PICKERINGTON CITY COUNCIL

CITY HALL, 100 LOCKVILLE ROAD

SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 2011

 

COUNCIL RETREAT

8:00 A.M.

 

 

1.         CALL TO ORDER:  Mayor O’Brien opened the Council Retreat at 8:00 A.M., at the Pickerington Police Department, with the following council members present:  Mr. Sauer, Mr. Barletta, Mr. Fix, Mr. Blair, Mrs. Sanders, and Mayor O’Brien.  Mr. Wisniewski and Mrs. Hammond were absent.  Others present were:  Bill Vance, Lynda Yartin, Ed Drobina, Chris Schornack, Chief Mike Taylor, Brett Sciotto, and Brice Civiello.     

 

Mayor O’Brien stated if there were no objections he would move the discussion of the public survey results to the front of the agenda.  There were no objections. 

 

            Review and discussion of public survey results.  Mr. Sciotto distributed copies of the 2011 Citizen Survey conducted by Governing Dynamics to all members present.  Mr. Sciotto reviewed the Executive Summary and stated the survey results indicated 70 percent of the respondents approve of the job the Mayor’s office and City Council are doing and believe that bringing jobs and business to the City should be their top priority. 

 

Mr. Sciotto stated that in the public safety portion of the survey 94 percent of the respondents who have had personal interactions with the police in the community feel that they have been professional and helpful and that two-thirds of the respondents have called the police department for help or assistance of some kind.  Further, 46 percent of the respondents felt crime was getting worse in the City while 45 percent felt it was staying the same and there was concern that response times could increase each year unless additional personnel are hired. 

 

Mr. Sciotto stated in the Street Maintenance portion of the survey 62 percent of the respondents felt traffic congestion was getting worse while 28 percent felt it was staying about the same.  Additionally, 62 percent felt that road maintenance was staying the same and 65 percent indicated that street maintenance adequate and they would not support additional funding.  He further stated that 57 percent of the respondents were supportive of reducing neighborhood snow removal as a cost saving measure and 40 percent were unsupportive of that.  Mr. Sciotto stated the survey results also indicated that 55 percent felt that bike trails and sidewalks were important and 45 percent felt they were not important. 

 

Mr. Sciotto stated in the City Finances portion of the survey, 63 percent approve of the job City officials are doing managing the city budget and 29 percent disapprove.  Also, 42 percent indicated they understood the City may need more revenues to maintain current safety forces and levels of service, but they just simply cannot afford to pay any additional taxes right now. 

 

Mr. Sciotto closed his presentation stating that the survey results appeared to indicate that a general tax increase would not be supported right now, however, a police levy might be supported by the residents. 

 

Mayor O’Brien ascertained that Council would like the citizen survey incorporated into the Strategic Plan that was adopted by Council. 

 

2.         SCHEDULED MATTERS: 

 

            A.           Review and discussion of five-year financial plan.  Mr. Schornack stated he had provided a five year forecast for the City of Pickerington (2011-2015) in various formats.  The first was based on no additional police officers, then with two additional police officers in 2012 and 2014.  The second format was prepared utilizing a budget basis for 2011 through 2015 both with no additional police officers and then with two additional police officers in 2012 and 2014.  Council determined they would like to review the five year forecast with two additional police officers in 2012 and 2014.  Mr. Schornack provided a handout showing assumption highlights in both revenues and expenditures. 

 

Mr. Schornack reviewed the forecast and Council determined their top three priorities were police, roads, and economic development and that during the budget process any extra funds should be expended in these three areas.  They further determined that, when possible, economic development should be explored on a regionalized basis.

 

Mr. Schornack stated he felt it might be beneficial to have council adopt the five year forecast annually in the same manner they adopt the Capital Improvements Plan.  He stated this would ensure that it was looked at each year and updated annually.  Mr. Schornack stated he would have the forecast and appropriate legislation for the next Finance Committee meeting. 

 

                        Mayor O’Brien stated he appreciated everyone taking the time on a Saturday to participate in this event and he felt it had been very beneficial for everyone. 

 

            B.         Review and discussion of public survey results.  This was discussed earlier in the meeting. 

 

3.         ADJOURNMENT.  There being nothing further, Mayor O’Brien the Council Retreat closed at 10:00 A.M., April 23, 2011. 

 

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

______________________________

Lynda D. Yartin, City Clerk

 

ATTEST:

 

 

_______________________________

Mitch O’Brien, Mayor