The Weekly Informer (7/5/16)

On Monday, June 27th, 2016, at 5:30pm, the following transpired:

Committees:

1. Finance (Floyd, Fraizer, Johnson, Bubb, and Cost):

2. Ordinance No. 16-27: with an emergency clause, issuing a bond anticipation note of $1,120,000.00 to “[pay for] the cost of various street and parking lot improvements, sidewalk construction and lighting improvements”.

3. The emergency clause is due to a “deadline”.

4. Approved unanimously, without controversy.

5. Ordinance No. 16-28: with an emergency clause, issuing a bond of $1,730,000 for “east main street improvement refunding”.

6. This is pertaining to the Longaberger TIF, as it is “not working properly”.

7. Bond is being reissued to pay for the debt.

8. Emergency clause due to a “deadline”.

9. Requesting a 20 year bond in addition to the previous 25 year bond.

10. Approved unanimously, without controversy.

11. Resolution No. 16-54: with a request to waive the two day reading rule, spending money.

12. $1,012 for “Law Enforcement Supplies” to replace a device stolen from a defendant’s vehicle. Defendant repaid the city, the money from the repayment is to be used.

13. Approved unanimously, without controversy.

14. Resolution No. 16-57: spending money.

15. $450 for “General Services” out of the NSP Revolving Loan fund to help pay for demolition.

16. Approved unanimously, without controversy.

17. Resolution No. 16-58: spending money, with a request to vote on the measure on the 5th.

18. “Late Item”, requires the use of Rule 11 at the next council meeting.

19. $25 for “Termination Sick Pay”

20. $90 for “Termination Vacation Pay”

21. Recent retirement in the Traffic department.

22. Capital Improvements (*):

24. .

25. Service: (Rath, Cost, Fraizer, Floyd, and Bubb)

a. Ordinance No. 16-26: “changing the zoning classification of…965 Mt. Vernon Road from…Single Family Residence Medium Density Zoning District…to…General Business Zoning District”.

I) Approved unanimously to move towards the planning commission.

b. Resolution No. 16-55: with an emergency clause, allowing Service Director David Rhodes secure an “ODOT winter contract” in order to prepare for salting our roads.

I) Service Director David Rhodes says that we have about $2,000 on hand for salt, but that it is typical for us to have almost twice that amount ($3,700) at this stage.

II) We also presently have a “full barn”, but this will allow us to maintain our stockpile as we utilize what we have on hand.

III) Approved unanimously, without controversy.

c.

d.

e.

f.

1. Safety ():

3. Personnel ():

6. Recreation:

7. No business. Result: *

8. Street ():

a. None.

1. Rules (*):

4. Economic Development ():

7. Ways and Means (Fraizer, Bubb, and Hall):

8. Ordinance 16-29: a proposed income tax increase of .25 – which would set the income tax rate at 2% - to pay for streets and the “capital improvement needs” of our safety forces. To be accompanied by a resolution, as required by State law, to put this to a ballot question for the people of Newark to consider.

9. Can not be used for buildings.

10. Of the .25 increase, .15 is to go towards streets, .05 to the fire department, and .05 to the police department.

11. June 27th was the deadline for proposing this in order to make the November ballot.

12. The police department is looking at equipment upgrades and body cameras. Cars can be purchased used with up to 80,000 miles.

13. The fire department is looking at upgrades as well; 4 out of 6 fire trucks have more than 100,000 miles on them as there are over 10,000 fire truck calls per year, and some of them even have rust and holes in the floor. Giving each firefighter two outfits each helps with cancer prevention.

14. Snow plow trucks are needed with 4 having broke down at last snow fall.

15. Councilman Blake stressed the need for using this discussion to encapsulate all of Newark’s needs and to seriously consider a bigger ask – possibly raising the rate to 2.25% - from the people of Newark at what will be a high turnout election.

16. Councilman Fraizer noted his hesitance to send this council, pointing out that income tax increases don’t tend to be reversed and that this will create a greater burden for the poorest in the city.

17. Ultimately, before the committee unanimously approved, a special committee meeting was called for July 5th prior to the regular council meeting.

18. Resolution 16-56: the ballot issue of the proposed tax increase lifting the rate up to 2%.

19. Unanimously approved, without controversy.

Further thoughts:

There were four citizens on hand. The meeting lasted an hour. One more note, while I believe that Councilman Fraizer’s critique of the tax increase harming the poor is genuine it is worth noting that it would be less painful if Ohio law permitted cities to implement a progressive tax structure as opposed to the mandatory flat tax which undeniably burdens the poor more.

What to expect at the next Council Meeting at 7pm:

1) Appointments: .

2) Public Hearings: None.

Any Resolutions or Ordinances on the First Reading – except those brought forward using Rule 11 – were already covered at the recent committee meeting as seen above.

3) Ordinances on the Second Reading:

a. Ordinance No. 16-17: amending the position classification, pay range and department authorization tables of the Department of Safety, Division of Fire by creating the classification of Deputy Fire Chief, and setting the compensation therefore, and abolishing one Assistant Chief position by attrition.

* The newly created officer would serve as a stand-in for the Chief when he or she is unable. Also, the proposed salary would “split the Chief and Assistant Chief salaries”.

b. Ordinance No. 16-18: “prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation”.

c. Ordinance No. 16-25: changing regulations of downtown parking.

* Privately-hired Part Time officer to patrol and enforce parking laws from 8am to 12:30pm.

* Reducing the time limit from 3 to 2 hours.

* Reducing the warnings from 3 to 2.

* $50 ticket.

* Also, desired that city provide a change in parking signs and a handheld device for the officer.

4) Resolutions on the Second Reading:

a. Resolution No. 16-53: spending money.

* $500 for General Services, specifically for the police division. Money came from a “local financial institution” donation.

* $3,248 for General Services, specifically for the police division. Claim is that this is from “seizure money”.

b.

c.

See you all next week. Thanks for reading.