CITY
OF PICKERINGTON
FINANCE
COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
CITY HALL, 100 LOCKVILLE ROAD
THURSDAY,
JANUARY 26, 2006
REGULAR
MEETING
7:30
P.M.
1. ROLL CALL. Mr. Wisniewski called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M., with roll call as follows: Mr. Wisniewski, Mr. Hackworth, Mr. Fix, and Mr. Smith were present. No members were absent. Others present were Judy Gilleland, Lynda Yartin, Linda Fersch, John McGory, Mike Arcari, and others.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF December 15, 2005, Regular Meeting. Mr. Fix moved to approve; Mr. Smith seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Hackworth, Mr. Fix, Mr. Wisniewski, and Mr. Smith voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 4-0.
3. FINANCE DIRECTOR:
A. Review and request for motion to approve draft ordinance amending the 2006 appropriation ordinance 2005-98. Mrs. Fersch stated a draft appropriation ordinance had been provided to the Committee. She stated all of the appropriations are in order to reflect adjustments to correspond with the end of the year balances. Mrs. Fersch stated with regard to the TIF appropriations she was just transferring from the construction fund to the debt fund so it can be used to pay off the debt. Mrs. Fersch stated she was requesting the appropriation in the Municipal Building Fund due to a purchase order for windows at the end of the year, and in the Trust Fund we did not receive as much as we thought we would so this appropriation will put us in compliance with the County Auditor. Mr. Fix moved to approve the appropriation and forward to Council; Mr. Smith seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Wisniewski, Mr. Fix, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Hackworth voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 4-0.
Mrs. Fersch stated she had provided a memorandum to the Committee regarding the Prestifillipo property purchase. She stated we were borrowing $490,000 for the project including the purchase of the property and clean up of the site, and this money needs to be put into a fund so we can pay expenses. Mrs. Fersch stated in order not to create an additional fund, she would suggest changing our existing Municipal Building Fund to Municipal Facilities Fund. She stated in a separate appropriation ordinance she would recommend renaming the fund and appropriating the $490,000. Mr. Wisniewski moved to forward legislation re-naming the Municipal Building Fund to the Municipal Facilities Fund and appropriating $490,000 into that fund; Mr. Fix seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Wisniewski, Mr. Smith, Mr. Hackworth, and Mr. Fix voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 4-0.
B. Finance Director’s Report: Mrs. Fersch stated her report had been distributed and she would answer any questions. Mrs. Fersch stated she had provided the Committee with a fund analysis and, for example, the General Fund has approximately $75,000 than what was estimated. She stated the net difference is approximately $600,000.
Mr. Wisniewski inquired if any of the items on the contingency list will be funded soon, and Ms Gilleland stated she has not had time to review all of the figures as yet.
4. PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT:
A. New Employee Update. Mrs. Fersch stated we have received some additional applications for staff engineer and the deadline is January 31, 2006. She stated January 30, 2006, is the deadline for the applications for the two part-time administrative assistants in the Parks Department. Mrs. Fersch stated she has sent out information regarding our new dental option plan, and if anyone has any questions they can contact her. She stated the Insurance Review Board will reconvene to discuss our options for health insurance and she will keep this Committee informed on this issue. Ms Gilleland stated there are a few projects in Human Resources that we will be undertaking such as updating the Employee Relations Manual and the Personnel Appeals Board rules. She stated Mrs. Fersch is doing a wonderful job as the Interim Personnel Director.
5. DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT: Update. Ms Gilleland stated Mr. McGory and Mr. Arcari are present to address the Committee this evening. Mr. McGory stated they have been meeting with regard to the CEDA and he felt they were headed in the right direction. He stated they are also continuing to meet with Equity regarding their project on S.R. 256 near Kohls’. Ms Gilleland stated this dealt with the TIF and we were originally approached with the notion of adding five office buildings, and that peaked our interest. She stated they were requesting TIF funds to help build the roadway that would go back to Kohls’. She stated since that time we have had our TIF attorneys look at the figures and some figures of the Kohls’ area were included, not just the office development. Ms Gilleland stated we are still looking at issues. Mr. Arcari stated they have been involved with Violet Township setting up an initial Joint Economic Development District, which would mean co-development of properties in unincorporated parts of Violet Township. He stated they were looking at a first JEDD in a specific area right now and they are trying to work out the details on that. Mr. Wisniewski stated his question would be why we would go through putting together a JEDD versus annexing it into the City and sharing tax revenue. He stated a JEDD seemed fairly complex for this small as this project. Mr. Arcari stated that is a strategic call on the part of the City, and he felt the City needed to look at how they wanted to proceed. He stated the Township has expressed there are certain property owners that do not want to annex to the City but there is the desire to be developed. He stated the Township would like to see tax generated on these properties and we were trying to look at creative ways to do that. Mr. Smith stated with this particular JEDD we would be required to provide water and sewer services, and questioned if we would be able to assess impact fees. Mr. Arcari stated you would not because for all taxing purposes it stays in the Township, there is just a joint provision of services and there is the ability to levy an income tax in the area. Ms Gilleland stated perhaps impact fees could be a provision of the JEDD, and Mr. Arcari stated a JEDD is a specific mechanism to be able to levy income tax and for a City and Township to go forward with a joint provision of services. Ms Gilleland stated one reason she was interested in looking at this property for the JEDD was because we want to get a JEDD started somewhere and this one small piece of property is the easiest way that we can get our arms around the concept, get a JEDD agreement worked out, and have a model to expand from. Mr. Fix clarified this JEDD could be expanded. Mr. Wisniewski stated he just wanted to make sure we were doing the smartest thing for the City. Mr. Smith stated he liked the idea of working with the Township, he just had several questions yet on this issue. Mr. Wisniewski stated when the details are a little firmer it will be easier to make an informed decision.
Mr. Arcari stated they have reviewed the programs the City has in place, and it is important to target what you want to see in the City and then go after it and utilize these programs to do that. Mr. Smith clarified that the City has limited space for development and the better uses, higher value uses, would be professional office uses.
6. CHAIRMAN:
A. Law Director Search – Update. Ms Gilleland stated she would provide the Committee with details on this issue during an Executive Session.
7. OTHER BUSINESS: No other business was brought forward.
8. MOTIONS:
A. Motion for Executive Session under Section 121.11(G)(1)(b), Matters involving an employee’s or public official’s employment, Section 121.22(G)(2), Purchase or sale of public property, Section 121.22(G)(3), Conference with law director regarding pending or imminent court action, and Section 121.22(G)(4), Matters involving bargaining sessions with public employees. Mr. Wisniewski moved for an Executive Session under Section 121.11(G)(1)(b), Matters involving an employee’s or public official’s appointment, and Section 121.22(G)(2), Purchase or sale of public property; Mr. Smith seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Hackworth, Mr. Fix, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Wisniewski voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 4-0.
Finance Committee went into Executive Session at 8:30 P.M. and reconvened in open session at 9:10 P.M.
Mr. Wisniewski moved to approve and forward to Council the legislation authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement settling claims arising from Fairfield County Common Please Case No. 2004 CV 782; Mr. Smith seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Smith, Mr. Fix, Mr. Wisniewski, and Mr. Hackworth voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 4-0.
9. ADJOURNMENT. There being nothing further, Mr. Fix moved to adjourn; Mr. Smith seconded the motion. Mr. Hackworth, Mr. Smith, Mr. Fix, and Mr. Wisniewski voted "Aye." Motion carried, 4-0. The Finance Committee adjourned at 9:12 P.M., January 26, 2006.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:
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