Toledo City Council Meeting - June 19, 2012

Here are Sherry's notes...my apologies for not getting this posted earlier:

In attendance: Councilmen Steel, Martinez, Collins, Sarantou, Craig, Ludeman, Copeland, Waniewski, McNamara, Riley, Councilwomen Webb, Hicks-Hudson, Mayor Bell.

Item 292 – Resolution – Recognize Rabbi Edward Garsek on his retirement – adopted – all voting yes.

Item 299 – Resolution – Recognize Helping Hands of St. Louis on their 30th anniversary – adopted – all voting yes.

Item 226 – Amend plan documents for City employment benefits to include domestic partners – Mayor veto's 226 – goes against the Charter (per the Law Director) – he also tells Council that they have no right for their action. Illegal attempt to super cede the Charter – this will end up costing the tax payer money.

Collins – will not dignify personal attacks by the TPPA, can't afford it – Local 92 has their own insurance, no information shared for collective bargaining – look at Council as the Board of Directors – they handle challenges themselves – this was his (the Mayor's) Union. (He was called out by name in the Mayor's letter.)

Yes vote to over ride the veto – Webb, Collins – yes, Riley, Waniewski, Martinez, Craig, Ludeman, McNamara, Sarantou, Hicks-Hudson, Steel, Copeland – no. Motion failed.

Ludeman – Original legislation – what will it trigger if passed? Sarantou and myself sent an Amendment to impact the budget, based on a letter from Dan Waggner. A. Loux – up to Union if they want it – this opens up a can of worms – take it or leave it benefit. Sarantou – different sexes have a solution – they can get married – same sex, different story.

Webb – same rules for domestic partners? A. Loux – old contract. Webb – new insurance covers kids up till age 28 – expanding the benefit – Waggner to accept new benefits. Herwat – yes. Webb – we do need to take action.

Collins – Director Loux, if the Mayor did this on his own – can he? A. Loux – overreaching – Council not needed. Collins – network, other things associated with it – he can do it without Council.

Hicks-Hudson – Who would be responsible? A. Loux – the City. Hicks-Hudson – bogged down in labor negotiations – How is this benefit funded? A. Loux – right now each employee costs the City $11,000 – budget accordingly.

Item 319 – Resolution – Encourage Mayor to bargain with Firefighters Local 92 on health care trust for D. P. benefit - Ludeman - 1st Reading. Steel – resolution. A. Loux – not illegal. Vote for 1st Reading – passed – Ludeman – no, rest yes. Slow Roll – passed – Craig, Ludeman no – rest yes. Craig – extended by an hour – bringing in something, and then it passes (quite mad, never have seen him like this) Refer to Committee. A. Loux – look at Charter. Steel – relieve from Committee, vote yes – passed – Sarantou, Craig, Ludeman – no, rest yes. Regular vote – passed – all voting yes.

Item 286 – Sale of 2328 Sylvania Ave. (Police sub-station) To Global Direct Invest, LLC, $270,000 – 7% broker fee – Waniewski – thanks to the Administration for selling off assets. There are three things that I look at for determining my attention; 1) police 2) fire 3) road paving. It is active – keep the building – Police presence.

Ludeman – agrees with Waniewski, but should sell. Went to the area and saw five Police cars in the area – the new owner wants all the square feet – no Police. Riley – property is viable – near his district – no business sense – need it. Director Green – will need to move Officers – SVU Unit, Senior Center out there.

Craig – we all want more protection – doesn't have to do with the building – doesn't matter – more Police protection does not make you safer. Collins – community based policing - things change – concepts change, but neighborhoods don't. Need to have this presence – come up with the funding now? Go with the district 5 representative. Martinez – prices of the center are different – don't have the resources – understands the need of the common good – on the fence about this.

Cruthers – this is only an asset sale. Waniewski – this station borders three districts.

Riley - $460,000 paid originally. How much money did we put into it? Administration – We'll check into it. Riley – we have put money into it – selling for $270,000 – this neighborhood is stable, don't sell.

Webb – I went to a block watch for this station many years ago – the issue was to put boots on the ground – selling an asset at fire sale rate – this station has about 1 mil into it – it will be the same as before. Martinez – (to Ms. Green) What is the intent? Green – to put Officers out of there on July 1st.

Failed – Ludeman, Martinez – yes, rest no.

Item 293 – Appropriation for 5 agencies providing homelessness services, $103,797 General Fund – to Neighborhoods Committee.

Item 294 – Resolution – Support SEIU Local I and rights of janitors – adopted – Waniewski, Ludeman – no, rest yes.

Item 295 – Resolution – Request Lucas County Auditor certify current valuation and dollar amount generated by 1 mil - 1st Reading. Steel – hearing Thursday – extend to 1st Reading (295 + 296).

Item 296 – Resolution – Submit to electors for November 6th election question of 1 mil levy for 10 years for parks & recreation - 1st Reading.

Item 297 – Expenditure to Pros. Consulting LLC to update Parks Recreation Master Plan, $25,000 Athletic Trust – passed – all voting yes. Waniewski – looks to support resolution in the community. Steel – recreation at large to parell Master Plan. Webb – we will use all avenues – public and private (to Waniewski).

Item 298 – Amend TMC Ch. 161 & 163 to combine into new Toledo Parks, Athletic & Recreation Commission – to Youth, Parks, and Recreation Committee.

Item 300 – Accept State grant for Misdemeanant Intensive Supervision (MIS) Probation for Municipal Court, $303,834 – passed – all voting yes.

Item 301 – Amend plan documents for City employment benefits to include domestic partners – passed – Sarantou, Waniewski, Collins, Ludeman – no, Riley, Martinez, Craig, McNamara, Hicks-Hudson, Steel, Copeland, Webb – yes.

Item 302 – Appropriation for 38th Year CDBG funds, $6,839,464 – to Neighborhoods Committee.

Item 303 – Expenditure for 26th Year Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), $610,343 - to Neighborhoods Committee.

Item 304 – Appropriation for chemical dust collectors at Water Treatment Plant, $320,000 Water Bond Fund – passed – all voting yes.

Item 305 – Re-appropriation of old CIP projects for Acme Building expenditures & sensational for Parks, $383,500 CIP – passed – all voting yes.

Item 306 – Transfer from Greenwood Park Trust to pay outstanding invoices for Blair Museum, $15,000 Trust - Steel – go to 1st Reading – no board. Go to SUP. Passed – all voting yes.

Item 307 – Accept PUCO hazardous materials training grant for Environmental Services, $11,715 – passed – all voting yes.

Item 308 – Expenditure for 2012 fee for underground storage tanks, 28 tanks @ $600 = $16,800 Risk management Fund – passed – all voting yes.

Item 309 – Resolution – Re-state pension pick up for AFSCME Local 2058, 2012 5%, 2013 2%, 2014 = 0% - adopted – all voting yes.

Item 310 – Sale of 3527 Twining St. at Manhattan to William Douglas for food vending, $4,500 – passed – all voting yes.

Item 311 – Agreement with Redflex for red light & speeding enforcement cameras, 5 years + 2 two-year options – Collins – Bell Administration, recognize, favorable for exaction. Passed – all voting yes.

Sherry's comments: No calibration for speed, but guns are calibrated. This is civil violation, you are guilty , no accuser. This has always been a cash cow, it is not about safety. As our former Chief stated, it was ALL about safety. A Police Officer would not sign my petition years ago for red light cameras. He told me that there wasn't enough man power to go around.)

Item 318 – Agreement with Munich RE for stop loss insurance for medical & prescription drug, $55,000 Allocation – Transfer from CIP Fund (2328 Sylvania Ave.) to North West Public Safety Trust Fund, $75,000 – passed – all voting yes.

Item 312 – Zone change at 4413 Bennett Rd. (Approved 5 – 0) – passed – all voting yes.

Item 313 – Zone change at 5344/5350 Monroe St. (Approved 5 – 0) – passed – all voting yes.

Item 314 – Amend TMC Ch. 1103 & 1112, merge Vistula Historic District Commission with Toledo City HDC – passed – all voting yes.

Item 315 – SUP for solar panel installation and parking lot at 650 Lincoln and 1828 Glenwood (Approved 6 – 0) – passed – all voting yes.

Item 316 – Appeal Major Site Plan Review for additional signage at 236 New Towne Square Drive (W/O Recommendation 5 – 0) – passed – McNamara – no, rest yes. Webb – supports proposal – owner understands – family business.

Item 317 - Appeal Major Site Plan Review for additional signage at 4210 W. Sylvania Ave. (W/O Recommendation 5 – 0) – passed – McNamara – no, rest yes. Waniewski – raise up sign five feet – near Mall.

Last Call:

Martinez – 6/25 meeting, rock it – bring lots of ideas.

Riley – supports pools – thanks from the kids. It was a good day (Saturday).

Steel – 1) H. S. (concerned) EOPA – emergency repair – concerned about cutting funds. 2) Webb and myself looked at Roosevelt Pool, great. Highland Park pool – damaged/disrepair – assistance made? How much? Bids/cost assessments – future? Herwat – will respond to your referral.

Waniewski – 1) 5754 Mante St., Secor (bars – didn't catch the second address) reports on the 18th and 19th of this month. 2) 3535 W. Sylvania Ave. (Notre Dame) question about light, now that school is out. 3) (didn't catch the address) yard sale every weekend, should be considered as a flea market.

Webb – 2 year old drowned (pray for family) – Point Place residents.

Collins – Botanical Gardens Art Show this weekend.

Hicks-Hudson – 1) foreclosure/vacant property – go over next meeting 2) Thanks kids at Roosevelt Pool 3) District 4 displays glass art, great thing.

Ludeman – 1) Glad to keep Police presence in district 5. What will be done after July 1st? Need to keep Police presence at this site. 2) This Thursday at 4 PM – presentation from UT – dynamic – Herzing SAP education. 3) Sunday is daughter's 29th birthday.