CITY OF ROCKY RIVER

SEPTEMBER 8, 2009

The Committee-of-the-Whole was called to order by Mr. Moran, President of Council, at 8:00 p.m.

Council Members Present: Mr. Hunt, Mr. Shepherd, Mr. Mylen, Mr. Furry,

Mrs. Arabian Whitman, Mr. Long, Mr. Moran

Administration: Mayor Bobst, Mr. Linden, Mr. Thomas

Law Director: Mr. Bemer

The meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.

President Moran welcomed Council members on their return from the August recess. He also noted the attendance of Miles Atchison, a Boy Scout in attendance working on a Citizenship in the Community badge.

MAYOR'S REPORT:

The Mayor opened her report with an update on capital projects:

• •Lake Road- Phase I is in the final paving stage, and depending on the weather, the anticipated date of completion is mid-September. Phase II will begin in early spring with the redesigned Elmwood intersection where signals will be placed. The large sewer project will follow and then reconstruction of the roadway from the clock tower east to Linda Street.



• •Water line projects are complete including Golden Gate, Parsons Ct., Allen Ct. and West Wagar Circle. Paving on those projects is being finalized. The Mayor was pleased to observe that the projects moved very smoothly with good communication among the Administration, the contractor and the residents.



• •Elmwood Sewer Project- With the Special Council Meeting in August which passed the necessary legislation, this project is on its way. Trees have already been moved temporarily and boring will begin soon. Letters have been sent to Elmwood residents explaining the scope and timing of the project and listing contact numbers.
• •Detroit Road Streetscape Project- Final plans will be set by September 18 and will then be presented at the Arts Festival. The Mayor recalled that following a meeting with stakeholders, an additional meeting was scheduled with property and business owners for a final review of parking configurations and other elements of the plan. No changes were suggested. The City will apply for a $100,000 Community Development Block Grant to cover that portion of the project, approximately half the total cost of construction on Old Detroit.



• •WWTP Projects-the $2.4 million capital improvement projects should be complete in October. Of the total cost, $1.5 million is being provided by a grant from Ohio Public Works, approximately $500,000 is an interest-free loan and the remainder will be paid from the WWTP Capital Fund.

In mid-July, the HVAC replacement project in the chemical building was completed. The construction contract was for $81,900 but no contingency funds were necessary, so the total cost was $74,400.

Replacement of the floor of the filter building is ready to go forward, and 50% of the cost will come from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.

Regarding the County's Storefront Renovation and Rebate Program, the Mayor was pleased to announce that Rocky River is leading the county with 21 projects that have been submitted and approved for funding. This represents almost $250,000 in community investment. The program provides for a 30% rebate sent to the property or business owner for exterior improvements up to $6000. She noted that these investments have been made in all sectors of the community. The deadline for new applications is September 15. Three projects have already received checks. She noted that Director Koran and his assistant Heather Wagner have done an excellent job.

The budget process began last week and proposals are due from directors at the end of September. The final draft, with executive summary, will be supplied to Council members, hopefully by the first week in November. Directors have been asked once again to scrutinize every project and program not only with a focus on expenditures and revenue streams, but most importantly to assess the effectiveness of the program in enhancing the quality of life for residents and strengthening the community which will be the guiding principle throughout this year's challenging budget process. The Mayor further emphasized that with all the reviews and adjustments of capital needs including equipment purchases, a long-term strategic approach is taken with attention to needs over the next several years.

This Friday, on September 11, a 9/11 ceremony will be held by the flag in front of City Hall at 8:00 a.m. The observance will be led by Pastor Eduardos, the new minister at Our Savior's Lutheran Church on Hilliard, who has served as chaplain for Euclid and other safety force groups. All are invited.

Many events are planned for Saturday, September 19:

• •The first Rocky River Fall Arts Festival will be held on Old Detroit from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. This event will feature local artists.
• •The Senior Center will host "Junk in the Trunk" as well as a health screening fair.
• •A shredding truck will be available next to the fire station that morning.

Operation Medicine Cabinet, an event which is part of an effort with other west shore communities, will be held on Saturday, October 3 from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Residents are invited to bring unused medications to Clague Cabin for disposal. The Mayor added that this will promote safety both for the community and the environment.

The Heritage Home Loan Program renewal will be on next week's agenda. This partnership which encompasses the City, the County Treasurer's office and the Cleveland Restoration Society provides a 3.5% fixed rate loan for up to 10 years with no closing costs for qualified applicants. The technical expertise they provide has also helped a number of residents. This will be the eighth year of participation by the City.

A modification will also be made in the sewer billing chart with the addition of a multi-family senior housing assisted living with kitchen designation. This will more clearly define charges for this classification.

The Mayor noted that many Council members have received calls about the south end of Hampton Road close to the Detroit-Linda shopping center. Residents have expressed concern about the speed and volume of traffic through the exit to Hampton. With the additional traffic from the library, the middle school, the recreational facilities and the density of population, this roadway has had an increase in traffic. There are also many who use this as a route from Detroit to Hampton. The City has been working with the shopping center owner, Dennis Fisher, to implement enhanced speed bumps, additional stop signs, and is considering the possibility of "no through traffic" signs. Traffic counters have been monitoring the traffic level and evaluating the effectiveness of the measures taken.

The Mayor noted that the shopping area is celebrating its 50^th anniversary and going back to original plans, found that the Hampton Road entrance/exit has always been part of the plan as well as the configuration with Eldora, Bidwell and Dorothy. The Administration has also communicated with the library director and the superintendent of schools and is scheduling a meeting with residents of the area for the last week in September

The ice rink and the sprayground are open. The dog swim held at the closing of the pool was very successful as always.

A generous $2500 donation to the Senior Transportation was made by a resident couple who wished to show their appreciation for the program.

The seasonal flu immunization will be October 6 at the Senior Center. Details are being worked out for the H1N1 vaccine.

Finally, the Mayor requested an Executive Session under Article X, Section 6, Subsection (3) to discuss two legal matters, one imminent court action and one pending.

Discussion: Mr. Furry asked about the Heritage Home Loan Program, requesting statistics on resident participation for loans and technical assistance. The Mayor said that the information was available, and added that loans are offered for many projects such as windows, roofing, HVAC, kitchens, landscaping and bathrooms for any home older than 50 years old.

Mr. Moran noted that he had received a comment from a resident of Golden Gate expressing satisfaction with the water line project.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

Ordinance No. 48-09: Mr. Long indicated that this ordinance, which authorizes the adoption of an updated development code, has been referred to the Planning Commission. Following their recommendations, Council will proceed in its consideration of the ordinance.

MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS:

Mr. Moran indicated that Grandview, the townhouse development on River Oaks has had a change of ownership. The new owners are currently pouring the foundation for building two of five planned. In the first building, seven of eight units have been sold.

A memorial flag above the gymnasium has been erected as a memorial in honor of Sally Case. Mr. and Mrs. Case have been long-time supporters of the high school and the volleyball program in particular.

Mr. Moran also congratulated the police division for arresting six suspects in the rash of car burglaries in our City. He said there is still a need to lock the doors of vehicles parked in driveways.

Regarding this year's budget process, Mr. Moran announced that Council assignments for budget discussion will remain the same as last year:

Finance overview: Mr. Moran

Safety - Chief Wagner & Chief Flynn Mr. Shepherd

Recreation - Mr. Patterson Mrs. Arabian Whitman

Environmental - Mr. Harrington Mr. Furry

Senior Center - Mrs. Calladine Mr. Long

Capital Projects - Mr. Linden Mr. Hunt

Courts - Judges Fitzsimmons & Hagan Mr. Mylen

The Mayor said that the Administration and Council will engage any new members of Council in the budget process.

MOTION:

Moved by Mr. Moran, seconded by Mr. Furry, that, at the request of the Mayor, an Executive Session be held immediately following the Legislative Meeting to discuss two matters of pending or imminent court action under Article X, Section 6, Subsection (3) of the Charter.

Discussion: Mr. Moran indicated that the meeting will be held following the regular meeting, and that at its conclusion, no further business will be discussed.

Vote: Hunt - aye Shepherd - aye Mylen - aye Furry - aye

Arabian Whitman - aye Long - aye Moran - aye

7 ayes 0 nays PASSED

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Parks and Recreation Committee: Although the P & R Commission did not meet in August, Mrs. Arabian Whitman reported that a decision has been made to purchase fifteen spinning bikes. This very popular way to exercise is basically a stationary bike which moves very quickly and provides a strong aerobic workout. The cost will be approximately $22,000 and will be taken from the proceeds of the bond issue which are specifically designated for the Civic Center. A number of classes with certified instructors will be offered. A cost/benefit analysis put together by Recreation Director Patterson indicated that the bikes should be paid for within six to nine months. Mrs. Arabian Whitman said that these bikes have a large following and the classes should be popular with residents. The classes will be held in what was once the teen lounge, which will require very few alterations to accommodate the new equipment.

NEW BUSINESS:

Resolution No. 57-09: This resolution authorizes the collection of 225 past-due sewer accounts by the County Auditor. Mr. Moran noted that these amounts will be placed on residents' semi-annual property tax bills. With these collections, 100% of the outstanding $80,000+ will be collected. He suggested the possibility of asking the County to collect all sewer bills in this way. Instead of residents paying four quarterly bills, they could pay sewer bills twice a year with their property taxes. Further discussion raised questions of cost savings, hardships for residents in semi-annual rather than quarterly payments, the necessity of mailed usage statements, among others. It was decided that further discussion would be necessary to determine if this is a good alternative. (Consent Agenda)

• •Mr. Furry asked how many unpaid bills are necessary before the account is sent to collection. Mr. Thomas responded that this list contains all the balances from 2008. There have also been two billings this year, but these overdue amounts were removed from the September 1 billing as delinquent amounts will be sent to the County Auditor for collection.



• •Mr. Furry asked how these figures compare with other years. Mr. Thomas responded that this is higher. Mr. Moran indicated the following: 2006, 174 accounts, $35,000; 2007, 199 accounts, $42,000; 2008, 189 accounts, $42,000, 2009, 225 accounts, $80,000. He noted, however, that a single account in 2009 is $20,000 overdue.

Ordinance No. 58-09: Mr. Long noted that this rezoning ordinance concerns a parcel north of the terminus of Plymouth Drive. This ordinance seeks to change the zoning classification from Single Family Residential to General Business. Since this property abuts residential lots on Wagar Rd. and Erin Ct., he questioned the rezoning to General Business because although the present plans call for a medical building, almost any type of business could be built on that property with that zoning. He noted that Walgreens is Local Business, and questioned the need for General Business for this property. However, because there is a mandatory referral, he will send this ordinance to the Planning Commission for their input following next week's reading.

• •The Mayor noted that in determining zoning, Council's responsibility is to consider all permitted uses under the classification and highest and best use of the property.

Ordinance No. 59-09: Mrs. Arabian Whitman noted that this ordinance authorizes the renewal of a vending contract. Mr. Patterson has indicated that this is a reliable company which has served the City well. The machines are located in the Civic Center and the ice rink and provide all types of refreshments. This company was the lowest and best bidder the last time this contract was bid in 2007, and in order to have continuous coverage, Mrs. Arabian Whitman requested a vote on passage this week. (Consent Agenda)

Resolution No. 60-09: Mr. Moran stated that this resolution accepts the alternate tax budget information including the taxes voted by residents and outlines of fund activity.

• •Finance Director Thomas said this is the beginning of the budget process for 2010.



• •Mr. Furry asked about the term "alternative" in the title. Mr. Thomas explained that there was legislation to supplement the existing tax budget which was not repealed. Since there is still a defined document called the tax budget in the Revised Code, "alternative" was added to differentiate between the two and to provide the information to the Tax Commission while leaving the term tax budget in the Code. (Consent Agenda)

Ordinance No. 61-09: Mr. Hunt indicated that this ordinance authorizes a contract for the annual Crack & Joint Sealing Program. This year, Director Linden indicated that the amount spent would be slightly less. The lowest and best bid came from Specialized Construction at $70,720, slightly less than last year. This program helps maintain roads, extending life by six to eight years. (Consent Agenda)

• •Director Linden added that the first streets covered were those which were repaved last year. Then mains and secondary roads are surveyed to see which can benefit most. Streets were rated two weeks ago and an updated list will be distributed to Council members. Responding to Mr. Furry, the Director indicated that his is normally done in September because on very hot days, the material does not penetrate and seal the cracks as well.

COMMUNICATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Mr. Moran commented that the dog swim at the pool was a very successful event, as usual.

Mr. Moran also extended congratulations to Mr. Patterson for arrangements made for the Sunday concerts in Rocky River Park. He said the program went very well, and he has had many positive comments from residents.

The Mayor distributed the second newsletter from the airport's Noise Compatibility Program to Council members. The information was also on the City's website and was disseminated through an e-update.

As there was no further business by members of Council, Mr. Moran announced that Council would move into Executive Session under Article X, Section 6, Subsection (3).

No further business was discussed, and the meeting was adjourned following the Executive Session at 9:16 p.m.

______________________________ ______________________________

James W. Moran Misao Kurokawa

President of Council Clerk of Council