Committee Member Mr. Evers opened the meeting at approximately 6:16 ­­­p.m. Members of the Committee in attendance were Mr. Evers and Mrs. Quinn-Hopkins. Chairman Mr. Hoefle was absent and excused. Present from Council were Mr. Licht, Ms. DePledge, Ms. Vaughn and Council President D’Ambrosio.

In attendance from the Administration were Mayor Morley, Law Director Klammer and Finance Director Slocum.

Also in attendance were members of the public.  

New Enactment: Section 505.15 “Harboring of Bees; Abatement”

Mr. Evers: I would like to turn this over to the Mayor. I know he met with Mr. Hoefle a few weeks ago.

Mayor Morley: We were approached last year by approximately 5 or 10 residents and in May we had a gentleman who takes care of bees for the County meet with us to talk about bees and polenization and everything we are losing. Our existing ordinance is vague and stated that there could be no raising of bees in an S-5 zone. We are asking that raising of bees be allowed and that people be permitted to have bee hives in their yard.

Ms. DePledge: The legislation mentions damage to person or property – honey bees don’t sting?

Ms. Vaughn: Honey bees do not sting – they can swarm but be captured by a bee keeper. The ones you have to watch for are wasps and yellow jackets. Mr. Klammer and I have had several discussions on bees – I am very pro-bee because I went to a presentation on polenization and I will quote Albert Einstein who said “If we eliminate bees the entire world will starve to death in less than three months.” We need them for polenize our crops.

Mr. D’Ambrosio: I was here for the meeting with the County representative. It was a very informative meeting. There are people now in our City who have had bees for many years. Unfortunately, I think there was a neighborhood dispute and the ordinance was brought to our attention. I do not have any problem with this.

Mayor Morley: If any issues would arise from a resident who complains the gentleman from the County is more than willing to go there to explain. The bees people think are coming in their yard are not honey bees but are yellow jackets and hornets. The gentleman, who approached me first, before the other residents, was very passionate. A couple of years ago the Building Department made him remove all his bees. As we looked at the ordinance we did not know if they should have removed the bees because of the way the ordinance was written. Mr. Klammer reviewed Mrs. Cendroski’s draft legislation.

Mr. Klammer: We were just trying to allow for a penalty should it become a nuisance.   I have no opinion on way or the other. I particularly do not like bees – honey or not.

Mayor Morley: As Mr. D’Ambrosio said the bees stay in their own yard and do not move. We do have bee hives throughout our City now. It is just if someone complains. I know someone a street away from me who has them and there are never any issues.

Mrs. Quinn-Hopkins: In Surfside? I thought they needed a bigger area.

Mayor Morley: No – they are in a box. The kits cost about $150. It is not a “Winnie the Pooh” hive.

Mrs. Quinn-Hopkins: I have seen the boxes but I thought they would need more geography.

Mr. Klammer: If they really don’t sting why do the guys who go to the bee hive cover themselves with netting?

Mr. Evers: Because they bite. They don’t sting. It gave me the opportunity to go out to Berea. There is a gentleman named Ike and his wife Valarie – who is the President of the Northern Ohio Bee Keeper’s Association. I spent about three hours with them and I did put on the helmet and go to the hives. Actually they keep hives not only at their house which is less than five acres of land but they keep 10 hives at the fair grounds and they are kept there all year round – even during the fair and they do not cause a problem. Honey bees do not sting but they can bite. The helmet is mosquito netting but they do use smoke to calm them down. They do educational presentations all over northeastern Ohio. Mr. Klammer, in Section 1145.02 – it states “the raising of domestic animals and fowl” and “bees” is crossed off on less than 10 acres. The draft legislation for 505.15 states “it is hereby declared a nuisance for any person to keep or harbor honey bees which cause damage to people or property.” Are we okay with this language?

Mr. Klammer: We tried to put it together in case there is someone who is not maintaining the bees or they are getting out of control then it can be declared a nuisance. We have to be careful when we amend any of our ordinances regarding nuisances now that we have our mandatory referral for any change in land uses. I use my discretion as carefully as I can in what changes I can allow without going to a vote of the people. Because people can make an argument that any little change has to go to the people.

Mr. D’Ambrosio: I am good with this.

Upon review the Committee agreed to move this matter forward to the next regular Council meeting.

There were no further questions or comments.

Amendment: Section 1145.02 (a)(1) “Schedule of Permitted Buildings and Uses

Mr. Evers: Any comments. The two pieces of legislation go hand in hand.

Mr. D’Ambrosio: All the draft legislation does is add the word “and” and omits “bees”.

Mr. Klammer: It was written strange in the first place.

Upon review the Committee agreed to move this matter forward to the next regular Council meeting.

There were no further questions or comments.

MISCELLANEOUS

COPIER BIDS – TWO YEAR EXTENSION

Mr. Slocum: We are going to request Council’s permission, due the rule regarding expenditures over $12,500, to enter into a two year extension for our current copier contract with Lake Business Products. We have been looking at this for several months. Our lease ended the end of March and we have been doing business on a month to month basis. We had the option to look at new equipment but with the condition of the City I asked about extending what we currently have – which has been satisfactory. As you can see if saves us close to $4,000. We did review All Systems Go who proposed bringing in 2-3 year used equipment while the equipment we have is 5 years used and they quoted a little bit higher – about $500-$600 higher per year. We would like to move forward with extending the contract with Lake Business Products. In two years we will have to go out for new copiers. They have full guarantees. If the equipment they give us breaks they will fix it. If they can’t fix it they will replace it. This is the total package. It was the same thing with All Systems Go also. I would appreciate it if a motion could be made at the Council meeting authorizing this.

Ms. Vaughn: Is it budgeted?

Mr. Slocum: Yes. Actually the budgeted number is higher.

Mayor Morley: Lake Business was unhappy that we were getting other quotes because they are in our City but as I told our Directors – we cannot just be sitting back and using businesses we have used for 10 years – we have to start looking around to get prices. People who service you get complacent so we are looking at every option we can. Mr. Slocum did a good job meeting with Lake Business and All Systems Go.

Mrs. Quinn-Hopkins: You said the increase is $5-$6 per year to extend it for two years?

Mr. Slocum: It is a decrease – were at $24,400 and are going down to $20,300 for two years.

Mrs. Quinn-Hopkins: For a copier?

Ms. Vaughn: For all the copiers – the whole package.

Mr. Slocum: Fire Department, Police Department, Service Department, Senior Center – all departments.

Upon review it was agreed to move this matter forward to the next regular Council meeting.

There were no further questions or comments.

FOP UNION CONTRACT

Mr. Slocum: I had mentioned that I would potentially have the FOP Union contracts to you. The Union will be voting on them Monday evening. I cannot get them to you in time for you to do anything and review them. As soon as they have voted I will provide the contacts and would like to get an Executive Session at the July 8^th Council meetings. It will not be ready for Tuesday.

Comments could not be understood due to sound interference.

 

Mr. Slocum: We do have one item that is open that is a killer in our estimation comments could not be understood due to sound interference until we have it signed on the dotted line I will not present anything.

Ms. Vaughn: Do you feel there is anything in there that will jeopardize the budget?

Comments could not be understood due to sound interference.

 

Mayor Morley: Mr. Klammer has checked the verbiage and their counterpart has to do so – she will not commit until she talks to them. Since we have been doing it in-house they understand where we are and if they go with a re-opener everything else is off the table.

Mr. Klammer: I have reviewed and approve the contract. Comments could not be understood due to sound interference.

 

Mr. Slocum: I think we are on the same page – it is with the lawyers.

There were no further questions or comments.

RECOGNITION OF PUBLIC

Angela Schmidt, 1048 Quentin

Mr. Evers: Thank you for coming.

Ms. Vaughn: You are from Ward 2 – welcome.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:32 p.m.

dac

                                                           

                                                                        APPROVED: __________________________

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        DATE: ________________________________