Huber Heights City Council

Huber Heights City Council

In Council Chambers

6131 Taylorsville Road March 8, 10

1. The Huber Heights City Council met in a Regular Session on March 8, 2010.

Mayor Ron Fisher called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m.

2. The Invocation was given by Pastor Randy Griffith of the Free Methodist Church located at 6875 Old Troy Pike in Huber Heights, Ohio.

3. Pledge of Allegiance

Mayor Fisher led in the Pledge of Allegiance.

4. Roll Call

Council members present for this meeting were Mayor Ron Fisher, Jim Ellis, Karen Kaleps, Roger Hensley, Mark Campbell, Jan Vargo, David Wilson, and Judy Blankenship.

Mayor Fisher then entertained a motion to excuse the absences of Mark Campbell and Roger Hensley for the January 25, 2010 Council Meeting.

Mrs. Blankenship so moved; Mrs. Kaleps seconded the motion. On a call of the vote, Mrs. Kaleps, Mr. Roger Hensley, Mr. Campbell, Mrs. Vargo, Mr. Wilson, Mrs. Blankenship, and Mr. Ellis voted yea; none voted nay. The motion passes 7-0.

5. Approval of Minutes

The following Minutes were approved:

A. City Council Regular Session Minutes – February 22, 2010

6. Special Presentation/Announcements

A. Motion to Appoint Tyler Starline to the Ward 3 City Council Vacancy Effective Immediately on March 8, 2010.

Mr. Campbell said it is his honor to nominate Tyler Starline to the vacated seat. Mr. Campbell moved to appoint; Mr. Roger Hensley seconded the motion. On a call of the vote, Mr. Roger Hensley, Mr. Campbell, Mrs. Vargo, Mr. Wilson, Mrs. Blankenship, Mr. Ellis, and Mrs. Kaleps voted yea; none voted nay. The motion passes 7-0.

Mayor Fisher then performed the Oath of Office for Tyler Starline.

B. Fourth Quarter Employee of the Quarter Presentation to Fire Lieutenant Keith Knisley, Fire Division – Fire Chief Bob Maimone

Mayor Fisher and Fire Chief Bob Maimone presented the Employee of the Fourth Quarter award to Fire Lieutenant Keith Knisley. Chief Maimone spoke of his accomplishments. Keith saw a need within the department that the radio system needed to be replaced. Keith wrote a Fire Act Grant and the City was awarded in excess of $260,000. He also came up with the idea of connecting the City’s fiber optic infrastructure. This will save the City over $12,000 per year. He is well deserving of this award.

C. Acknowledgement and Presentation to Mr. Mark Lang of Mark Lang Video Productions – Mayor Ron Fisher

Mayor Fisher presented a special recognition acknowledgement to Mark Lang, the City Council Meeting videographer, for all of his contributions on behalf of the Huber Heights City Council.

D. United Water 2009 Annual Report Presentation – Ms. Pam Whited, Operations Manager, United Water

Pam Whited introduced the United Water Michigan folks: Kimberly Reeder, Area Manager; Bill Reedy, Director of the Midwest Division; and Kevin Chandler, Area Director. She then introduced the local team: Tony Rigali; Jeffrey VanMeter; Ben Roe, Plant Manager; Nichole Flood, Amanda DerSarkisian, and Connie Geiger. She then gave a presentation on the United Water 2009 Annual Report. She said their job is to protect the public health, safeguard the environment, preserve the City’s investment in their utility assets, and provide excellent customer services. Some of the highlights included: sold over one billion gallons of water for close to $9 million dollars in revenue for the City which includes storm water revenues; assisted 87,448 customers; online billing payments are now being offered; 10,222 radio read meters were installed between the months of September and December; and they are very proud of the fact that they had no drinking water standard violations in the year 2009.

7. Citizens Comments

Anita Brock, 6557 Charlesgate Road, on behalf of the Huber Heights Chamber of Commerce, said they have officially kicked off their “We Like It In Huber Heights, How About You?” campaign through the local businesses and sponsors. The kick- off will run through June 4, 2010. She added that the Chamber Bowl will be held on April 10, 2010 and the Community Update will be held on April 20, 2010.

8. Citizens Registered to Speak on Agenda Items

There were no Citizens Registered to Speak on Agenda Items.

9. City Manager Report

City Manager Eileen Bensen reported that now is the time to consider adopting a City park. If your group is interested in this, please call Emily Haney at 237-5824 or visit the City’s website www.hhoh.org for more details. The American Cancer Society’s Annual Relay for Life will be held May 14–15, 2010 at Wayne High School. The City Staff hope you can join them to celebrate, remember and to fight back. Bark in the Park will be held May 13, 2010. More details can be found on the City’s website.

The Police Department has begun displaying a Huber Heights Most Wanted section in the Huber Heights Courier. Over the past week, warrant enforcement has increased and several suspects have been brought to justice who had evaded capture in the past. Anyone recognizing the wanted persons is encouraged to contact the Police Department and provide any information they can. This week, the Police Officers have begun programs in schools to continue outreach in the interest of student safety. Officer Brown is giving “bullying” presentations at the middle schools. Officer Garlowe is conducting women’s self defense classes at the high school. Officer Bruns is conducting the annual COPS (Concentrating on Positive Stuff) course at St. Peter’s school.

Chief Schommer said they are very pleased to be so involved in the schools and to be able to reach out and touch the youth in the community and help foster their leadership and get them involved in face-to face contact with an element of the City. The programs have been in progress for a number of years. The City continues to build on those things as it has in the investment of officers into the schools. He said the officers are there as a security element and also for outreach education and partnerships with the schools and the City.

City Manager Eileen Bensen stated the Finance Department has won the GFOA (Government Finance Officers of America) Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting for 2008. The City’s Tax Office remains open for residents who need assistance in preparing their tax forms. RITA will continue to process taxes for this entire current tax season, but not after July 1, 2010.

The United Stated Census Bureau is undertaking a count of every person who resides in the United States. The questionnaire consists of ten simple questions on the 2010 Census form which will be delivered from March 15–17, 2010. All citizens in the community are encouraged to take the time to complete the questionnaire and mail back the form by April 15, 2010. An accurate account of the population helps to ensure that the City will receive its fair share of federal funding. This funding will include resources for services ranging from health care and education to roads and recreation.

The Employee of the Year for 2009 will be honored at the March 22, 2010 City Council Meeting.

The City of Huber Heights has a new dispatcher, Wendy Morris. She is from Moraine, and the City is thrilled to have her!

Eileen Bensen said the City is closing the City Pool. The City will demolish the building and all four pools. This is a decision that was not made lightly. After more than 40 years of continuous operation, the City finally came to the decision (which is what many other cities have come to) is that it can not afford to keep it open. To keep it open would mean mounting, sky-rocketing maintenance bills. The cement deck was crumbling and the City was worried about the walls caving in, leakage, and the water bill. The City Pool lost 3-9 inches of water per day. That is thousands and thousands of gallons of water wasted. The pool had a bad filtration system. The City did the best it could; it kept it in fairly good and safe shape for as long as it could. There will be an ad in the Huber Heights Courier for the next four weeks stating the pool is closing. She said the City is working on a non-acquatic recreation program with the Parks and Recreation Board. The City does have the YMCA indoor pool and the Wayne Swim Club outdoor pool as other options. The question has come up -- will the City ever build a new pool? Eileen Bensen said she doesn’t know. The City is scrambling to find grant money which is very hard to get for recreation. The City is scrambling to find something that will support the building of a pool. The City is looking at a splash pad which is very popular in a lot of cities. She added that Moraine and Fairborn have closed their pools. Pools are loss leaders. As much good as a pool does for a community, it never pays for itself. The City has a lot of very strong, urgent other basic services that need to be addressed. “But fear not,” she said, “the City is working on it.”

10. Pending Business

There was no Pending Business this evening.

11. New Business

PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT - POLICE DIVISION
Rob Schommer, Police Chief

A. A Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Purchase Vehicles For Use By the Police Division Through the Ohio Cooperative Purchasing Program, GSA Autochoice, or By Direct Negotiations, and Declaring an Emergency.

Police Chief Rob Schommer this is for the purchase of vehicles. The difference this year is the method in which the City is purchasing them and also a change in the design and look of the vehicles. The vehicles will be black and white which tend to stand out. The City has not spent this little on vehicles since 1998 as far as price per vehicle. The City is spending a little less than $20,000 per vehicle. This has been budgeted for and he asked that this be approved this evening.

Mrs. Blankenship, Chair of the Public Services and Safety Committee, reported this has been to committee. She commended Chief Schommer for his due diligence on this.

Mrs. Vargo moved to waive the second and third readings; Mrs. Blankenship seconded the motion. On a call of the vote, Mr. Campbell, Mrs. Vargo, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Starline, Mrs. Blankenship, Mr. Ellis, Mrs. Kaleps, and Mr. Roger Hensley voted yea; none voted nay. The motion passes 8-0.

Mrs. Kaleps moved for adoption; Mr. Roger Hensley seconded the motion. On a call of the vote, Mrs. Vargo, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Starline, Mrs. Blankenship, Mr. Ellis, Mrs. Kaleps, Mr. Roger Hensley, and Mr. Campbell voted yea; none voted nay. The motion passes 8-0.

CITY COUNCIL

B. Motion to Approve the Updated 2010 City Council Committee Appointments by the Mayor.

Mr. Campbell, Chair of the Administration Committee, moved to update the Committee Appointments to include Tyler Starline on the Public Services and Safety Committee.

Mr. Campbell moved to approve; Mrs. Kaleps seconded the motion. On a call of the vote, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Starline, Mrs. Blankenship, Mr. Ellis, Mrs. Kaleps, Mr. Roger Hensley, Mr. Campbell, and Mrs. Vargo voted yea; none voted nay. The motion passes 8-0.

C. A Resolution Endorsing the Existing Condition Assessment Phase of Going Places - An Integrated Land Use Vision for the Miami Valley Region.

Mrs. Kaleps, Chair of the Public Works Committee, stated this will provide us with a tool in looking at how the region might be developed. The committee recommended moving forward with this.

Mrs. Kaleps moved to waive the second and third readings; Mr. Ellis seconded the motion. On a call of the vote, Mr. Starline, Mrs. Blankenship, Mr. Ellis, Mrs. Kaleps, Mr. Roger Hensley, Mr. Campbell, Mrs. Vargo, and Mr. Wilson voted yea; none voted nay. The motion passes 8-0.

Mrs. Vargo moved to adopt; Mr. Starline seconded the motion. On a call of the vote, Mrs. Blankenship, Mr. Ellis, Mrs. Kaleps, Mr. Roger Hensley, Mr. Campbell, Mrs. Vargo, Mr. Wilson, and Mr. Starline voted yea; none voted nay. The motion passes 8-0.

ADMINISTRATION/HUMAN RESOURCES
Eileen Bensen, City Manager

D. A Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Sign a Memorandum of Understanding Between the City and the Ohio Council 8, Local 101, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO, and Declaring an Emergency.

Mark Campbell, Chair of the Administration Committee, stated this has been before the Administration Committee. There was a typical error or such, and they do recommend passage of this.

Mr. Campbell moved to waive the second and third readings; Mr. Roger Hensley seconded the motion. On a call of the vote, Mr. Ellis, Mrs. Kaleps, Mr. Roger Hensley, Mr. Campbell, Mrs. Vargo, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Starline, and Mrs. Blankenship voted yea; none voted nay. The motion passes 8-0.

Mr. Campbell moved for adoption; Mrs. Kaleps seconded the motion. On a call of the vote, Mrs. Kaleps, Mr. Roger Hensley, Mr. Campbell, Mrs. Vargo, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Starline, Mrs. Blankenship, and Mr. Ellis voted yea; none voted nay. The motion passes 8-0.

E. A Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Approve the Extended Carryover of Excess Vacation Leave By Public Works Manager Luke Swift Which He Has Not Used Due to a Medical Emergency, and Declaring an Emergency.

City Manager Eileen Bensen apologized for not taking this to the Administration Committee. She then explained that the City’s personnel manual states that City Council must approve to extend a carryover of vacation leave beyond March l, 2010 for Luke Swift. Luke Swift had a medical emergency. When he returned to work, it was snow season and the City could not give him the time off. She asked that Council allow Luke Swift to carry over his vacation leave beyond the permissible limit.