MINUTES OF MEETING OF
IRONTON CITY COUNCIL
May 28, 2020
6:00 p.m.

A regular meeting of Ironton City Council was held on Thursday, May 28, 2020, at 6:00 p.m. via video conference. Present was Vice Mayor Craig Harvey, who presided and members: Cleary, Haney, Hock, Kline, Pierce, Rist – seven.

There was a moment of silent prayer because Rev. Sallie Schisler of Christ Episcopal Church had some technical problems. Everyone stood for the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The Minutes of the Regular Meeting of May 14, 2020, the Public Utilities Committee Meeting of May 4, 2020, the Finance Committee Meeting of May 4, 2020, and the Special Meeting of May 4, 2020, stood approved as submitted.

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

Mr. Harvey said the last regular meeting of May 14, 2020 was not broadcast live on Facebook. Dave Lucas Communications had some technical issues and expressed their condolences to the public. He said he wanted to make sure that the people who expressed concerns about different things can refer to the meeting minutes of May 14, which are available on the Ironton City Council website.

Mike Pierce said he wanted to thank everyone who participated in the City Clean-up Day last Saturday. He said there were a number of City officials there, and it was really good to see and talk with everyone and work with them on cleaning up Third Street. He said he would also like to thank the ladies who are involved in The Vault. He said they did an exercise in painting the cross-walk at Center and Third Street, and it looks very nice. He said he had a gentleman by the name of Tom Keller of 1310 Penobscot Trail in Indian Hills, contact him, and Mr. Keller would like someone from Storm Water to consult with him concerning a spring and a swampy area that is behind his house. There was a culvert there, but he thinks it was closed off sometime back by the Water Department. Before he addresses it himself, he wants advice; and to do it right with the City, he has gone to some considerable expense waterproofing his house; and he wants to be sure that he gets advice and guidance from the City. He said also, Sue Pierson of North 4th and Clark Street, said sometime a while back the sanitary sewer was worked on at that intersection. The extra dirt from that project was piled around a fire hydrant that is located in her front side yard. He said in doing so, they either blocked the culvert running under Clark Street or they simply created a dam of sorts, so now she has ponding water in front of her house. He said she would like someone to take a look at that and see if that issue can be resolved. He said with this last rain, the water almost went into her home, so she is very concerned. He said Karen Schilling of 1967 North 4th Street is concerned about a NECCO house in the 2000 block on 4th Street. She has observed on numerous occasions kids from that house are traveling the streets in her area well after midnight into the early morning hours. She believes there is a supervision problem, and it needs to be addressed. He said also, at the intersection of Cliff and Kevin Streets, there is a gentleman there who would like someone to take a look because there is a culvert that might need to be cleaned out or one installed under Kevin Street. There are two ditches that seem to not be connected, so he gets a pond beside his house. He told this gentleman that he would mention this in Audience Participation at this Council meeting.

Mayor Cramblit asked Mr. Pierce to send the contact information for those individuals, and he will follow up with them. He said the alley grader was delivered. He said with the weather, they have been set back with getting anything done. He said he wants people to know that they will be working now on the alleys, weather permitting.

COMMUNICATIONS – None

REPORTS – None

ORDINANCES

ORDINANCE NO. 20-36 – TO AMEND THE PERMANENT BUDGET OF THE CITY OF IRONTON, STATE OF OHIO, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2020, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY was given first reading.

Mr. Cleary said this ordinance was given a favorable recommendation by the Finance Committee. Mr. Cleary moved, seconded by Mr. Haney, to suspend the rules and give Ordinance No. 20-36 second and third reading by title only. Motion passed unanimously and Ordinance No. 20-36 was given second and third reading. Mr. Cleary moved, seconded by Mr. Haney, to adopt Ordinance No. 20-36. Motion passed unanimously. ADOPTED

ORDINANCE NO. 20-34 – ESTABLISHING FEES FOR UNOCCUPIED STRUCTURES AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY was given second reading.

Mr. Kline said he would again like to ask for this ordinance to have three separate readings with an effective date of August 1, to give additional time for residents to give feedback or ask questions.

ORDINANCE NO. 20-35 – ESTABLISHING FEES FOR UNOCCUPIED STRUCTURES AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY was given first reading.

AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH GREAT LAKES COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY was given second reading.

ORDINANCE NO. 20-35 – AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT WITH GREAT LAKES COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY was given first reading.

Mr. Cleary said this ordinance got a favorable recommendation from Finance Committee. Mr. Cleary moved, seconded by Mr. Kline, to suspend the rules and give Ordinance No. 20-35 third reading by title only. Motion passed unanimously and Ordinance No. 20-35 was given third reading. Mr. Cleary moved, seconded by Mr. Kline, to adopt Ordinance No. 20-35. Motion passed unanimously. ADOPTED

RESOLUTIONS – None

MISCELLANEOUS

Mr. Kline said he would like to get an update from Mr. Gumbert or Mr. Williams on the clarifiers, improvements to the sewer plant and the feasibility study for the sewer plant. Mr. Gumbert said last Friday they installed the secondary clarifier, and Saturday morning they had it wired up and going; and it is doing well. So both secondary clarifier jobs and repairs are completed. He said they have on schedule to do the north primary clarifier for this Thursday and have it changed out, and it should be about 4 weeks to get that one back. He said the bar screen is up and running, and things are moving forward quite well. Mr. Harvey asked Mayor Cramblit if he had any update on the feasibility study. Mayor Cramblit said he does not at this moment. He said he talked to Mr. Williams, and Mr. Williams was expecting it back any day from their main office. He said he will contact him again today and see what is going on.

Mr. Haney said he got back in contact with Upper Township Trustee, Randy Wise. Mr. Wise brought it up at the last Trustee’s meeting about the Trustees donating 10% on our alley grader. He said it didn’t get a second so they couldn’t vote on it, but Mr. Wise said he would make a personal donation himself of $2,500 toward the purchase of our alley grader. Mr. Harvey asked Mr. Elam if he would give some guidance to Chris on how to facilitate that, and to whom Mr. Wise should write the check to, the City of Ironton or a specific department. Mr. Elam said he should write a check to the City of Ironton and put “donation to street grader” on the memo line. He said the City will in turn provide him with a letter that he will be able to use for taxes.

Mr. Pierce asked the Mayor if Ralph Kline ever provided him with some sketches or an overview of his Brumberg Building project, as they discussed at the last meeting. Mayor Cramblit said he doesn’t have that right now, and he doesn’t know how that is coming along. He asked if anyone else had an answer. Mr. Harvey said he thinks he got the parking study and something else from Ralph, but he didn’t pay attention to who all it was addressed to. He said it may very well be in Mr. Pierce’s email, but if it is not, then he should send Mr. Harvey a text and he will forward that. He said it may not address all of Mr. Pierce’s questions, but it was such a large document about parking in Ironton and it had pictures, it was overwhelming on his phone and he couldn’t see it. He said he was going to pull it up on his computer. Mr. Pierce said he checked his email, and he does not have it. Mr. Harvey said he will forward it to him. Mr. Pierce said it wasn’t actually the parking study—they had got the results of that a couple of months back. He said in speaking to Ralph Kline at the last meeting, he said he had an overview picture of the project, what it will look like; and he just wanted that for his own benefit more than anything else.

Mr. Elam said he wanted to give a reminder to Council that they have received the April 2020 financial statements.

Mr. Kline moved, seconded by Mr. Cleary, to receive, file and make a part of the minutes the April 2020 financial statement. Motion passed unanimously.

Mr. Kline moved, seconded by Mr. Cleary, to adjourn.

Minutes were taken by Marta Leach, Clerk.

In attendance: John Elam, Finance Director, and Mayor Cramblit.