CITY OF PICKERINGTON

SAFETY COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL

CITY HALL, 100 LOCKVILLE ROAD

MONDAY, AUGUST 2, 2004

7:30 P.M.

REGULAR MEETING AGENDA

1. ROLL CALL. Mr. Wisniewski called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M. with Mrs. Riggs, Mr. Wisniewski, and Mr. Sabatino present. No members were absent. Others present were: Ted Hackworth, Mitch O’Brien, Judy Gilleland, Lynda Yartin, Chief Mike Taylor, Steve Carr, Dennis Boruszewski, and others.

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF June 7, 2004, Regular Meeting. Mrs. Riggs moved to approve; Mr. Wisniewski seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Sabatino, Mr. Wisniewski, and Mrs. Riggs voting "Yea." Motion passed, 3-0.

3. DEPARTMENT REPORTS:

A. Parks and Recreation.

(1) Director’s Report. Mr. Carr stated he had provided a written report and he would answer any questions anyone might have.

a. Parks Master Plan Survey - Update. Mr. Carr stated he had distributed a copy of the Parks Facilities Inventory this evening and he would like to have the Committee review it and get back with him if they have any questions.

b. Skate Park Project – Update.

c. Handicap Garden – Update.

d. ODNR/NatureWorks Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant Projects

1. NatureWorks Grant Project (Sycamore Park Dam Repair) – Update.

2. Land & Water Conservation Fund Project (Sycamore Park Renovation) – Update.

3. Clean Ohio Conservation Grant Project – DeWolfe Property) – Update.

e. Sycamore Park Tennis Court Repair Project – Update.

B. Building Operations:

(1) Installation of new doors and new alarm system at City Hall – Update. Mr. Wisniewski stated the Committee had received a memo on this project. Ms Gilleland stated we do need the new system, however, she was recommending the project be included in the 2005 budget. Mr. Wisniewski stated this item should be removed from the agenda.

C. Service Department: No. Report.

D. Code Enforcement: Update. Ms Gilleland stated the Committee had received a report from Mr. Lewis detailing current code enforcement issues. Mr. Hackworth stated there appeared to be some problem with the detention pond aerator in the Sheffield subdivision. Ms Gilleland stated she would look into this. Mr. Wisniewski inquired what options we had other than sending letters and billing owners when the City has to cut grass on properties. Ms Gilleland stated she did believe an administrative fee can be charged. Ms Gilleland stated when we do bill the owners and they do not pay, we can put that on the tax duplicate. Ms Gilleland stated she had met with Mrs. Trout and we are working on the issues she had reported at the last Council meeting. Mr. Wisniewski stated further that it appeared we are trying to take care of the issue of the park and the detention basin at Shawnee Crossing. Ms Gilleland stated she would be meeting with Mr. Fannin later this week so she would get more information at that time. Mr. Wisniewski clarified that when this became a Parade of Homes site, something changed from when the City met with the landscape architect three years ago. Mr. Wisniewski stated he did not see any need to add this property to the City parks when there is no access to it. Mr. Carr stated that was also the opinion of the City staff. Ms Gilleland stated that was also communicated to Mr. Fannin and if he wished to approach Council he could submit it in writing and it would be presented.

(1) Nuisance Abatement Board. No Report.

4. POLICE:

A. Chief’s Report. Chief Taylor stated his report had been distributed and he would answer any questions.

Chief Taylor stated he would like to note in his report he had addressed the issue of Special Duty pay. He stated the City’s Special Duty rate has not been increased in five years, and he is proposing to raise the rates at this time. Chief Taylor stated further the increase would put our rates the same as the Fairfield County Sheriff’s and other surrounding agencies. Mr. Wisniewski clarified that the officers are paid directly from the special duty employer and the funds do not go through the City at all. Mrs. Riggs stated she did not see any problem with this. Mr. Sabatino stated he would like to ensure that our officers perform the special duties in the City rather than having the Sheriff’s department do it. Chief Taylor stated the Sheriff’s Deputies are used only as a last resort. He stated if we do not have the personnel available he then refers the request to the Sheriff’s office. Mr. Wisniewski ascertained there have been no complaints from our officers that they feel they have been left out of special duty opportunities. Mr. Wisniewski moved to approve the increase in the special duty rates; Mrs. Riggs seconded the motion. Roll call was taken with Mr. Wisniewski, Mrs. Riggs, and Mr. Sabatino voting “Yea.” Motion passed 3-0.

Mrs. Riggs clarified the funds we will be receiving from Homeland Security will be used to purchase radio equipment to allow for interoperability between Pickerington, the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office, and Lancaster Police Department. Mr. Riggs requested a copy of our Disaster Plan be provided to her.

Mr. Hackworth stated he would like to have someone look at the location of the speed limit signs on Windmiller Blvd., behind the Kroger store. He stated they are hard to see and perhaps they could be relocated so it is easier for the drivers to see them. He stated further going south on Hill Road, when you get past the sewer plant, there used to be a speed limit sign. He stated since the City annexed the area on the east side, there are no signs south of there. Mr. Wisniewski stated this Committee had addressed speed limit signs at all of the cities boundaries and he thought that had been taken care of. Mr. Wisniewski asked Ms Gilleland to look into this. Mr. O’Brien stated further that it was his understanding that stop signs were required to be a certain height. He stated he thought we should check ours, especially in the newer subdivisions, like Sycamore Creek, because he had heard that some of our stop signs were to high and a violation could not be enforced because of that. Mr. O’Brien stated too he thought we might discuss with the Township the problems on Diley Road with the boundary between the City and Township since in places it is right down the middle of the road. He stated the City’s speed limit and the Township’s speed limit are different and it is very confusing to motorists on that road. Mr. O’Brien stated we may want to consider approaching the Township about annexing Diley Road into the City so we can establish a speed limit that is consistent. Ms Gilleland stated she thought that was a good idea, and she would look into that.

Mr. O’Brien stated he would like to comment that the Police Department did a great job during the Violet Festival.

5. CHAIRMAN.

A. Review and discussion regarding safety issues on East Street. Ms Gilleland stated she had met with the Superintendent last week. She stated the City did put gravel in one area to add some parking spaces for the school. She stated we would also be restripping the west side of the street so the parking can be more efficient. Ms Gilleland stated further she had informed the schools that we would provide advice where they want to restripe a parking lot on the south side of the building so they can get a few more parking spaces in there. Mr. O’Brien stated he had requested an aerial photo of that area from our engineer so we can look it over and see if we can come up with a few ideas. Mr. O’Brien stated he thought this was a service issue as well as a safety issue. Mr. O’Brien stated the school will be getting over 100 additional students next year and he felt we need to deal firmly with the schools to do their share because this is only going to get worse if we don’t do anything. Mr. Wisniewski stated he would like to continue this on the agenda.

B. Review and request for motion to approve draft ordinance to amend Section 220.04(F) of the Pickerington Codified Ordinances relative to meeting dates for Council Committees. Mr. Wisniewski stated this was discussed at the last meeting. Mrs. Riggs stated she had thought about this and she felt there might be some conflicts. Mr. Wisniewski stated he agreed and he felt this could be removed from the agenda with no action.

Mr. Wisniewski stated he has received complaints regarding residents putting their trash out early in the week when the pick up isn’t until Friday. He stated it has become a problem with animals getting into the garbage, etc. Mr. Wisniewski stated he would ask Ms Gilleland to get with Mr. Mapes and ask him to look into what other communities do to limit this type of problem and what we may want to do. Ms Gilleland stated she would look through our code book to ensure we don’t have something already on the books about this issue, and, if not, she would get with Mr. Mapes to see what we can do. Mr. Boruszewski stated on the subject of trash pick-up, he would like to know if there was something that could be done about the refuse collection being done on S.R. 256 during rush hour. He stated traffic will back up all the way to the railroad tracks when people are trying to get to work in the morning. He questioned if we could ask the contractor to schedule the route so that is picked up after 9:00 A.M., rather than during the rush hour. Ms Gilleland stated she would contact the refuse collection contractor on this issue.

6. OTHER BUSINESS.

Mr. O’Brien stated he had read where the Violet Township Fire Department would be adding an attachment to our traffic signals that will allow them to change the lights during an emergency run, and questioned if that had been through Committee or anything because we have some serious issues with our traffic signals. Mr. Hackworth stated this was discussed briefly in Service. Chief Taylor stated ODOT would install the equipment and the controls will be given to the Fire Department and the Police Department. He stated he understood this equipment would be installed when the work is done at the I-70/S.R. 256 intersection.

Mr. Wisniewski stated as the next regular meeting for Safety Committee would fall on the Labor Day weekend, Safety Committee would meet on the second Monday, September 13, 2004, at 7:30.

7. ADJOURNMENT. There being nothing further, Mrs. Riggs moved to adjourn; Mr. Wisniewski seconded the motion. Mrs. Riggs, Mr. Sabatino, and Mr. Wisniewski voted “Aye.” Motion carried, 3-0. The Safety Committee meeting adjourned at 8:10 P.M., August 2, 2004.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

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Lynda D. Yartin, Municipal Clerk