EASTLAKE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES SEPTEMBER 23, 2014
The Regular Meeting of the Eastlake City Council was held at Eastlake City Hall, 35150 Lakeshore Boulevard. The Meeting was called to order by Council President Mr. D’Ambrosio at approximately 7:06 p.m.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
ATTENDEES
Members of Council in attendance were Ms. Vaughn, Mr. Licht, Mrs. Quinn-Hopkins, Mr. Evers, Ms. DePledge, Mr. Hoefle and Council President Mr. D’Ambrosio. Also attending was Council Clerk Mrs. Cendroski.
Those attending from the Administration were Mayor Morley, Law Director Klammer, Finance Director Slocum, Service Director Rubertino, CBO Menn, City Engineer Gwydir and Police Chief Reik. Fire Chief Whittington was absent and excused.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Regular Council Meeting – September 9, 2014
MOTION: Ms. Vaughn moved to approve the minutes of the Regular Council Meeting of September 9, 2014. Ms. DePledge seconded.
ROLL CALL: Yeas unanimous.
Motion carried. The minutes were approved.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
COUNCIL PRESIDENT’S REPORT – Mr. D’Ambrosio
Meetings Scheduled
Mr. D’Ambrosio: The next Council-as-a-Whole Committee Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 14, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. The Regular Council meeting will be convened immediately following the adjournment of the Council-as-a-Whole Committee meeting.
COMMUNICATIONS & PETITIONS
A communication was received from Finance Director Slocum recommending an amendment to City Ordinance No. 183.1901 “Credit for Tax Paid to Other Municipality.”
Mr. D’Ambrosio: This was discussed in Ordinance Committee and appears on the evening’s agenda as Legislation No. 09-23-(03).
A bid recommendation was received from the Administration for the Salt Storage Building Replacement.
Mr. D’Ambrosio: This was discussed in the Service/Utilities Committee meeting and Council-as-a-Whole Committee. A motion will be made to add it to the evening’s agenda as Legislation No. 09-23-(04).
Conditional Use Permit referrals were received from the Planning Commission for Sneakee Pete’s Bar & Grille dba TS Macklin Event Center, 36700 Lakeland Blvd., Eastlake and Mitchell’s Traditional Barber Shop, LLC, 34650 Melinz Pkwy., Eastlake.
Mr. D’Ambrosio: These will be referred to Planning Committee. However, as Sneakee Pete’s Bar & Grille dba TS Macklin Event Center has pending issues this item will be held in Committee and not discussed until notification by the Administration that the issues have been resolved. Mayor, when you or someone get more information on this let us know and we will discuss it.
Mayor Morley: Mr. Slocum and the Tax Administrator will be meeting with them.
Mr. D’Ambrosio: If we get that straightened out we will schedule a meeting accordingly. The Planning Committee meeting will be October 7th due to the prior meeting on September 30th.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Mr. D’Ambrosio: Ordinance and Service/Utility Committee meetings were held:
SERVICE/UTILITIES COMMITTEE – Mrs. Quinn-Hopkins, Chair
Mrs. Quinn-Hopkins: Our Service/Utilities Committee met September 16th with all members of Council in attendance with the exception of Mr. Licht and Ms. DePledge who were absent and excused. In attendance from the Administration were Mayor Morley, Law Director Klammer, Finance Director Slocum and City Engineer Gwydir. Being that the meeting was mostly informational and all that information was provided by our City Engineer I am going to defer to him.
Mr. Gwydir: The waste water pollution control plant for Willoughby/Eastlake is getting a new permit which should be issued this November. As part of the permit language we are expecting that the OEPA will order certain improvements in the plant that will cost approximately $5 million. We anticipate improvements to the system such as an equalization basin being required at Quentin Road which is approximately $3 million and a sewer for Waverly – the Waverly Road relief sewer – which will run from the Quentin Road station up Waverly and we anticipate that to be $3-$4 million. The liability for these for Eastlake over a four year period is expected to be in the vicinity of $10 million for those improvements. The joint facilities which are Eastlake and the work in the plant are shared 50%/50% with Willoughby under the waste water agreement. The Waverly relief sewer will be 100% City funded. Presently we have taken steps in Eastlake to nominate the project for low interest loans on Waverly and I believe Willoughby has done likewise for the joint systems. If you have specific questions about the joint systems I would be happy to go on at length.
Mayor Morley: For the residents in the audience. Part of this is the first phase – the $10 million and the total combined from the SSES study we did year’s back will total about $60 million but at this point it is $10 million in improvements over the next four years. As the Engineer has said we will take out low interest loans and we do have the sewer charges that appear on the water bill which go into that fund to help us out. Willoughby just raised their sewer rates but we are not planning on doing that at this moment. Hopefully we will continue to generate enough money in that fund so we don’t have to raise those rates.
There were no questions of Mrs. Quinn-Hopkins.
Legislative Recommendation
Legislation No. 09-23-(04)
Mrs. Quinn-Hopkins moved to add Legislation No. 09-23-(04) to the evening’s agenda authorizing and directing the Mayor and Director of Finance to enter into a Contract with Miller Builders, LLC, the sole bidder, for the installation of an Accu-Steel Salt Storage Building for the Base Bid and Alternate amount of Three Hundred Ten Thousand Four Hundred Eighty-Five Dollars ($310,485.00). Mr. Evers seconded.
ROLL CALL: Yeas unanimous.
Motion carried. Legislation No. 09-23-(04) is added to the evening’s agenda.
ORDINANCE COMMITTEE – Mr. Hoefle, Chair
Mr. Hoefle: The Ordinance Committee met Tuesday, September 16th with all members of the Committee in attendance with the exception of Mr. Licht and Ms. DePledge who were absent and excused. In attendance from the Administration were Mayor Morley, Law Director Klammer, Finance Director Slocum, City Engineer Gwydir and Tax Administrator Miller. We spoke briefly about the bee situation. There is nothing we are going to do until CBO Menn reviews the ordinances. It looks like it will get passed. We just need to clean up some of the language. It is good to have bees – we need them – but, even if there was an issue with bees there is no way of being able to track where they come from because honey bees can travel anywhere within a 2-5 mile radius. So, you would not know where they are coming from. We learned a lot about honey bees. It was a good meeting. During the miscellaneous section of the meeting we spoke about the tax and reciprocity. Other than that we have covered everything else.
There were no questions of Mr. Hoefle.
ECONOMIC & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL – Mrs. Quinn-Hopkins, Chair
Mrs. Quinn-Hopkins: We just had our monthly ECDC meeting and again we had our guest, Heather Elmer, who is the new Director for the Chagrin River Watershed Partners. She is looking for grants that we can use in park development and other things around the City. Being that I am on the Board I have come to realize our City actually pays a higher membership fee to the Chagrin River Watershed Partners as we are on the mouth of the river and have the most access. All things considered we need to take the biggest advantage and I am now realizing how much they can help us. One of the grants they possibly have that is coming up has a 50% match but we would be able to have in-kind services count towards that match. That would be for access to the boat ramp area at the Erie Road Park. Also, there is division of watercraft that is a 100% grant which could help us with our boat ramp and install public restrooms. There are grants that are for pervious pavers to be used in areas so the water goes through the pavers into the ground. We talked about a grass paved program where gravel and top soil are put down with grass seed – the ground is firm and can be driven on but will not sink. The storm water goes into the ground instead of sitting on the blacktop or cement. We spoke about a rain barrel program for Eastlake. She also spoke about an underground cistern that we can have at City Hall and use the reserve of water for washing vehicles, etc. We also formed a Committee to bring our zoning up to date and have two members who will meet with Mr. Menn within the next two weeks to review some things to try to make it easier for businesses to come into our City.
PORT AUTHORITY – Ms. DePledge, Liaison
Ms. DePledge: The Port Authority has been struggling financially this year. They have lost workers at the seawall and boat ramp. Their income is down. They have been hit like many organizations trying to keep a balanced budget. The good news is they received an $183,000 grant for dredging the river. Dredging the river usually costs between $40,000-$60,000 a year. Hopefully that will keep the river clear which is a very viable resource for this Community and is great, great news for our City.
RECOGNITION OF THE PUBLIC
Mr. D’Ambrosio recognized the public input at this time; he reminded the speakers that there is a 3-minute limit for their comments; all comments are to be directed to the Chair and not include any personalities or individuals.
Mr. Taubert, 371 Northcoast Pointe, Eastlake
Mr. Taubert: I am here to ask if any plans are in place to check Corporation Creek since it is our storm sewer for the entire Erie Road area. Today I looked at the opening under Lakeshore Blvd. and it does not appear to have been cleaned. Also, Lakeshore and the railroad where the railroad goes over Lakeshore has a couple of sewers that you have always been able to see but this year the weeds are so high you cannot see they are down there. You can’t see the pipe underneath the railroad or the tracks or the pipe along the south side of Lakeshore Blvd. I think this is more important than putting a roof over salt.
Mr. D’Ambrosio: I know the Mayor and Mr. Rubertino have been addressing some of those issues and we have discussed this during the last couple of Council meetings. If you see things that look like they are being obstructed let us let us know.
Mr. Taubert: The whole creek needs attention.
Mr. D’Ambrosio: I know we have talked about this. They are concentrating on some of the main areas.
Mr. Taubert: That would be good.
Mr. D’Ambrosio: There are a lot of main areas, unfortunately. The debris keeps piling up. You clean it one time and after a storm more debris piles up. It is a never ending battle.
Mr. Taubert: More important than a roof over salt.
Brook Mitchell, 31900 North Marginal Road/ Mitchell’s Traditional Barber Shop, 34650 Melinz Pkwy., Eastlake
Ms. Mitchell: I am here to try to understand what is going on. I have been coming to the Planning Commission meetings in order to open my business –Mitchell’s Traditional Barber Shop inside of Force Sports Center on Melinz Pkwy. I started this process in August, paid my application fee and attended every meeting.
Mr. D’Ambrosio: It was in Communications tonight and referred to Planning Committee. Normally we would hold a Committee meeting next Tuesday but there is a big seminar on heroin so we had to schedule the Planning Committee meeting October 7th.
Mayor Morley: Law Director Klammer, CBO Menn and I have talked about this. We will give her a temporary occupancy permit until the meeting once she gets okayed by the State.
Mr. D’Ambrosio: I have no problem with that.
Mayor Morley: I asked the Clerk to research ordinances from other cities so we can try to streamline the process. She started in August and is ready to go but because the meetings are set up she is behind. We are trying to give her a temporary permit so she can start. We don’t see any issues that will come to you that is why we considered a temporary occupancy.
Mr. D’Ambrosio: We will have a committee meeting to discuss it. Your permit seems pretty basic. Then it will appear on the October 14th Council meeting for consideration. October 14th is our next Council meeting.
Ms. Mitchell: We spoke this week and I passed the fire and plumbing inspections.
Mr. Menn: I have done all the inspections.
Mr. D’Ambrosio: It can be a drawn out process.
Mayor Morley: She is nervous and I am trying to make sure she feels comfortable that her business is going forward. It is a new venture for her.
Ms. Mitchell: I have been calling and there have been letters and I am trying to get on board with everyone else. The Barber Board is in tomorrow morning. Once they have signed that is it – we are good.
Mayor Morley: Keep following up with CBO Menn and we will be fine.
Mr. D’Ambrosio: This is just a process we have to go through.
Mr. Klammer: When you get the okay from the Health Department and the State Mr. Menn will give you a temporary occupancy permit. Everything else will move forward to get your final permit.
Ms. Mitchell: Everything we talked about will be done tomorrow morning once the Barber Board inspects. As far as the State is concerned I can start cutting hair.
Mayor Morley: When you get that see CBO Menn.
There was no one else who wished to speak.
LEGISLATION PROPOSED – First number will be 2014-059
ORDINANCE NO.: 09-23-(01)
Requested by: Administration An Ordinance amending Section 1145.02 Sponsored by: Ordinance Committee “Schedule Sponsored by: Ordinance Committee of Permitted Buildings and Uses”, specifically
subsection (a)(1)” of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Eastlake, and declaring an emergency.
This item was removed from the agenda and referred to Council-as-a-Whole Committee.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
ORDINANCE NO.: 09-23-(02)
Requested by: Administration An Ordinance enacting Section 505.15
Sponsored by: Ordinance Committee “Harboring of Honey Bees; Abatement”
of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Eastlake, and declaring an emergency.
This item was removed from the agenda and referred to Council-as-a-Whole Committee.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
ORDINANCE NO.: 09-23-(03)
Requested by: Administration An Ordinance amending Section 183.1901,
Sponsored by: Ordinance Committee “Credit for Tax Paid to Other Municipality,”
of the Codified Ordinances of the City of
Eastlake, and declaring an emergency.
MOTION: Mr. Hoefle moved to suspend the rules requiring separate readings and
reading in full. Mr. Evers seconded.
ROLL CALL: Yeas unanimous.
MOTION: Mr. Hoefle moved to adopt. Mrs. Quinn-Hopkins seconded.
ROLL CALL: Yeas unanimous.
Motion carried. Legislation is adopted as Resolution No. 2014-059.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
RESOLUTION NO.: 09-23-(04)
Requested by: Administration A Resolution authorizing and directing the Sponsored by: Council Mayor and Director of Finance to enter into a Contract with Miller Builders, LLC, the sole bidder, for the installation of an Accu-Steel Salt Storage Building for the Base Bid and Alternate amount of Three Hundred Ten Thousand Four Hundred Eighty-Five Dollars ($310,485.00), and declaring an emergency.
MOTION: Mrs. Quinn-Hopkins moved to suspend the rules requiring separate readings and
reading in full. Mr. Evers seconded.
ROLL CALL: Yeas unanimous.
MOTION: Mrs. Quinn-Hopkins moved to adopt. Mr. Evers seconded.
ROLL CALL: Yeas unanimous.
Motion carried. Legislation is adopted as Resolution No. 2014-060.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
LEGISLATION PENDING
There was no Legislation Pending.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
There was no Unfinished Business.
NEW BUSINESS
There was no New Business.
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS:
MAYOR/SAFETY DIRECTOR – Dennis Morley
Mayor Morley: Welcome residents to this evening’s meeting. We are having a heroin presentation on September 30th. We originally thought it would be 70 people but we have booked in at 120 people. We will do one meeting and see where it goes. We have had an overwhelming response and have had to turn away many people. We did not want to change the venue because the Victims’ Advocates would have had to make 120 calls. We thought we would have the first one on September 30th and if that goes as well as we think it will we will try to have another presentation. This is an issue in our City and surrounding cities. We will have town hall meetings on October 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th for the ballot issues we have on – the income tax and the fire levy renewal. These are open to the public. Today I was invited to an organizational meeting to get ready for the Republican National Convention. The tentative dates are July 18th through 20th. There was a variety of representatives at the meeting including Eastlake, Western Lake County, Mentor, Painesville, Chamber of Commerce, the Lake County Chair of the Republican Lake County, the CEO of the Mentor Chamber of Commerce, the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, Lakeland Community College, the Lake County Visitors’ Bureau, the Lake County Captains, LakeTran, a representative from Senator Portman’s office, Dennis Eckert and Jim Collins. We scheduled another meeting for three weeks from today. We are brainstorming. The Republican National Committee will be putting a committee together for arrangements for the convention. They are talking that it will reach all the way to Ashtabula. Right now the Radisson has tentatively booked the hotel for those dates and are going to start pricing negotiations with the Republican National Committee. Once they put the committee together we will work to provide them all the things they can do in Lake County. Obviously we are hoping the Captains stadium is one of them as a venue for watch parties, a concert – the Captains can request there are no games scheduled for that week. Ms. Vaughn mentioned the Croatian Home in a meeting – fishing charters, golf, the Botanical Gardens, the Blvd. of 500 Flags. This is the first meeting I have attended and we need to have something to the committee representative by the end of December or beginning of January. Last week we had a meeting at the Lake County Port Authority – me, Ms. Vaughn, Mr. Evers, Kathleen Barry who is a resident who is helping me with economic development by volunteering to look for empty buildings so we can put them on our web site and move more on economic development. We continue to have businesses come into the City. Another machine shop will be coming in where the old Gould building was so that will be the first time that building has been filled in the last 10 years. The landlords are very happy and we are very happy. This concludes my report and I am open for questions.
There were no further questions of Mayor Morley.
FIRE CHIEF – Ted Whittington
Chief Whittington was absent and excused.
POLICE CHIEF – Larry Reik
Chief Reik: As the Mayor said we are trying to let the people who come to the heroin summit determine the direction for the future – possibly doing quarterly or semi-annual meetings in different parts of Lake County. I spoke with a couple of the schools and other police chiefs if they would be interested in hosting. The County is having its issues and we want to get as much information out there as we can. But we don’t always know the information people are looking for – whether it will be recovery resources or enforcement. We are trying to get everyone together in a room to see what some of the questions are and gear the future presentations toward the type of feedback we get. One of our auxiliaries, Andy Allan, has been battling some serious health issues. Keep him in your thoughts. Hopefully he is on his way to recovery and will be back with us soon. I have nothing further to report and am open for questions.
There were no questions of Chief Reik.
LAW DIRECTOR – Randy Klammer
Mr. Klammer: We are having our first hearing on the strip club case. That case is still pending – this is how things move slowly – we are having our first status conference tomorrow. I will keep you up to speed on that. A comment on the salt barn so the residents know – that area is an area where no employees are to be in there – that is how desperate and dangerous that corner is. So it is not a frivolous expenditure. It is a necessity and a safety issue. I am open for questions.
There were no questions of Mr. Klammer.
FINANCE DIRECTOR – Mike Slocum
Mr. Slocum: With us stopping collection for the storm sewer and joining the County’s program today we sent out 90 refunds for people who had overpaid toward next year. That is step 1. Step 2 we will be sending out 2,000 notices for people who still owe. In the past we had always sent out just for the people who owed for more than one year. As we are leaving the program we will certify everyone. There is a $25 fee if we end up certifying – not at this stage. We are sending to the owner of record per the County Auditor and that will be going out in the next week or two. Finally, we will be certifying the delinquent Republic bills as we have in the past and I am expecting to get that information in the next couple of days.
Mr. D’Ambrosio: You said for the storm water there was 2,000 delinquencies?
Mr. Slocum: Yes.
Mr. D’Ambrosio: Let us know when you know how many are delinquent with Republic.
Mr. Slocum: The idea is we will get significant payment. It does cost the residents more if we have to certify and I would rather avoid that charge. We fully disclose it and if they don’t want to pay us they can pay later – and, they will.
There were no further questions of Mr. Slocum.
CITY ENGINEER – Tom Gwydir
Mr. Gwydir: I have nothing further to report this evening.
There were no questions of Mr. Gwydir.
SERVICE DIRECTOR – Nick Rubertino
Mr. Rubertino: We finished the in-house projects of asphalting today on Parkland and East 332nd Street and will be going back out with the hotbox asphalt repairs and start getting the roads with the major pots holes taken care of as we can. Our out of house concrete program is completed. As far as Corporation Creek and Lakeshore – I have been down there as recently as this past week. There are cattails on one side of the catch basin but the catch basin itself or the culvert area is completely clean. I understand what Mr. Taubert is saying about the one side. But as far as what we can maintain at this point – it is clean. Along the railroad tracks is private property. We are trying to find ways to get in there and help to relieve that issue as much as we possibly can. The out of house asphalt program will be starting relatively soon. I had contact with them last week and we do not anticipate any problem with that program being completed by the end of November. We will get a schedule out for the leaf pickup and what our intentions are and what we hopefully can get done and we will sweep the City at least two times. This concludes my report and I am open for questions.
Mr. Licht: Will Ridgewood be one of those streets where the hot box will be?
Mr. Rubertino: We will do Ridgewood – we will do Alcina first and Ridgewood will be absolutely next. We should be on Ridgewood tomorrow early afternoon.
There were no further questions of Mr. Rubertino.
CHIEF BUILDING OFFICIAL – David Menn
Mr. Menn: We had 3 more homes demolished between yesterday and today. That brings the total to 6 so far this summer and we expect 5-7 more hopefully to come down in the next couple of weeks. This concludes my report.
Mr. D’Ambrosio: Can you keep Mrs. Cendroski in the loop on the bee ordinances?
Mr. Menn: Yes.
There were no further questions of Mr. Menn.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:42 p.m.
______________________________________
JOE D’AMBROSIO, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
APPROVED: __________________________
ATTEST: _____________________________
DEBORAH A. CENDROSKI,
CLERK OF COUNCIL