|
|
|
MINUTES OF THE
VAN WERT CITY COUNCIL
January 9, 2012
The meeting was called to order by Council President, Gary Corcoran. The
invocation was given by Pastor Hamrick of 1st Friends Church.
On call of the roll:
S. Agler, Jewett, Weir, Mergy, Marshall, Crone and J. Agler were present.
Crone made a motion to accept the Agenda for January 9th as
presented; seconded by Weir; with all concurring.
S. Agler made a motion to approve the Minutes of the 12/28/11 Council meeting as
presented; seconded by Mergy; with all concurring.
COMMENTS, COMMUNICATIONS &
PETITIONS
Corcoran presented to Council a communication from the Ohio Municipal League
concerning a seminar for newly elected officials. Copies will be provided for
all of Council.
Corcoran presented a letter from the Ohio Department of Taxation Tax
Commissioner, Joseph Testa. Testa stated that he believed that the State would
provide all necessary services to municipalities at a low administrative cost.
Copies of the letter were given to all Council.
Corcoran presented a letter from the Van Wert County Regional Airport Authority
requesting an appropriation of $10,000.00 be added to the 2012 Budget.
This request was turned over to the Finance Committee along with other
requests
Corcoran presented a memo to Council members regarding Chapter 30; Council
Rules. He suggested reviewing them
for a future committee meeting. Along with the memo was a copy of how Committee
minutes are to be submitted and explained the procedure.
Corcoran presented copies to Council of the Annual Law Directors Report for
2011.
Corcoran presented a letter from the Ohio Department of Liquor Control with an
application for a new D5 license for the Black Swamp Bistro. This request was
submitted to the Judiciary Committee.
Corcoran presented a letter from Michael Baldea, owner of Flagship Tax Center.
Baldea voiced concerns about parking in the downtown area.
This request was submitted to the Streets & Alleys Committee.
Corcoran presented to Council a letter from Jon Rhoades, President of the
Community Improvement Corporation.
The letter asked Council to approve a land transaction.
Life Star Rescue decided
not to act on their option to purchase additional land in Vision Park from the
CIC. The CIC is requesting transfer of ownership of the land back to
the City. This request was submitted to the Property & Equipment
Committee.
Corcoran presented to Council a donation from Poggemeyer Design Group to the
West Ohio Food Band on behalf of the City although the amount was not given.
Lastly, Corcoran presented to Council a request from Barry & Judy Thatcher for a
Zoning Variance on their property located between Jefferson and Monroe Streets.
This was presented months earlier but all documentation was not provided and the
Thatcher’s had left town without filing them.
The Public Hearing is scheduled for January 25th at 5 p.m. for
the Planning Commission.
.
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS
MAYOR: Farmer
welcomed all the newly elected and returning Council members. Farmer stated that
Pete Weir’s term on the Van Wert County Regional Airport Authority Board expired
on 12/31/11. Farmer asked that Council reappoint Weir to the Board if he so
desired. Marshall made the motion to
reappoint Weir; seconded by Jewett; Weir abstained; with all others concurring.
SAFETY SERVICE DIRECTOR:
Fleming requested a committee meeting be scheduled to discuss 1 or 2 Handicap
Parking spots along Shannon St. for the V.F.W.; the request from the 1st
United Methodist Church for a loading zone and ODOT preliminary legislation
request for the West Main Street Reconstruction Project; final legislation
request for the Wall Street Bridge Project and also legislation to approve the
City to bid for the Wall Street Reconstruction Project.
Fleming received a compliment for the quick cleanup on Main Street even with the
City employees being on holiday on January 2nd from a member of the
public at the Council meeting.
AUDITOR:
Balyeat presented a Then & Now Certificate for payment and explained to new
members about this. Balyeat submitted to
Council the December Bank reconcilement with a review.
LAW DIRECTOR:
Hatcher had no report.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
PARKS AND RECREATION:
Jewett had no report.
HEALTH, SERVICE AND SAFETY:
Marshall had no report. Marshall scheduled a
committee meeting for 2/27/12 at 7 p.m. to discuss vacant and distressed
properties in the City.
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:
J. Agler had no report. Agler scheduled a committee meeting for 2/13/12 at 7
p.m. to discuss the request from the Community Improvement Corporation/Life Star
Rescue Land Option.
JUDICIARY AND ANNEXATION:
S. Agler had no report.
Agler reported that there would not be a
committee meeting regarding the Black Swamp Bistro liquor request. Agler stated
if there were no objections to this request that it be submitted to the State.
Agler scheduled a committee meeting for 1/16/12 at 6 p.m. to review Chapter 30;
Council Rules and Law Director suggestions for legislation submissions.
FINANCE:
Mergy made a motion to pay the Then & Now Certificates for fuel from
Mercer Landmark in the amount of $7,252.17; a discharge fee for Treasurer State
of Ohio in the amount of $5,200.00 and the City’s portion of the Wall Street
Bridge Project to the Treasurer State of Ohio in the amount of $127,000.00;
seconded by S. Agler; with all concurring.
Mergy scheduled committee meetings for 2/6/12 at 6 p.m. to review 2011
finances and preparation for permanent appropriations for the 2012 budget and
also for 2/13/12 at 6:30 p.m. to review appropriation requests from Main Street
and the V.W. Co. Airport Authority and further discussion of the 2012 permanent
budget.
WATER AND SEWER:
Crone noted that the Water Utility office is having a problem with residents not
returning the bottom part of their bills when paying requiring
a hand written record
causing the drive thru to back up and also the walk in window.
Crone urged people to submit this portion of the bill with their payment.
Crone noted the convenient use of direct payment from bank accounts would also
eliminate this. Crone also stated that all reservoirs were at full capacity.
STREETS AND ALLEYS:
Weir had no report. Weir scheduled a committee
meeting for 1/23/12 at 6:15 p.m.
to discuss 1 or 2 Handicap
Parking spots along Shannon St. for the V.F.W.; the request from the 1st
United Methodist Church for a loading zone and ODOT preliminary legislation
request for the West Main Street Reconstruction Project; final legislation
request for the Wall Street Bridge Project and also legislation to approve the
City to bid for the Wall Street Reconstruction Project.
Weir also scheduled a committee meeting for 2/27/12 at 6:30 p.m. to
discuss downtown parking. S. Agler suggested having Pam Brown from the Bridal
Shop and also Mr. Baldea of Flagship Tax Service.
OLD BUSINESS
S. Agler made a motion for the Law Director to prepare legislation
honoring Louis Ehmer for his years of service to the City of Van Wert; seconded
by Jewett; with all concurring.
Corcoran noted that Nancy Bowen of Economic Development requests
permission to update Council on the progress of the Job Readiness Site. This
will be scheduled for the next Council meeting.
NEW BUSINESS
Corcoran submitted a request to Council to appoint a President Pro Tem to
serve should the Council President be absent.
J. Agler made a motion to appoint Stan Agler for the position; seconded
by Crone; S. Agler abstained with all others concurring.
Corcoran stressed to Council members their committee assignments and the
need for them to be addressed in a timely manner.
If a committee should decide to withdraw an assignment this should be
done with a detailed reason for the withdrawal.
RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES No
legislation at this time.
Marshall made a motion to adjourn at 8:22 p.m.; seconded by Weir; with all
concurring.
|
|
|