Toledo City Council Meeting October 18, 2011

Sherry's notes from the Toledo City Council Meeting of October 18, 2011 (Sherry's personal notes are in italics):

In Attendance: Councilmen Collins, Martinez,. Craig, McNamara, Waniewski, Ludeman, Steel, Sarantou, Councilwomen Brown, Webb, Hicks-Hudson, Mayor Bell, Deputy Mayor Herwat.

Item 446 – Appointments – Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority – confirmed – all voting yes.

Item 466 – Appointment – Civic Center Mall Commission – confirmed – all voting yes. (Isn't this part of the Erie Street Market? SZ)

Item 467 – Resolution – Recognize Police Chief Navarre on his retirement – adopted – all voting yes.

Item 431 – Amend Toledo Expansion Incentive Program (TEI) Guidelines – McNamara – Mr. Martinez and himself put together new guidelines to be revisited. Cruthers – looks at this – would like a vote at this time. Martinez – please look at the stuff we proposed. Steel – this was not brought up at Agenda Review. Cruthers – has no problem with the people having their say – was held two weeks ago – time has passed – move forward. Slow Roll – yes (to hold) – McNamara, Martinez, Craig, Hicks-Hudson, Collins, Webb. No (to pass) – Waniewski, Brown, Ludeman, Sarantou, Steel. Motion failed – hold for 2 weeks.

Item 468 – Amend Ordinance 81-10, 19 parcels to NHS for Cherry St. Legacy Plan, extend time from 13 months to 21 months – passed – all voting yes.

Item 485 – Zone change at 5047 – 5049 Douglas Road (Approved 6 – 0) – passed – all voting yes.

Item 486 – Zone change at 1631 Tracy Road (Approved 6 – 0) – passed – all voting yes.

Item 487 – SUP for indoor golf league facility and clubhouse at 1965 Shoreland Ave. (Approved 6 – 0) – passed – all voting yes.

Item 488 – SUP for tow lot at 6231 Telegraph Road (without recommendation 6 – 0) – Webb – this is in her district/neighborhood – it is a concern – talked to Army Corps. Of Engineers on this. This is on Stateline Road – nice community – tried to mediate – owner has tried to be compliant – some of this project is in MI – zoning is incompatible. Steel – feels the same way – Why did it fail? Craig – property has been cleaned up – this is industrial property – they can do anything they want with it. Waniewski – in favor of SUP – there are a lot of worse businesses. Webb – make up your own mind – there is a creek next door to this land – runs into the Ottawa River – I was told this would be cleaned up. Ludeman – how many neighbors showed up to the meeting? Webb – 1 – received 25 emails. Slow Roll – yes (to pass) – Waniewski, Craig, Ludeman, Brown, Sarantou, Collins. No (to fail) – Webb, Hicks- Hudson, Martinez, McNamara, Steel. Motion failed.

Item 469 - Resolution – Application to US EPA for Coalition Assessment Grant for assessing Brownfield Sites, $1M - adopted – all voting yes.

Item 470 – Resolution – Application to ODOD for Brownfield Action Plan Pilot Program, Cherry St. to river to I-280 – adopted – all voting yes.

Item 471 – Purchase 481 Fassett St. for additional 4+ acres for new Fire Station #6 at Oak & Fassett, $42,000 CIP – passed – all voting yes. Ludeman – thanks the Clerks for doing the math.

Item 472 – Easement to Toledo Edison for relocations at 481 Fassett St., new Fire Station #6 – passed – all voting yes.

Item 473 – Accept FirstEnergy grant for electrical upgrades at Products Designed & Built, 5949 American, $21,640 – passed – all voting yes.

Item 474 – Appropriation for TEI grant awards to 10 businesses, $115,000 General Fund – Webb – question – TEI guidelines – not passed. McNamara – this will be passed under the old guidelines. Passed – all voting yes.

Item 475 – Expenditure for demolition of 440 Winthrop at Collingwood for Scott High School, $50,000 Klandbank, NSP, Trust – Collins – this property goes to TPS – Beverly property should go for green space? Herwat – no. Collins – hold for 2 weeks? Cruthers – I will call Jim Gaff about this. Collins – 72% of this demolition to be taken care of by the State of OH – hold for 2 weeks. Cruthers – Collins, should have brought this up at Agenda – not to conference at this point. Steel – this is a good idea, will require an additional ordinance. Collins – knows this will be good – Beverly property to be returned to the City. Passed – all voting yes.

Item 476 – Purchase foreclosed property at 204 Richards Rd. for NSP model home, $67,000 NSP Funds – passed – all voting yes.

Item 477 – Appropriation for sewer lines for 5 new homes on Dale St. for Habitat for Humanity, $22,280 2% Sewer – passed all voting yes.

Item 478 – Expenditure to Ohio EPA for 2012 public water system license for Water Treatment, $114,690 Water – passed – all voting yes.

Item 479 – Resolution – Support Port Authority in application for Ohio Job Ready Sites grant for Overland Industrial Parkway at Jeep – adopted – all voting yes.

Item 480 – Agreements for National Great Lakes Maritime Museum in Marina District – passed – all voting yes.

Item 481 – Accept Ohio Cultural Facilities Comm. Grant for National Great Lakes Maritime Museum, $4,900,000 – passed – all voting yes. Craig – thank you – Colleges should bring in 40 – 50K in visitors – good for the East Side.

Item 482 – Expenditure for 12 PC's and software for Engineering Services, $28,000 CIP and Sewer Improvement – passed – all voting yes.

Item 483 – Resolution – Accept Lucas County Budget Commission property tax amounts & rates for 2012 budget – adopted – all voting yes.

Item 484 – Agreement with Port Authority for sale of City parking facilities and equipment, terminate DTPA - 1st Reading.

Item 438 – Contract with S&L and Northwest BioEnergy for biosolids recycling/disposal program at Water Reclamation – Collins – please support him on this – spoke with Dr. at UT and Chris Bonzell(sp) – soil sample to be done – Class B biosolid – 27 tons dumped, 230 tons to a golf course, and tons at a residence on Manhattan (he defines Federal Law) – Mr. Murphy to do tests – leave in Committee – let science prevail on this issue – he only wants time – this could be the most important decision he ever makes. Herwat – takes issue with the word “dumped” - $5,000 to get tests done – testing has been done. McNamara – this decision was made 19 months ago – tests done by the EPA – the best science we have, has been done – this is panic by the company that lost the bid – vote. Waniewski – move forward on this. Webb – my constituents prefer the S&L method – boaters, swimmers, and fishermen – lets not rush in - $7500 spent over months (I thought it was $5,000? Not her money, taxpayers. SZ) People in Detroit went to jail over things like this – letter from Enviro – cannot be hasty, leakage can happen – testing should be done by a 3rd party neutral – can effect constituents long term. Collins – it is consumptuous of you to talk to me like this – let science preside – I don't have a problem with 3rd party neutral testing – when Detroit had it's problems, the money came from the taxpayers – Why are you afraid to test? Steel – this is contentious – determine sediment/E-Coli in water – wonders about methodology – move load into one spot – what is this island holding? S&L is doing is doing what it is supposed to – can we approve the contract with S&L and do further testing? Herwat – separate issue – doesn't keep us from approving contract – no compromise. Hicks-Hudson – takes exception to additional testing – trusts EPA and testing done (she checked out the criteria) – will approve. Craig – trusts EPA – good science - this is research - we can't define the testing – don't need to go any further. Slow Roll – yes (to pass) – McNamara, Waniewski, Martinez, Craig, Brown, Sarantou, Hicks-Hudson, Steel. No (to put back into Committee) – Ludeman, Collins, Webb. Motion carried. Passed – yes, McNamara, Waniewski, Martinez, Craig, Brown, Sarantou, Hicks-Hudson, Steel, no - Ludeman, Collins, Webb.

Item 363 – Authorize amendment to 5-year consolidated plan & 1-year action plan to HUD for 108 loan for Berdan Building – Martinez – nobody is on the hook for this project except the taxpayer – we cannot afford this right now, highly risky – don't say you weren't warned. McNamara – effect City, big risk – jobs – no – project will not pass – we are on the hook for this – shouldn't support this right now. Hicks-Hudson - toured the building, did not need the hole in it – need to move on this, government finances. Steel – call for vote – make our voices heard. Martinez – leary of these deals – passed – yes – Craig, Ludeman, Brown, Sarantou, Hicks-Hudson, Steel, Collins, Webb. No – Waniewski, McNamara, Martinez.

Last Call:

Waniewski – How long have we issued the permit for the folks downtown?

Webb – good to be back.

Collins – look at abandon property (did not get where) right off entry to TP (Herwat).

Craig – thankful for the acreage for the Fire House.

Hicks-Hudson – look at 2 properties on Moore Street (Herwat).

Ludeman – Martinez – agree to disagree. Granddaughter was born 3 months early also (Webb), celebrating her 2nd Birthday.

Martinez – What are we going to do about abandon properties? Celebrates 8 years with girlfriend.

McNamara – Hopes Berdan project is successful.

Sarantou – Check out Old Orchard School – when is it going to be torn down? Neighbors are complaining about rats.

Steel – Maplewood – status – checked this site on Aries – fore fitted. Wants to know all houses rehabbed with Federal funding. Do testing that Mr. Collins wants.

Herwat – Friday at 10 AM in chambers, swearing in of new Police Chief.