MEETING NOTES FROM APRIL 19, 2022
Willoughby City Council Meeting Summary
• APRIL 19, 2022 •
Ken Kary • Councilman Ward 2
NOTE
These notes “are not” the official minutes for Willoughby City Council.
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
https://willoughbyohio.com/city-council/
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Motion to hold an Executive Session to consider the appointment of a public employee or official in accordance with ORC 121.22(G)(1).
AGENDA
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
April 19, 2022
APPROVAL OF MINUTES-
Regular Council Meeting of April 5, 2022
STANDING AND REGULAR COMMITTEE REPORTS
No major reports
CORRESPONDENCE
No correspondence
PUBLIC PORTION
Joe Waltos, 3911 E. 365th Street, Willoughby – Mr. Waltos voiced concerns about cars speeding on E. 365thStreet. Chief Schultz will speak with Mr. Waltos after tonight’s meeting to address the problem.
NEW BUSINESS
RESOLUTION NO. 2022-45 Motion passed 6-0
A resolution authorizing the City Engineer to prepare plans and specifications and to advertise for bids for the purchase of a Belt Filter Press for the Willoughby-Eastlake Water Pollution Control Center.
City Engineer Lannon said this will replace belt press No. 2 which is the size of a van. It presses the water out of sledge to make a sledge cake that can be taken to a landfill.
RESOLUTION NO. 2022-46 Motion passed 6-0
A resolution authorizing the Director of Finance to transfer funds from the General Fund to various other funds, and declaring an emergency.
Resolution 2022-46 is for the Transfers that are part of our Budgeted Appropriations and Revenues. These include transfers to the Operating funds, General Bond, Capital, Future Retirement and Victims Assistance funds.
The legislation allows up to the dollar amounts listed totaling $3,350,000.
Mr. Carr said a memo was sent out by Finance Director Bosley along with a fund balance report. Ms. Bosleysaid this resolution authorizes the transfers up to the amounts listed. It is likely those amounts will be used, but they will continue to monitor the funds and make adjustments accordingly. Capital discussions will take place next month.
NOTE:
For accuracy, this section has been copied from the council meeting minutes
MAYORS REPORT
Mayor Fiala said he is restarting two projects; the Chagrin River Trail and the Osborne Park Project. He said these projects were put on hold due to COVID. Regarding the amphitheater and Chagrin River Trail project, there will be a public engagement meeting in June (tentative date of June 15th) near the river. He said the Smith Group has asked that a stakeholder group be put together which is currently taking place (Council is included in this group). Some other outside groups will be invited as well including Andrews Osborne Academy, the Willoughby Fine Arts, and members of the baseball leagues. Once the list is established, it will be shared with Council.
Mr. Carr asked if there was an update on the bridge art piece. Mr. Fiala said the art piece was ready to be installed, but the artist was not happy with the finish on the stainless steel. Tom Thielman, the artist and the sign company went to Cleveland Heights to view a piece of art and they are now trying to mimic the finish on that piece. Mr. Carr asked if there was any update on using the back parking lot of the library as public parking. Mayor Fiala said the next step is to put together a memorandum of understanding on how the relationship will work. He said some parking spots will be leased for overnight parking and the lot will eventually be redesigned to eliminate the ATM. Mayor Fiala will confirm if the tow-away signs are still up in the parking lot.
DIRECTOR’S REPORTS
Service Director Palmisano – No report. Mr. Carr asked if Mr. Palmisano could coordinate the meeting with Abbotts Manor and Pine Ridge Plaza. Mr. Carr said the residents of Abbotts Manor are looking to put a crosswalk into the plaza. Mr. Tomaselli said he drove across the bridge (Mentor Avenue bridge) and said the lights were on and it looked beautiful. He asked if there was a light missing. Mr. Palmisano said yes; there is one missing in the southeast corner. He said it’s been out for a long time and a replacement has been ordered. Mr. Palmisano said the Illuminating Company changed the lights on Mentor Avenue to Kirtland Road with LED lighting.
City Engineer Lannon – No report. Regarding the Chagrin Mill housing development, Mr. Merhar said he received a few calls regarding a zoning variance for 12 of the lots to be taken down to 52 ft. Mr. Lannon said he didn’t attend the meeting but said it’s being requested because it’s a curved street. The inside lots on the curve could be 150 ft. wide in the back but 40 ft. in the front. Instead of pushing the house back on the lot, the developer is trying to keep the setbacks uniform. Mr. Carr affirmed that the developer was not asking for rezoning but simply a variance for the houses to line up uniformly. Law Director Lucas said that what the developer is asking for is consistent with what was approved on the plat.
Fire Chief Ungar – No report. Mr. Garry asked about the fire at DeMilta Scrap. Chief Ungar explained that when their investigators can’t pinpoint the cause of a fire, they are allowed to leave a fire as undetermined. This allows them to open the case at any time; he said it’s not a bad ruling to have. He said they are pretty confident they know where it started but don’t know how yet.
Police Chief Schultz – Chief Schultz said there was another deadly force incident in Michigan recently. Over the past five years, there have been a number of these incidents involving law enforcement. He stressed the importance of training and education for his police officers; he said he has four officers trained in defensive tactics; officers Ross Shirey, Dan Lastoria, John Greig, and Taylor Zana.
Parks & Recreation Director Banker – Ms. Banker said unfortunately the Lions Club pickleball court project was not selected for the grant. She will look into other grants. She has been working with the Smith Group to have a second public meeting. At that meeting, they will show the changes that have been made to the two proposals that they originally had for Osborne Park. The meeting should take place sometime in May. She is working with Jason at the Smith Group on two grants; National Coastline Resilience Fund and Natureworks. The pool staff is currently at 42. An e-mail went out to past employees; 4 people from 2019 are interested in coming back.
Finance Director Bosley – Ms. Bosley thanked Council for the passage of the legislation.
COUNCIL REPORTS
Mr. Kary – Mr. Kary thanked Judean Banker for the list of concerts downtown and at
Osborne Park.
Mr. Carr – Mr. Carr asked Council to think about their summer schedules so the
Council schedule can be adjusted.
ADJOURNMENT
COMMENTS BY COUNCILMAN KARY
City Council has been tasked to replace long-time councilman Chris Woodin, Ward 1. Mr. Wooding resigned 18 months before the end of his term, so based on the City Charter, Council took charge of finding a replacement. Nine candidates from Ward 1 put in applications, and from that nine, eight candidates were interviewed. This was done in two sessions, where the list of qualified candidates was narrowed down to two. At that evening's Council Meeting, an appointment was made from that list, and the new Council Member will be sworn in on May 3rd, 2022. The new "COUNCILWOMAN" appointed to Ward 1 for the remainder of Chis Woodin's term is Kristie Sievers.
WELCOME TO CITY COUNCIL KRISTIE
This appointment is important to me in Ward 2 because I work quite closely with the Ward 1 Council Member to push for Economic Development in our part of Willoughby. We have both agreed to work hard to do what is best for Ward 1 and Ward 2 AND WILLOUGHBY.
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 Minutes are posted on the
City of Willoughby Website
https://willoughbyohio.com/city-council/