve Brown, Regional Planning Director
Mr. Brown reported said that the Fulton County Commissioners recently awarded $35,000 through the Formula 2008 Block Grant to the City of Wauseon. This is designated for sidewalk improvements for the Maple, Zenobia, Ottokee streets area. This project will get started next year. We had are County Wide Flood Plain Meeting along with Defiance County. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has allocated $200,000 to do county wide mapping. This will update the mapping. Mr. Brown gave an update on the Issue II program. There will be two rounds this year. Applications are due September 1, 2008. The funding is good for two years.
Keith Torbet, Police Chief
Chief Torbet said the first session of Safety City has graduated. More classes have been scheduled. He wanted to commend Karen Vollmer on the work she has done for Safety City. She already has raised enough funds so no taxpayer’s money has to be used to keep the program going. She has enough to cover this year and she is working on next year’s budget. Our Youth Police Academy has been completed. Chief Torbet said before Council are motions for two grants, VAWA and JAG. The VAWA grant allows us to continue funding for the victims advocate. The JAG grant is for computer upgrade of our dispatching unit. We received new audio surveillance equipment from the federal government. This is $14,000 equipment that was no cost to us.
Tom Hall, Code Administrator
Mr. Hall explained Resolution 2008-9 which is regarding infrastructure improvements for the downtown area. The sidewalk project will start next month. He would like to meet with Building and Grounds Committee. NORTA has contacted him about the City accepting ownership more of the bike trail to the east and west of Wauseon. It is a conduit to run water and sewers in both of those directions without getting some easements if we are looking at any expansion. The representative from NORTA, Ed Snyder, would be willing to come to talk to the committee about this. The City currently owns from County Rd. 13 to County Road 16. The area that we would consider adding is to the east from Road 10; and crossing the active tracks to the west to where it crosses 20A.
Mr. Hall said that he assisted the Village of Delta in the aftermath of the building collapse that occurred last week. He said that from their experience it is a lesson for us to take a harder look at our annual inspections.
Jon Schamp, Director of Finance
Mr. Schamp said he is working on refinancing option for the water fund note reissue. The water fund note will come due August, 2008. Mr. Schamp explained the budget amendment that is presented under legislation.
Stephen Buehrer, Director of Law

Mr. Buehrer said he had no new reports for this meeting.
FIRST READING OF LEGISLATION OR EMERGENCY
Mayor Dehnbostel read out loud by title the following legislation presented for first reading or emergency:
Amend the Budget
Resolution 2008-8 - Amend Ordinance 2007-9 Annual Appropriation Ordinance by Authorizing the Director of Finance to Increase or Decrease Certain Line Account Appropriations within the Various Funds Listed within the Year of 2008
Councilor Krumm made a motion and seconded by Council President Shaw to pass Resolution 2008-8.
Vote: 6 Yeas – 0 Nays Resolution 2008-8 Passes
Downtown Renovation Project
Resolution 2008-9 – Authorizing the City to Take Certain Steps to Minimize the Displacement of Persons from their Homes as a Result of Activities Assisted with Funds Provided under the Housing and Community Development Act, as Amended; and Declaring an Emergency
Councilor Huner made a motion and seconded by Councilor Stiriz to suspend the rules for three readings on Resolution 2008-9 and declare an emergency.
Vote: 6 Yeas – 0 Nays Motion Carries
Councilor Mathews made a motion and seconded by Councilor Chamberlin to place Resolution 2008-9 on final passage whereas an emergency was declared.
Vote: 6 Yeas – 0 Nays Resolution 2008-9 Passes and is in Effect

Revolving Loan Fund – Wauseon Machine and Manufacturing
Resolution 2008-10 – Accepting the Recommendations of the Revolving Loan Fund Committee; Authorizing the Mayor to Enter into an Agreement with Wauseon Machine & Manufacturing
Councilor Chamber asked how much money is in the revolving loan fund. Steve Brown said that there is approximately $299,999.
Council President Shaw made a motion and seconded by Councilor Mathews to place Resolution 2008-10 on first reading and that the first reading be passed.
Vote: 5 Yeas – 1 Abstain (Stiriz) 0 Nays First Reading Passes
SECOND READING OF LEGISLATION
There was no legislation presented for second reading.
THIRD READING OF LEGISLATION
There was no legislation presented for third reading.

NEW BUSINESS
VAWA Grant
Councilor Huner made a motion and seconded by Councilor Krumm to authorize the Mayor or his designee to make application for the Violence Against Women Assistance Grant (VAWA) and authorize the Mayor or his designee to execute any and all documents necessary to participate in the grant program.
Vote: 6 Yeas – 0 Nays Motion Carries
Justice Assistance Grant
Councilor Chamberlin made a motion and seconded by Council President Shaw to authorize the Mayor or his designee to make application for the Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) and authorize the Mayor or his designee to execute any and all documents necessary to participate in the grant program.
Vote: 6 Yeas – 0 Nays Motion Carries
Charter Revision Commission
Councilor Chamberlin made a motion and seconded by Councilor Stiriz to accept the reappointment of James Barber to the Charter Revision Commission for a three year term (July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2011)
Vote: 6 Yeas – 0 Nays Motion Carries
Liquor Permit – Chief Super Market Inc. 810 N. Shoop Ave., Wauseon, OH C2, C2X, D6 and D8 (change of corporate stock ownership)
Council had no questions regarding subject liquor permit and unanimously conveyed they did not request a hearing.
Replacing the Sign that Supports the "Star" at South Park
Councilor Krumm said that she had talked to Kevin Nelson, who had one time offered to do some design work for that. He still is interested in working on this. She said that perhaps someone from Building and Grounds could look at this. Mayor Dehnbostel said that would be a great improvement and directed this to go to the Building and Grounds Committee. Mayor Dehnbostel said he would like the committee to look at the thought of something with Plexiglas in the front so signs could be protected from the weather.

APPROVAL OF BILLS
Motion made by Councilor Huner and seconded by Councilor Stiriz to approve and pay the bills as presented.
VOTE: 6 Yeas - 0 Nays Motion Carries

ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before this session of the Wauseon City Council, Mayor Dehnbostel asked for a motion to adjourn. Council President Shaw made a motion and seconded by Councilor Mathews to adjourn this meeting at 5:50 p.m.
Vote: 6 Yeas – 0 Nays Motion Carries