CITY OF PICKERINGTON

                                             SAFETY COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL

                                               CITY HALL, 100 LOCKVILLE ROAD

                                                  MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2003

                                                                      7:30 P.M.

 

                                                 REGULAR MEETING AGENDA

 

1.         ROLL CALL.  Mr. Fox called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M. with Mr. Sabatino and Mr. Fox present. Mrs. Riggs was absent.  Mr. Fox stated Mrs. Riggs had notified Mrs. Yartin that she would be unable to attend this evening.  Others present were:  Frank Wiseman, Lynda Yartin, Chief Mike Taylor, Steve Carr, Sandy Whittington, Paul Dinan, and others. 

 

2.         APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF October 6, 2003, Regular Meeting.  Mr. Sabatino moved to approve; Mr. Fox seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Fox, and Mr. Sabatino voting "Yea."  Motion passed, 2-0.

 

Mr. Fox stated Committee meetings are less formal than Council, and if there were no objections, the Committee would move out of the agenda and hear the comments Mr. Dinan would like to make to the committee.   

 

Mr. Paul Dinan, 450 Seven Pines Drive.  Mr. Dinan stated he had comments regarding the four way stop that has just been installed at the intersection of Pruden and Patterson in the Willow Ponds subdivision.  Mr. Dinan stated he would like to know the result of the traffic study that was completed and which engineering firm was involved in that study.  Mr. Wiseman stated the City is not required to do a traffic study within its boundaries and they did not choose to do one.  Mr. Dinan questioned why one was not done, and Mr. Wiseman stated the issue was the safety of the area residents and the installation of the stop signs helped that situation.  Mr. Wiseman stated he and Chief Taylor had viewed the area prior to the last Safety Committee meeting.  Mr. Dinan stated it was his understanding that stop signs cannot be installed to control speed, and if these were not put in to control speed he was curious as to what they were put in to control.  Mr. Wiseman stated the stop signs were installed to control free flowing traffic at that intersection.  Mr. Wiseman stated cross walks and stop bars will also be put in to provide a safe access point for people to cross the street in that area.  Mr. Wiseman stated this Committee was presented a letter signed by several residents in that area requesting these stop signs.  Mr. Dinan stated he did not see a need for these stop signs as they inhibited the flow of traffic and he did not feel the flow of traffic was the problem in that area.  He stated as he viewed it the problem was the residents in the area having their children play in the street unsupervised.  He stated if the residents would supervise their children there would not be a need for the stop signs.  Mr. Dinan stated some intersections do require stop signs so vehicles can make a safe turn into traffic, and that is not the case at this intersection.  Mr. Wiseman stated in the future there will be a loop street coming around as well.  Mr. Dinan stated when that happens, there may be a need for the stop signs, but he did not feel they were necessary at this time.  Mr. Dinan inquired of Chief Taylor if there has been an increase of safety issues at this location.  Chief Taylor stated there have been no accidents, however, in his opinion there is a safety issue for the children in the area.  He stated the Police Department is in favor of anything that promotes safety.  Chief Taylor stated if his officers find children playing in the street, they address it.  Mr. Dinan stated the children are constantly playing in the street in that area.  Chief Taylor stated if children are in the street if the police are called they will address that issue with the parents.  Mr. Dinan inquired if this were a permanent stop sign and if it had been added to the traffic control map. Mr. Fox stated the stop signs were permanent, and Mr. Wiseman stated the motion from the Safety Committee authorized them to be put on the traffic control map.  Mr. Dinan stated he respectfully disagreed with Mr. Wiseman, and he felt the sole purpose of the stop signs was to control speed.  Mr. Sabatino stated he felt this Committee could recommend the police officers make more patrols through the area and if the children are in the streets the appropriate action could be taken because  public streets are definitely not playgrounds for children.  Mr. Dinan stated since we are now into November the kids would not be in the streets as much, the time to look at this would be in the spring and summer.  Mr. Dinan stated he would like this situation to be looked at and continue to be monitored.  Mr. Fox stated he would like to modify his answer to one of Mr. Dinan’s earlier questions regarding if these stop signs were permanent.  Mr. Fox stated there was no time frame established to remove these stop signs, but after some evaluation if it was found they caused a larger problem than the one that was already there, then something else could be done.  Mr. Sabatino stated he agreed with Mr. Dinan’s suggestion that we follow up on this in the spring when the children are back outside and then determine what is most appropriate. 

 

3.         DEPARTMENT REPORTS:

 

A.        Parks and Recreation.

 

(1)        Director’s Reports

 

                              a.         Parks Master Plan Survey - Update.  Mr. Carr stated we have received approximately 260 completed questionnaires from our residents and 27 from the Columbus residents in the Tussing Elementary area.  He stated Violet Township also responded they plan to conduct their own survey within five to six months and they would be willing to share those results with us.  Mr. Carr stated the staff is compiling the survey results at this time.     

 

                              b.         Skate Park Project – Update.  Mr. Carr stated the schedule for completion has been revised slightly to allow for some additional curing time for the concrete pad.  He stated the modular equipment is tentatively scheduled to be assembled the week of November 24th, and fencing should be installed the week of December 1st.   

 

                              c.         Handicap Garden – Update.  Mr. Carr stated R.D. Zande is still working on the cost estimates and construction drawings and he understood they are close to completion.   

 

                              d.         Water Tower/Simsbury Park Clean Ohio Conservation Program Grant Project – Update.  Mr. Carr stated he had received an e-mail that this project was not funded.  Mr. Fox stated this item should be removed from the agenda.   

 

                              e.         ODNR/NatureWorks Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant Project – Update.  Mr. Carr stated the applications are currently being scored, and we may hear something in the next couple of months.      

 

Mr. Carr stated he would also like to inform the Committee that we did receive funding for the DeWolfe property in the amount of $432,000 from the Clean Ohio Fund.  He stated the City attorney is now negotiating for the purchase of that property. 

 

                  (2)        Parks and Recreation Board Council Representative Report  (Mrs. Riggs). No report. 

 

B.                 Community Outreach:

 

            (1)        Violet Festival Board Report.  Ms. Whittington stated the Board is currently recruiting volunteers for various committees.

 

            (2)        Olde Pickerington Village Business Association Report.  Ms. Whittington stated they are preparing for the next Shoppe Hop, which is the Harvest Mood Walk, and they are also getting ready for the Home for the Holiday event on December 5th and the Victorian Holiday on December 7th, which will include the tree lighting ceremony. 

 

C.        Building Operations:  No report.

 

D.        Streets:

 

            (1)        Tree Commission.  Mr. Wiseman stated the Tree Commission is continuing to work on a Tree Brochure and he hoped to have something by the next meeting of the Tree Commission.

 

            (2)        Fall Street Tree Planting – Update.  Mr. Wiseman stated as soon as the legislation is effective the contractor is ready to begin planting the trees. 

 

E.                  Code Enforcement:

 

(1)               Nuisance Abatement Board.

 

                        a.         Nuisance Abatement procedures regarding sign at 18 E. Columbus Street – Update.  Mr. Mapes stated he has reviewed all of the minutes from the Olde Downtown Pickerington Village Commission.  He stated he has also searched through the Planning and Zoning Commission minutes, but found nothing on this issue in them.  Mr. Mapes stated he will file the Nuisance Abatement complaint and also work with Mr. McMillen to get him back into Planning and Zoning who now controls the signs in the old downtown.  He continued moving forward on Nuisance Abatement is a cumbersome process, but we have no alternative at this time.  Mr. Mapes stated it is his opinion that the sign was abandoned for a period of time.  Mr. Sabatino clarified that Mr. Mapes would be able to give the Committee an update on this issue by the December Safety Committee meeting. 

 

4.         POLICE:

 

A.        Chief’s Report.  Chief Taylor stated his report had been distributed and he would answer any questions.  Chief Taylor stated his report does state he will be hiring two new officers and he will actually be hiring only one.  He stated the second applicant had declined the position due to family conflict.  Chief Taylor stated we will be giving a police officer examination on November 22nd and he will start hiring after that time as he will have a larger number of applicants to choose from.  He stated he anticipates over 100 applicants to take the examination.  Mr. Fox clarified that ultimately we will be hiring three officers.  Mr. Sabatino ascertained after the three officers are hired next year, we will be in the same area as surrounding communities as far as our ratio of officers per resident.  Mr. Fox clarified the new officers will all be at the entry level. 

 

5.         CHAIRMAN.   Mr. Fox stated he had nothing to bring forward. 

 

6.         OTHER BUSINESS.  No other business was brought forward.     

 

7.         ADJOURNMENT.  There being nothing further, Mr. Sabatino moved to adjourn; Mr. Fox seconded the motion.  Mr. Sabatino, and Mr. Fox voted “Aye.”  Motion carried, 2-0.  The Safety Committee meeting adjourned at 8:10 P.M., November 3, 2003. 

 

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

________________________________

Lynda D. Yartin, Municipal Clerk