REGULAR
MEETING
7:30
P.M.
1. ROLL CALL. Mr. Smith called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M., with roll call as follows: Mr. Smith, Mr. Wisniewski, and Mr. Sabatino were present. No members were absent. Others present were Judy Gilleland, Lynda Yartin, Chief Taylor, Steve Carr, Paul Lane, Brenda VanCleave, Mike Stacy, Dick Huntwork, Dale Huntwork, Betty Huntwork, Anne Huntwork, Mark Huntwork, Barbara Huntwork, Sean Casey, Steve Brown, and others.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF September 11, 2006, Regular Meeting. Mr. Sabatino moved to approve; Mr. Wisniewski seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Sabatino, Mr. Wisniewski, and Mr. Smith voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 3-0.
Mr. Smith stated Mr. Huntwork was present with regard to the skate park noise issue that was discussed at the last meeting. Ms Gilleland stated at the last meeting the Safety Committee had requested staff look into various options to mitigate the noise that emanates from the skate park. Ms Gilleland stated we have done that and Mr. Carr will review those options. She stated we are also open to any other options that anyone can suggest. She stated the options we looked at are very expensive and do not have a guarantee of reducing the noise. Ms Gilleland stated she does not have a recommendation for the Committee at this time, and the options reviewed range from about $19,000 to $240,000. Mr. Carr stated the Committee had also asked him to speak to other residents and he had sent out four letters. He stated he had received responses from two of these residents, one of whom stated they did not have any complaints regarding noise at the skate park and the second resident described the noise as a constant repetitive sound and he can hear it from time to time with the windows closed and the air conditioning on. Mr. Carr continued he had detailed the options reviewed in his agenda report, and he also met with a professional engineer, Mr. Lazelle, today. He stated Mr. Lazelle had indicated he had a couple of products that he thought might help, although no costs were discussed at this point. Mr. Carr stated Mr. Lazelle was willing to send us a sample of a sound deadener that he thought we could apply to the bottom of one of our ramps on a trial situation. He stated Mr. Lazelle also suggested a firm sound absorber that we could attach to the back of the ramps. Mr. Carr stated they were willing to send us these samples free of charge and we are willing to try those on an experimental basis to see if it has any effect. He continued that Mr. Lazelle had also stated he would send us a price list based on square footage so we would know what the cost of that might be. Mr. Carr stated his guess would be that it would be somewhere in the $19,000 range for materials and installation. Mr. Carr stated the way he understood it, a reduction from 85 decibels down to 78 decibels would be a significant sound reduction. Mr. Wisniewski stated the cost presented for a pole barn seemed incredibly expensive, and Mr. Carr stated that was based on $30 per square foot as a basic cost and does not include any installation. Mr. Wisniewski stated it seemed that for this price you could buy a two-story house in Pickerington that is fully built out, so for a three-sided building this seems incredibly expensive. Mr. Carr stated we would need close to an 8,000 square foot structure as opposed to a house, and he did not think $30 per square foot was an outrageous construction cost. Mr. Smith stated he thought the CIP has a proposed pole barn for a service garage and it is estimated at about $250,000. Mr. Carr stated he would like to have the opportunity to work with Mr. Lazelle on the sample product and see if we can make any headway there. He stated he would like to have a solution that has a positive effect before we make any investment in dollars. Mr. Wisniewski inquired how we intended to measure the effectiveness of this new product; would we measure the sound level or work with the neighbors living around the area or what? Mr. Carr stated we could work with sound measurement and also have a representative from the Huntwork family involved to see if the product lessens the sound. Mr. Wisniewski stated he would like to have some scientific data to back up our decision as well as having the Huntwork family involved. Ms Gilleland stated she would recommend we go ahead and see how this product works and before we get into any significant dollars spent we will come back to this Committee. She stated once we have tested this product, we will know what the cost is, and, hopefully, it will be much less expensive then any of the other options. Mr. Mr. Smith clarified the cost of the sound wall was estimated at $280.00 per linear foot, installed, and we would need 120 linear feet. Mr. Dick Huntwork stated another option would be to move the skate park, and Mr. Smith stated the cost of moving it would be about $50,000. Mr. Dick Huntwork distributed copies of a newspaper article regarding the skate park in Delaware and charging a fee to use that park. Mr. Huntwork further stated the Parks Department is looking for $5 million to develop their three-phase program, and that sounds like a pretty expensive program. Mr. Huntwork stated his request would be to move the skate park or enclose it completely. Mr. Wisniewski stated we are going to try some sound deafening equipment, but if we were going to enclose it we would be creating other safety issues. He stated if it were in an enclosed structure we would have kids in an unsupervised area on public property, and that would create another potential safety hazard that we would have to address. Mr. Smith stated we will try the sound deafening sample, and we will have the Huntworks involved to see if there is a noticeable difference, and if there is we will get the price and specs and go forward from there. Ms Gilleland stated again if this comes to an expenditure of $5,000 to $10,000 even, she would bring it back to this Committee for further discussion about that option.
3. DEPARTMENT REPORTS: Mr. Carr stated he had provided a written report to the Committee and he would be happy to answer any questions.
A. Parks and Recreation:
(1) Director’s Report
a. Parks Master Plan. Mr. Carr stated a Summary of Recommendations in the Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan had been distributed to the Committee members. He stated he wanted this Committee, as well as, the Parks and Recreation Board and staff, to be aware of exactly what recommendations Mr. Edsall was making. He stated he understood it was going to take awhile to evaluate these recommendations, because when the plan is finally approved we would like to have a workable plan and not something that sits on a shelf. Mr. Carr stated he felt this could be back before this Committee at their next meeting for their recommendation. Mr. Wisniewski stated he would like to make it clear that this is strictly for the upkeep and building up of what we have at this time, not for acquisition of new parkland. Ms Gilleland stated parkland is not always purchased; it can come about through dedication of open space with development. Mr. Carr stated the final report has something like 100 recommendations and that is why he wanted to have the summary prepared. He stated there is a lot of detail that can get lost in the larger completed document. Mr. Smith stated, as he understood it, the plan has two sections. The first has the pared down, potentially funded, achievable plan, and then there are the other recommendations that have no funding stream behind them at all. Mr. Carr stated it was more or less how much of a plan we can afford. Ms Gilleland stated this document is for long term planning and she felt this plan contains both the dreams of what we would like to do and the reality of what we can do.
1. Joint Parks District – Update. Mr. Carr stated he had no report this evening.
b. NatureWorks Grant Project – Update. Mr. Carr stated we have been granted a six-month extension, until June 30, 2007, to complete our Disc Golf Course project in Simsbury Park. Mr. Carr stated the location of the water tower has been decided, and that will be off of Refugee Road.
(2) Review and discussion regarding Skate Park noise complaint and potential options. Mr. Smith stated this was dealt with earlier in the meeting.
Mr. Carr stated the Parks & Recreation Division will be assisting the Kiwanis with the Make Noise in Pickerington event on October 28th, and we will be co-sponsoring the Haunted Village with the Olde Pickerington Village Business Association on October 30th, in the old downtown.
Mr. Smith stated he understood we will also have the Trick or Treat for Tots on October 31st here at City Hall. Mr. Wisniewski clarified that the Trick or Treat for Tots event has been in the Parks program guide, in the weekly column regarding Halloween events, and it is on the City’s web site. Mr. Carr stated they would also make an announcement at the local pre-schools.
B. Building Regulations Department:
(1) Building Department Report (Mr. Lane) Mr. Lane stated as of September 27th, impact fees total $799,726.72, with $101,126.72 from commercial and $698,600 from residential. He stated further in the year-to-year comparison, as of September 27, 2005, we had 188 residential permits, and as of September 27, 2006, we are at 200. Mr. Wisniewski questioned how many permits have been issued since the design guidelines became effective, and Mr. Lane stated he did not have that information with him, but he would e-mail it to the Committee members.
(2) Chief Building Official’s Report (Mr. Stacy) Mr. Stacy stated he had provided a written report and would be happy to answer any questions.
C. Service Department:
(1) Traffic Engineer.
a. Review and request for motion to approve draft resolution confirming the Safety Committee’s decision to reduce the speed limit on N. Hill Road from fifty (50) MPH to thirty-five (35) MPH between Jericho and Diley Road, pursuant to Pickerington Codified Ordinances Section 406.021. Mr. Wisniewski moved to approve the draft resolution and forward to Council; Mr. Sabatino seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Sabatino, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Wisniewski voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 3-0.
Ms VanCleave stated staff has been talking with the developer’s engineer regarding the Drug Mart access issues. She stated a meeting with the tenants of the center has been scheduled for October 5th , and she hoped to have more information after that meeting. Mr. Wisniewski stated he would like to have this as an agenda item for this Committee if the Chairman concurred. Mr. Smith stated he concurred this should be added as an agenda item.
D. Facilities Operations:
(1) Update of City Hall Renovation Project. Ms Gilleland stated the renovation project is on schedule and should be completed by the end of November.
4. POLICE:
A. Chief’s Report. Chief Taylor stated he had provided his report to the Committee and he would be happy to answer any questions. Chief Taylor stated he had also distributed an updated Disaster Plan for the Committee’s review. Mr. Wisniewski stated he had not had time to completely review the Disaster Plan and requested this be on the next agenda. He stated he had questions regarding issues such as the quantity of chemicals we keep on hand for treatment of our water supply, etc. Ms Gilleland stated she could get the answer regarding the chemicals on hand for the Committee, and Mr. Wisniewski stated he would just like to have this item remain on the agenda for one more month.
5. CHAIRMAN:
A. Review and discussion regarding Peddlers and Solicitors Regulations. Mr. Wisniewski stated he would request this remain on the agenda as he has not been able to get with the law director regarding the changes he would like to recommend. Mr. Smith stated this would remain on the agenda.
6. OTHER BUSINESS: No other business was brought forward.
7. ADJOURNMENT. There being nothing further, Mr. Wisniewski moved to adjourn; Mr. Sabatino seconded the motion. Mr. Smith, Mr. Wisniewski, and Mr. Sabatino voted "Aye." Motion carried, 3-0. The Safety Committee adjourned at 9:10 P.M., October 2, 2006.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:
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