MINUTES OF MEETING OF
IRONTON CITY COUNCIL
April 22, 2021
6:00 p.m.
A regular meeting of Ironton City Council was held on Thursday, April 22, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. via video conferencing. Present was Acting Vice Mayor, Nate Kline, who presided and members: Cleary, Haney, Hock, Pierce, Rist – six.
All persons stood for an invocation from Rev. Jeremy Sherrill of Greater Faith Apostolic Church, and then the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Minutes of the Committee as a Whole Meeting of March 16, 2021, the Public Utilities Committee Meeting of April 7, 2021, Committee as a Whole Meeting of April 7, 2021, Strategic Planning Commission Meeting of April 8, 2021, Finance Committee Meeting of April 8, 2021, the Regular Council Meeting of April 8, 2021, and the Strategic Planning Committee Meeting of April 14, 2021. stood approved as submitted.
AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
Mayor Cramblit said listening to all of those minutes Mr. Kline just read off, he would like to thank the Council for such a meaningful group, and that definitely goes a long way helping us get things done with those extra meetings that they have had. He said other than that, he just has some things under Miscellaneous.
COMMUNICATIONS
Mr. Kline said they have one item of communication, and that is a letter from the Ohio Division of Liquor Control regarding transfer of liquor license to Silver Springs, LLC from Timothy Ray Gearhart dba Tim’s News and Novelties. Mr. Kline asked Brigham, in looking at that communication, even if we do not request a hearing, do they have to submit this back as “no hearing” or can they just simply let it go? Brigham said he will look to make sure—he thinks that if they don’t request a hearing, that ends it. Clerk, Marta Leach, said she has always sent that back and marked it that we don’t want a hearing if we do not.
REPORTS – None
ORDINANCES
ORDINANCE NO. 21-19 – AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY TO ENTER INTO ENERGY SAVINGS CONTRACTS WITH ABM FACILITY SUPPORT SERVICES was given first reading.
Mr. Cleary said this Ordinance was given a favorable recommendation in Finance Committee this evening. Mr. Cleary moved, seconded by Ms. Rist, to suspend the rules and give Ordinance No. 21-19 second and third reading by title only. Motion passed unanimously and Ordinance No. 21-19 was given second and third reading. Mr. Cleary moved, seconded by Mr. Pierce, to adopt Ordinance No. 21-19. Mr. Haney said he would like to be included on the sponsors for this ordinance, if that could possibly be done at this point. Motion passed unanimously. ADOPTED Ms. Rist said she would like to be a sponsor also. Mr. Kline asked Brigham, before they move forward, can the sponsors for that have to be done prior to the meeting? Brigham said it is no problem to add them on, but even if they weren’t, you can add that to the meeting minutes that they wanted to sponsor the ordinance. Mayor Cramblit said he thinks Nate wanted to be one also, but it only has Harvey and Hock on there.
ORDINANCE NO. 21-23 – AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO AWARD BIDS FOR THE PURCHASE OF CHEMICALS FOR THE YEAR 2021 was given first reading.
Mr. Cleary said this ordinance was given a favorable recommendation in Finance Committee this evening. Mr. Cleary also mentioned that this was something they do every year. Mr. Cleary moved, seconded by Ms. Rist, to suspend the rules and give Ordinance No. 21-23 second and third reading by title only. Motion passed unanimously and Ordinance No. 21-23 was given second and third readings. Mr. Cleary moved, seconded by Ms. Rist, to adopt Ordinance No. 21-23. Motion passed unanimously. ADOPTED
RESOLUTIONS
RESOLUTION NO. 21-18 – AUTHORIZING THE CREATION OF FUND 8, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN was read.
Mr. Cleary said this was also given a favorable recommendation in Finance Committee. Mr. Cleary moved, seconded by Ms. Rist, to adopt Resolution No. 21-18. Motion passed unanimously. ADOPTED
RESOLUTION NO. 21-20 – AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF A SKID STEER was read.
Mr. Haney said he would also like to be included in the sponsors on Resolution No. 21-20, Resolution No. 21-21 and Resolution No. 21-22. Mr. Cleary said this Resolution got a favorable recommendation from the Finance Committee tonight. He said they have three things here, Resolution No. 21-20, 21-21 and 21-22, and it looks like a team work went into finding the best equipment for the best price and figuring out how to make the payments and how to do the State list. He said it is well-needed equipment and he is glad they are getting it, and he is glad to see they are getting it without having to raise rates to pay for it. Ms. Rist said she agrees. Mr. Pierce said this is already included in our permanent budget for the year. Mr. Haney moved, seconded by Mr. Cleary, to pass Resolution No. 21-20. Motion passed unanimously. ADOPTED
RESOLUTION NO. 21-21 – AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF A REFUSE TRUCK was read.
Mr. Cleary said this resolution was given a favorable recommendation in the Finance Committee this evening. Mr. Cleary moved, seconded by Mr. Hock, to pass Resolution No. 21-21. Motion passed unanimously. ADOPTED
RESOLUTION NO. 21-22 – AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF A BOOM TRUCK was read.
Mr. Cleary said this resolution was also given a favorable recommendation in the Finance Committee this evening. Mr. Cleary moved, seconded by Ms. Rist, to pass Resolution No. 21-22. Motion passed unanimously. ADOPTED
MISCELLANEOUS
Mayor Cramblit said Chief Wagner is on here also. He said they have some financing options for the police vehicles that they had talked about. He said there two options, and they like the second one, which is a 5-year loan—better than the 3-year loan—the 3-year is at 1.7___% rate, whereas, the 5-year is at 2.25% interest rate; however, what they see coming out of the budget each year is a difference in year 1 being $45,000 vs. $26,000. He said over the 5 years is an additional $1,000 a year, but he thinks the relief given to the budget each year is comfortable for them, and that lowest interest rate. He said they have a payment in May, and then it falls off next year, which would be within budget for the first financed fleet. Chief Wagner said the Mayor is correct, they have a payment coming out in May, and then next year she wants Council to be aware, and probably everyone has heard on the news, about the vehicle shortage. She said they ordered a vehicle last year. When and if they move forward with this, it will be several months before that equipment will arrive. Mr. Haney said he doesn’t have a lot of insight on this, but just from the information, does this make it more feasible for them to replace the vehicles on a yearly basis? Mayor Cramblit said this would be the purchase of three vehicles, and it would start to rid all of their old vehicles. He said this would get rid of one of those and a couple of the 2014’s that they have and be able to start replacing those cars, as they have been each year, but this would actually be doing it at a 5-year finance rate and would put some relief on the budget at a very small cost. Chief Wagner said she also wanted to mention that she believes in one of their budget workshops year before last, where they had started replacing vehicles over the year, their savings and maintenance cost alone has been substantial. She said without having those figures in front of her, she doesn’t know the exact numbers, but she believes John would agree that maintenance savings over the last few years, replacing vehicles as they can, is substantial to our budget. Mr. Kline said for John to correct him if he is wrong, the great majority of the new leased vehicles, the debt payment for that is out of the auction from the police impound lot? Mr. Elam said that is correct. Mr. Elam asked if they were financing these vehicles? Mayor Cramblit said the best opinion is to finance them for 5 years, and you’re looking at a payment on the first year, 2022, of $26,700; the next year, $27,000; the year after, $27,000; the year after, $28,000; and the year after, $29,000. Mr. Elam said he thinks that would be good. And when he is talking with Mike Burns, our bond counsel and our bond underwriter tomorrow, he could ask about the 2.87% interest rate, so that would be something that on which they could get an opinion. Mayor Cramblit said these numbers came from Dinsmore and Shohl. Chief Wagner said their Fund 26, which is their vehicle replacement fund, that is at no cost to the tax payers of the City and also does not come from the General Fund. She wanted to make that clear to members of Council and those who might have questions. Mr. Elam said he wanted to add the in 2021 they had $50,000 set aside for a vehicle purchase. He said he agrees with Chief Wagner that the older these vehicles get, the more he sees charge offs written to her department for the repair of these vehicles. It is a smart idea. Mr. Kline said he would be happy to sponsor the necessary legislation to go forward with that. Mr. Haney, Mr. Pierce and Ms. Rist said they will sponsor it as well. Mayor Cramblit asked Chief Wagner if they need to gather all the documents? Chief Wagner said yes, she hopes to have those prepared and ready for the next Council meeting. She said she apologizes, she usually has these things much quicker in the year, however, they wanted to do their due diligence, and they had some other options that they were looking at. They did not turn out to be nearly as economical as they had hoped, so she believes this is the best option and the best use of their monies for vehicle replacement. Mr. Kline asked the Mayor to add himself, Mr. Pierce, Mr. Haney and Ms. Rist to that. Mr. Cleary asked that he be added on to that ordinance also. Mr. Pemberton said he would like to thank Council for passing all the resolutions and ordinances in order for them to have better equipment.
Mr. Kline said he wanted to remind all Council members that the reporting to the Ethics Commission is due on May 17, 2021. Make sure you have that reported and submitted. He said he had spoken to Chairman Harvey about the addition of zoning workshop like they have had before, and he is working on getting that date together and will be reaching out to Council with that date. He said he knows they have had several zoning concerns recently, and we have recently taken the next steps with their legislation for passing, creating R-1A zoning. He also they have the DORA discussions. He is going to ask Councilman Hock if he would possibly schedule a Strategic Planning Commission meeting to discuss: The Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, which would help their small businesses and restaurants; and additional discussion for sanitation rates, which he sent the excel spreadsheets by email last week for everyone to review. He asked Mr. Hock if he could work on that date and sent that out to everyone at his convenience for discussion on those two topics. Mr. Kline asked Ms. Rist if she could get with Mr. Haney and Mr. Harvey to schedule the PUC meeting in coordination with the presentation from Nate Davis per RCAP’s recommendations moving forward for the City.
Ms. Rist asked Mr. Kline, regarding those financial disclosure statements due May 17th, if there was paperwork available for that, or do they have to do it online? Mr. Kline said he has always done his online. Ms. Rist said she has always done hers on paper. Brigham said she can get online and print off the form at the Ohio Ethics Commission website and submit it in paper form. Mr. Cleary said he filed his about two months ago, and it has become so easy to go online and do it. He said it holds the previous year, if you were a candidate two or three years ago, and retains the information. So, all you have to do is get back online and put in your social security number or whatever, and all the blanks are filled in—you just have to go through and check them if they are correct. He said he thinks you have to pay $30 or $35.
The Mayor said they have received their March 2021 financials. Mr. Kline said Mr. Elam provided the March financials and their 5-year plan for review. Mr. Kline said he would entertain a motion to receive both of those. Mr. Pierce moved, seconded by Mr. Cleary, to receive, file and make a part of the minutes the financials and 5-year plan. Motion passed unanimously. Mr. Elam said he tried to keep it in the same format that Mr. Kline had presented last time, and if anyone has any questions, he is a phone call away. Mr. Kline said he would like for everyone to review that and look at the fund balances of some of those funds they have discussed.
Mr. Kline moved, seconded by Mr. Hock, to go into Executive Session to discuss personnel, real estate and imminent litigation, with Council, the Mayor, Solicitor and Finance Director, with no action to follow. Motion passed unanimously.
Minutes were taken by Marta Leach, Clerk.
In attendance: John Elam, Finance Director, Mayor Cramblit, Brigham Anderson.