08/18/2008 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Regular Council Meeting 8-18-08 Page 6 You have parts of the state where they are pushing it. Mayor Rinker was just listening on NPR this morning and the policies from the State of Ohio and a number of other states where oil and gas reserves are pretty high is to push drilling as a way that it is responsible government. It is responsible for the country because it is a way to be more competitive, to lower the cost that everyone bears. That is fine in a big picture, but when you talk to us as residents and neighbors who don't like it, Mayor Rinker would like to think we are listening. There is no quick solution. There is no easy one. We would like to think that the two lease proposals that we are studying are constructive, that they are something that at least the Village can point to a tangible return that will be in the public domain. We are not entering into a venture. We would be at least deriving benefit from a leaseback arrangement. Mayor Rinker may be incorrect on this, but if we go into a consortium, those lines become more blurred. It becomes a harder proposition for us as a government entity to broker on behalf of all residents some type of entity that we create that theoretically every property owner could sign on to and then would benefit. It is almost like a tax return or a tax investment strategy. We have looked at that. We have not studied it fully. That is the closest thing discussed tonight that Mayor Rinker is aware that we are even looking at. Candidly, the first Mayor Rinker ever heard of anyone broaching it in any of the literature we have had or any of the discussion we have had has been in the last couple of weeks. Mayor Rinker wants everyone to understand that we are not trying to shut the door on anyone. We are not trying to shortchange the community. The fact is this is state policy and we have very limited power just to say no. On the contrary, what we are told is that our zoning of powers do not go into this area except in some very limited ways which is more a regulatory issue as opposed to an out and out prohibition. We are open to discussing it further. We have not signed anything. We are not about to sign anything now. Mayor Rinker would say next month at the earliest is what we are looking at. Mr. Prosen asked if the maps showing the affected portions are available. Ms. Calta replied that one map is available. We will be getting it on the website this week. This map is the Bonnieview area. We axe waiting on the other map. She is hopeful we will have both of them by this weekend to put on the website for everyone to view. If you would like to take a look at this now, you certainly can. Mayor Rinker suggested that color copies be made this evening. Chief Mohr made the color copies and distributed them to the audience. Mr. Hehr added that he certainly appreciates the collective concepts. If we are going to have to go through the drilling, the Village as a whole is negotiating to the benefit of the Village. Mr. Hehr apologizes if he came off with a bad impression. Mayor Rinker stated that it is not an easy discussion. No apology is necessary. Mr. Hehr added that the two ordinances are an excellent start if we have to suffer the drilling. Mr. Hehr is still hoping to develop a method either not to or to make it collectively off to the side far enough so that we don't have to have it in our backyard