CITY OF
PICKERINGTON
FINANCE COMMITTEE OF
COUNCIL
CITY HALL, 100 LOCKVILLE ROAD
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST
20, 2003
REGULAR
MEETING
7:30
P.M.
1. ROLL CALL. Mr. Wright called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M., with roll call as follows: Mr. Wright and Mr. Fox were present. Mr. Parker was absent. Others present were: Joyce Bushman, Lynda Yartin, Linda Fersch, Susan Crotty, Susan Sheikh, Ray George, Dale Kocarek, Frank Wiseman, and others.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF July 24, 2003, Regular Meeting. Mr. Fox moved to approve; Mr. Wright seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Wright and Mr. Fox voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 2-0.
3. FINANCE DIRECTOR:
A. Review and request for motion to approve draft ordinance amending appropriation ordinance 2002-142. Mrs. Fersch stated she was requesting an appropriation of $50,000 in the Stormwater Fund due to the Clean Water Act grant application requirement that the City’s share is to be appropriated at the time of the application. Mr. Fox moved to approve and forward to Council; Mr. Wright seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Fox and Mr. Wright voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 2-0.
B. Reports:
(1) Health Department. Mrs. Fersch stated she had provided a written report to the Committee. She stated further the Board voted to require some subdivisions in Liberty Township to abandon their on-site sewage systems and connect to the County sewer system. Mrs. Fersch ascertained the Committee did want her to continue looking at alternatives such as the Franklin County Board of Health so we will be able to review all the options at the appropriate time.
(2) CORMA. Mrs. Fersch stated she will attend a special meeting of CORMA next week to discuss the renewals with our carriers. She stated she had provided the Committee with a preliminary schedule of costs and she should have an actual figure after the meeting. Mrs. Fersch stated the legislation on Council floor may have to be amended based on the actual amount.
C. Review and request for motion to approve Resolution accepting the amounts and rates as determined by the Fairfield County Budget Commission and authorizing the necessary tax levies and certifying them to the County Auditor. Mrs. Fersch stated the Commission had voted to have the levies remain the same as last year. She stated by law this Resolution must be passed and filed with the County Auditor by October 1, 2003. Mrs. Fersch stated she would request this be passed as an emergency because this legislation gives the County the authorization to collect the real estate levies that the Budget Commission has set. Mr. Fox moved to approve and forward to Council with emergency language; Mr. Wright seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Fox and Mr. Wright voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 2-0.
C. Review and request for motion to approve final one year renewal option with Fairfield National Bank for interim deposits of public monies. Mrs. Fersch stated this would be the final renewal and she would like to renegotiate with the bank to expand some services within the bank that we currently have. She stated we have had good service from Fairfield National Bank and she did not see a reason to change banks right now. Mr. Wright asked Mrs. Fersch to verify the date when the federal or state requirement for municipalities to accept payment on the internet becomes effective. Mr. Wright moved to approve the final one year renewal option with Fairfield National Bank for interim deposits of public monies; Mr. Fox seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Fox and Mr. Wright voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 2-0.
4. PERSONNEL: Mrs. Sheikh stated she had nothing to report at this time.
5. DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT:
A. Reports
(1) Chamber of Commerce Report. Ms Crotty stated at the August meeting the Board did express an interest in the proposed Community Authority, and the Legislative Affairs committee will be following the progress of its potential implementation.
(2) Rt. 33 S.E. Regional Growth Alliance Report. Ms Crotty stated she had attended a Board meeting on August 12th and had discussed organizational items. She stated the Transportation Committee had reported the possibility of increased funding due to the expected gas tax revenue and an increase in federal funds.
(3) Fairfield County Visitor’s and Convention Bureau Report. Ms Crotty stated minutes of the June and July meetings were provided to the Committee, and the Glass Museum Store has been closed until construction is complete.
(4) Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission Report. Ms. Crotty stated the Commission has adopted a Resolution establishing priorities for Central Ohio Candidate projects to be presented to the ODOT Transportation Review Advisory Council. She stated this round of funding is for the State Fiscal years 2007-2008, and the U.S. 33 project is ranked third out of seven projects in the MORPC proposal.
B. Project Updates
(1) Business Retention and Expansion Study. Ms Crotty stated she had attended a meeting to review the draft report. She stated we have received about a 25 percent response rate, which is very good.
6. LEGAL DEPARTMENT:
A. Monthly review of law director services. Mr. Wright stated the Committee had received a copy of Mr. Mapes’ monthly report.
7. CHAIRMAN:
A. EPA DEFA WPCLF
(1) Review and discussion of preliminary draft EPA DEFA WPCLF amortization schedule and wastewater capacity fee analysis. Mr. Kocarek he hoped at the open house held earlier today they had been able to address several misunderstandings regarding the City’s motivation and rationale for this project. He stated we are at the point now to discuss of how to cover the costs of the project. Mr. Wright stated we were looking at two ways of increasing the water/sewer capacity fees. He stated one was based on a flat $325 increase per year, and one based on a three percent increase per year. He stated we were also looking at a difference of 150 homes per year and 200 homes per year and where that puts us, surplus wise, at the end of each year. Mr. Wright stated his feeling has been that we have looked over increasing the capacity fees for a long time and he felt it was also important to note that the capacity fees are actually what has enabled us to keep the water/sewer rates where they are for the past 13 years. Mr. Wright stated, in essence, it is the new growth that is keeping the water/sewer bills where they have been for that 13 years. Mr. Wright stated the one concern he had with having the flat fee increase per year was that it put us out of competition with the surrounding communities fairly quickly. Mr. Wright stated he did not see a problem with setting a flat rate increase for the first year and then a percentage increase annually after that time. Mrs. Fersch pointed out that we currently increase our capacity fees three percent annually. Mrs. Bushman stated she would like to see the analysis if the capacity fee base was raised by a specific amount, and then an annual increase of three percent rather than a flat increase each year. Mr. Wright stated he concurred with Mrs. Bushman and he would like to look at the assumption of raising the water and sewer capacity fees to some point, with the three percent increases, and see how that fits through the amortization. He stated we needed to make sure we are taking into account the number of homes on the sewer system, and to consider any possible commercial additions, so they can look at the complete picture of what is going on. Mr. Fox stated he agreed with that and he felt we also need to take into consideration what would happen if the 100 home limit was in effect for the next ten years. Mrs. Bushman stated she would meet with Mrs. Fersch and provide this analysis for the next meeting. Mrs. Bushman stated further she felt we need to look at the analysis because we may, for example, be able to reduce the water capacity fee and put the increase on the sewer side. She stated what matters is the total of the two figures. Mrs. Bushman further stated another possibility may be to freeze the water capacity fees so they do not have a three percent increase for something like five years, and then increase the sewer capacity fees by six percent for five years. She stated the goal is to get the revenue to increase on the side where you need it. She stated then at a certain point in time they would both balance out. Mr. Wright stated he agreed and asked Mrs. Bushman and Mrs. Fersch to provide the analysis of these items to the Committee next month. Mr. Wright stated further he felt the point that needed to be made is the City does not have the choice to default on loans. We will pay for this with new development or we will pay for it by increasing income taxes, water fees, and everything else. He stated there will be no other options because we do not have the option to default.
8. OTHER BUSINESS: No other business was brought forward.
9. MOTIONS:
Mr. Wright moved for an executive session under Section 121.22(G)(3), conference with law director regarding pending or imminent court action, and Section 121.22(G)(1)d and g, matters regarding an employee’s or public official’s discipline and investigation of complaints against an employee or official; Mr. Fox seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Wright and Mr. Fox voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 2-0.
Finance committee adjourned into Executive Session at 8:25 P.M., and reconvened in open session at 8:45 P.M.
10. ADJOURNMENT. There being nothing further, Mr. Fox moved to adjourn; Mr. Wright seconded the motion. Mr. Fox and Mr. Wright voted "Aye." Motion carried, 2-0. The Finance Committee adjourned at 8:46 P.M., August 20, 2003.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:
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