WAUSEON CITY COUNCIL MEETING

Tuesday, September 2, 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 Council President Shaw to approve the previous meetings’ minutes as amended.
VOTE: 6 Yeas – 0 Nays – Motion Carries

Waveland, Mississippi

Mayor Dehnbostel said three years ago volunteers from Wauseon went down to Waveland, Mississippi to help out after Hurricane Katrina. With Hurricane Gustav this year, it looks liked Waveland avoided the worst of it this year. There is still a lot of rebuilding for them to do as there are still a lot of FEMA trailers.

Committee Reports

Finance
Councilor Krumm reported on the meeting held August 28, 2008. The Chamber of Commerce had requested $1,500 for a radio advertising campaign to encourage shopping in Wauseon. There were several issues mentioned as to why we shouldn’t do it including the funding of the facilities we already provide for the Chamber. The committee recommended denying the request for additional funding.
Councilor Krumm reported that Mr. Richardson, Public Service Director, advised the committee of the outcome of three bid openings. Bids for the concrete drive were acceptable and we will proceed with that project. Bids for street paving and tennis court reconstruction each exceeded the engineer’s estimate by 10% or more. It’s too late in the year to rebid and complete those projects this year, therefore, they will be rebid next year.
Councilor Huner said she understood that the street paving bids were high because the asphalt and fuel costs were high this year. Mayor Dehnbostel said that is what we heard and that monies for this project can be carried over to next year. The tennis court project has the memorial monies for that. It is to too late in the year to think about rebidding that project.
Council President Shaw made a motion and seconded by Councilor Mathews to accept the Finance Committee’s report and its recommendation: Deny Chamber’s Request for Additional Funding
Vote: 6 Yeas – 0 Nays Motion Carries
Councilor Krumm said that she will take care of notifying the Chamber of council’s decision regarding their request for additional funding.
Safety and Code
Councilor Chamberlin said the committee met on August 28, 2008. The committee discussed crosswalks downtown and bicycle racks. The committee looked at different options for crosswalks. Information on signs and flashing crosswalk markers were attached to the minutes. The committee discussed with Dennis Richardson where the best place to put signs to better mark crosswalks so traffic will yield on a more consistent basis for pedestrians. We also talked about bicycle racks downtown. Councilor Chamberlin presented a possibility of a bike rack and since then I have provided members of Safety and Code with some additional ideas for bike racks. Right now we are looking to find good places to place the bike racks downtown. Both issues are still being investigated.
Mayor Dehnbostel asked about Helix bike racks mentioned in the report. Councilor Chamberlin said it is a model out of a particular manufacturer’s product line.
Councilor Mathews asked about the different signs and prices. Councilor Huner said there is a blinking light that is quoted. We are looking at a neon green sign mounted on a pole.
Councilor Mathews said he liked the idea of neon colors for striping. He liked the idea of a sign in the middle rather than a pole. Chief Torbet said that it is a problem with it getting damaged. Mayor Dehnbostel said that Montpelier has a sign in the middle of the road. Chief Torbet said there are signs that are bendable.
Councilor Chamberlin said we are underestimating the power of a couple tickets being issued for cars not yielding to pedestrians. That requires the expenditure of zero money and increases city revenue. That is something we should consider.

Department Head Reports

Steve Brown, Regional Planning Director
Mr. Brown said he attended a very interesting meeting in Columbus called "Rebuild Ohio". It was regarding foreclosures in Ohio and abandoned vacant properties. Ohio is one of four states where predators can come in and buy vacant homes. There is a law being proposed called land banking. This will make it easier for the communities to go in and get properties and take them over, tear them down and reutilize them again. Another issue is code enforcement which is very important in trying to get these properties cleaned up before they do get out of hand. Twenty to thirty percent of the properties being foreclosed are being purchased by people from California. People buy these properties and they don’t know what they look like. Right now there is a five year housing supply in Ohio. We don’t need to build another house for the next five years because of the amount of vacant houses in Ohio.
Mr. Brown said there is a big change in a state law, House Bill 567 in regards to the JED law (joint economic development districts). The change in this law allows that we can now include residential areas in JED districts. Something that couldn’t be included before. It is based on the fact that you have multi use zoning districts. The key is that there can’t be any housing in the district at the time but you can come in afterwards.
The Issue II application deadline is coming up. The county will review the applications and then they go onto the district. They plan to make the awards in the fall. There will be LTIP funds available for street paving next year.

Keith Torbet, Police Chief
Chief Torbet said Citizen’s Police Academy will be starting this month and we are still accepting applications. He would like to request a meeting with the Safety and Code Committee to discuss the new road going to the school. He would like to put in a four way stop at Glenwood and Oak.
Chief Torbet said last week we were demoing a T3 Series electric vehicle. Purchase price is around $9,000. The company will be lending us one to try out at the Chili Cook-off.
Jon Schamp, Director of Finance
Mr. Schamp said that we refinanced the water fund note. It is now in place for the next two year period. The auditors have completed their audit work on the 2007 GAAP report. We should receive that back within the next couple months. He distributed the August, 2008 financial statements and income tax information.
Thomas McWatters, Assistant Director of Law
Mr. McWatters said the department is working on a lot of projects but no 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:

Outside Storage Regulations

Ordinance 2008-12 - Amending Sections 1110.01; 1130.02 and 1130.03 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Wauseon
Councilor Krumm made a motion and seconded by Council President Shaw to place Ordinance 2008-12 on first reading and that the first reading be passed.
Vote: 6 Yeas – 0 Nays First Reading Passes

Issue II Grant

Resolution 2008-14 – Authorizing the Mayor to Prepare and Submit an Application to Participate in the Ohio Public Works Commission State Capital Improvement and/or Local Transportation Improvement Program(s) and to Execute Contracts as Required and Declaring an Emergency
Councilor Huner made a motion and seconded by Councilor Mathews to suspend the rules for three readings on Resolution 2008-14 and declare an emergency Vote: 6 Yeas – 0 Nay Motion Carries
Councilor Chamberlin made a motion and seconded by Councilor Stiriz to place Resolution 2008-14 on final passage whereas an emergency was declared. Vote: 6 Yeas – 0 Nays Motion Carries
Resolution 2008-14 Passes and is in Effect

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

Monthly Reports

The month-to-date bank report, month-to-date fund report, month-to-date revenue report for August, 2008 and YTD Gross Income Tax Receipts report was distributed to Council.

Local Government Fund
Councilor Krumm made a motion and seconded by Councilor Stiriz that the following motion be passed:
Councilor Krumm inquired as to how this apportionment compared to last year. Jon Schamp said this estimate is $10,000 less than last year’s estimate. What we have received has been held steady. The actual dollar estimate has decreased. This is an estimate for 2009. What we actually receive in 2008 he will not know until the end of the year.
Moved that the above named subdivision waive any hearing before the Fulton County Budget Commission regarding apportionment of the Undivided Local Government Fund pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 5757, and agree to the Fulton County Budget Commission alternate plan of apportionment of said Local Government Fund on the basis of need and prior years apportionment, and further agree to accept the sum of $256,446.40 for Undivided Local Government Fund as above named subdivision’s share of Undivided Local Government Fund.
Vote: 6 Yeas – 0 Nays Motion Carries

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 Huner to adjourn this meeting at 5:30 p.m.
Vote: 6 Yeas – 0 Nays Motion Carries