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Council Minutes of 4/7/98
<br />Mrs. Kasler, member of the Finance Committee, gave a minority report: 1) She sponsored
<br />Ordinance 98-19, which is being held in committee by a majority vote of the Finance and
<br />Legislative Committees. Mrs. Kasler was the dissenting vote with regard to holding
<br />Ordinance 98-19 and the related change to the Rules of Council in committee for the
<br />following reasons:
<br />• "98-19 puts in place a procedure which allows City Council to perform its most
<br />important governmental duty, monitoring the expenditures of taxpayers' dollars.
<br />Under 98-19, when a contract is awarded for a capital improvement project and the
<br />contract price is established, the administrative body known as the Board of Control
<br />approves any changes to that contract up to 10% over the contract price. However,
<br />should the total cost of the project exceed 10% of the original contract price, no
<br />further funds may be expended on that contract without Council's review, approval,
<br />disapproval and/or further appropriation under this ordinance. To understand the
<br />importance of this piece of legislation, and it is important to understand, then under
<br />98-19 the Board of Control retains an opportunity to administer a project up to 10%, a
<br />rather generous industry standard, 10% over the contracted cost of the project. Any
<br />cost over 10% should raise a red flag, and it is then Council's duty to become involved
<br />to determine the reason for the additional expense, the amount of the expense and to
<br />ensure that further expenditure on that particular project is warranted and does not
<br />compromise other city projects or operations and services. At this 10% point, Council
<br />becomes a disinterested party, so to speak. They're a check and balance, and with the
<br />ability to be objective and to objectively view the impact on all city projects as
<br />opposed to the necessary administrative focus on the task at hand. Most importantly,
<br />however, under 98-19, Council would have been given the opportunity to exercise its
<br />inherent authority under the Ohio Revised Code and its understood duty and
<br />obligation as elected representatives to ensure fiscal responsibility and to monitor
<br />spending of tax dollars in the best interest of the residents on this community. 98-19
<br />represents good government, and I am concerned that it's being held in committee."
<br />Mr. Gareau, Chairperson of the Building, Zoning and Development Committee: 1) The
<br />committee met on Monday, March 23. In attendance were committee members McKay,
<br />Miller and Gareau; Council Members Nashar and Kasler; Assistant Engineer McDermott;
<br />Safety Director Jenkins; Claire Hayes representing the Board of Education; Greg Birney
<br />representing the North Olmsted Schools Office of Community Services; several interested
<br />residents. Agenda items were as follows:
<br />a. An amendment to a preliminary land use plan submitted by Duke Realty Company for
<br />the extension of the Great Northern Corporate Center at 25000 Country Club Boulevard.
<br />The plan calls for the construction of a 70,653 square foot addition to the existing
<br />Corporate Center I. The proposed building would be four stories and would be used for
<br />office tenants. The land is presently zoned Mixed Use A. Mr. Scott Rauch was the
<br />representative on behalf of Duke Realty. The committee recommended referral of the
<br />amendment to a preliminary land use plan to the Planning Commission. Mr. Gareau
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