CITY OF PICKERINGTON

SERVICE COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL

CITY HALL, 100 LOCKVILLE ROAD

THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 2004

REGULAR MEETING

7:30 P.M.

1. ROLL CALL. Mr. Hackworth called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M., with Mr. Parker, Mr. Hackworth, and Mr. O’Brien present. No members were absent. Others present were: Mayor Shaver, Mike Sabatino, Bill Wright, Frank Wiseman, Lynda Yartin, Jerry Dailey, Ed Drobina, Judy Gilleland, Jennifer Frommer, John Gallagher, Tony Dill, Matt Schneider, Arlene Stoyer, John Darby, Larry Fast, Michael Grimm, Melissa Grimm, Steve Starr, and others.

Mayor Shaver stated he knew several residents in attendance tonight were interested in the Diley Road issue. Mayor Shaver stated there would be no decision on that issue tonight as the matter is still formally at Council. Mayor Shaver further stated he felt it was necessary to reopen this matter for a public meeting so the residents can have all of their questions answered and to have all of the experts in the area available to speak with them. He stated they are trying to coordinate a date for this meeting with the Ohio Department of Transportation, our engineers, and city officials. Mayor Shaver stated as Service Committee does have an agenda for tonight’s meeting, and as there will be no action taken on this issue at this meeting, he would request that the Committee be allowed to complete the business on their agenda and then they will be available to answer any questions. He stated Mr. Dailey, our engineer, is present and he will also remain after the meeting to answer any questions. Mayor shaver stated once the date of the public meeting has been established, if everyone would provide the Clerk with their names and addresses they will be notified by mail of the meeting date. He stated the meeting will also be published in the local papers. Mr. Hackworth stated he had prepared a brief history of the widening project that he would be glad to share with anyone, and he has also provided a copy of a report Mr. Darby had given him regarding electro magnetic fields around power lines to the Clerk and it will be available for anyone who would like to look at it. Mr. Hackworth stated further with regard to the question of the road being widened to three lanes, there are some issues that need to be resolved and they do not have answers as yet. He stated there were other issues dealing with property acquisition and safety that they are trying to get answers to as well. Mayor Shaver stated he would encourage everyone to stay and speak with the council members present, and the engineer, after the Service Committee dealt with their agenda. Mayor Shaver stated they hoped to schedule this public meeting as soon as they can get everyone together.

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF May 13, 2004, Regular Meeting. Mr. O’Brien moved to approve; Mr. Parker seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Parker abstaining, and Mr. O’Brien and Mr. Hackworth voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 2-0.

3. PLANNING AND ZONING

A. REPORTS:

(1) BZA Report. There are no agenda items for this month.

(2) Planning and Zoning Representative Report (Mr. O’Brien) Mr. O’Brien stated the issue regarding the non-conforming sign at 18 E. Columbus Street has been resolved. Mr. O’Brien stated the majority of the meeting dealt with the signage for the Kohl’s Department Store, and the landscaping and lighting plans for that development were also approved. Mr. O’Brien stated there was also a lengthy discussion on the approval of the site plan and building materials for a Staples store in that same location. He stated Planning and Zoning did approve a modified version of what was proposed.

B. ACTION ITEMS: No Report.

4. SERVICE DEPARTMENT

A. WATER UTILITY MAINTENANCE.

(1) Water services to Pearl Lane and Florence Drive (CIP# 98-01-002) – Update. Mr. Drobina stated this project is complete except for some yard restoration and the bacteria results on the waterline before people can connect.

B. WASTEWATER UTILITY MAINTENANCE. No report.

C. STREET MAINTENANCE.

(1) Review and request for motion to approve draft ordinance to authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with The Shelly Company for the 2004 Annual Street Repaving Project. Mr. Drobina stated we received only one bid for the project this year and the Committee had received a draft ordinance to authorize the contract. Mr. Drobina clarified that a five percent contingency had been included in case any problems were encountered. He stated the majority of the paving this year would be in the RaMar area. Mr. Parker moved to approve the draft ordinance and forward to Council; Mr. Hackworth seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Hackworth, Mr. Parker, and Mr. O’Brien voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 3-0.

D. STORM WATER UTILITY MAINTENANCE.

(1) Long Road/Bowen Road Stormwater Discussion. Mr. Dailey stated Mr. Hartman is finalizing the report and an application for additional funding is being submitted to the Corps.

(2) Review and request for motion to authorize the City Manager to submit application to EPA for Phase II Storm Water NPDES Permit. Mr. Dailey stated this has been taken care of. Mr. Hackworth stated this could be removed from the agenda. Mr. Wiseman stated we are now required to have an NPDES permit to discharge wastewater through our wastewater treatment plant, but we also need a permit for stormwater.

E. TREE COMMISSION. Mr. Drobina stated there was no report this evening.

F. SCIP (Formerly Issue II Program) – Update. Mr. Wiseman stated he will attend a meeting tomorrow and he hoped to get the application date at that time.

G. Review and request for motion to approve draft ordinance to authorize the City Manager to write off uncollectible water, sanitary sewer, and stormwater charges. Mr. Hackworth stated he would like to continue this item on the agenda for the next meeting when our new Manager will be on board.

H. Review and request for motion to approve draft ordinance to amend the Pickerington Codified Ordinances by adding a new Section 1050.011 and Section 1060.011 requiring landlords to co-sign their respective tenant’s water and sewer applications. Mr. Hackworth stated he would like for this item to be continued as well.

5. ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT CAPITAL PROJECTS

Mr. Hackworth stated he would like to discuss the traffic signal update at this time. Mr. John Gallagher, of Stilson LLC, stated he had distributed a report to the Committee this evening that detailed immediate things that could be done to the signals, as well as, medium and long term things. Mr. Gallagher stated the short term plan that could be accomplished immediately included to diagnose and fix the existing hardware problems, and Mr. Wiseman has requested a cost estimate on getting this done. Mr. Gallagher stated no matter what is done with the signals, you will continue to have problems at some of the really congested intersections as they are well over capacity. He further stated the signals in the S.R. 256 closed loop system implementing two-way coordination where possible should be re-coordinated. He stated the coordination has not been updated in several years, and with the changes experienced in the volume of traffic it should be done, but it can be accomplished fairly quickly and inexpensively. Mr. Gallagher stated he would also suggest a check of all signals at regular intervals so problems can be handled quickly. He further stated the design of a system loop plan will allow a number of things to be done, such as make the system think on its own, and develop a plan to tie the proposed I-70 interchange closed loop system to the S.R. 256 system. Mr. Gallagher stated there is a master controller at the Columbus and Hill intersection and the only signal it operates right now is that signal, however, the downtown system could be added to that and all the lights downtown could be on that system. Mr. O’Brien clarified that in order to put the signals downtown on one system it would be necessary to run the wires from the Columbus and Hill intersection to the other signals we want on that system. Mr. Gallagher stated things that could be accomplished within the next 18 months would be to design improvements to congested intersections, install system loops, study system loop data and update signal system coordination and implement the plan to add existing signals to the appropriate closed loop system. He stated in the long term, within the next four years, we could build remaining improvements to the congested signalized intersections, upgrade controllers to updated designs at all signals, and add the existing downtown signals to the downtown closed loop system. He continued that ongoing improvements would include checking the electronics of signals as problems surface, fix hardware issues, field and office check all signals on a regular basis, update the signal coordination plan at least annually or when any major traffic pattern change takes place, add all new signals to the appropriate closed loop system, collect data for any new signals, and close or consolidate existing access points when possible. Mr. Hackworth stated he felt the Committee members needed time to review this report.

A. WASTEWATER

(1) Wastewater Plant Expansion (CIP# 02-03-005) – Update. Mr. Wiseman stated we have sent a proposal to the EPA to do the stress test of the plant, and we are waiting for their response.

B. TRANSPORTATION:

(1) Cycle Way/Freedom Way (CIP# 02-03-013) – Update. Mr. Dailey stated they are still waiting for final information from the Corps.

(2) Courtright Road.

(A) Courtright Road Extension Project, Phase III (CIP#s 03-03-011 and 03-03-012) – Update. Mr. Dailey stated he had no update at this time.

(3) Diley Road Realignment:

(A) Diley Road/256 Intersection Improvement Project, Phase II – Update. Mr. Dailey stated work has started and traffic will be maintained during the project, which is scheduled to be completed in November.

(B) Diley Road/S.R. 256 Intersection Improvement Project, Phase III – Update.

1. Review and request for motion to authorize award of contract – Bid Opening 5-28-04. Mr. Dailey stated a letter of recommendation regarding the bids on this project was provided to the Committee members, and the City did receive very favorable bids. Mr. Dailey stated at S.R. 256 the project started with five or six lanes because there are turn lanes in each direction and currently the project is scheduled for five lanes. He stated they have a design on the board for three lanes, but the project was bid for five. Mr. Dailey stated if the project is changed to three lanes, there would be a deduct in the contract. Mr. Wiseman clarified the draft ordinance included a twenty-five percent contingency because there is some additional work on old Diley Road that we may want to include as things develop with the widening of Diley Road. Mr. Wiseman stated even with the contingency it is well within the funds we have available for the project. Mr. Dailey stated there were also some access issues we are still dealing with on some property. Mr. O’Brien inquired if because of the small amount to repair at the entrance to Simsbury, could it be included in this project. Mr. Wiseman stated this project will probably not happen until late fall. Mr. Drobina stated the repair at Simsbury would be done as a separate project. Mr. Hackworth moved to approve the draft ordinance to award the contract to Kokosing and forward to Council; Mr. Parker seconded the motion. Mr. Parker stated this section of road could be three lanes, it could be five lanes, but something is going to happen on Diley Road. He stated something has to happen, it just hasn’t been determined exactly what that will be. Roll call was taken with Mr. Parker, Mr. Hackworth, and Mr. O’Brien voting “Yea.” Motion passed, 3-0.

(4) Diley Road Improvements Project:

(A) MORPC/ODOT Project (CIP#98-03-005 and 03-03-005) Mr. Dailey stated he had no report this evening.

(5) Downtown Revitalization Project Phase III, IV, and V and West Columbus Street Public Parking Lot (CIP#s 02-06-001, 03-06-001, & 03-06-003) – Update. Mr. Dailey stated this project is in the punch list status and they are cleaning up. Mr. O’Brien stated coming into town from the east there is a large dip around the transition from the old to new pavement. Mr. Dailey stated he would put this on the punch list and see if it surveys to the plan. Mr. Drobina stated there was one area where they were going to reheat the asphalt and re-roll it and that could be the area Mr. O’Brien was referring to. Mr. Wiseman clarified that the repair on Columbus Street, just west of Center Street, will cause a shut down for a couple of days. Mr. Sabatino stated there was an issue with some of the dump trucks parking over on Sterling Coach’s lot and doing some damage to the lot, and questioned if that were on the punch list. Mr. Dailey stated that he will check into this.

(6) Cover/Ebright Connector (CIP#02-03-010)

(A) Pickerington Health Care Access Road – Update. Mr. Dailey stated he had no update on this issue.

(7) I-70/S.R. 256 Joint Improvements Project with Reynoldsburg and ODOT – Update. No Report.

(8) Traffic Signal Update. Mr. Hackworth stated this had been discussed earlier in the meeting.

(9) Traffic Improvement Plan (TIP) – Update. No Report.

C. WATER: No Report.

D. STORMWATER. No Report.

6. CHAIRMAN.

A. Review and discussion regarding Community First requested traffic study. Mr. Hackworth stated he would like to have this remain on the agenda.

7. OTHER BUSINESS.

Mr. John Darby read at statement into the record regarding the Diley Road project that he asked be attached to the minutes of this meeting.

8. ADJOURNMENT. There being nothing further, Mr. Hackworth moved to adjourn; Mr. Parker seconded the motion. Mr. Hackworth, Mr. Parker, and Mr. O’Brien voted “Aye.” Motion carried, 3-0. The Service Committee adjourned at 8:40 P.M., June 10, 2004.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

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Lynda D. Yartin, Municipal Clerk