Meeting Notes September 18, 2018

Willoughby City Council Meeting Summary Notes

September 18th, 2018

There were five (5) items under new business which was a short meeting for the council.  Two dealt with changes to the Codified Ordinances for the city where there was a need to create more effective enforcement procedures as well as language. Two items dealt with economics. One was an annual task of reporting to the County Auditor our current tax rates.  The other was a listing of the Banking institutions the city uses.  

COMMITTEE MEETINGS

·     One committee meeting took place September 18th, 2018

o   Service Committee Meeting

·     The Service Committee

o  Storm Water Projects

The city receives approximately $700,000 per year from the County to manage Storm Water projects. These funds are used to make changes to the infrastructure of the city to manage major flooding issues.  We are currently in the middle of a major program that is addressing and will address flooding issues throughout the city. 

·      Here is the priority ranking list from the City Engineer of the next round of projects to be addressed

1.       Ward CreekImprovements, North Bay Drive Culvert and Elimination of the North Bay Retention Basin – This really needs to be one project because they only solve the flooding issues if done at the same time.  This is my top priority primarily because we have outside funding ($40,000 from Mentor), but also because this has been in the works for several years in cooperation with Mentor and multiple homes in Willoughby and Mentor are affected.  The total project cost is estimated to be $468,200. 

2.       Storm Outfall Repair – This project covers the repair of a storm outfall on Kilarney Road, repair of a storm outfall off Ridge Road, a storm outfall repair off Carriage Lane and a storm channel enclosure on Topps Industrial Parkway.  This is also a top priority project because the erosion in the channel off Topps will affect a building if not resolved.  Also, we are getting $200,000 from OPWC toward the total project cost of $415,000.

3.       Clairidge-Ericson Storm Sewers – The outfall storm sewer from Ericson Land is eroding land on the Clairidge Drive properties.  Additionally, the lack of sizing of a driveway culvert puts one home at risk of flooding.  The proposed $206,000 project is to extend the Ericson storm sewer to a flatter stretch of the creek to stop the erosion plus replace the drive culvert under a pair of driveways to reduce the chances of flooding.

4.       Wood Road Storm Sewer – This $96,000 project resolves the flooding of several properties on Wood Road and on Steve Guard Court.  The Steve Guard drainage system is too shallow to drain the rear yards as originally intended.  Generally flooded yards is not a reason to spend public money but the lay of the land in this location has created a problem that could not be resolved or avoided by the developer's drainage system.  On paper, it looked like it would work but in practice, the lack of depth of the storm sewers created the problem.

NOTE:  this project is being pulled off the docket so the city can go after the developer to make the repairs.

o  Finance Director Diane Bosley will have to meet with the Lake Storm Water Agency to determine the anticipated available funds in 2019 to put a timetable together for these projects.

·     Currently, there is work being done to Two Town Ditch as well as the Culvert expansion that exits Two Town Ditch out to Lake Erie.  This top priority was set quite some time back and is now underway.  Completion by late fall.

o  Traffic Calming  in the City

There was a lively discussion on this topic and it seems that the majority of council is in favor of pursuing the purchase and installation of the Solar Powered Traffic Calming Signs.

These signs display the current speed limit being enforced, while at the same time will “flash” and share when a vehicle is speeding.  They also will flash and let the driver be informed, “They need to slow down”.  

It is my hope as a council member to pursue this path and see there be a ranking system set up that can determine the best locations to place these initial devices.  The ranking can be done by the Police Department and their data as well as the engineering departments input.  I would see these types of signs placed on a street like Adkins Road, where speeding is an issue since it is a "cut through" form 306 to Lost Nation Road.  Adkins is also hard to patrol because there are not many spots a police car can sit without being seen from a distance. 

Let's work to explore this tool and find the funding to install a few throughout the city.  I have been working on this for a little over a year when the topic came up in front of Council back in 2017. 

COMMITTEE REPORTS

·     Safety Committee Chair, Bob Harrold, spoke to council sharing that after extensive research, it is the Safety Committees recommendation to leave the current Dispatch Center for Willoughby alone and not job this duty out. Even though it is costly for the city to have its own dispatchers, the cost for other cities and how their costs dramatically increase over a few years, at this time it is in the best interest of Willoughby to hold its course on this issue. 

LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS 

·     The general purpose of the Legislative Caucus meeting is to review and discuss the legislation on the Regular Council.

PUBLIC HEARING

·     There were no speakers during the Public Hearing portion of the meeting.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS      NONE

NEW BUSINESS

RESOLUTION NO. 2018-117

A resolution accepting the amounts and rates as determined by the Budget Commission, authorizing the necessary tax levies, certifying same to the Lake County Auditor. This is an annual requirement for the city to certify the tax amounts that are levied.  This is all determined by the adoption of the Tax Budget.

RESOLUTION NO. 2018-118

A resolution amending Resolution No.  2016-90 designating public depositories for active funds of the City of Willoughby, Ohio (the banks the city does business with).  This resolution adds Erie Bank to do business with the city while First Merit bank was removed.  

ORDINANCE NO. 2018-119

An ordinance replacing Chapter 1351 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Willoughby, Ohio, titled, “Erosion and Sediment Control”, in its entirety.  These changes are based upon requirements from the Ohio EPA.  They also put more effective enforcement procedures in place to enforce the ordinances. The city Law Department has found that many of the regulations as written were just not enforceable.   

ORDINANCE NO. 2018-120

An ordinance replacing Chapter 1352 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Willoughby, Ohio, titled, “Storm Water Management”, in its entirety.  These changes are based upon requirements from the Ohio EPA.  They also put more effective enforcement procedures in place to enforce the ordinances.  The city Law Department has found that many of the regulations as written were just not enforceable.  Because of these new changes we are now in compliance with the state standards.

ORDINANCE NO. 2018-121

An ordinance authorizing the Mayor to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Middlefield Volunteer Fire Department Inc. to permit the use of a Fire Safety Trailer.  The Fire Department has ownership of a trailer they have used in the past for Fire Safety training.  Over the years several new teaching methods have been implemented and the use of the trailer has become obsolete.  Because of this, the Department sought out a way that they can come up with a legal agreement where they could allow another city Fire Department the use of the trailer for their needs implementing Fire Safety Programs.  The law department created an MOU where the Middlefield Volunteer Fire Department will take responsibility to care for and maintain the trailer at their expense.  The trailer is basically on loan and Middlefield must be responsible for its maintenance and insurance. 

Reports from the Directors, Mayor and Council Members

o  MAYOR, BOB FIALA

The Mayor shared that the request to explore Traffic Calming devices will be instituted.

He shared that the American Legion Hall in Willoughby has asked the city if they would send a representative on September 30th to speak at the Gold Star Mothers Reception they will be holding.  The American Gold Star Mothersis an organization of American motherswho lost sons or daughters in service of the United States Armed Forces

·     Council member Chris Woodin, from Ward 1 asked to represent the city at this event. Councilman  Woodin is a military veteran.

o  CITY ENGINEER, JIM SAYLES

We were involved in 3 applications for Ohio Public Works Commission grants and 0% interest loans.  One was a joint application filed by the Lake County Department of Utilities.  That was successful.  Willoughby’s portion is repair to the downtown streetscape curbs and brick pavers damaged by snow plows. The bulk of that project is the replacement of the water main thru downtown that keeps breaking and lifting the pavement, which is why Lake County was the lead applicant.

The two Willoughby only applications were for the Erie Street Reconstruction project, between the RR tracks and a sanitary sewer lining project parallel to and south of I-90.  These applications for funding did not make the cut to receive grant money, however, we will submit a full application for the Erie Street Project just in case additional funding come available once the District 7 committee reviews the applications.  It just missed getting funding.  Chances are low but there is still some hope.  The I-90 Lining Project missed the mark completely and will not receive any funding.

o  PARKS AND RECREATION, JUDEAN BANKER

The rescheduling of the Food Truck day downtown will be on September 23rdSunday.  The Diamond Project will be entertaining.

At Daniels Park, there is currently an Eagle Scout Project taking place where they a building a Ga Ga Court.   This is a variant of dodgeball that is played in a ga-ga "pit". The game combines dodging, striking, running, and jumping, with the objective of being the last person standing. Players hit the ball at each other with their hands, and are eliminated if the ball strikes them on or below the knee. The game can be played by a group of individual players or with teams, as well as in one-on-one matches.

The views I express in these Council Meeting Summaries are my own and do not reflect any official view or position of the City of Willoughby.  The “official” Council Minutes are posted on the City of Willoughby Website    http://willoughbyohio.com/government/city-council/.