Toledo City Council Meeting - March 22, 2012

Notes from Sherry:

In attendance: Councilmen Waniewski, Martinez, McNamara, Collins, Ludeman, Craig, Steel, Sarantou, Copeland, Riley, Councilwoman Hicks-Hudson, Deputy Mayor Herwat.

Item 246 - Appointments – Board of Community Relations – confirmed – all voting yes.
3-year terms: Sister Virginia Welsh (Faith-based-reappointment), Elbert Collier (Labor-reappointment), Michele Martinez (Education), Gaye Martin (Community), Michael Alexander (Labor), Laura Harrison (Labor)
1-year term: Major Smith III (youth)

Item 247 – Appointments – Toledo Youth Commission – passed – all voting yes.
3-year terms: Steven W. McDonald (Business), Maurine E. Dougherty (Community), Samuel Robinson Jr. (Community), Mackenzie Kambizi (Faith-based), Guadalupe Love (Business), Alicia Smith (Community), Kendra J. Kec (Community)

Item 196 – Establish and enforce Berkey Fixed Rate for existing water consumers in the Village of Berkey – passed – all voting yes.

Item 224 – Designate intersection of Erie and Jefferson as Joseph Wicks Way – Tabled.

Item 228 – Sale of Hyde Park (341 W. Central) to Lucas Cty Land Reutiliz Corp for split to adjacent owners, $600 – passed – all voting yes.

Item 240 – Contracting authority for Purchasing for goods, materials & services during 2012 with 1 year renewal – passed – all voting yes.

Item 248 – Landbanking Sale – 11 sites to NHS for Cherry St. Legacy Plan, $1,650 – passed – all voting yes.

Item 249 – Landbanking Sale – 3428 Glenwood to LCLRC for Jeep Federal Credit Union, $150 – passed – all voting yes.

Item 250 – Consent to ODOT for $50M rehabilitation of Anthony Wayne (High Level) Bridge, April '13 – Nov. '15 - passed – all voting yes.

Item 251 – Expenditure for repainting historical truss over Washington St. Bridge serving Owens Corning, $125,000 CIP – passed – all voting yes.

Item 252 – Appropriation for purchase of 3 tire service trucks & large wrecker for Fleet Ops, $570,000 Capital Replacement – passed – all voting yes.

Item 253 – Extend lease at Ohio Building (420 Madison Ave.) for DPU, 10 years 2012 – 2022, Utility Fund

Collins – question – Administration to contract with Mr. Ball - rate payers are paying for this – Cruthers was supposed to supply matrix – Ohio Building versus Government Center, G.C. can handle the operation – matrix never appeared – Ohio Building, $13.90 per sq. ft – 1st Reading – failure to plan is not an emergency – information we need for cost effectiveness for 15 years, provide Council with documentation.

Herwat – question reveals that there is no room for DU in Government Center.

Martinez – don't know if this would be held in month to month.

D. Welch – it would cost more.

Sarantou – What were the rental rates?
D. Welch - $18.75, $18.29 per sq ft – Downtown.
Sarantou – cost of moving.
D. Welch – we would have to re-direct fiber optics from Ohio Building, call ICT for phones – would need an outside source, $2,000 per phone – price per sq ft raised $1, 90 cents towards parking.
Sarantou – cost a lot to move, has been there for 15 years – no other location, considering the cost of moving and rent. Has there been any maintenance issues?
D. Welch – any issue was taken care of right away.

McNamara – cast (re-iterates what has been said before).

Ludeman – Customer friendly was the key - Mr. Welch has answered our question.

Steel – Why didn't this come to us two weeks ago?
Welch – ran out of time.

Collins – sq ft is not the same as 2010, 10 years, $8M expense – should be in this building – tell someone on a fixed income that their water expense is going up - not going to support this.

Copeland – wants to save money – Government Center can't handle the traffic. (hard to understand-SZ)
D. Welch – there would be 100 extra employees.

Passed – Collins- no, rest yes.

Item 254 – Renew agreement with Mannik & Smith for engineering oversight of TWI project, 3 years, $235,000 per year Sewer Replacement – passed – all voting yes.

Item 255 – Appropriation/re-appropriation for 2012 Water Main Replacement Program, $1,631,669 Water Bond Replacement – passed – all voting yes.

Item 256 – Street Lighting – E. Pearl St. from Elm St. to Chestnut St. - passed – all voting yes.

Item 257 – Expenditure for purchase of 2 bucket trucks for Water Reclamation, $200,000 Sewer Imp Fund – passed – all voting yes.

Item 258 – Accept State grant for Traffic Construction Zone Enforcement Program for Police, overtime, $49,637 – passed – all voting yes.

Item 259 – Contribution to Toledo-Lucas County Victim-Witness Assistance Program for 2012, $40,000 LETF – passed – all voting yes.

Item 260 – Resolution – Vacate alley at Monroe St. and Auburn St. - adopted – all voting yes.

Item 261 – Zone change at 714-724 S. Byrne Rd. (Approved 4 – 0) – passed – all voting yes.

Item 262 – Amend boundary of OWE Historic District Commission to align with Grove Place Centerline (Approved 4 – 0) – passed – all voting yes.

Item 263 – Zone change at 715 Peck St. (Approved 4 – 0) – passed – all voting yes.

Item 264 – SUP for type A Family Day Care at 1920 Eastgate Rd. (Approved 4 – 0) – passed – all voting yes.

Item 265 – Zone change at 4650 N. Detroit Ave. (Approved 4 – 0) – passed – all voting yes.

Item 266 – Amend SUP to add gasoline/fuel sales to existing convenience store at 3837 Airport Hwy (Approved 5 – 0) – passed – all voting yes.

Item 267 - Waive TMC for successive application for zone change for student housing at Dorr & Westwood –

Riley - 1st Reading – 1) lack of notice 2) late submitting application. 1st Reading.

* Welch – Ohio Building – move on Monday.*

Herwat - issue with mowing grass – need new equipment.

Administration – service problem with grass – worse condition at this point – cut by District – storage sort fall, need equipment in service.

Martinez – lost a lot of equipment – lost and theft -what are you going to do ?
Ad. - coordinate badge to machine.
Martinez – vendor local?
Ad. - Fred Ott (Berkey).
Herwat – State of OH contract.

McNamara – Committee meeting on the 4th.

Ludeman – people have contacted him about the trail – 28 fewer seasonal employees (explained to him that once equipment is purchased, people will be employed).

Sarantou – looking for local vendors – they had State bids – money already budgeted.

Hicks-Hudson – balance left?
Ad. - $112, 000
Hicks-Hudson – Will this take away from the expenditures?
Ad. - no.
Hicks-Hudson – Plan driven by complaints?
Ad. - yes – goes over plan, foreclosures and abandon property done last.
Hicks-Hudson – this should be looked at by Economic Development – we need to get local companies on the list.

Collins – goes over the bids – fixed price.

Riley – when do you expect to do District 1?
Ad.- we plan to do District 1 & 4 first, as soon as Monday.
Riley – what streets are to be done?
Ad. - look at the worst and coordinate, see what has to be done.

Waniewski – we just raised the water rates on Berkey, lets give them some business – you have a plan.

Sarantou – you want private contractors to help out.
Ad. - yes, help get some of this wacked down.
Sarantou – purchase local vendors – review procedure – might cost a little bit more at first, but cheaper in the long run (pays taxes in City etc.)

Item 268 – Re-appropriation for purchase of trucks, vehicles, mowers & trailers for NBA Program, $253,250 CIP – passed – all voting yes.

Item 269 – Expenditure for purchasing of mowers & trailers for NBA Program, $48,978 Nuisance Abatement Trust – passed – all voting yes.

Last Call:

Ludeman – Have a safe Memorial Day weekend – thanks to the Vets.

Riley – Information for TPS signs – to purchase. Herwat – answer shortly.

Sarantou – Daughter received her Masters at Lourdes – thanks to Dr. Bob. Have a safe Memorial Day weekend – thanks to the Vets.

Steel – Clean streets initiative – Sylvania St. is being rebuilt – how is it being used in this case?

Waniewski – Thanks the Administration about taking care of the tree.

Collins – Attorney that handled the Turner case – good job. Remember, freedom isn't free.

Craig – Mark Volt - “You are here Toledo” - explored Down Town – launch party at Ballentine.