For Approval 7/11/11
June 20, 2011
PROCEEDINGS
Lordstown Village Council Regular Meeting
(WHEREAS, the regular meeting before the Lordstown Village Council commenced on Monday, June 20, 2011, at 6:30 p.m. and proceedings were as follows:)
(Lord's Prayer and Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag)
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Thank you. Appreciate you coming out tonight. Mr. Blank, call a roll, please.
MR. BLANK: Mayor Chaffee?
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Here.
MR. BLANK: Mr. Bond?
MR. BOND: Here.
MR. BLANK: Mr. Hill?
MR. HILL: Present.
MR. BLANK: Mr. McCarthy?
MR. MCCARTHY: Present.
MR. BLANK: Mr. Sullivan?
MR. SULLIVAN: Here.
MR. BLANK: Mrs. Wilson?
MRS. WILSON: Here.
MR. BLANK: Mr. Zoldan?
MR. ZOLDAN: Here.
MR. BLANK: Deputy Clerk Blank, present. Treasurer, Sharon Ebling?
MRS. EBLING: Here.
MR. BLANK: Solicitor Paul Dutton?
SOLICITOR DUTTON: Present.
MR. BLANK: Police Chief Milhoan?
CHIEF MILHOAN: Here.
MR. BLANK: Fire Chief Travis Eastham.
CHIEF EASTHAM: Here.
MR. BLANK: Street Commissioner, Dave Harrison?
MR. HARRISON: Here.
MR. BLANK: Planning and Zoning, Ron Barnhart?
MR. BARNHART: Here.
MR. BLANK: Park Superintendent, Dale Grimm?
MR. GRIMM: Here.
MR. BLANK: Board of Public Affairs?
MR. DIETZ: Here.
MR. BLANK: Municipal Engineer, Lesley Gordon?
MS. GORDON: Here.
MR. BLANK: Rec. Director, Marty Gibson.
MRS. GIBSON: Here.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: I entertain a motion for the adoption of the agenda.
MR. ZOLDAN: So moved.
MR. BOND: Second.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Moved by Mr. Zoldan, second by Mr. Bond. Discussion? (NO RESPONSE FROM COUNCIL.) All in favor?
COUNCIL: Aye.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Opposed? (NO RESPONSE FROM COUNCIL.) (VOTE: 6, AYE; 0, NAY; 0, ABSTAINED.)
Entertain a motion for disposal of the minutes from the regular meeting held June 7, 2011.
MR. SULLIVAN: So moved.
MR. ZOLDAN: Second.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Moved by Mr. Sullivan, second by Mr. Zoldan. Discussion? (NO RESPONSE FROM COUNCIL.) All in favor?
COUNCIL: Aye.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Opposed? (NO RESPONSE FROM COUNCIL.) (VOTE: 6, AYE; 0, NAY; 0, ABSTAINED.)
I entertain a motion on the payment of the bills.
MR. HILL: So moved.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Moved by Mr. Hill.
MR. ZOLDAN: Second.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Second by Mr. Zoldan. Discussion? (NO RESPONSE FROM COUNCIL.) All in favor?
COUNCIL: Aye.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Opposed? (NO RESPONSE FROM COUNCIL.) (VOTE: 6, AYE; 0, NAY; 0, ABSTAINED.)
Under the Mayor's report, I have a few items. I've been asked by the Trumbull County Planning Commission to notify and post that there is a second public hearing for the CDBG grant program. They have applied for—— proposing the following activities be completed: Under the community development there will be approximately $450,000; the sewer facility improvement on the Kinsman sanitary sewer, $308,000; street improvements in the City of Hubbard, roughly $60,000; Fair Housing, $15,000; and Administration, approximately $67,000. The next meeting is Monday, June 27, 2011, at 7 p.m. at the Kinsman Township Community Center. Want to make sure that is posted upstairs.
MR. BLANK: It is posted.
MR. ZOLDAN: Question. Can any of our people—— because we're ending up with this sewer line —— if there are some people that can't afford it, can they go down there and apply for that? Any of that money there can we get for our sewers to help out some people?
MAYOR CHAFFEE: I believe there is a grant through Trumbull County Health Department.
MR. HILL: One of the residents went down there, and they said there was no money available.
MR. MCCARTHY: No money left.
MR. ZOLDAN: That is why I asked.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: I know before they said there was, and I hadn't heard anything one way or another on it.
MRS. WILSON: Does Mahoning County have any money left?
MAYOR CHAFFEE: I don't know. Last week I filed our renewal paperwork with Integrys for our discount gas rate. I got the following note from Brenda Coffee today, sending an attachment that we need to review and sign. She has also sent some legislation that I will pass on to Mr. Dutton to review.She says in this, "You will note, we have not identified the adder or pricing option for next year's program yet. Our gas buyer/trader is telling me that he thinks it is still a little early to lock these prices in. His reasoning right now is the winter NYMEX prices are approximately $4.75 on average and the NYMEX settle price for last winter was an average of $3.98. So there's room for quite a bit more downside between now and when we lock. Fundamentally, nothing has really changed that should adversely affect pricing through this upcoming winter. The supply side issues of abundant production will likely remain and any new sources of demand will not likely arise until later in 2012 at the earliest. So to lock in now would seem to be doing the Village and its leaders a disservice. We anticipate keeping our historical strategy by beginning the new program with a monthly variable price since your new program would start with September meter reads and locking into a flex—down price later in the fall or early winter, just as we have in the past." If anybody has any questions, please feel free to call Brenda Coffee.
I want to remind everybody —— and I'm sure it will come up through the meeting tonight —— of Sunday's activities, the fishing derby, community day, the concert, free hot dogs, games. It's going to be a good day. And I appreciate all the work that Marty has put into this and Dale and our other workers have put in to getting this ready.
I have appointments tonight in the Fire Department and in the Rec. Department that have been recommended to us. I am planning on seeking approval of the appointment of Jim London to the BPA tonight. Jim served two terms on the BPA prior to his two terms on council. He worked on the levy committee with Kevin Campbell and worked very closely with Kevin. He has served a couple of terms on the Board of Zoning Appeals. He served as its president. He served on the Turbine Committee. I appreciate his dedicated service over the years. I feel it's my responsibility to nominate the person who I think is most qualified. A few people have formally shown interest to me and no disrespect to them but I feel that for a short—term appointment that Jim's qualifications are exceptional. Of all the people that I have sought appointment for the BPA would be Bob once and Kevin Campbell twice, I believe that Jim is actually more qualified than they were. That's no disrespect to them. Again, I appreciate him offering his service to the Village.
I have not talked to Tom. I did talk to Kevin who said he talked to Tom, and I don't want to speak for Tom but Kevin was very comfortable with that appointment and felt that it would be a good appointment to finish out the year. Jim will also—— if anybody has questions for him, during council remarks, he has indicated to me he'd be more than happy to answer any questions that council may have. That's all I have for the Mayor's report this evening. Is there a Clerk's report?
MR. BLANK: No report, Mayor.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Questions for our Clerk? (NO RESPONSE FROM COUNCIL.)
Solicitor's report?
SOLICITOR DUTTON: I do have a brief comment, uncharacteristic. As most of you know or should know, Carmen Codjoe of our firm is relocating to Massachusetts. She has actually left the firm. A fellow named Jess Enyeart, who is distantly related to Dr. Enyeart of the Health Board of Trumbull County. Some of you may have seen Jess. He's come to a couple of meetings. He'll be backstopping me. So, if you call the office or e—mail and look for Carmen, Jess will be the one who will be responding. He's been with the firm now for something like five years. He will do a great job for us.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Is it us or is it you? Because every time we seem to have somebody out here, they relocate.
SOLICITOR DUTTON: I don't know. They get burned out.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Gerbach moved. Carmen Codjoe moved.
SOLICITOR DUTTON: They're instructed that their job is to be a potted plant here but that doesn't always happen.
MR. HILL: I did see that there was a Millich. Is that the same Millich who was there a few times?
SOLICITOR DUTTON: Yes, and he came back.
MR. HILL: He came back, boomerang.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Questions for our Solicitor? (NO RESPONSE FROM COUNCIL.)
Treasurer's report?
MRS. EBLING: No report.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Questions for our Treasurer? (NO RESPONSE FROM COUNCIL.)
Board of Public Affairs report, Mr. Dietz?
MR. DIETZ: As of 6:15 we had a total of 90 left, permits. There's a stack of them sitting up there that haven't been taken out yet. So how many did they get today, Bruce?
MR. PLATT: I'm not sure.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: There's 90 left to be installed or 90 people taken out permits?
MR. ZOLDAN: We have 90 left to be installed?
MR. DIETZ: We have a total of 90 left to be —— permits to go out. We have a couple that have not been informed yet to hook up.
MR. ZOLDAN: So there's 90 that have not taken the permits out?
MR. PLATT: Correct.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Thank you. Any questions for Mr. Dietz? (NO RESPONSE FROM COUNCIL.) Appreciate you coming to give us your report.
Village Engineer's report?
MS. GORDON: I have handed you my report. It should have made its way down the aisle. Ignore the fact that I can't be here on July 5th because you've changed the meeting.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Does the 11th work for you?
MS. GORDON: Yes. I just couldn't be here on the 5th ——
MR. HILL: We'll save you a seat.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: According to this, the site plan is good to go with Anderson—Dubose?
MS. GORDON: Yes——
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Excellent.
MS. GORDON: Everything has been given back to Ron.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Excellent. Questions for Leslie? (NO RESPONSE FROM COUNCIL.)
Special reports, Police Chief Milhoan?
CHIEF MILHOAN: Just one thing. Prior to coming to the meeting tonight I found out that we did receive our D.A.R.E. grant again for 2011/2012. However, due to the state reducing money, the grant was cut by 25 percent. So we will see less money coming in for the D.A.R.E. grant, but we will still continue with the D.A.R.E. program. We'll just basically absorb more of the cost than we have in the past. The only other thing —— I don't know, Mike, did you want me to bring this up now or were you going to bring this up during——
MR. SULLIVAN: I thought we would do it under new business. I'll do it under the Parks.
CHIEF MILHOAN: Okay. That's all I have.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Questions for our Police Chief? (NO RESPONSE FROM COUNCIL.)
Fire Chief Eastham?
CHIEF EASTHAM: No Report.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Any questions for our Fire Chief? (NO RESPONSE FROM COUNCIL.)
Street Commissioner, Mr. Harrison?
MR. HARRISON: Yes, Mr. Mayor. Just a reminder that the scrap tire collection is this week through this Saturday for our residents. A gentleman from Trumbull County Soil and Water met with me last week to visit the Highland Avenue flooding. He's going to give me a report. He said it is inevitable we will have to get our in—house engineer involved at one point to go over some topography and drainage. It sounds like he's going to have some suggestions to help.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: How are the tire collections going?
MR. HARRISON: Probably 50 tires today.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: Very good. Questions for our Street Commissioner? (NO RESPONSE FROM COUNCIL.)
Planning and Zoning Administrator, Mr. Barnhart?
MR. BARNHART: Yes, Mr. Mayor. The Planning Commission is going to hold a site plan review meeting next Monday, June 27th at 6:30 on a detached building that GM wants to put up on their property. The roof will be covered with solar panels. These solar panels will provide electricity for the electric cars that will park inside that building. So it has to go to a site plan review meeting next Monday, 6:30. That's it——
Anderson—Dubose was supposed to close on the property Friday. They did not close on the property. Then they were supposed to close today, and they did not close today. So they are thinking maybe tomorrow or the next day to close. There's a bit of a snafu there. The lending institution is providing money for the construction and wants something in writing saying that no gas well company will build or place a gas well on that 42 acres. There's a gas well company that happens to have a contract on part of that 42 acres. So they don't want to give up that right to put that gas well on there. So right now the attorneys on both sides are working it out. Les Moore said today he hopes to have it resolved in a day or two.
MAYOR CHAFFEE: So they are planning on once it is closed to break ground?
MR. BARNHART: They had planned to break ground today. That didn't happen. They don't want to break ground until they know the property is theirs. They cannot issue a permit until it is a separate piece of property. They gave us the permits. We have the permits upstairs and cannot issue them until it is a separate piece of property and they own it.
MR. ZOLDAN: Ron, did they buy that land? Because it was inside the Space Center. I'm surprised that the Space Center sold that land to them.
MR. BARNHART: Yes. The Space Center today is different than the Space Center a year ago. The Space Center today —— the Ohio Commerce Center, rather —— are in favor of selling off property to attract industry there.
MR. ZOLDAN: So they sold that land to those people?