Toledo City Council Meeting - Nov. 5, 2012

Notes from Sherry:

Toledo City Council Meeting
December 4, 2012

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

Swearing in of the new Sargent at Arms, Will Carroll.

Item 556 - Resolution – Recognize the lifetime achievements of Adam Grant – adopted – all voting yes.

Item 573 – Resolution – Naming paved bicycle/walking path at International Park as Dr. Richard D. Ruppert Rotary Trail – adopted – all voting yes.

Item 544 – Purchase 15-passenger used van for Police, $29,000 General Fund and LETF

* Ludeman – haven't gotten back to me on referral – Police Explorer Program – what van has been useful for?
* Collins – Administration needs to take this legislation back, Adam Loux needs to read it – wants a good transfer.
* Herwat – Council needs to vote on this now.

Slow roll call vote: yes to Committee, no for vote. Yes – Collins, No – the remaining 10, motion failed.

* Steel – purchase used van – keep funds appropriated for it – this is not a model of good intentions – this falls under the laws of specificity – like comparing a street sweeper to a SUV.
* Sarantou – asking for specific details.
* Steel – get VIN number.

Passed – Collins, no – rest yes.

Item 545 – Agree with ECDI for technical & financial assistance to small businesses, 6 months, $125,000 CDBG EDL

* Martinez – we have had a hearing on this, internal business plan, good program to undertake expertise in small business – Amend to $250,000, partner at table.
* McNamara - $250,000 matching fund?
* Martinez – yes.
* Hicks-Hudson – some concern at hearing – look to long term.
* Collins – prudent move on his part (Martinez) – excellent idea.

Passed – all voting yes. Craig – this is opportunity for Toledo job growth.

Item 557 – Landbanking Sale – 2248 Fulton and 20 Columbia to Timothy Bexten for lot expansion, $250 – passed – all voting yes.

Item 558 – Re-appropriation from roof replacement to Water Treatment East Plant Improvements, $2.8M Water Bond – passed – all voting yes.

Item 559 - Re-appropriation from roof replacement to Water Treatment Low Service Pump Station, $1.5M Water Bond – passed – all voting yes.

Item 560 – Contract with Rockwell, Inc. for upgrade of SCADA System at Water Treatment Plant – passed – all voting yes.

Item 561 – Purchase leak detection equipment for Water Distribution, $40,000 Water Operating Fund – passed – all voting yes.

Item 562 – Renew contract with TTL Associates for geotechnical testing services, 1 year – passed – all voting yes.

Item 563 – Providing for the 2013 Assessed Services Program – Street Services, $18,517,895 ('12=$21,146,410) - 1st Reading.

Item 564 - Providing for the 2013 Assessed Services Program – Citywide Street Lighting, $4,167,465 ('12=$3,908,076) - 1st Reading.

Item 565 - Providing for the 2013 Assessed Services Program – Downtown Street Lighting, $250,948 ('12=$256,199) - 1st Reading.

Item 566 - Providing for the 2013 Assessed Se rices Program – Street Trees, $5,385,867 ('12=$4,942,125) - 1st Reading.

Item 567 - Providing for the 2013 Assessed Services Program – Surface Treatment, $802,233 ('12=856,940) – 1st Reading.

Item 568 – Approve final 2011 expenditures, all Funds; allocate 2011 surplus of $326,000 to Budget Stabilization

* Collins – Mr. President, take budget – faulty on surface – Mr Rowe had $712,000 inventory with the rest 3rd party in reserves from a landfill – place this money in escrow – cannot use it without 3rd party OK – reference back to the Administration.
* Patrick (didn't get his last name – Administration) – this is the first I've heard of this – yes, there are restrictions.
* Collins – received his answer from Mr. Rowe – won't agree with it till CPA says this is a good practice.
* Patrick – It was reviewed by a CPA.
* Collins – why are we afraid of a 3rd party opinion? Authority to act.
* McNamara - 1st Reading.
* Ludeman – review in two weeks.

Item 569 – Re-appropriation for Police and Fire overtime $640,000 and unemployment comp. $165,000, General Fund – passed – all voting yes.

Item 570 – Temporary Appropriation for January – March 2013, $152,393,947 All Funds - 1st Reading.

Item 571 – Contract for banking services, Fifth Third as Central Depository & Key Bank as Secondary Custodian - 1st Reading.

Item 572 – Expenditure to Toledo Sister Cities Int'l for 2012 contribution, $25,000 General Fund, Finance Dept. - 1st Reading.

Item 574 – MOU with Toledo/Lucas County Sustainability Commission for community wide sustainability program – passed – all voting yes.

Item 575 – Accept ODNR grant to fund 2 to 4 intermediation projects in Toledo, $250,000 – passed – all voting yes.

Item 576 - Accept ODNR grant to fund tree-planting projects in Toledo, $50,000 – passed – all voting yes.

Item 577 - Accept ODNR grant to complete additional phytoremediation work, $38,000 – passed – all voting yes.

Item 578 - Resolution – Close portion of old right-of-way of Benore Rd. - adopted – all voting yes.

Item 579 – Vacate alley at Monroe St. and Auburn Ave. (Approved by Plan Commission in Aug. 5 – 0) – passed – all voting yes.

Item 580 – Vacate alley bounded by Lagrange, Park & Streicher (Approved by Plan Commission in Sept. 5 – 0) – passed – all voting yes.

Last Call:

Hicks-Hudson – 1) Last night there was a meeting at Lagrange Library – need to sit down with Mr. Robinson's team – need to be proactive. 2) Meet with Department of Neighborhoods for shelters – clear this up for CDBG.

Ludeman – Clean park up (sorry couldn't hear which one), Wilma Brown's Birthday today.

Sarantou – Congratulations to Central Catholic and the Whitmer Panthers.

Steel – City of Toledo web site has been launched. It has a specific site for Business – friendly – modeled after NY.

(There is a page on the site stating:
“Recently fDi Magazine, a prestigious British publication, recognized Toledo as the "Most Business Friendly" city in North America. That decision is based on many factors. See below some of the highlights of Toledo's business approach:” ~ SZ)

Waniewski – Wishes congrats to Central Catholic and the Whitmer Panthers. December 12th at 6 p.m., the budget will be on line like last year. Looking for alternative funding – what dollars can and can't be used.

Webb – Meeting tonight with the different Catholic schools at what they can do (mentions a few). Talks about Item 571, changing that to a 2-year contract – using the same two banks as the City of Cleveland – looking at Cleveland for what they do track – put together unbanked people and what they do in Toledo. (Is “unbanked” a word? SZ)

McNamara – remember budget hearings coming up.

Herwat – Lighting up the Holiday Tree tonight.