COUNCIL AS A WHOLE COMMITTEE MEETING

                                                                           MINUTES

                                                                           TUESDAY

          OCTOBER 27, 2015

 

Council President Mr. D’Ambrosio opened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. 

 

ATTENDEES

Members of Council in attendance were Mr. Licht, Mr. Evers, Mr. Hoefle, Ms. DePledge, Ms. Vaughn and Council President Mr. D’Ambrosio.  Mrs. Quinn-Hopkins was absent. Also attending was Council Clerk Mrs. Simons.

 

 

 

Those attending from the Administration were Mayor Morley, Law Director Klammer, Finance Director Slocum, Service Director Rubertino and Fire Chief Whittington. Police Chief Reik, City Engineer Gwydir and CBO Menn were absent and excused.

 

LEGISLATION PROPOSED:

10-27-(01): Resolution: Eighth Side Letter Agreement

Mr. D’Ambrosio: This is an extension of what we do with the Captain’s and this was discussed in a Finance Committee Meeting that we held on October 20^th.  Mr. Slocum you wanted to put this on First Reading?

 

Mr. Slocum: Yes and we are asking if we could put this on First Reading because we are still fine tuning the exact wording with the Captain’s.  We are just making sure that it is exactly what we had represented to you last week and it is going to take just a little bit longer to do.

 

Mr. D’Ambrosio: Are there any comments that you would like to make about this?

 

Mr. Slocum: It is a continuation of the way that we have been operating for the last six years with them and they have requested to continue on.  They haven’t been making a tremendous amount themselves.  We think that it is a worthwhile proposal.

 

Mr. D’Ambrosio: Are there any questions for Mr. Slocum on this?

 

There were no further questions or comments.

    

LEGISLATION PENDING:

There was no Legislation Pending.

 

MISCELLANEOUS

Ordinance: Issuance of a Conditional Use Permit to Sree Sai Hotels LLC., dba Radisson Hotel & Suites

Mr. D’Ambrosio: The Radisson was sold to Mr. Sree. This is an amendment for the Conditional Use Permit. Mayor Morley do you have any comments on this?

 

Mayor Morley: As we all know that the Radisson was under receivership and Mr. Sree bought it from the Radisson and they are completing to get the ordinance for their permit.

 

Mr. D’Ambrosio: There aren’t any objections from the Administration that I see.

 

Mayor Morley: We’ve met with them and they are going to probably put about $2,000,000.00 worth of reinvasions into the hotel.

Mr. D’Ambrosio: $2,000,000.00.

 

Mayor Morley: About that yes.

 

Mr. D’Ambrosio: Mr. Hoefle will you make a motion on this?

 

Mr. Hoefle: Yes.

 

Resolution: Repealing Resolution No.: 2015-080 enacted on October 13, 2015 for the correction of accurate location as the Township of Chardon

Mr. D’Ambrosio: If you were at the last Council Meeting Chardon Township is purchasing our Durapatcher. When we did the legislation we put the City of Chardon. We made a mistake on that and no one caught it until after the meeting. What we are looking to do is to repeal the old legislation.

 

Resolution to enter into an Agreement with township of Chardon, Ohio for one Durapatcher 12DJ2

Mr. D’Ambrosio: What we did with the old piece of legislation it was with the City of Chardon instead of the Township of Chardon and there is a difference and we have to correct it. Mr. Slocum?

 

Mr. Slocum: In the last meeting I said that the proceeds would be deposited to where ever we bought it. I did research it and it was purchased out of the Road Fund. Any funds that we do receive from this will be deposited into the Road Levy Account.

 

Mr. D’Ambrosio: Are there any question on that?

 

Resolution Authorizing the application to participate in Ohio Public Works Commission for improvements to Ridgewood Drive

 

Resolution Authorizing the application to participate in Ohio Public Works Commission for improvements to East 344^th Street

Mr. D’Ambrosio: We did get the money for this correct Mayor Morley and we just have to finish our applications is that all that this is?

 

Mayor Morley: The OPWC money we applied for the grants and one was for Ridgewood Drive which the total cost is $645,000.00 and our portion will be $327,000.00. The other grant is for East 344^th Street between Eastlawn Street and Stevens Blvd. for the cost of $400,200.00 and our portion will be $200,000.00. The money for both of those will come out of the Road Levy Fund. When I do my report I am going to be talking about the importance of passing the renewal for the Road Levy and that money will come out of that. As you know this year Willowick Drive was one of ours that was funded through OPWC. We continue to apply for those grants and from our prospective out $645,000 we are only paying for $327,000 that is great and out of the $400,200 we are paying $200,000. We are going to continue to apply for those grants and those are the two that we have been awarded for next year.

 

Mr. D’Ambrosio: Thank you Mayor Morley. Before we close Council-As-A-Whole we do have a short presentation from Mr. Thompson who is the Superintendent for Willoughby-Eastlake Schools. He is going to be speaking about the bond issue that is going to be on the ballot. Mr. Thompson?

 

Mr. Thompson: Thank you Council very much and I appreciate and I would like to also start off with a sincere thank you to Chief Whittington along with Chief Reik and Mayor Morley who were major players in the various threats that were made at North High School. Each threat has been taken very seriously and investigated. It has been a spiral of some kids making some bad decisions. They weren’t in actual or imminent danger it’s just kids trying to get out of school is what it has amounted too. Chief Whittington along with Mayor Morley came and spoke to our students about the seriousness of what they were doing. Hopefully knock on wood it has stopped. I really appreciate the fact that the police have still set the necessary officers to North High School even though they don’t have the staffing that they used to have. It gave our parents and the community a sense of security and I really appreciate that and thank you very much. I will be brief with this and it really epitomizes the micro of the macro that we face in our school district and might ask well what is it. It is a piece of concrete that fell from the ceiling of Eastlake Middle School and landed on the basketball court. Unfortunately it didn’t strike any students but it is the macro of the micro. In regards to the macro we have about thirty million dollars in roof repairs that need to be made.  I just want to give you a copy of the building report. What you will be looking at is the report…you can get this online at www.supportweschools.org. You are able to look at this report in its entirety. It gives an analysis of every building in the district. It also demonstrates the situation that we find ourselves in with thirty million in roof repairs, five million in asphalt repairs, and about twenty five million in HVAC repairs that need to be made right now to band aid our schools. This report is from 2010 and these numbers are even higher and the essence of the report was to close every school in the district and rebuild. Obviously that’s not a workable solution and we have used House Bill 264 funds in the past to renovate Kennedy here in Eastlake which is our medical campus. If you haven’t had a chance to see it it’s a beautiful facility. We have exhausted the House Bill 264 funds and the rest of our buildings are in various states of disrepair. The two schools that need the most repairs are here in Eastlake and they are Longfellow Elementary and Eastlake North High School. The plan calls to replace both those two schools. To replace South High School which would actually be Willoughby Middle and that would be torn down. Willoughby Middle students would move to the current South High School. We would then build a new South High School. Then have enough funds in place to renovate the rest of our buildings. When I say renovate I mean roofs, HVAC systems and abate the asbestos that are in all of our buildings across the district. It is a one hundred and sixteen million dollar bond issue which is three point nine nine million dollars which is $11.64 per month for one hundred thousand dollars of value. Depending on where you are that is $139.00 and some change per one hundred thousand dollars of homes value. We are in desperate need to repair our facilities and if we don’t…for example the heating system at North High School is on its last leg and it will cost two point five million dollars to replace the heating system and we simple do not have the funds to do that without some help from the community. Are there any questions that I could answer?

 

Mayor Morley: Just to add on I think that when I went to the Town Hall…for Eastlake out of the one fifteen approximately seventy six million dollars will come to Eastlake for the two schools?

 

Mr. Thompson: That is correct. The rest…and there is renovation money that will go to Eastlake Middle School and Thomas Jefferson Elementary School as well. Well over 50% of the funds…about 65% to 70% of the will go to Eastlake.

 

Mayor Morley: Just so our residents know since First Energy left Willoughby-Eastlake Schools are our number one employer for our City. From my perspective I am consistently asked as to what are my thoughts on levies? Again it is an investment in our City with seventy six million dollars going to our schools. The way that I look at it especially with Longfellow Elementary is that we may get new residents that may want to move in and with a new elementary school, go to the middle schools and then go to the new North High School. From my view at least I think that it is a good thing for us. We will see what happens and from my end the best of luck on that levy.

 

Mr. Thompson: I appreciate it and certainly we know and recognize that the tax increase is a serious thing to ask. I wouldn’t ask if we didn’t absolutely need it and we are at an emergency situation in terms of the state and conditions of our buildings. Yes sir?

 

Mr. Licht: On the last page of this handout you have Washington Elementary that is no longer being used as a Willoughby-Eastlake School?

 

Mr. Thompson: It is not and we rent it out. Essentially we have an agreement with two entities the ESC (Educational Service Center) and the Board of Mental Retardation rents a section of the building. We are generating about $152,000.00 a year in rent from the facility. It is valued at $600,000.00. Our intent is to rent it for as long as we have an agreement in place. If there is a major repair constituting $50,000.00 or more we will make an assessment as to whether or not if we will make that repair. If it is financially advantageous for the district to make the repair then we will make it but if it’s not then we will vacate the facility and sell the property.

 

Ms. Vaughn: What are your plans for the children when you tear down Longfellow? Where are they supposed to go to school? Where are the children from North High School supposed to go to school?

 

Mr. Thompson: Those are great questions both buildings will be built while the existing building remains in place. Longfellow will operational until the new school is constructed and complete. Then in the summer of 2018 the old Longfellow will be emptied and move into the new one. The old school will be torn down during the summer. The same will happen with North High School.

 

Mr. D’Ambrosio: Mr. Thompson thank you very much.

 

Mr. Thompson: I appreciate your time and thank you Council.

 

 

 

 

There were no further questions or comments.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 7:12 p.m.

 

tms

   

                                           

 

         

                                                                                   

 

                                                                                    APPROVED:  ________________

 

                                                                                        DATE: __________________