CITY OF PICKERINGTON

SAFETY COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL

CITY HALL, 100 LOCKVILLE ROAD

MONDAY, MAY 5, 2008

7:30 P.M.

 

REGULAR MEETING

 

 

1.         ROLL CALL.  Mr. Smith called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M. with Mrs.  Sanders, Mr. Sabatino, and Mr. Smith present.  There were no members absent.   Others present were: Mayor O'Brien, Jeff Fix, Cristie Hammond, Tim Hansley, Chief Taylor, Ed Drobina, Paul Lane, Don Phillips, Steve Carr, Stacey Bashore, and others.

 

2.         APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF April 7, 2008, Regular Meeting.  Mr. Sabatino moved to approve; Mrs. Sanders seconded the motion.  Roll call was taken with Mrs. Sanders, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Sabatino voting "Yea."  Motion passed, 3-0. 

 

3.         COMMUNITY COMMENTS.   There were none.

 

4.         COMMUNITY SAFETY CONCERNS:   Mr. Sabatino reviewed a letter with the Safety Committee concerning lowering speed limits on S.R. 256. Mr. Sabatino asked for comments from Chief Taylor on the issue and Chief Taylor stated that it is not uncommon for people to drive over the speed limit. Mrs. Sanders stated that she appreciated the feedback from the citizen.  Mr. Smith stated that if this Committee would choose to act it would need to be referred to Service Committee so it could be integrated with the overall traffic plan.  Mrs. Sanders asked if this was something that could be looked at during the red light camera study and Mr. Smith stated that the vendor would not be looking at speed limits.  Mr. Sabatino stated that it wasn't his intent for the Committee to take action on it, but he wanted it on record that the comment was received.  Mayor O'Brien stated that the current progression is between 37 and 42 miles per hour because actual speed and speed limit can be different.  He further stated that lowering the speed limit is not an arbitrary decision because it would have a huge impact with traffic.  Mr. Smith stated that lowering the speed limit significantly causes secondary problems on other streets that could cause bigger dangers.  Mr. Sabatino stated that in the past when we received these complaints we have increased the awareness to the Police Department.

 

 

 

 

 

5.         DEPARTMENT REPORTS

 

            A.        Parks and Recreation:

 

                        (1)        Director's Report-  Mr. Carr stated he had provided a written report and would be happy to answer any questions.   He stated that the total sales for pool passes so far was 352 and that it would put us on track with previous years.   Mr. Sabatino stated he saw an online post that said that the City had not cut the grass at the pool and Mr. Carr stated that was not true and that it had been added to our mowing contract.  Mr. Hansley added that there have been volunteers at the pool for the last two Saturdays cleaning up the area so we are well ahead of last year's maintenance schedule.  Mrs. Hammond asked for an update on the disc golf course and Mr. Carr stated that we met with a contractor who will be bringing us a quote on a piece of equipment that will help with clearing and mulching and that should help to put us back on track.   Mr. Carr stated that our staff is down by one employee and between our normal operation and trying to get a pool open the course has taken a back seat.  Mr. Smith asked if there were still problems with the parking lot and Mr. Carr stated that it was completed and we hope that any of the problem areas have been mitigated.  Mr. Sabatino asked for clarification on the staff for the Parks and Recreation Department.  Mr. Carr stated there were currently two part-time people and himself on the Recreation side and two full time people on the Parks side.  He stated that we will also be getting some summer help in here shortly.  

                                   

            B.         Code Enforcement:  Mr. Smith stated that he appreciated the very thorough report.  Mr. Fix asked about the Exxon station and whether the Nuisance Abatement Committee was the best way to go and Mr. Hansley stated that it is the next step that has to be taken before we can order them to clean it up.  He further stated we have been trying to work with the owner to negotiate a clean up.  Mr. Hansley stated they will have 30 days to clean it up and if not the City will pay to clean it up and then place a lien on the property.  He further stated that we originally budgeted $8,000 for another property that was bought privately so that money can be used to help clean up the Exxon project.  Mr. Fix stated that it is time to step up because it has become an eye sore. 

                       

            C.        Building Regulations Department:

                       

                        (1)        Building Department Report (Mr. Lane)  Mr. Lane stated that he had provided a written report and would be happy to answer any questions.  Mrs. Sanders asked if the decline in permits is something that we should be concerned about and Mr. Lane stated that we only projected 100 for this year.  Mr. Smith asked if there was a spring pick up and Mr. Lane stated that there was a small pick up last month.

           

                        (2)        Chief Building Official's Report (Mr. Phillips)  Mr. Phillips stated he had provided a written report and was open to any questions.  Mr. Smith asked about the Residential Code roll back and whether it had any impact on us and Mr. Phillips stated that it does affect the City and the intent in rolling back the code was to help the Ohio Homebuilders during the slowdown in building. 

 

            D.        Service Department:

 

                        (1)        Refuse collection contract bidding - Update.    Mr. Drobina stated that we have had four contractors pick up bid specifications and the bid opening will be on May 15th.  Mr. Sabatino asked for a copy of the refuse collection bid specifications. 

 

                        (2)        Review and discussion regarding on-street parking during a snow emergency.   Mayor O'Brien stated that during snow storms one of the biggest problems is trying to plow around parked cars and a lot of the neighborhoods are posted with snow emergency signs.  He further stated that he later learned that other Mayors had declared a snow emergency outside the weather emergency and therefore enacted the power for police to ticket and tow the cars.  He stated we have provided a copy of the current traffic code and wanted everyone to review it.  Mayor O'Brien stated that if everyone feels the code is sufficient then if a snow emergency happens again we can enact it.  Mr. Smith stated that it seems like there are a lot of unnecessary words in the section.  Mayor O'Brien stated that he didn't feel that two inches of snowfall should constitute a snow emergency so it may need to be reworded.  He stated we could work on it with Chief Taylor and the Service Manager.  Mr. Sabatino stated there was a section that talked about the even numbered side of the street with no mention of the other side of the street so we need to take a comprehensive look at it.  He further stated that the National Weather Bureau doesn't have much relevance to the City and felt it could be upon determination by someone else.  Mayor O'Brien stated that we could have the Law Director take a look at it and come up with something more effective.  Mr. Drobina stated that we feel two inches is too small because a lot of time we don't plow that much, so we were thinking somewhere in the range of four to six inches.  Mr. Smith stated he didn't have a problem with not putting any amount on it and just having it upon recommendation of the Service Manager and Chief of Police.  Mr. Sabatino asked for a recommendation on the threshold to come back from the Service Manager.  Mr. Smith clarified that the Committee agreed on having the City Manager work with the Law Director to come back with a recommendation.

 

6.         POLICE:

           

            A.        Chief's Report- Chief Taylor stated he had one correction to his written report on page four and that the total number of fatalities should be two and he would be happy to answer any other questions.  He stated that we have been having a lot of new construction thefts. 

 

            B.         Review and request for a motion to approve a draft ordinance authorizing the sale of a vehicle in possession of the City of Pickerington Police Department to Abel Montiero and waiving competitive bidding- Mr. Smith clarified that the City is the owner of the car and we don't have any need for the car.  Mr. Sabatino stated he received and was satisfied with a report from Mr. Hartmann on the values of the car.   Mr. Fix asked why the City would do this because the lien should be the original owner's responsibility.   Mr. Hansley stated that there is no clear title to the property so all that we seized was the equity interest in the vehicle.  Mr. Fix clarified that what the City seized was only worth $3,000.  Mr. Fix asked how the City came in possession of the car and Chief Taylor stated this car went through a fourth OMVI so the judge originally forfeited the car to the City.  He further stated that the Judge then found out there was a lien to the vehicle and the question was then who pays for the lien.  Chief Taylor stated his budget cannot absorb the loss of the cost of the lien.  He stated that there are legal means to re- sell the car back and collect the difference in book value and what he owes on it.  Mr. Smith clarified that the original intent was to remove the car from this driver.  Mr. Hansley stated that we can confiscate property but we can't hold the mortgage holder responsible.  Mr. Sabatino stated he couldn't in good conscience put this car back in the hands of someone who has had four OMVI's.  Mr. Hansley stated that it could be sold at auction.  Chief Taylor stated that the judge has already issued an order for the car to be sold back to the owner.  Mr. Hansley asked if Chief Taylor could go back to the judge with the input of Council and Chief Taylor stated he could call the judge to see if he would entertain redirecting the order.  Chief Taylor stated he agreed with not selling the car back to the owner.  Mr. Sabatino stated that if the Committee has the ability to vote yes or no on whether we sell this back to the owner he would say no.  Mr. Smith stated that the judge's original logic for removing this vehicle in the first place is still applicable.   Mr. Fix clarified that the Safety Committee could have the City's law director go back to the judge and get a different order.  Mr. Smith stated he would be willing to convene a special Safety Committee if we need to get it rolling sooner.  Mr. Hansley clarified with Chief Taylor that there were no deadlines or time requirements on the matter.  Mr. Sabatino clarified that we currently have possession of the vehicle.  Mr. Smith moved to send the action back to staff to come back with another recommendation; Mrs. Sanders seconded the motion.  Roll call was taken with Mr. Smith; Mr. Sabatino and Mrs. Sanders voting "Yea."  Motion passed, 3-0.    

                       

7.         CHAIRMAN:  No report.

                       

8.         OTHER BUSINESS:    No other business was discussed.  

           

9.         ADJOURNMENT.   There being nothing further, Mr. Sabatino moved to adjourn; Mrs. Sanders seconded the motion.   Mrs. Sanders, Mr. Smith and Mr. Sabatino voted "Aye."  Motion carried 3-0.  The Safety Committee adjourned at 8:10 P.M on May 5, 2008.

 

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

 

                                                                       

Stacey L. Bashore, Deputy Municipal Clerk