WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2009

REGULAR MEETING

6:30 P.M.

1. ROLL CALL. Mr. Fix called the meeting to order at 6:30 P.M., with roll call as follows: Mr. Sabatino, Mr. Fix, Mr. Sauer, Mrs. Sanders, and Mr. Wisniewski were present. Mrs. Hammond arrived at 6:45 P.M., and Mr. Smith was out of town due to business. Others present were Mayor O’Brien, Tim Hansley, Lynda Yartin, Linda Fersch, Ed Drobina, Jan Eichner, Bobbi Zelli, Suzanne Messmer, Teri Giesler, Brian Maas, and others.

2. A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF April 8, 2009, Regular Meeting. Mr. Sauer moved to approve; Mrs. Sanders seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Fix, Mr. Sabatino, Mr. Sauer, Mr. Wisniewski, and Mrs. Sanders voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 5-0.

B. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF April 21, 2009, Special Meeting. Mr. Sauer moved to approve; Mrs. Sanders seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Sauer, Mr. Fix, Mrs. Sanders, Mr. Wisniewski, and Mr. Sabatino voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 5-0.

3. Presentation by Teri Giesler, Insource Solutions Group, on tax e-filing, electronic returns, and ACH payments. Mr. Fix stated Ms Giesler was present to address the Committee regarding the software program of Insource Solutions Group. Ms Giesler presented an executive summary of Insource Solutions Group and the solutions they are putting together for the City tax department, City tax filing, and beyond. Ms Giesler gave a power point presentation (Attachment 1 to these minutes) and stated she would answer any questions. Mr. Sabatino inquired if a proposed implementation schedule has been prepared and Ms Giesler stated she had provided the costs to Ms Eichner and she could provide an implementation schedule for the City. She stated she had not done that because she wanted to wait until after this presentation this evening. She stated she knew this committee his been have discussion on where they want to go, what they want to do, and it would not take her long to prepare that schedule. Mr. Sabatino stated he felt it would be important for this body to have that information and would be a good planning tool. Mr. Sabatino moved to request an implementation schedule with a timeline and the costs associated with it from Insource Solutions Group for the next Finance Committee meeting; Mr. Sauer seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mrs. Sanders, Mr. Sauer, Mrs. Hammond, Mr. Wisniewski, Mr. Sabatino, and Mr. Fix voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 6-0.

Mr. Sauer inquired if there was an analysis of cost savings any other communities have seen using this program, and Ms Giesler stated she could build one and project what the savings would be in year one.

Finance Committee recessed at 7:20 P.M., and reconvened in open session at 7:28 P.M.

Mr. Fix stated prior to continuing with the agenda he would like to request Mr. Hansley and Mrs. Fersch put together a summary of the cost of doing business with RITA and a summary of the cost of doing business with this software program and to make a recommendation to Council on which program they preferred or if they preferred to stay status quo. Mr. Hansley stated he felt they could put this together by the next meeting.

4. FINANCE DEPARTMENT.

A. Finance Director’s Report. Mrs. Fersch stated she had provided a written report to the Committee and she would answer any questions.

B. Review and request for motion to approve draft ordinance amending the 2009 appropriation, Ordinance 2008-92. Mr. Fersch stated she had provided a draft appropriation ordinance with two items and she would answer any questions anyone might have. Mr. Sauer moved to approve and forward to Council; Mrs. Sanders seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Wisniewski, Mr. Fix, Mrs. Sanders, Mrs. Hammond, Mr. Sauer, and Mr. Sabatino voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 6-0.

C. Review and request for motion to approve draft Resolution to adopt the 2010 Tax Budget. Mrs. Fersch stated the 2010 Tax Budget had been provided and she would answer any questions. Mr. Fix clarified that this is an estimate and Mrs. Fersch stated the only item that showed an increase was health insurance. She stated she had also included $250,000 for street paving. Mr. Sabatino moved to approve and forward to Council; Mr. Sauer seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mrs. Hammond, Mr. Fix, Mr. Sabatino, Mr. Wisniewski, Mr. Sauer, and Mrs. Sanders voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 6-0.

D. Review and request for motion to set Public Hearing for 2010 Tax Budget for May 19, 2009, at 7:20 P.M. Mr. Sabatino moved to set the 2010 Tax Budget Public Hearing for May 19, 2009, at 7:20 P.M.; Mr. Sauer seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Sabatino, Mrs. Hammond, Mr. Fix, Mr. Sauer, Mrs. Sanders, and Mr. Wisniewski voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 6-0.

5. PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT.

A. Personnel Director’s Report. Mrs. Fersch stated she had provided a report to the Committee and she would answer any questions.

6. CHAIRMAN: Mr. Fix stated Mr. Drobina had an issue he would like to discuss with the Committee. Mr. Drobina stated we had submitted several projects for the stimulus funds and so far the only thing we have been eligible for is a sewer line project, the Sycamore Creek Phase II Interceptor. He stated this is an $850,000 project and we are eligible to receive $425,000. Mr. Drobina clarified this is in the CIP for 2009, and when the previous wastewater plant was designed this was a part of that. Mr. Fix clarified this a project we need to do at some point, but not necessarily a project we need to do today. Mr. Fix further stated today the project would cost $850,000 and we have the possibility of getting a grant to cover half of that cost, and four years from now this project could cost $1 million. He stated the question is if we had $425,000 to put toward this project now and Mrs. Fersch stated we did not. Mr. Hansley stated this is a project he thought we would want to apply for the grant and if we get the grant to pay for half of the cost of a project that should be done in the next two or three years, and in the meantime as we are applying for the grant, we see if our user fees will support a borrowing so we can pay for it over time. He stated this is not general fund debt and he would not recommend a general fund project, but he felt we could probably figure out it made sense to get half of a wastewater project paid for by someone else, and figure out a way to finance the $425,000. Mrs. Fersch stated she concurred with Mr. Hansley’s recommendation. Mr. Sabatino stated he found it hard to believe that we did not have the funds in the user fees to pay for this. Mrs. Fersch stated when the analysis was done we were increased our rates 19 percent and that was based on the fact of future payments and OWDA is going to require us to pay $850,000 a year as a payment of principle and interest on top of the debt we are already paying for sewer. Mr. Sabatino stated he would like to know how much we collected in 2008 as opposed to what we actually needed. Mr. Hansley stated it would be his recommendation to move this forward to Council and before the first reading he would try to provide a debt schedule. He stated it may be that we cannot make the numbers work, and if that is the case, he would then recommend to defeat the ordinance. Mr. Drobina stated the final list on the grant should be out on Friday, and we are far enough up the list that we should not get bumped and we would get $425,000. Mrs. Fersch clarified that the project must be started this year at least as that is the idea of the stimulus. Mrs. Sanders stated it seemed like if we would have to do the project in five years anyway, and the costs would be that much higher, if we could find a way to make it work it would make sense to get half of it paid for now. Mr. Wisniewski clarified the project would upsize the sewer line and Mr. Drobina stated the Sycamore Creek sewer line needs replaced from Lockville Road to the wastewater treatment plant. He stated this project was in two phases, first from the wastewater plant to Hill Road, and then from Hill Road to Lockville Road. Mr. Drobina stated this project would be the phase from the wastewater plant up to Hill Road. Mr. Sauer stated his question would be that this would not impact user fees. Mrs. Fersch stated they are working on an analysis of the user fees now that will be at Service Committee. Mr. Sauer moved to approve and forward to Council; Mrs. Sanders seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mrs. Hammond, Mr. Fix, Mr. Sabatino, Mr. Sauer, Mr. Wisniewski, and Mrs. Sanders voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 6-0.

7. OTHER BUSINESS:

A. Pickerington Local School District Board Meeting – Update. Mrs. Sanders stated she did not have a Board meeting update, but she did have a heartfelt thank you to everyone who voted for the school levy.

8. MOTIONS:

A. Motion for Executive Session under Section 121.22(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. Fix stated an executive session was not required this evening.

9. ADJOURNMENT. There being nothing further, Mr. Sabatino moved to adjourn; Mr. Sauer seconded the motion. Mr. Sauer, Mr. Fix, Mrs. Sanders, Mrs. Hammond, Mr. Wisniewski, and Mr. Sabatino voted "Aye." Motion carried, 6-0. The Finance Committee adjourned at 8:00 P.M., May 6, 2009.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

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Lynda D. Yartin, Municipal Clerk