Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/20/2009RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin __City Council _Meet~ng January 20, 2009 Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher called the Tuesday, January 20, 2009 Regular Meeting of Dublin City Council to order at 7 p.m. at the Dublin Municipal Building. Present were Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, Vice Mayor Boring, Mr. Gerber, Mr. Keenan, Mr. Lecklider, Mr. Reiner, and Ms. Salay. Staff members present were Ms. Grigsby, Ms. Readier, Mr. McDaniel, Chief Epperson, Mr. Langworthy, Ms. Puskarcik, P. Hammersmith, Ms. Crandall, Mr. Earman, Mr. Harding, Ms. Hoyle, Mr. Hahn, Mr. Thurman, Mr. Gunderman, Ms. Adkins, Ms. Ruwette and Ms. Worstall. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mr. Keenan led the Pledge of Allegiance. APPROVAL OF MINUTES • Minutes of Regular Meeting of December 8, 2008 Mr. Keenan moved approval. Ms. Salay seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Vice Mayor Boring, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Ms. Salay, yes. =CIAL PRESENTATIONS • Karrer Middle School FIRST LEGO Robotics League -Techno Flames 'v Gao. Team Coach. asked the Techno Flames team members and assistant coaches to introduce themselves. The team members include: Alix Bernier, Sam Brinker, Kevin Edwards, Jacob Farr, Tom Gao, Daniel Hong, John Luo, Trey McGinnis, Sean McPherson and Pravav Sridhar. Coaches include: Gary Gao, Joyce Edwards, Scott Hong and Sridhar Kaza. Dr. Gao gave an overview of the team's recent efforts, including a visit to NBC Columbus where the team gave a brief demonstration and a regional competition held at Grandview Heights Middle School. Their team placed third in the regional and won the trophy for research presentation. They will be participating in the State Championships in Dayton, Ohio on February 14 and 15. Ms. Salay asked if the students build robot prototypes prior to the final product. Daniel Hong, Team Member explained the process from the design stage, through programming, construction, operation and presentation. Vice Mayor Boring inquired if parents serve as the advisors Dr. Gao responded that they do, although the students perform 99% of the work. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher congratulated the team and wished them success at the State competition. Ms. Salay asked Dr. Gao to advise Council of the results of their competition. • Dublin Convention and Visitors Bureau Update Jenkins, Dublin Convention and Visitors Bureau (DCVB) Board President stated as Council is aware, the Bureau's mission is to "attract, serve and retain overnight ors to the City of Dublin, which will, in turn, help to increase the bed tax revenue generate dollars for the City's economy." As mandated by the State of Ohio, the 'au completed its 2007-2008 audit. The audit went very well without citations or ifications. A copy of the State Auditor's letter was provided in Council's meeting ;et. The DCVB Visitors Center is located in Historic Dublin and serves as a great urce for visitors and residents. This past year, the Visitors Center hosted visitors 48 states and 14 countries. The Visitors Center would not be a reality without the it financial support of Dublin City Council. Scott Dring, DCVB Executive Director stated that the focus of their report tonight is the 2009 Marketing Plan. A copy has been provided to Council tonight. The plan not only outlines 2009 efforts, but also details some 2008 results. As expected, the economy is taking a toll on the tourism industry. Dublin hotels project a 4-6 percent decrease in hotel revenue for the next six months. As reflected in the marketing plan, the Bureau has devised a strategy to generate new business from other markets to offset the anticipated reduction in business travel. History indicates that the youth travel sports RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeti__ nv_ January 20, 2009 Page 2 business does not slow during economic downturns. Therefore, their efforts will focus on that area. Four new baseball tournaments will be held in Dublin this summer, which are anticipated to attract 2,500 hotel room nights and an estimated $1.9M for the City. They are also working with event planners in neighboring communities to provide some of the hotel nights needed by visitors to those events. Another market they are pursuing is the SMERF market (social, military, educational, religious and fraternal market). These groups tend to spend substantial dollars in the communities they visit. They are launching a new blog, which can be found at their website. They have also set up a presence at various social networking sites. The Bureau appreciates Council's support and partnership and will continue to update Council on their progress over the next few months. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher noted that over the last couple of years, Experience Columbus has discussed the need for another full-service convention hotel downtown. Although the current trend may have discouraged those efforts, has there been any discussion with the Dublin hotel industry about that? Mr. Dring responded that the current Dublin hotels would naturally not seek additional competition from more hotels. However, the Bureau represents the City, not the hotel industry. From that perspective, another full-serve hotel, located perhaps in the new hospital and Innovation Center area, would have along-term benefit to the community. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher thanked Mr. Dring for his report and the DCVB and staff for their good efforts. City Council looks forward to continuing the partnership. Vice Mayor Boring stated that it is impressive that while everyone else is experiencing a significant percentage of downturn, DCVB shows a percentage of increase in occupancy rates over the previous year. • AEP Update regarding Muirfield Project Ms. Grigsby stated that late last summer, AEP representatives attended a Council meeting to provide Council information on the major infrastructure project they were about to initiate in the Muirfield area to upgrade the existing service lines. AEP representatives, Jon P. Olenski and Selwyn Dias, will provide an update on that project. Selwyn Dias, AEP Ohio, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Finance stated that they are here to provide an update on the massive amount of work occurring with this project. The scope of this project, which began in 2006, is unprecedented, both from the aspect of the significant investment they are making in the Muirfield Village area and the complexity associated with the scope of the project. Although the project was initiated in 2006, it soon became apparent that the equipment was failing at a faster pace than anticipated. They shortened the timeline and increased the resources for the Muirfield Village electric infrastructure revitalization project. Muirfield is served by approximately 90 miles of underground cable, and it is reaching the end of its useful life. The project will rejuvenate or replace 80 of those miles. The cost of the project is approximately $10 million for the cable work alone. It will cost another $4.5 million for improvements to the Sawmill substation that feeds the Muirfield Village area. AEP understands that the Muirfield residents have experienced much inconvenience due to the unexpected outages that have occurred over the past several months. It is also very frustrating to AEP, and this situation has the highest level of AEP Ohio management attention, including himself and the Vice President of distribution operations, who was unable to attend tonight. Jon P. Olenski, AEP Ohio, Project Manager shared a PowerPoint overview of the scope of the project including complexities and timeline. He also provided a copy to those in the audience and Council, noting the information has been shared with the Muirfield Village residents as well. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher thanked the AEP representatives for their report. Council respects the amount of money AEP is investing in the Muirfield project and the issues and RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council _ Meeting January 20, 2009 Page 3 challenges for AEP with this project. She is also aware of the history related to this problem. Part of the problem is the result of the fact that there was not an ongoing. maintenance program. Now, a significant area requires revitalization within a short period of time. Her concern, however, is for the City residents impacted by the outages, which have been significant and extended. It is now entering the winter season, and the issue becomes much more critical when people do not have heat. The impacts to the residents are also ones of health, medical and monetary. When the outages occur, they do not know if it will be a 30-minute or a many-hour outage. Residents have often lost food in their refrigerators due to the length of the outages. Other residents operate businesses from their homes, and they are economically impacted. The Muirfield Village Civic Association President, Bob Fathman, has shared the residents' issues with AEP. From the residents' perspective, it appears that because AEP is able to provide a reason for the problem, they feel somewhat absolved of responsibility for the personal impact the repeated outages are having on the residents. Residents have requested reimbursement for the unexpected financial costs they have experienced, all of which requests have been rejected by AEP per AEP's agreement with PUCO. Therefore, although the investment AEP is making may be significant, it is their business to do so. The residents are dependent upon AEP doing so. Mr. Reiner stated that he also resides in Muirfield Village. The Mayor has summarized well some of the problems they have been experiencing. In addition to food losses, some residents have experienced significant losses related to outages and impacts on home businesses, etc. A major outage occurred on Christmas eve, when many of the residents had family and guests in their homes for the holiday. During the presentation, a timeframe of 40 and 30 years was mentioned as the anticipated life expectancy for the replacement parts. How long will the repairs endure? Mr. Olenski responded that the 30-year expectancy has been reached on much of the existing cable. The technology is very different today. Although some people complain that installing the cable today in conduit is "overkill," it should greatly add to the life of the cable. Mr. Reiner stated that the project has an anticipated August completion date. After the project is concluded, will the system operate efficiently? Mr. Olenski responded that it absolutely will. Of course, underground electrical systems will have outages from time to time. What they expect to accomplish is reducing the frequency and the duration of an outage. Mr. Dias added that AEP is very confident that Muirfield will have a superior system in place after the work is completed in August. The residents should notice an improvement prior to that time. Mr. Reiner inquired if all of the parts that need to be replaced will be replaced, and will they have a life expectancy of 30 years? Mr. Olenski responded that in the areas that have experienced the most number of faults, the cables will be replaced. The other cables will be injected as outlined in the presentation. By the end of February, 35 miles of cable will be warranted for 40 years. Mr. Reiner inquired if AEP is making a comprehensive investment to replace all the parts that could fail. Mr. Olenski confirmed that is exactly what AEP is doing. Mr. Dias stated that the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) has become very engaged in AEP's work plan, and they have confirmed that AEP is doing everything possible to replace whatever is in need of replacement. Mr. Reiner stated that Dublin has had much of its cables placed underground. Will there be other portions of the communities with underground utilities experiencing failures? Muirfield is one of the oldest communities in Dublin -will these same problems occur in other areas over time? What is AEP's expectation in this regard? Mr. Dias responded that they do not foresee similar issues for the other Dublin areas in the future. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of _ Dublin City Council January 20, 2009 Page 4 Mr. Reiner inquired if AEP has placed all of their new underground utility projects in Dublin in conduit. He is surprised that Muirfield's cables have not been placed in conduit to protect AEP's interests. Mr. Olenski responded that is his recommendation, and it is occurring in many of the projects. It depends on the area. In some areas, it is difficult for the machinery to push the conduit in. Mr. Reiner stated that he hopes that when this project is occurring, that the cables will be placed in conduit. There has been a significant amount of digging in the Muirfield area over the years, which puts the cable at high risk. Mr. Olenski stated that it has not been the industry standard, but that is what they are doing in the areas where it makes sense to do so. Ms. Salay inquired when AEP first began to place the cables in conduit. A large of amount of Dublin's electric infrastructure is underground. In her neighborhood, which is i approximately 15 years old, they experience very few power outages. As the City ages, will outages in other areas begin to occur? Mr. Olenski stated that is possible, but not what they anticipate. Ms. Salay suggested that when the Muirfield project is completed, it might be a good idea for Dublin to work with AEP to evaluate the other areas and try to avoid the need for another future major investment. Mr. Dias stated that, as a matter of fact, AEP has a filing before PUCO related to a request to fund distribution infrastructure projects. Previously, the State had frozen their electric rates and they were unable to make such investments. The filing is under review and they are awaiting a final decision. Mr. Reiner stated that the expectation of consumers is that AEP will remain current with cable review and maintenance versus allowing such an overwhelming situation to occur. A similar situation also occurred related to AEP's tree maintenance policies for areas around the electric lines. In earlier years, AEP had contracts to regularly perform tree trimming, but then it appeared that AEP entered into a phase where they did not invest in appropriate maintenance -instead, simply chopped trees. Then, recently, there were a couple of high wind events causing tree branches to fall into power lines resulting in outages. The public demanded that the trees be cut down. From his perspective, 30-40 years of history indicate that the problem occurred because AEP did not address the tree trimming needs in an appropriate, ongoing manner. The situations are parallel, and he is hopeful that officials at AEP take this more seriously. Doing otherwise has significantly impacted citizens. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher concurred with Mr. Refiner's comments. The AEP request to PUCO is based on AEP imposing utility rate hikes on citizens to pay for the continuous maintenance and upgrades. From a layperson's perspective, it would seem that within the industry there would be a plan for normal maintenance to prevent this type of crisis. She understands that Ms. Grigsby and Mr. McDaniel will continue to work with AEP regarding a long range maintenance plan. She thanked Mr. Dias and Mr. Olenski for coming to share this information. The City looks forward to no longer having outages, particularly in cold weather. CORRESPONDENCE The Clerk reported that no correspondence had been received requiring action from Council. ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher moved to adjourn into executive session for the discussion of labor negotiations (to prepare for, conduct, or review negotiations or bargaining sessions with public employees concerning their compensation or other terms and conditions of their employment) Mr. Lecklider seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mayor Chinnici- Zuercher; Vice Mayor Boring; Mr. Gerber, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes. The meeting was adjourned at 8:05 p.m. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting January 20, 2009 Page 5 The meeting was reconvened at 8:44 p.m. CITIZEN COMMENTS Jan Krukowski, 6291 Wismer Circle, Wyndham Village stated that she has been a Dublin resident for 11 years. She would like to bring before Council the issue of outdoor patio seating at Mary Kelley's in the Shoppes at Athenry. Although the need has existed for many years, she believes it is time for Council to re-examine it. This past summer, she observed many people around Dublin riding bikes, walking or running. In past summers, there were far fewer people enjoying the outdoors within the City. People are choosing to remain close to home due to the increased price of fuel. Recently, after a bike ride, she tried to find a place in her neighborhood to eat outside; there was none. She then stopped at UDF and while there, talked with several customers outside. That conversation revealed that many of her neighbors felt the same way she did -that Mary Kelley's is a great restaurant and family establishment and should be permitted to provide outdoor seating on their patio She decided to circulate a petition to see what the majority of people within Dublin thought about outdoor patio seating at Mary Kelley's. She focused on the area surrounding the restaurant. As she went door to door, she realized that a majority of the residents agreed with her. The residents of the area around Mary Kelley's, the Dublin Village condominiums and Indian Run neighborhood would like an outdoor area where they can enjoy a meal with friends and family. However, during her neighborhood petition efforts, a friend forwarded to her a copy of an Indian Run newsletter that falsely represented her efforts. The article described her as "a man circulating a petition who confessed he was not a Dublin resident, who was using deceptive tactics and false information to persuade people to sign his petition. It further stated, "The Planning and Zoning Commission has denied their patio seating application in the past, citing negative impact on the neighborhood. A number of Indian Run Homeowner Association members and residents have consistently opposed the patio expansion, even speaking out passionately at official meetings. It is our position as your association board, that we will not support the patio expansion and we encourage our homeowners and residents not to sign this position." She was surprised, as she has never spoken with that individual. She believes this was an attempt to scare and intimidate people in the neighborhood. This is a perfect example of the misrepresentation of facts that this one gentleman has made over the years to keep Mary Kelley's from having outdoor seating. In today's economy in which many businesses are struggling, she believes that Dublin City Council, as representatives for the people of Dublin, should make every attempt to allow businesses to thrive in this community. Mary Kelley's is a great asset to Dublin, with great service and food. She inquired if there is anything the residents can do to have Council reconsider this issue, or to have it placed on a ballot for a vote by the residents. In the past, she had heard that some of the residents in the neighborhood had issues or complaints about Mary Kelley's. But when she was gathering signatures for her petition, she did not find that to be the case. All the responses were positive. Ms. Salay noted Ms. Krukowski lives a sufficient distance from Mary Kelley's and therefore wouldn't experience the same noise problem as the neighbors of Mary Kelley's. Ms. Krukowski responded that is correct, but she lives behind a school where children are outside at recess, where there is neighborhood garbage pick-up during the night, and other community events - all of which create noise, particularly in the summer. Community noise associated with outdoor activity in the summer should not be an issue. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher asked staff about the timing of Mary Kelley's last application for outdoor patio seating. Mr. Langworthy responded that it was several years ago. He is aware that there was community objection to their application. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that the first step would be for Mr. Langworthy or Planning staff to review with Ms. Krukowski and any representatives the public comments and discussion from the Planning and Zoning Commission hearings. She believes there have been several hearings on this topic. Mr. Gerber responded that there is a lengthy history. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher added that she certainly understands Ms. Krukowski's position. However, this is a restaurant that has had a long history in requesting outdoor seating. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council _Meetin~ January 20, 2009 Page 6 There have been many different neighbors involved and different Planning Commissions - all of whom have taken the same position. Therefore, it seems unlikely that the Planning Commission or Council would change their decision, which was formed as a result of the history and dynamics that have been expressed. Ms. Krukowski responded that when she walked the neighborhoods, everyone signed her petition. She believes that one or two individuals that are influencing people negatively. That is the reason that she decided to walk through the neighborhood and talk directly to the people. The neighborhood responses have brought her to a different conclusion than Council has made. Can an issue such as this be placed on the ballot for the voters to decide? Ms. Grigsby responded that the owner, Mary Kelley's, has the right to submit an application for a conditional use and undergo the process again. Then, as part of the public input session, both the opponents and proponents would have the opportunity to testify. The Planning and Zoning Commission would then act based upon that input as well as the input of staff and past history. Mr. Lecklider added that it would also be necessary to review the record from the time before the restaurant was built. He served on the Planning and Zoning Commission at that time, and he believes Vice Mayor Boring may also have served during that time. During the final development phase, very direct questions were asked of the developer regarding the proposed use for this particular outdoor space. The developer refused to address that issue, although he was asked repeatedly to do so. So there have been issues regarding this use from the beginning, pre-dating any neighborhood complaints. It could have potentially been resolved years ago. He would dispute that the issue is entirely driven by either opponents or proponents of that outdoor patio use. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher summarized the necessary steps as outlined: Ms. Krukowski would need to acquire copies of all the history on the conditional use, which Mr. Langworthy can provide to her; and then the owner of Mary Kelley's would need to file an application for a conditional use, which would result in a public hearing where all parties would have the opportunity to speak on the issue. Mr. Lecklider noted that in the last review of this issue, which occurred between City's legal counsel and Mary Kelley's, some compromises were proposed that, ultimately, the owners of Mary Kelley's rejected. Wallace Maurer, 7451 Dublin Road: (1) Requested a correction to the December 8, 2008 Council minutes to his comment on page 4, line 7. The 4`h word, "consummate" is not the word he used. It should be "consonant." (2) Noted that at the end of the Council meeting replay, there is the following disclaimer: "This broadcast is for production purposes. It is not the official record of the meeting. For the official record, see the minutes of the meeting." His question is why the recording is not the final record of the meeting? He realizes that there is an immense amount of history on public meeting records going back to the reporter who recorded actions in the British House of Commons or House of Lords. The fact is that today's technology has moved beyond that. One can indeed have the entire context of a meeting. Why wouldn't the video and audio tape of the Council meeting serve as the final record of Council? Ms. Grigsby responded that by City Charter, the Clerk of Council is responsible for maintaining the record of the Council meeting minutes. Mr. Maurer responded that the Charter needs to be updated. It stands to reason that the full context of the Council meeting would be the basic line of reference. City officials such as Clerks change over time and cannot provide a comprehensive record of all that happens in a Council meeting. Why wouldn't the television tape be the best record of a Council meeting? Ms. Readier responded that the Ohio Revised Code mandates that Clerks of Council maintain minutes. The reason for that law is that not every community is fortunate enough to have their Council meetings televised. The Ohio Revised Code has to apply uniformly throughout the state. To ensure that each Council throughout the State of Ohio is adequately maintaining some record, there is a requirement for minutes. RECORD OF PROCEED[NGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting LEGISLATION January 20, 2009 Page 7 POSTPONED ITEM Ordinance 87-08 Declaring the Improvement to Certain Parcels to be a Public Purpose and Exempt from Taxation; Specifying the Public Infrastructure Improvements Directly Benefitting the Parcels; Requiring the Owners Thereof to Make Service Payments in Lieu of Taxes; Establishing a Municipal Public Improvement Tax Increment Equivalent Fund and Providing for the Collection and Deposit of Service Payments into that Fund; and Authorizing the Execution of a Tax Increment Financing Agreement. (Waterford Commons Development) Ms. Grigsby stated that at the last Council meeting, staff requested that this legislation be postponed to this meeting. Staff met with the School District representatives last week, and there has not been sufficient time to evaluate the discussion. Therefore, staff recommends that this legislation be tabled indefinitely. Staff will bring the ordinance back and ask that it be re-scheduled for a hearing when a review has been completed. Mr. Keenan moved to table Ordinance 87-08 indefinitely. Ms. Salay seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Vice Mayor Boring, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes. SECOND READING/PUBLIC HEARING -ORDINANCES Resolution 87-08 Amending Sections 4.01 (Council Meetings) and 7.01 (Newspaper Publication) of the Council Rules of Order. Ms. Grigsby stated that there is no additional information regarding this matter. Vote on the Resolution: Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Vice Mayor Boring, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes. Ordinance 97-08 Amending Section 2 ("Wage and Salary Structure/Administration) of Ordinance 73-06 ("Compensation Plan" for Non Union Employees). Ms. Grigsby stated that at the first reading of this legislation on December 8, 2008, Council raised several questions. The memo provided in this meeting packet addresses those questions. Mr. Harding will review the responses. Mr. Harding stated the additional information includes: (1) national trends in 2009 wage; (2) trends in 2009 wage increases in the suburban communities in the Central Ohio area; and (3) data from the Dublin's compensation program. In the 4th bullet point on page one of the memo, it is noted that the proposed pay range adjustments will not result in any across-the-board increases to all employees. The employees that will be affected are those employees that fall below the minimum of the proposed pay ranges or those individuals that are currently at the maximum of the current pay range. He would like to make one correction to the memo, which indicates that there are seven employees below the minimum; there are actually eight such employees. The actual cost associated with bringing those eight employees to the minimum of the pay grades would be $11,451 versus $8,500. The additional $3,000 is not due only to the additional employee. There were some other errors in the spreadsheet provided for the last reading. The wage impacts associated with these pay range adjustments are within the operating budget's 4% allocation for wage increases in 2009. The consultant who worked with the City on the wage analysis had projected a 4% increase this year. Staff recognizes that the current economic conditions may have a significant effect on the market data the next time a biennial review is conducted - in 2010. If that market indicates no further adjustments in 2011 are warranted, staff would make that recommendation. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meetin¢ January 20, 2009 Page 8 Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher inquired about Table 1, Current Salaries and Ranges 2008. The date indicates that 22 or 10% of the employees are above the target range maximum. Was the number 22 at the time the new system was implemented, or has the number increased? Mr. Harding responded that the number has decreased over time. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher inquired if these employees will always be above the pay range maximum, or will the adjustment this year bring them within the target range. Mr. Harding noted that there will be one individual remaining above the target maximum. It is anticipated that the next time the pay ranges are adjusted, everyone will be within the target maximum. Wallace Maurer, 7451 Dublin Road inquired if the projection data used reflects the current and observable data within municipal government across the country. Mr. Harding stated that the data did not reflect local government only. It also reflected private sector corporations of various sizes. One page did show the projections for wage increases in the local area. Mr. Maurer stated that he does not know what percentage of the country is experiencing an increase in wages. There appears to be a potential for a downhill collapse. He assumes the City's current revenue will cover future revenues. Ms. Salay stated that she has done some rough calculations of a few of the City's pay ranges -- comparing where they were and where they appear to be moving to. If the old number is multiplied by 1.04, which would provide a 4% average increase, the new numbers are substantially less than where the ranges would be expected to be She asked for clarification. Ms. Grigsby responded that what she is looking at are the pay ranges for the different bands. The 4% is an average for all adjustments across the City. However, some pay ranges adjusted higher; others adjusted lower. The 4% is based upon where the individuals currently are within the pay bands, and where the salary is desired to be within the target area. Mr. Harding stated that the 4% is the budget impact of all the pay increases for the next year. The actual adjustments to the pay ranges are different, based upon the market. Each class of jobs differs in the adjustment from time to time. Ms. Salay stated that she was trying to understand the table and now understands that the 4% doesn't translate into the table uniformly. Vote on the Ordinance: Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Vice Mayor Boring, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Ms. Salay, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes. INTRODUCTION/FIRST READING -ORDINANCES Ordinance 01-09 Accepting the Annexation of 1.25+/- Acres from Perry Township to the City of Dublin (Petitioner: BVH Associates, 6924 Riverside Drive; Agent: Michael Close, Esq.) Mr. Lecklider introduced the ordinance. Mr. Gunderman stated that the property is located at the northeast corner of Riverside Drive and Tuller Road. A veterinary clinic under expansion is located on the property. This annexation was discussed previously with authorization of a pre-annexation agreement and the resolution for statement of services. The petition has been approved by Franklin County and can now be acted upon by the City. The applicant has requested that the public hearing of the legislation be postponed to the February 17 Council meeting because the agent will be out of town on February 2. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher moved to postpone the second reading/public hearing of the ordinance to the February 17 Council meeting. Mr. Reiner seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Vice Mayor Boring, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes. Ordinance 02-09 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting January 20, 2009 Page 9 Authorizing the Provision of Certain Incentives for Purposes of Retaining and Expanding Battelle and its Operations and Workforce within the City of Dublin, and Authorizing the Execution of an Economic Development Agreement. Mr. Keenan introduced the ordinance. Mr. McDaniel stated that they have been in discussions for several weeks regarding the expansion of their facility at 5160 Blazer Parkway. An earlier economic development agreement accompanied their initial location to Dublin in 2005. They now desire to expand that facility by 40,000 square feet; increase its employee number at that location from 67 to 105 by year 2012; and extend their lease in this location an additional 10 years. The proposed agreement offers atwo-fold incentive: (1) A 25% withholding incentive for 2009 and a 15% withholding incentive for the i following six years, 2010-2015. The minimum aggregate payment to Battelle over that period would be about $153,400, which is 16% of the estimated total withholdings that the City would receive, estimated to be about $950,000 over the same period; and (2) The City would also extend to them their ability to continue to use the City's optical i fiber, which was included in the previous agreement. He noted a typographical error in the memo, as the zoning is actually "OLR." The company is working with Planning staff regarding lot coverage, parking lot, and landscaping issues. It is not yet clear if any variances will be required. Mr. Keenan inquired if the City's provides fiber optic to the company as part of an economic development agreement, does that continue the length of the economic development agreement? Mr. McDaniel responded that the existing contract was for 20 years, but it would terminate if they were to leave the City. In general, it would run the length of the economic development agreement. Mr. Keenan inquired if at the end of the economic development agreement, would the City pursue another economic development agreement if there were merit for that, or would the City begin to charge a fee for the fiber? Mr. McDaniel responded that the City could try to charge a fee for the fiber. What occurs is the City executes an "Indefeasible Rights to Use" agreement. The City continues to own the fiber; but Battelle can use it for the term of the economic development agreement. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that is one of the reasons the City invested in having the fiber - to be available for economic development purposes. Mr. McDaniel stated that Battelle is pleased with that connectivity, and they use it extensively. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that last week she and Mr. McDaniel attended a press conference at Battelle. Lt. Governor Lee Fisher attended, as well as the Mayor of West Jefferson and Columbus Mayor Coleman. Battelle is actually making a $200 million investment in central Ohio for expansion of all three of their facilities. Dublin is pleased to be part of that expansion, as it continues to build on Dublin's position in this technology area. There will be a second reading/public hearing at the February 2 Council meeting. INTRODUCTION/PUBLIC HEARING -RESOLUTIONS Resolution 01-09 Accepting the Lowest and Best Bid for the 2009 North Landscape Maintenance Project. Mr. Reiner introduced the resolution. Mr. Hahn stated that last month, Council approved a contract for the South Landscape Maintenance Project. This is a similar agreement for the north side of the City. Staff recommends acceptance of the low bid, Rocky Fork.. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher inquired if the City has worked with this company previously or conducted reference checks. Mr. Hahn responded that the City has not previously worked with Rocky Fork, but their references were checked and are satisfactory. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS __ __ -Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting January 20, 2009 Page 10 Mr. Keenan inquired where the company is located. Mr. Reiner stated that he believes they are a New Albany business. Mr. Keenan noted that he has received a call from one of the other bidders stating that the City is not paying sufficient attention to oversight of contracts, and that is the reason for the wide differential in the bids. He asked that Mr. Hahn ensure that his staff is following through on their oversight responsibilities. Mr. Hahn responded that staff makes a point to do so. He asked that all complaints be directed to him and he will make sure they are addressed. Ms. Salay inquired who the contractor is for the South Landscape Maintenance Project. Mr. Hahn responded that it is Peabody Landscaping. Vote on the Resolution: Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Vice Mayor Boring, yes. Resolution 02-09 Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police, Ohio Labor Council Regarding Wages, Hours, Terms and Conditions of Employment for Employees within the Communications Technician Bargaining Unit. Ms. Salay introduced the resolution. Mr. Bittner, Schottenstein, Zox & Dunn, stated this contract applies to approximately 15 employees and will run from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2011. Vote on the Resolution: Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Ms. Salay, yes; Vice Mayor Boring, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes. Resolution 03-09 Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Contract with the Franklin County Public Defender Commission for the Defense of Indigent Defendants. Mr. Gerber introduced the resolution. Ms. Grigsby stated that is a minimal contract but is necessary if there is a need to provide any needed defense through Franklin County. Mr. Maurer inquired what is the legal definition of an indigent person for this purpose. Ms. Readier stated that the City is only required to provide defense for indigent ~ defendants in Franklin County Municipal Court. They would not be tried in Dublin's Mayor's Court. There are a set of financial guidelines, which she can forward to Mr. Maurer later. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher noted that Franklin County establishes those guidelines. Vote on the Resolution: Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Vice Mayor Boring, yes; Ms. Salay, yes. OTHER • Update re CSAC Review of Proposed Homeowner Association Grant Program Ms. Crandall presented a brief overview of the proposed grant program, noting that staff is seeking Council's input at this point. Following this review, the next step will be to prepare draft grant application guidelines and instructions. After CSAC's next review, final grant guidelines will be prepared for Council review and approval. This grant program will provide some assistance to homeowner associations for completion of improvements or beautification projects on property owned and/or maintained by homeowner associations. It is a competitive and matching grant program. It is envisioned that there would be one annual deadline for submission of grant i RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Meeting January 20, 2009 Page 11 applications, or perhaps twice per year if available funding should remain after the first round of grant applications. A point system would be established to rank projects. A proposed ranking system is included in the memorandum in Council's packet. There is a 100% match component contemplated. Twenty-five percent of that may be contributed through volunteer hours donated by civic association members. It may also include civic association dues/and or cash donations and in-kind donations of supplies and services. CSAC is recommending setting aside a total grant fund of $10,000-$15,000. The amount would be determined at the discretion of Council during the annual operating budget process. The range of awards would be $500 - $5,000. The final selections would be determined by Council, based on the recommendations of the Finance Committee of Council, similar to the hotel-motel tax grant award process. Ms. Salay inquired if a Committee of Council would be the body evaluating the proposals. Vice Mayor Boring stated that the Community Development Committee might be more appropriate, as these projects are intended to provide enhancement to the community. This process needs to be reviewed by a body that would evaluate the total impact of the projects on the community. Ms. Salay agreed. The Community Development Committee would be more appropriate as the projects would be related to zoning and beautification. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher suggested that staff also check the volunteer hour value. In Ohio, it is actually less than the national value. At the Corporation for National Service site is information specific to Ohio. She also has a question to be considered at some point about the role of staff in the preparation and implementation of HOA projects - the design and costs. With previous HOA projects that have come before Council for review/approval, staff has made a significant investment of their time in assisting the HOA with their design process. Staff time should be included in the proposal because that is a cost to the City. Also needed is the information about maintenance responsibility and maintenance costs of the projects, as is mentioned in staff's memo. Another item that perhaps should be required is a copy of the actual budget for the HOA and a demonstration of where the matching money for the grant and the maintenance costs for the project will be paid from. Ms. Crandall responded that one of the criteria is "demonstration of available funds," and under "Budget," they are asked to provide specific numbers. However, more detail/clarification of this category could be added. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher agreed. It should be clarified that it is not a budget for the project that is requested, but a copy of the HOA's budget that would reflect how they would ultimately pay for the project. Mr. Keenan noted that on page one, second from last bullet point, "All work must meet City of Dublin zoning requirements." Previous discussion related to HOA projects has addressed water taps for sprinkler systems -are those addressed? Also, how are permit fees addressed? Ms. Salay responded that she assumes the grant application would be intended to cover potential permit fees. Ms. Grigsby responded that was part of the last cost study update. It included a chart that looked at the types of fees that would be waived, and those, such as water taps, that would not be waived. Mr. Keenan stated that the grant awards are to range from $500-$1,000, but the water tap fee alone would exceed that. He wants the expectations to be understood. Vice Mayor Boring stated that issue would probably be addressed under "Project Planning." Ms. Salay referred to the Mayor's earlier comment about staff time invested to help the HOAs plan their improvements. If an HOA approaches the City Planning Department requesting information on how to go about a planning a deck, what is the average amount of time a staff person would spend with that homeowner? Are they advised to hire a professional to develop the plan, or can the homeowner sketch their own design RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council January 20, 2009 Page 12 in compliance with City guidelines? She assumes whatever assistance is provided an individual homeowner, similar assistance would be provided to the HOA. Mr. Langworthy responded that Planning staff would not tell a homeowner how to build a deck or what construction standards are. City staff would deal primarily with the required setbacks and whatever development text would apply. If the individual were to additionally seek Building and Engineering staff assistance, staff time could accumulate to a significant amount. Ms. Salay inquired if that is the typical expectation of City staff. Mr. Langworthy responded that it is the typical assistance provided to the individual homeowner or their contractor. Mr. Lecklider stated that in order for this program to be meaningful, he doesn't want to have so many potential obstacles raised that HOAs are not going to take advantage of this program. He assumes that if Council intends to approve and fund this program, it is also Council's intention to actually see the funds used for the purposes described therein. He agrees, however, that it is important to make the expectations clear from the outset. He believes his position has been clear that it is consistent with Council's goals and objectives to assist the neighborhood organizations in a helpful manner. Ms. Salay noted that was also her point -that government is here to help and serve, and if the neighborhoods are interested in improving their entrances or improving the land around their neighborhood, that ongoing maintenance will benefit the City as it ages. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher clarified that she shares this view as well. However, her question is -what will $10,000 achieve? The City has many homeowner associations. Therefore, what is the additional criteria which would limit the pool? Would it be homeowner associations that have less than a certain number of homes within their association, and therefore less revenue through association dues? Or is it HOAs that do not charge for certain items, although they do charge for others, because they take care of these types of projects themselves? Those are the subjective things that have raised this issue to Council, and those are the reasons HOAs have requested financial assistance from the City. However, this is not a sufficient amount of money to handle all HOA requests. It would not be enough for water tap fees alone. Ms. Crandall responded that in any one year, only a few applications would result in grant awards. Over time, an accumulated number of HOAs would have received grants. Ms. Grigsby stated that this is a program that would be evaluated annually during the budget process. Initially, a set amount will be appropriated. Thereafter, the funding will depend upon the type of applications received and the financial resources available. Vice Mayor Boring stated that this is a grant program. That doesn't mean that the HOA will receive 100 percent or even 50 percent of their request. A grant program is a tool in which the City can express interest and participate. In looking at what other cities are doing, this amount seems appropriate. Mr. Lecklider responded that is a good point. With the two requests in his ward, which were not approved by Council, the HOAs were paying a significantly larger amount for the projects than the amount of their grant requests. Vice Mayor Boring stated that including the match component is a good idea, but the language needs to clarify that the City may choose not to fund 50% of the request or perhaps not at all. Ms. Salay noted that there are some older neighborhoods that may need this type of assistance for projects, but they do not have a "forced and funded" association. They are dependent upon the volunteer participation of their neighborhoods. But they would RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting January 20, 2009 Page 13 have the opportunity to enlist the participation of their neighborhood for a certain volunteer commitment to a project and submit a grant request for financial assistance. Mr. Reiner stated that he agrees with Ms. Grigsby's plan to budget the amount stated for the initial grant year, then evaluate the number and type of requests received and the amount of staff time invested in assisting the HOAs. He would like to see the City ease into the program minimally at the outset. He does have a concern about the effect of the program. Will it result in essentially a bigger government in Dublin? Will HOAS try to abdicate their responsibilities and ask the City to bear the expense of their neighborhood improvements? Vice Mayor Boring inquired if the points range from one to five. Ms. Crandall responded that is correct - it is a range from 0 - 5 five points. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher requested that the actual grant language be consistent with that. When only a singular number is given, the implication is that an automatic reply to that question would result in that amount. Vice Mayor Boring inquired if, during staff's research, they had actually discussed the issue with their contact(s) -for instance, the City of Cary, North Carolina. Did they have a maximum budget amount for their annual grant fund? Ms. Crandall responded that the information was collected via email, and she is not certain of the extent of the information obtained. However, they could request that information. She also noted that the City sent out an email today to homeowner association presidents inviting them to a meeting at the Service Complex on February 4th at 6:30 p.m. to determine interest in forming a landscaping consortium. If there is sufficient interest in forming a consortium, that would provide the HOAs a vehicle for addressing landscaping needs and costs. Wallace Maurer, 7451 Dublin Road stated that in this City, people are living in an illusory "bubble," and a titanic, global economic storm is going to hit the City. It seems that the discussion tonight is about absolute unrealities -discussing how to make our properties more pleasant looking, when the norm of the day is turning out to be foreclosures and loss of jobs, a real downward movement. No one appears to have grasped that reality. If Council wants to get some sense of it from an economist who sees this coming, read Paul Kruegman. The nation's new president has stated that he will try to tackle it, but he has warned that he cannot do this alone. If Council continues to talk about tens of thousands of dollars for people demanding that kind of help, everyone one of us is apt to lose every cent. This planet is in trouble. On the one hand, it seems good to keep on going the same as usual until the storm hits. It might be safer and healthier for Dublin to do what it is currently able to do, but the norm for most is closer to that in Columbus. Columbus has tremendous wealth but also tremendous poverty, and Mayor Coleman has said that he is going to cut back on government and on City services. They are closer to the norm than Dublin is, and Dublin citizens should realize that they are living in a phony bubble. • Recommendation from PRAC re the Structure and Organization of Youth Soccer Mr. Earman stated Council's packet included the Parks and Recreation Advisory Council's (PRAC) recommendation for City youth organizations. At the April 21, 2008 Council meeting, Council requested a final recommendation from PRAC by the end of the year. Due to the cancellation of the last Council meeting, this is the first opportunity to present PRAC's recommendation to Council. This recommendation reflects several months of work. During that time, staff dealt with many issues related to the youth soccer organizations. PRAC did an outstanding job. They dedicated themselves to understanding the details and issues of the organizations. There has also been a major shift in the soccer organization relationships, and the improved communications between those groups have been paramount in helping to develop these recommendations. The recommendations before Council have the support of all soccer organizations, PRAC and City staff. The recommendations are as follows: RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin_ City Council Meeting January 20, 2009 Page 14 20 -~.~- Recommendation #1: Structure the Dublin Soccer League (DSL) Board to be comprised of eight voting members (currently there are five) to include representation from the other three organizations (Team Ohio Football Club, Ohio Premier and Dublin Middle Tier Soccer Organization) in order to establish input from the entire soccer community. Each of the eight voting members shall have one vote on all motions brought before the DSL Board. Each member must be a Dublin City or Dublin School District resident. Vice Mayor Boring stated that she believed DSL to be completely independent of the City. How does Council have the authority to dictate their structure, bylaws or anything else? Mr. Earman responded that these are basically holistic recommendations for the entire structure of the organizations. One of the issues is understanding that the board structure of DSL has slighted input from the other organizations. Whether Council needs to vote in regard to that recommendation, or allow the DSL Board to make that decision will be addressed in a later recommendation. Recommendation #2: Modify DSL bylaws to conduct elections of the recreation members of the DSL Board in the latter part of the spring soccer season after drafts are completed by the other organizations. This will avoid eligibility conflicts and create more consistency on the DSL Board. In the event conflicts arise later in the season, the bylaws should also permit any elected Board member who becomes ineligible (due to a child no longer participating in the DSL program) to serve through the end of his or her term, depending on what is in the best interest of the program. Recommendation #3: Decisions relating to the services provided by the soccer organizations should be made at the soccer organization level. The Agreement with DSL should reinforce the expectation that the DSL Board will preside over political decisions regarding youth soccer and ensure a balance is maintained among the various levels of play within the City of Dublin. DSL Board understands that general recreation is the City's top priority, although a significant and growing number of Dublin youth are choosing to participate in more competitive travel soccer clubs (currently about 35%). Decisions made at the DSL Board level involving modifications to the structure or services shall be communicated to PRAC via an annual report from DSL. Any necessary updates of actions taken throughout the year will be made available through updates to PRAC by the Director of Recreation Services. Recommendation #4: A subcommittee of the DSL Boards shall be created for the purpose of hearing and discussing all sides of multi-level issues that arise. This subcommittee shall be chaired by a member of the DSL Board and consist of representatives from all the other organizations, including the City's Director of Recreation Services. This subcommittee will be responsible for making recommendations for changes to the DSL Board for a formal vote of approval. Any non-recreation issues introduced at or to the DSL Board which are not directly related to the recreation program should be tabled and discussed at the next available subcommittee meeting. All subcommittee meetings should be conducted at least quarterly or as deemed necessary by the DSL Board. Subcommittee meetings should be open to the public, documented and records kept for future reference. Recommendations submitted to the DSL Board by this subcommittee will be resolved through a formal vote by the DSL Board. Ms. Salay thanked staff and the soccer organizations for their leadership. Ms. Salay moved to direct staff to work with the Legal department on this item. Mr. Lecklider seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Vice Mayor Boring, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Ms. Salay, yes. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS .Dublin City_Council _ _ Meeting January 20, 2009 Page 15 • Recommendation from PRAC re DCRC Hours of Operation Mr. Earman stated that there has been a significant amount of discussion at recent PRAC meetings regarding a petition from citizens to increase the Sunday hours at the Dublin Community Recreation Center (DCRC) by four hours, to open from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. The current hours of operation are noon to 8 p.m. There would be budget and staffing impacts involved in meeting this request. However, in view of the number of patrons interested, staff believes the request should be explored. Joe Miragliotta, who accumulated more than 500 DCRC patron signatures on this petition, is present tonight to speak to Council on their behalf. Vice Mayor Boring stated that the City cannot be everything to everybody, and the City is not for profit. She has several points to make: 1. The DCRC rates are extremely reasonable. To make this change could mean an increase in the membership fees. 2. DCRC staff require some time off. The service to be provided by DCRC staff during those four hours does not fall within the category of "emergency" service that the City provides the public during those hours, such as police or snow removal. It is not a reasonable request to ask the City to employ that many people on Sunday mornings for anon-emergency service. 3. The DCRC facility is already operated seven days a week for the public. If it would be more convenient for some citizens to use the DCRC facilities earlier on Sunday, perhaps this is not the best facility for them. She doubts that there I would actually be 500 people using the facility during the 8 a.m. -noon time slot. 4. The faith community is a very important fabric of the community. They are very important to the City, and it is wrong to begin to think about interfering with those special times. The argument offered that people are able to go to church on Saturday evenings can be countered with the argument that people can also use the DCRC facility at 1 p.m. Again, the City does not need to "be everything to everybody." It is better for the City to find its best niche. She believes it is important for the City to be good financial stewards and maintain priorities. Ms. Salay stated that while she might agree that the DCRC needs to be closed some ' hours, she thinks it is important not to talk about a faith community. Although many people with the Christian faith worship on Sunday mornings, this is a very diverse community with many other faiths represented. Some observe their Sabbath on Saturday and some on Friday evenings. Council does not want to support one religion over another or give a particular religion time preference. She would prefer to have that argument removed. Initially, there was also some protest about having youth activities on Sundays. This is a government, and that portion of the argument needs to be kept out of the equation. II Vice Mayor Boring responded that she will honor Ms. Salay's decision not to consider it in her evaluation of the request. However, she will not remove it from her own consideration, as it is an important argument. She considers what Dublin has with its faith community very important, and it is important to respect that. In regard to honoring everyone's faith, she requests that if the hours are added, that the DCRC employees who request not to work those hours not be penalized in any way. Additionally, Council has previously talked about the value of setting aside and honoring family time. Adding the additional hours would certainly impact City employees who would be required to give up that time with their families to work. Mr. Gerber inquired how the 500 names were gathered. The Mayor requested that Mr. Miragliotta provide an explanation of how he obtained the signatures. Joe Miragliotta, 6373 Oison Ct., stated that he has been a Dublin resident for 20 years and a charter member of the DCRC. He obtained 516 signatures; 25-30 people declined to sign, or about 5 percent. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting January 20, 2009 Page 16 Mr. Gerber inquired how he proceeded to obtain the signatures. Mr. Miragliotta responded that a couple of years ago, another resident, Tim Mills, generated a petition to open the Rec Center earlier Monday-Friday. Mr. Mills emailed a copy of that document to him, and he changed a couple of words. Then, he walked through the Rec Center in the mornings for two to three weeks and asked patrons for their support for a petition to open the Rec Center a couple of hours earlier on Sunday mornings. He obtained the signatures on the workout floor at the Rec Center. Ms. Salay inquired on what days he collected names. Mr. Miragliotta responded that he collected names primarily Mondays through Fridays, although he was there on a Saturday and a Sunday. Mr. Miragliotta stated that, nationally, a significant number of people prefer to work out ~ in the mornings. He does not want to work out at noon. There is a group of people who may not mind working out at noon, but cannot, due to family activities. There is a broad subsection of DCRC patrons whose needs are not being met. Of those people who declined to sign his petition, 3 had corporate memberships only. The remainder of the responses were either that they do not work out on Sundays, thought no one should work out on Sundays, or thought everyone should be at church on Sunday mornings. So there were faith-based refusals. There were also many who said the additional hours would not affect their family, as they would still go to church. In regard to Ms. Salay's comment, there is a significant Indian and Asian population at the Rec Center, and they worship at a different time. Ms. Salay stated that adding earlier Sunday hours does not mean that people cannot continue to go to church, if they so desire. Anyone who wants to go to church on Sunday morning can continue to do so. Mr. Keenan stated that PRAC evaluated this issue thoroughly before forwarding a recommendation to Council_ There was extensive dialogue which covered all the issues. Their recommendation was 7-2 to increase the hours, which means he will support their recommendation. Mr. Gerber stated that he concurs. A petition with five hundred signatures warrants consideration. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher agreed. However, based upon PRAC's review and recommendation, she didn't understand staff's recommendation. It doesn't seem necessary for the facility to be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The petition only requested additional morning hours. Perhaps other hours could be reduced, thereby keeping the total number of hours the same. The facility could be open 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It seems an assumption was made that the facility would have to be open 12 hours. All wellness reports she has read have indicated that the maximum value of cardiovascular workouts is achieved if the exercise occurs in the morning. Mr. Keenan responded that the background information provided indicates there are issues regarding the current programming on Sunday, and that was part of the rationale for assuming the need would be for an additional four hours. The cost projections for the additional hours are not that great. PRAC's recommendation was to increase the hours on a trial basis. If a six-month trial does not show sufficient use during those hours, the expanded hours could be reconsidered. Ms. Grigsby stated that staff has also discussed that there are other issues regarding services that may need to be expanded or modified. There was a concern about this issue being considered separately and not in conjunction with the other potential issues. There was discussion about modifying the hours rather than extending the hours. There was a previous occasion on which DCRC hours were slightly modified in order to better accommodate corporate memberships. All this information is being looked at to ensure that the best decision is being made for recreation services over all. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of .Dublin Ci#y_Council _ Meeting January 20, 2009 Page 17 Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that it should not take 12 months to determine that. Council rarely receives petitions with such a large number of signatures, even though all of those who signed may not use the additional four hours. She concurs with the recommendation fora 6-month trial period. The revised hours would need to be advertised for the public to be aware of the change in policy. If the trial period reveals that the primary use has moved to the earlier hours, and use of the facilities has diminished in the evening, the Recreation Center could close earlier in the evening. She would be concerned about taking a whole year to evaluate the priority of this issue versus anything else that is in the master plan. Ms. Grigsby suggested that staff bring back a revised proposal at the next Council meeting. Staff will look at some of the other recreational services and then be prepared to recommend another time frame. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that she is personally in favor of implementing this change in 2009. Mr. Lecklider responded that Council needs to allow staff time, perhaps 30 days, to develop a proposed plan. This isn't something they can implement in a short time frame. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher responded that would be expected. It may be necessary to hire additional people, or at a minimum, adjust work schedules. Vice Mayor Boring inquired if consideration will be given to DCRC employees who object to working the 8 a.m. to noon hours on Sunday. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher inquired why consideration would be given to those hours when consideration is not given to any other schedule. Vice Mayor Boring responded that the employees were hired with that understanding. Mr. Keenan inquired when staff would be able to provide a recommendation. Ms. Grigsby responded that staff would attempt to have a recommendation prepared for the next Council meeting, but at a minimum, would have an update regarding their efforts. Mr. Lecklider inquired if Council's intent is to commit to being open at 8:00 a.m., or is there some flexibility in the proposed hours. He is a member of a health club that opens a little later on the weekend than during the week. Would staff have some flexibility in the hours they could propose -- for instance, to open at 9, not 8 a.m.? Mr. Reiner suggested that staff be permitted to make a suggestion for the hours. Staff will look at the competition's hours. Some facilities open as early as 5 a.m. and some facilities close earlier on Sundays. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that she could see a deviation of perhaps an hour, but opening at 10:00 or 11:00 a.m. would defeat the purpose. Mr. Lecklider responded that the direction to staff would be that the revised start time should be 8:00 a.m. Mr. Gerber added that the start time could be stipulated as 8 a.m., but there could be some flexibility for staff in determining the closing time. Mr. Miragliotta stated that when he was collecting petition signatures, he received several requests that the Recreation Center open earlier than 8 a.m. on Saturdays. He believes 8 a.m. is the latest that many of these individuals want to work out; a later start time than that on Sunday would not satisfy them. In regard to a trial period, he started his petition process in October 2008, and it is just now being discussed at a February 2009 Council meeting. If a trial period will be run, it should not take place during the summer months, as many people choose outdoor activities then. It would be better to run a trial period soon, before late spring. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher inquired what staff would be providing for the next Council meeting. Ms. Grigsby stated that staff would provide a report with available information at that time and a staff recommendation. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of .Dublin City Council _ Meeti_nQ January 20, 2009 Page 18 Mr. Keenan inquired if the report would include a timeline for implementation. Ms. Grigsby responded that staff would look at that. • Fee Waiver Request -Washington Township Ms. Grigsby stated that a letter from Washington Township was provided with the packet materials. As part of their renovations, fire suppression systems will be included at Fire Stations 91 and 93. In the past, when Washington Township has renovated facilities, they have requested fee waivers of the City's capacity charges associated with water tap permits. In this instance, the capacity fee is for afour-inch tap at 20 percent or $8,531.20 per location for a total fee waiver request of $17,062.40. Consistent with past recommendations, staff recommends that the waiver be approved. Mr. Keenan moved to approve the fee waiver request. Ms. Salay seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Mr. Gerber, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Ms. Salay, yes; Vice Mayor Boring, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes. STAFF COMMENTS • BriHi Project Update Ms. Grigsby stated that a project update was provided with information regarding the additional costs related to utility burial and the water walls. A recommendation was also provided regarding how to meet that shortfall. Mr. Hahn will provide a staff update. Mr. Hahn stated that the plans are completed for the public portion of the BriHi Square project: the main plaza area, utility burial and the water wall/lower plaza. Based on the contract for the main plaza and the construction proposals received for the utility burial and the water wall/lower plaza, there is a budget shortfall of approximately $770,000. Staff has identified potential funding and strategies to provide for the additional monies needed, and those have been outlined in staff's memo. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that she did not anticipate this situation. Council has asked about this issue and was repeatedly assured that the numbers were accurate. This is a significant difference. Ms. Grigsby stated that staff has mentioned earlier with regard to utility burial that there is significant limestone in this area, and best estimates were made based on other projects in the area. At that time, staff also did not know the location of all the utility lines in that area. Now that the location of those utilities is known, it is evident that it will be necessary to bury the lines lower than those utilities. That means digging deeper into the rock. Fifty percent of the additional cost is related to utility burial. Although there was an option not to bury the utilities, it is Council's policy to bury utilities where possible. This is a project where it must be done at this point, or it probably won't be possible. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that because it is Council's policy to bury utilities where possible, there really isn't a need for discussion. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher moved to approve the additional funding of $770,000 for the project. Mr. Keenan seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Vice Mayor Boring, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes. • National Church Residences Ms. Grigsby noted that a letter from National Church Residences (NCR) was included in packets, which provides information staff requested. At a meeting with NCR in mid December, staff requested that NCR provide more specifics regarding the City participation they believed would be necessary for the project to move forward. Staff has not yet been able to evaluate all the issues; however, one item she would like to mention RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting January 20, 2009 Page 19 specifically is the request for a real estate tax abatement. As NCR mentioned previously, this is something that they have utilized in many other communities in which they are located. However, it is something different than the City of Dublin typically does. Staff requests Council's input. Is this something Council wants to pursue, or should staff look at other options? Mr. Gerber stated that he recalls the earlier discussion, and he does not have an objection to real estate tax abatement. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that she does have a question about the Planning and Zoning architectural enhancements estimated to cost $800,000. Ms. Grigsby responded that NCR has estimated an amount assuming that the City will require different materials that they don't normally use on their buildings, as well as additional landscaping and Code requirements. Mr. Gerber inquired if they arrived at the estimate based on similar PUDs or in reviewing the City's Code. Ms. Grigsby responded that it was based on both considerations. Mr. Keenan noted that it is identified as architectural enhancements. Ms. Grigsby responded that it primarily reflects a concern about the materials the City will require. Mr. Keenan noted that density was also mentioned. Was that factor included in the $800,000? Ms. Grigsby responded that they project the total anticipated revenues. Lower densities would mean lower revenue. Vice Mayor Boring stated that she has a concern with the City doing a tax abatement. Has the City done these previously? Ms. Grigsby responded that the City has done them in very limited circumstances. The City has one in the Tuttle Crossing area, and there were two previous abatements that were site specific. Vice Mayor Boring stated that she would prefer that the City identify an option other than tax abatements. Ms. Grigsby stated that what distinguishes this development is the fact that Council has previously discussed this as something the community needs -affordable housing for senior citizens. It is a way for the overall community to participate, as it would also impact the township and school district's revenues; everyone would benefit. Mr. Gerber noted that this is what was originally presented to the City. Ms. Salay stated that they also indicated that their density would be higher than the Dublin norm, but the trade-off would be affordable housing needed for senior citizens in the Dublin community. Vice Mayor Boring stated that there are other creative ways to do this. She totally agrees that it should be a cooperative effort among all the real estate tax recipients. She wants to ensure that the agreement clarifies that it is a benefit for the community, that it is not handled similarly to the Llewellyn Farms area abatement. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher inquired if this is $2.5 million cumulative. Ms. Grigsby responded that it is. Regarding the $875,000 for the acquisition for phase 2, if the City were to do what NCR has proposed, the City's investment would be returned when NCR does phase 2. They need to reserve the land, but they don't have the funds needed to do so upfront. Mr. Phillabaum noted that NCR has estimated on the high side with respect to architecture and landscaping costs. Staff received their rezoning application today, so those items are subject to change as the application moves through the P&Z approval process. They may be estimating a higher proportion of brick and stone than they typically use. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting January 20, 2009 Page 20 Mr. Gerber noted that NCR's concept plan was recently reviewed by the Planning Commission. Was a drawing provided? Was an opinion expressed by the Commission regarding the architectural materials, such as brick should be added? Mr. Phillabaum responded that nothing that specific was offered. The general comment was made that this project would be at a gateway area of the City - at the southern corporation limit on Avery Road. The Commission expressed the desire for a signature building in that location. Mr. Keenan asked about setbacks. Mr. Phillabaum responded that it would be set back 100 feet off the right-of-way. Mr. Gerber responded that during the time he served on the Planning Commission, they received two or three applications for that site, which was considered part of the gateway. Ms. Salay stated that perhaps Council has not adequately communicated to Planning staff Council's ultimate goal with the National Church Residences project, which is the partnership that was discussed in a previous study session. Council and staff took a tour of another NCR facility several months ago. One of the buildings was old, but the other was new, not yet occupied. Everyone was impressed by the quality of the construction and the fact that all natural materials were used. There was discussion about the ability to further enhance that product with landscaping, which the City could potentially help with. There are different ways to accomplish a signature building or a great "look" and balance that with the City's desire to have an affordable senior housing project in the community. This is an urgent need, and she encourages the City Manager and staff to continue to work creatively and collaboratively with NCR. This is an argument in support of having a Council member also serve on the Planning Commission - to maintain a necessary level of communication between Council and the Planning Commission. Mr. Gerber stated that he agrees that this type of project is needed in Dublin, and it is important to do what is necessary to make that happen. COUNCIL ROUNDTABLEICOUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS Vice Mayor Boring, Administrative Committee chair, reported that the committee met at 5:30 p.m. preceding this Council meeting to continue their study related to updating the City's campaign finance legislation. The committee has discussed the topic in great detail, and the Legal Department has prepared draft legislation. That legislation will be further modified to reflect the committee's additional recommendations earlier tonight and will be scheduled for Council's consideration on the February 2 Council agenda. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that Mr. Reiner, Public Services Committee chair, has indicated a need for that committee to meet to discuss issues related to community events. She requested the committee's date preferences. Mr. Reiner noted that a meeting of the Public Services Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, February 18 at 6 p.m. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher noted that the Finance Committee will meet at 6:00 p.m. on April 20 for an investment advisory update. Vice Mayor Boring, committee member, indicated she would be out of town that day. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher requested that the Finance Committee advise Council of the new date, when determined. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that the Leadership Dublin dinner with Council is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on February 4 at City Hall. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher noted that Council's goal-setting is tentatively scheduled for Friday, April 3. Mr. Lecklider stated that he was not present when that date was suggested. That is the beginning of Spring Break for his family. Mr. Gerber noted that he had indicated previously that he could not meet on Friday, March 6. There has been a change in his schedule, and he could meet on that date. Ms. Salay stated that the new City Manager would be starting immediately before then, so that date seems a little early. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of _ Dublin City Council _ Meeti~ January 20, 2009 Page 21 Mr. Lecklider stated that Council's goal setting meetings have traditionally been held early in the year. At one time, there was some discussion about having goal setting before the budget discussions. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher responded that is the reason goal setting has been held in the first quarter of the year. When Council has identified its goals for the following year, staff is then able to begin work on the budget for the following year. Mr. Lecklider inquired if anyone recalls anything additional about that earlier discussion. Mr. Grigsby responded that the original plan for Council goal settings was to hold them in the first quarter of the year, recognizing that staff is then able to start the CIP and budget processes, which look forward to future years. However, there has been discussion about having, in addition to the first quarter goal setting meeting, afollow-up meeting later in the year. She does not recall if that follow-up meeting was also to be related to budget, but it was suggested as an opportunity to discuss the status of the goals that were set. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher noted that it would be difficult for a new City manager to contribute to a goal setting meeting held this spring. Ms. Grigsby stated that there has not been much change in direction related to the capital budget that staff is not familiar with or does not understand in terms of Council's desire regarding projects that should be incorporated in the CIP. Therefore, if the meeting were held later this year, it would not impact staff to the point that budgets could not be completed. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher suggested that Ms. Grigsby forward a couple of suggested dates to Council for consideration. Vice Mayor Boring suggested that goal setting be held in May. Mr. Gerber responded that he feels that would be too late in the year. Mr. Gerber stated that he has discussed with Mr. Hammersmith and Mr. Hahn a recent problem with street flooding following heavy rains just south of the corner of Waterford and Monterey Drive. He inquired if staff has had an opportunity to evaluate that situation. Mr. Hammersmith responded that staff did so and found a low spot in the street that does not drain correctly. That will be remedied with the stormwater maintenance work this year. Staff appreciates having that situation brought to their attention. Mr. Gerber thanked staff for following up so quickly. Mr. Keenan reported that: 1. Ms. Grigsby, Mr. Hammersmith and he recently attended a retirement party for Union County Engineer Steve Stolte. 2. There have been three or four recent occurrences of youth vandalism in several neighborhoods. The youth are using hammers to knock out windows in cars, causing extensive damage, and they are leaving the hammers, and in one case, an ax, in the cars. This is an expression of rage. In two cases, the automobiles were inside open garages. Two of the incidents occurred around 10:00 p.m. He inquired if the additional act of entering the garage increases the seriousness of that crime. Ms. Readler responded that it would be considered an act of breaking and entering. Mr. Keenan noted that in one case the automobile was a convertible. The entire top had to be replaced, and the total cost was over $3,000. Is the amount of damages factored into the crime level? Ms. Readler responded that there are felonies associated with different damage amounts. Mr. Keenan inquired if it would be possible for the Police Division to provide some education at the schools about the more serious level of the crime when it occurs within a garage. Being convicted of that level of crime could seriously impact a student's life. Ms. Salay inquired if the tools are left behind and if the suspects were wearing gloves. How sophisticated were their efforts? Mr. Keenan stated that nothing was stolen. The acts are reminiscent of "rites of passage" for gangs. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that when there is something like this occurring within the community, it would be helpful to receive an email from the Police division making Council aware of such occurrences. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin Cty_Council Meeting January 20, 2009 Page 22 Ms. Salay suggested that additional Police resources be devoted, probably undercover, in the areas where these acts are occurring. Ms. Salay: 1. Stated that Council received in their packets an update from Dublin Arts Council (DAC}. At the last Council meeting, Vice Mayor Boring made a recommendation that the City acquire the remaining Titration sculptures with hotel-motel tax funds. DAC has provided cost quotes. As Council's representative to the Dublin Arts Council, she would like to share Council's intentions with the DAC Board, once those are decided. Vice Mayor Boring inquired staff's findings regarding the funds and their recommendation. Ms. Grigsby responded that $200,000 for bed tax grants to outside organizations has been programmed in the 2009 Operating Budget. Approximately $70,000+ has already been allocated. One option is to use the remaining dollars for the art acquisition, if that is Council's preference. In that case, no additional grant applications would be accepted or awarded this year. Mr. Keenan noted that those monies are designated for a limited category of "cultural enhancement, beautification special projects or special events." This is a use that complies with the criteria. Vice Mayor Boring stated that if the City purchases only one item from each portion of the exhibit, that diminishes the total effect; so she would be interested in acquiring all the pieces. She believes this would be a wise investment for the hotel-motel tax funds. It has been some time since these funds were spent specifically for a beautification project. Vice Mayor Boring moved to purchase the remainder of the Titration 2: Park Fiction exhibit at a cost of $98,965 using hotel-motel tax funds. Ms. Salay seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Vice Mayor Boring, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes; Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. Lecklider, yes. 2. Inquired if City Council could receive copies of the information packets that the City Manager candidates received. That information contained a succinct summary that she would like to have on hand. Ms. Puskarcik inquired if Council members wanted the complete packet or the list of what was contained in the packet. Vice Mayor Boring and Ms. Salay requested the list. If additional information is needed, they can request it. Ms. Puskarcik responded that the information would be provided the following day. the ground in the fall. Mr. Reiner responded that the tree would be a Locust tree that has reverted to its primitive state. Mr. Lecklider stated that he wants to make sure that this species is no longer being planted as a street tree. He has complained about these trees for years. They create a mess and lead to street flooding. Following the rains in early December, the streets in Sheffield Meadows were flooded to a depth of 4-5 inches. It was necessary for street crews to come out and clear tree debris from the drains. It doesn't make sense to plant a street tree that creates a need for staff to later go out to clear the drains on those streets. Mr. Lecklider: 1. Requested assistance in identifying the species of a street tree in Wyndham Village. The tree, which is located on Wynford Drive extending into Sheffield Meadows, has a large, brown pod, that can be up to 10 inches long, that falls to Mr. Hahn responded that the Honey Locust have been the second most planted street tree in Dublin, Ash being the first. Everyone is aware of the current concerns regarding the Ash tree. The reason the Locusts were planted so heavily is that they can handle an urban environment and survive. However, by design, they aren't supposed to have the fruit pods. Mr. Reiner stated that the way to help mitigate that problem is to guarantee that the supplier uses hybrid materials. Many of the contractors to meet their low bid prices will RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of _ Dublin City Council Meeting January 20, 2009 Page 23 buy trees from Tennessee, where they are not hybridized; they are obtaining the old variety that has pods. Grafted trees with old root stock are hybridized and don't create pods. The City needs to ensure that suppliers are bringing the correct material into the City. Dublin once had a law, which seems to have been eliminated in the past 10 years, that required the City to buy nursery stock from northern-grown, reputable suppliers. Mr. Hahn stated that the City still has a stipulation for like zones of origin for plant materials, but whether incorrect locusts are coming in now, he cannot say. Mr. Lecklider noted that these are mature trees. Mr. Hahn responded that he cannot assure Council that the trees planted last year won't have pods in the future. Staff is very cautious to eliminate any tree from the City's approved street tree list because only certain trees do well in this environment. Since the City has lost the Ash tree option, it will be difficult to lose another option. He isn't that knowledgeable about the particulars of this issue, but he will investigate it and provide a report to Council. 2. Inquired if in his memo in Council packets, Mr. McDaniel was making a recommendation for transmission of Council meetings via different cable networks in addition to Time Warner. Mr. McDaniel responded that he is making that recommendation and has provided the costs for connection to the other two cable companies. The cost of streaming video is already in the budget, but the cost for connection to the other companies was not. If Council desires staff to move forward on the connections, he will discuss available funding options with Ms. Grigsby. They may need to come back to Council with an appropriation request. Mr. Lecklider stated that he did not want to miss this opportunity, but it can be discussed at the next Council meeting. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that the cost would be $30,000/year. Why do they charge a fee when Time Warner does not? Mr. McDaniel responded that under the new law, they are not required to provide these services, but Time Warner continues to provide it, as they have done for several years. As a result of franchise agreements, the other two companies are in the process of deploying but are not fully deployed throughout the City. The costs provided in the memo include gone-time start-up cost related to purchasing necessary equipment for WOW! and an annual cost of about $6,500 per year for AT&T service. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher stated that there is a possibility that the other two companies will respond that if the City is willing to pay one company, the City can pay them as well. Mr. McDaniel agreed there is that possibility. Greg Dunn, Schottenstein, Zox and Dunn, stated that the recent law removed the City's franchise authority and gave it to the state. Time Warner was already connected to the City and has not taken steps to remove it. To be connected to the other two companies, the City is now required to reach out to them, rather than the reverse, and the City must bear the cost of connections. To further complicate the issue, AT&T will put the public access channel on demand. Previously, the City could specify which channel it would be put on. It will now be an "on demand" product. On the other hand, WOW! will be a straight video connection, similar to Time Warner's. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher inquired the percentage of the community that have each of the network connections. Mr. Dunn responded that AT&T has 500 connections or less. Time Warner has 10,000 customers, and WOW has 1,000+. The City would be paying a lot of money to provide the PEG channel to AT&T. Streaming video from the City's own Internet connection would provide the same quality transmission as TV, although it can be accessed only at the City's web site. Mr. Lecklider responded that with only 500 customers, the cost for an AT&T connection doesn't seem justified, unless it would be wise to make the investment now rather than later when there might be a larger percentage of AT&T customers within the community. Mr. Dunn responded that the monthly connection fee should not increase significantly in the future. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Meeting January 20, 2009 Hel Page 24 Mr. Lecklider stated that he is surprised by the large number of people who watch the Council meetings on TV. The City has made an investment in taping the meetings, so it is important to ensure that the community has the ability to access them. Mr. Reiner stated that he cannot justify the need to spend this $30,000 at this time, given the current economic situation in the country. He would prefer to wait and evaluate the need later. If the other cable companies pick up several thousand customers, and the numbers indicate that a large number of the community are choosing that access, then the cost would be justified. Mr. McDaniel noted that WOW! has not been deploying at the anticipated rate. Now that the City no longer has control of that franchise, the City cannot require them to do so. He also is not aware of AT&T's plans to deploy. Although they began at a rapid rate, they appear to have cut back. Mr. Dunn noted that improving the City's server in order to offer streaming video via the Internet would be a wise investment. Many people are beginning to choose to access that information in that manner. Mr. Lecklider inquired the cost. Mr. McDaniel responded that it would cost approximately $3,000, which has already been budgeted. The I.T. department is working on that project now. Vice Mayor Boring: 1. Thanked the snow removal crew for their excellent clean up work after the recent snowstorm. 2. Thanked staff for providing the TV recycling program this past Saturday. What was the community's response, and will another opportunity be offered? Ms. Grigsby responded that Ms. Crandall has indicated that the community response was positive, and she will be providing a report in the next Council packet. Vice Mayor Boring noted that it would be worthwhile to offer the opportunity again after the digital TV changeover. Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher: 1. Stated that she will defer the MORPC discussion until the next Council meeting. 2. Reported that the COTA Advisory Panel has been formally established, and Council has appointed Vice Mayor Boring to serve on the panel. The COTA office has been moved to downtown Columbus, so she is not certain of the meeting location. 3. Reported that she attended the U.S. Conference of Mayors this past weekend. She will place some interesting conference materials in the Council planning room to share with Council members. The Clerk has made copies of the Federal Economic Stimulus Plan summary for Council members. It is important for the City to stay on top of this opportunity to know how to take advantage of that opportunity. There is a movement to have the stimulus money go directly to cities rather than being funneled through the states. 4. Reminded everyone of the upcoming weekend activities related to the interviews of the City Manager candidates. Nearly 100 people have signed up for the community reception at the Community Recreation Center on Friday evening where each of the candidates will be making a 10-minute presentation. Council interviews of the candidates will occur on Saturday, and on Sunday, Council will conduct deliberations and anticipates making a decision. ADJOURNMENT TO EXECUTIVE SESSION Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher moved to adjourn to executive session at 11:10 p.m. to consider land acquisition matters (the purchase of property for public purposes), legal matters (to confer with an attorney for the public body concerning disputes involving the public body that are the subject of pending or imminent court action) and personnel matters (the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, or compensation of a public employee or official). Ms. Salay seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Mr. Lecklider, yes; Mr. Keenan, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Vice Mayor Boring, yes; Mayor Chinnici-Zuercher, yes; Ms. Salay, yes; Mr. Gerber, yes. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS _ __ Minut~s_of _ _ _ Dublin City Co_u__ncil __ _ Meetin.~ January 20, 2009 Page 25 The meeting was reconvened and formally adjourned at 12:15 a.m. Mayor -Presiding Officer Clerk