SERVICE COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
CITY HALL,
REGULAR MEETING
6:30 P.M.
1. ROLL CALL. Mr. Sauer
called the meeting to order at 6:30 P.M., with Mr. Fix and Mr. Sauer
present. Mr. Wisniewski was absent as he
was out of the country. Others present
were: Lynda Yartin,
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF March 17, 2010, Regular Meeting. Mr. Fix moved to approve; Mr. Sauer seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Sauer and Mr. Fix voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 2-0.
3. COMMUNITY COMMENTS: There were no comments.
4. DEVELOPMENT:
A. Development Director’s Report. Ms Crotty stated she had provided a written report and she would be glad to answer any questions. Ms Crotty stated she had revised the format slightly on her written report and had also included a listing of businesses that have opened recently or will open in the near future. Ms Crotty further stated at the next Service Committee meeting she would like to provide a presentation regarding development incentive programs, showing what other communities do and what we need to offer to attract the businesses we want to develop in Pickerington.
5. PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT:
A. Planning and Zoning Director’s Report. Mr. Schultz stated he had provided a written report and would be happy to try to answer any questions.
(1) Planning and Zoning Representative
Report (Mr. Sauer) Mr. Sauer stated at
the last Planning and Zoning meeting they had approved several conditional use
permits and certificates of appropriateness for renovations at Ridgeview Junior
High School and at Pickerington Central High School. He stated they had also approved the rezoning
for
B. ACTION ITEMS:
(1) Review and request for motion to approve
draft ordinance approving the rezoning of
(2) Review and request for motion to set
public hearing for open discussion on the rezoning of
6. SERVICE DEPARTMENT
A. REPORTS:
(1) Service Manager’s Report. Mr. Drobina stated he had provided a written report and he would be happy to answer any questions.
B. WASTEWATER
(1) Wastewater Plant Expansion – Update. Mr. Drobina stated he has nothing new to report.
a. Review and discussion regarding TDS
options and costs. Mr. Fix stated he
would like to request an executive session at the next
C. WATER.
(1) Discussion regarding billing process for water at Villas at Milnor Crossing. Mr. Drobina stated he had mentioned this at the last meeting and had provided a letter from Villas at Milnor Crossing. Mr. Drobina further stated Mr. Bell from the development was present to address the committee this evening.
Mr. Bell stated he was present to discuss the methodology on how they are billed for water on a monthly basis. He stated when this development was constructed, the developer decided to put in one master meter and that is the only meter that exists on this property. Mr. Bell stated the development receives only one bill from the city for all of the units, however, they feel this is unfair because it does not afford them the opportunity to take advantage of the lower rates charged to a typical single family home. He stated most single family homes are in the 2,000 to 2,300 gallons per month, and their total invoice is 133,000 gallons per month so they pay the higher rate of $5.33 per thousand gallons. He stated the lower rate charged to a single family home is $3.47 for the first 12,000 gallons. Mr. Bell stated most of their homeowners are senior citizens with fixed incomes. Mr. Bell stated they would like the city to consider restructuring how the invoice is made for their development by the total number of occupants in an active state, and there are 61 units in the development. He stated the city would find that the total usage per unit is well under the 3,000 gallons. Mr. Bell stated they are not asking for any changes in the service charge they receive and they are not asking for anything different on sewer. He stated the only other area where they feel they are being somewhat penalized is on the stormwater charges. Mr. Bell stated currently a single family homeowner is charged $3.00 per month and their development is charged $468. He stated he felt each individual homeowner should be charged the same rate as all other single family homeowners. Mr. Bell stated he was present this evening to see if there was a way this could happen.
Mr. Drobina stated Mr. Bell is correct; this development has only one master meter. He stated further there is only one condo association in the city that is billed individually, but they have individual shut offs and individual meters. Mr. Drobina stated rather than put in individual meters, Mr. Bell was suggesting the city take the number of gallons and divide it by the number of units because the condo association will still pay the total bill. Mr. Fix stated as he understood it then, because they are billed for the total amount of gallons, they pay at a different rate than if they were billed individually. Mr. Drobina stated that was correct. Mr. Drobina stated the service charge Mr. Bell referred to is billed for the meter size. He stated the rate charged to a single family home is $4.50 and the condo service charge is a little higher because they have a larger meter and there is a structured rate for different sized meters. He stated the meter charge for the condo development is $55.47. Mr. Drobina stated if each unit were charged the single family service charge of $4.50, it would total about $270.00. Mr. Fix stated if we charge them the single family homeowner rate of $3.47 per gallon and charge them the individual home owner service charge of $4.50, they would still be ahead. Mr. Bell inquired why they would want to do that and Mr. Fix stated if they were to be treated as single family units, then they should be treated the same as any other single family unit. Mr. Sauer stated he agreed the financial side is a burden to these individuals and he questioned if there would be a drawback from the city’s point of view. Mr. Drobina stated the only potential drawback he saw at this time would be that other condo associations would come in and ask to be treated the same way as well. Mr. Drobina stated, however, if you look at a condo it is a single family home, it is not for profit like an apartment, and we will just have to do the bills manually rather than have the computer do it. Mr. Fix clarified that the cost of putting individuals meters in would be about $230 for the meter and then you would have to do plumbing work, etc., because each unit does not have a shut off. Mr. Drobina stated further he had spoken to Mr. Bell and anything over the 12,000 per unit, the condo association would pay the higher rate. Mr. Sauer stated he did not see the fairness in charging these people the higher rate when ultimately they really are living in a single family home. Mr. Drobina stated then he would work with Mr. Bell and our law director to work out an agreement for this Committee to review next month.
7. ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
A. Engineer’s Report. Mr. Bachman stated he had provided a written report and would be happy to answer any questions. Mr. Bachman stated the signal control unit at S.R. 256 and Refugee Road was hit again and was not working properly, but it was repaired this last week. Mr. Fix inquired if we should put barriers in to prevent this from being hit and Mr. Bachman stated that is a possibility however he was not in favor of that because of the damage the barrier could do to a vehicle and its occupants.
B. ACTION ITEMS:
(1) Water Master Plan and Sewer Master Plan - Update. Mr. Bachman stated the flow monitors are in the sanitary sewers for the sewer master plan and we will be taking readings on those, and the consultant for the water master plan has also started work.
a. Review and discussion regarding S.R. 256 Safety Project. Mr. Bachman stated he had a good meeting with high levels of ODOT going over some of the criteria for the safety study and the possibility of funding as a safety project. He stated he will proceed with preparing the safety application and one of the first things that must be done is a speed study for that section of S.R. 256 and he will be doing that within the next month or so.
b. Improvement Options for Long Road from
(2) Review and request for motion to approve
draft ordinance authorizing the Ohio Director of Transportation to proceed with
a project constructing certain new sidewalks and new bike paths in
Pickerington. Mr. Bachman stated this is
the Safe Routes to Schools program and it will add a bike path and sidewalk at
(3)Review and request for motion to approve an ordinance
authorizing an agreement with
C. TRANSPORTATION
(1) Review and discussion regarding ODOT controlled traffic signals. Mr. Bachman stated he had no report on this issue.
(2) School Speed Zone Study – Update. Mr. Bachman stated he has not been able to begin this study as yet, but he hoped to have something to report next month.
8. CHAIRMAN. Nothing was brought forward.
9. OTHER BUSINESS:
A. Discussion
regarding
10. ADJOURNMENT. There being nothing further, Mr. Fix moved to adjourn; Mr. Sauer seconded the motion. Mr. Sauer and Mr. Fix voted “Aye.” Motion carried, 2-0. The Service Committee adjourned at 7:30 P.M., April 21, 2010.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:
________________________________
Lynda D. Yartin, Municipal Clerk