Meeting Notes April 16, 2019
Willoughby City Council Meeting Summary Notes
April 16, 2019
Student Government Day
Tonight's Council Meeting was an annual event, Student Government Day. Students from South High visited the city throughout the day to get a first-hand view of how local government operates. My student representative for Ward 2 was Sophia Madge, a Junior @ South. Sophia’s interests are Theatre and Neuroscience!!! She also participates in the schools’ theatre program as well as the Marching Band. She would love to study theatre and possible someday return to Cleveland working in our great Theatre District. She did a great job representing her school and herself. Overall there were 20 students assigned to all Administrative positions, Directors, and Council. There were 13 pieces of legislation, many of which dealt with the repairs and maintenance of the Plains Road Pump Station, a joint facility in the Willoughby-Eastlake Water Pollution Control Center. Two committee meetings took place, the Economic Development Committee and the Parks and Recreation Committee.
PRIOR TO THE REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
SPECIAL MEETING/EXECUTIVE SESSION*
None
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING
Katie McNeill, Ken Kary, Chris Woodin
The purpose of the Economic Development Committee meeting is to discuss:
• Special ImprovementDistrict (SID)
• The Executive Director of the Downtown Willoughby Organization, former Mayor, Dave Anderson is focusing his attention to the creation of a Special Improvement District in Downtown Willoughby. This SID will have the property owners pay an additional tax or fee for services or improvements within the district. Examples of the types of services to be provided can include marketing efforts, beautification and maintenance, supplemental security and physical improvements, i.e. green space enhancement, pedestrian amenities, wayfinding signage, etc.
• Discussions centered around former Mayor Dave Anderson defining what a SID is then expressing how he, as the Executive Director of Downtown Willoughby Organization would like to introduce this concept to approximately 150+ property owners in what is considered the downtown area. This would range from the railroad tracks near Sheraton Furniture, south all the way down Erie Street to Wilson and Park. He will need to commit 60% of this population to take part in the program for it to work. Some examples of cities that have used this program are Ohio City, Coventry, and Canton. To summarize, one the plan is created City Council must say yes for it to move forward. Dave Anderson hopes to see this plan go into effect in 2020. Stay tuned for more on this in the future.
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING
Chris Woodin, Katie McNeill, John Tomaselli
The purpose of the Parks and Recreation Committee meeting is to discuss:
• Osborne Park MasterPlan
• Currently, there is a two-part plan
• Mitigate the erosion to the Osborne Park shoreline
• Finalize a “Master Plan” for the use of the Park for Lakeshore Blvd to the Water
• What would this include?
• More Park amenities?
• A beach?
• A Break-wall
• Fishing Piers?
• In defense of the city, we will be exploring a multitude of funding sources. We will be looking at everything from the city taking charge alone to the possibility of “naming rights” to the right donor. NOTE, this is all talk and nothing has been cut in stone. We just need to decide as a Council and Administration how to bring these ideas to reality. LET’S GET THE FIRST PHASE IN PLACE SO WE CAN AVOID EVEN LARGER PROBLEMS. Armour Stone the shoreline.
• MORE ON THIS, FOR SURE, IN THE FUTURE!
LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS
The general purpose of the Legislative Caucus meeting is to review and discuss the legislation on the Regular Council. More on the legislation covered later in this summary.
AGENDA
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
APRIL 16, 2019
STUDENT GOVERNMENT DAY
ROLL CALL
PRAYER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
APPROVAL OF MINUTES- Regular Council Meeting of April 2, 2019
STANDING AND REGULAR COMMITTEE REPORTS
• With Student Government activities the committee reports were not significant. We were just getting the student into the “mood” of speaking for the Directors, and Council members.
CORRESPONDENCE
None
PUBLIC PORTION
Three speakers addressed Council this evening. The first two were representatives that were sharing their dissatisfaction with the Ridgewood Greens Development that is planned to go in where the old Johnny Cake Ridge Golf Course existed. The plan is for 117 homes to be built, 110 in Mentor and 7 in Willoughby. These speakers presented again their concerns for safety and traffic issues. They did hear the legislation that was on the agenda during the legislative caucus part of the meeting and it seemed to me that they felt the city was doing all they could do to protect the area and assure the conditions listed by the City of Willoughby’s Planning Commission will be enforced.
The second speaker commented on the discussions that took place during the Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting. He basically shared that after visiting the Osborne Park site, “The sky is not falling”. He also stated why are we trying to be like other cities. If you want to swim go to Headlands. If you want to fish go to Fairport. He knows there is a problem and we can and should address it, but we may need to re-assess and see if the Master Plan for Osborne is what is best for Willoughby. He had a very poignant quote for the young students in attendance. It involved “find a passion”….community involvement, volunteer. Just do not be like those FaceBook users that state, “You do this, You should do that…….Raise that same hand and say I WILL DO THIS, I WILL DO THAT, I WILL HELP! GET INVOLVED YOURSELF.
NEW BUSINESS
ORDINANCE NO. 2019-33
An ordinance authorizing the Mayor to enter into a Fifteenth Amendment to the WPCC Joint Agreement with the City of Eastlake, as amended.
The Mayor is authorized to enter into a Fifteenth Amendment to the WPCC Joint Agreement with the City of Eastlake, as amended, to establish a method of payment for the WPCC Capacity Enhancement Project. This legislation deals with securing the payment plan to cover the WPCC Enhancement Project. Both cities, Willoughby and Eastlake are participants.
Passed
RESOLUTION NO. 2019-34
A resolution authorizing the Mayor to enter into an agreement with the City of Eastlake for implementing the payment procedure for the WPCC Capacity Enhancement Project.
Willoughby has applied for a WPCLF construction loan and will be the sole obligor on the loan documents, andthe Cities have agreed that the cost of the project is to be paid equally by the Cities.
Passed
RESOLUTION NO. 2019-35
A resolution authorizing an expenditure in the amount of $49,369.97 for the cleaning of the Plains Road Pump Station Sewage Force Main, a joint facility of the Willoughby-Eastlake Water Pollution Control Center.
An item of expenditure in the amount of $49,369.97 for the cleaning of the Plains Road Pump Station Sewage Force Main directed by the Joint Agreement between the City of Willoughby and the City of Eastlake. This property is in serious need of repairs and renovations. Again costs will be shared between the two cities.
Passed
RESOLUTION NO. 2019-36
A resolution authorizing the City Engineer to prepare plans and specifications and to advertise for bids for the repairs to the Plains Road Pump Station Force Main, a joint facility of the Willoughby-Eastlake Water Pollution Control Center.
The City Engineer is authorized to prepare plans and specifications and to advertise for bids for the repair to the Plains Road Pump Station Sewage Force Main, a Joint Facility of the Willoughby-Eastlake Water Pollution Control Center; expenditures to be made from the WPCC ReplacementFund.
Passed
RESOLUTION NO. 2019-37
A resolution authorizing an expenditure in an amount not to exceed $89,000 for engineering costs for the Erie Street Reconstruction Project.
This will be a major reconstruction project for Willoughby.
ExpendituretobemadefromtheRoad & BridgeFund.
Passed
RESOLUTION NO. 2019-38
AresolutionauthorizingtheMayortoreviewandacceptthebestpricingandtime period proposed by a retail electric supplier for the subsequent inclusion within an agreement for the purchase of electricity for the City of Willoughby's Street Lighting, within such time period parameters to be from twelve (12)to thirty-six
(36) months, effective June 1, 2019.
It is the intent of the City to determine the best pricing and time period by a provider of electricity for the by-passable generation and transmission related component of the City of Willoughby's street lighting.
Passed
ORDINANCE NO. 2019-39
An ordinance providing for the issuance and sale of not to exceed $5,615,000 notes, in anticipation of the Issuance of Bonds, to pay the property owners' portion,inanticipationofthelevyandcollectionofspecialassessments,ofcosts of improving the Riverside Commons Property identified and described in ResolutionNo.2002-134,adoptedJuly9,2002,bygrading,draining,curbing,and paving, constructing sidewalks and driveway approaches, and constructing sanitary/storm sewers and water lines, and otherwise improving the same in the manner provided in the aforesaid Resolution No. 2002-134.
This is complex to say the least, and I will only share that the city does this annually to cover the finances until Bonds can be issued to pay the debt.
For those who do not know, the Riverside Commons Property is the large parcel of vacant land to the South of the intersection of SR 2 and Lost Nation Road. It has been vacant for years after the infrastructure was placed.
News Herald
The partially wooded 300-acre parcel just southeast of the Lost Nation Road-Route 2 interchange has sat dormant since the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers halted work several years ago, claiming a violation of the Clean Water Act. The project has been in litigation for quite some time. The strategically situated land -- rezoned to allow commercial as well as industrial use -- is seen by some as a key component to reviving the economy in Willoughby, Lake County and beyond. There has been recent progress made regarding a settlement.
Passed
ORDINANCE NO. 2019-40
An ordinance providing for the issuance and sale of not to exceed $6,400,000 notes, in anticipation of the issuance of bonds, for the purpose of paying the City's portion of the costs of constructing, furnishing and equipping recreational and educational facilities for senior citizens, with related site improvements and necessary appurtenances thereto.
This is all to secure the financing of the New City of Willoughby Senior Center located on the Campus site of the new South High School.
Passed
RESOLUTION NO. 2019-41
A resolution approving an agreement between the Willoughby Part-Time Firefighter Association and the City of Willoughby, Ohio. This is in reference to a contract agreement for Part-Time Firefighters.
This is a three (3) year contract.
Passed
RESOLUTION NO. 2019-42
A resolution amending the meeting schedule of Council for the months of June, July, and August 2019.
The Summer Session Council Dates will be:
June 11 July 9 August 13
Passed
RESOLUTION NO. 2019-43
A resolution authorizing the Mayor to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with Bedaos Limited Liability Company to memorialize the required performance of certain conditions imposed by the Planning Commission of the City of Willoughby for approval of the major subdivision and final plat of Ridgewood Greens Subdivision 2.
This is a very important resolution to hold the builder/developer responsible for the adherence to all the conditions set forth for their Plan to build. Willoughby Planning Commission set forth the following conditions:
Willoughby Conditions
1. A complete landscape plan must be submitted and approved by the Planning Commission prior to the City Engineer's approval of the ImprovementPlan.
2. That a traffic study is undertaken when 80% of the development has been completed in Phases I and IIorthree years from when the Rt. 84 entranceway is open; whichever comes first. A traffic study and subsequent traffic control devices, if required by the study, shall be fully funded by the developer by an agreement which is satisfactory to the Willoughby LawDepartment.
3. Construction traffic and staging for all three phases must be contained to Rt. 20 inMentor.
4. A walking path is to be installed in the Willoughby portion of the development.
5. A copy of the CEI agreement details will be referred to the Willoughby LawDepartment.
6. A sidewalk between King Edward Ct. and Polo Park will be installed during the Phase IIDevelopment.
7. The Homeowners Association (HOA} Agreement will be sent to the Willoughby Law Department for review and will include details for stormwater management and sewermaintenance.
Passed
6 yays
1 nay
ORDINANCE NO. 2019-44
An ordinance accepting an exclusive roadway easement from the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company necessary to ingress and egress at Bedaos Drive and Johnnycake Ridge Road (Ridgewood Greens Subdivision). This easement enables the entrance to this new development to use a small section of CEI land.
Passed
6 yays
1 nay
ORDINANCE NO. 2019-45
An ordinance accepting the Final Plat for Ridgewood Greens Subdivision 2.
This is a vote on the approval of the Final Plat for subdivision 2 which is part Mentor and part Willoughby.
Passed
6 yays
1 nay
MAYORS REPORT
Students serving as Mayor, Council, and Directors all thanked the Mayor for the great lunch they were treated to on Student Government Day.
Due to the Student Government program the normal dialogue that takes place during “Reports” was used to primarily introduce each student participant by their Director Advisor.
DIRECTOR’S REPORTS
Due to the Student Government program the normal dialogue that takes place during “Reports” was used to primarily introduce each student participant by their Director Advisor.
COUNCIL REPORTS
Due to the Student Government program the normal dialogue that takes place during “Reports” was used to primarily introduce each student participant by their Council Advisor.
ADJOURNMENT
COMMENTS BY COUNCILMAN KARY
REMEMBER
Monday, May 6th, 2019
6:30 pm
1969 Lost Nation Road
CLASSIC JET CENTER
HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!!!!!
COFFEE • COOKIES
NOTE
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 Minutesare posted on the City of Willoughby Website http://willoughbyohio.com/government/city-council