08/06/2002 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 8/6/2002 to fire a director. He cited examples of various cities who do not have this requirement. The committee felt that this list was flawed in that it was incomplete and did not reflect that some cities require Council approval of hiring persons for these same positions. He asked the committee to look closely at putting this issue on the ballot. Mr. Tom Jenkins, former Safety Director, was also in attendance. He pointed out that the real issue to be considered is whether we want directors who can be free to be public servants, or do we warn them to be political servants. He stated strong objections to this ordinance and cited numerous reasons: This ordinance may create figureheads responsible to make his or her political boss happy rather than serve the city's best interest foremost. He suggested that, based on his experience, if this issue were to pass, that all recruitment promises and in-office commitments would have to be made in the form of a contract. Further, under this ordinance, the directors or subordinates would become the fall-guys for the mayor's ineffectiveness or poor leadership. Concerns were then brought up about the potemial for abuse of power by an administration. Discussion then centered on the issue of conflicting ordinances on the ballot at the same time. It was felt that the citizens are not well served by such a scenario. After a lengthy discussion, the committee voted 2-0 to not recommend passage of Ordinance 2002-100. Ordinance 2002-104, an ordinance amending Chapter 177 of the City Administrative Code entitled "Community Access" in order to establish non-public forums permitting community organizations to access the City Hall website for the purpose of positively promoting the welfare and development of North Olmsted and further to allow access to two specific changeable copy signs owned and operated by the city for the purpose of announcing community events and declaring an emergency. Primarily discussed was the issue of whether or not fees should be charged to organizations to help defray the city's costs incurred in erecting and removing the overhead street banners. The Safety Director asked that she be given time to review the issue and the Mayor asked, by letter, that the Law Director be given more time to review this issue. Per those requests, the ordinance is being held in committee to be rescheduled for further review. Ordinance 2002-106, an ordinance providing for the submission to the electors of the City of North Olmsted of an amendment to Article VII, Section 6 of the Charter of the City of North Olmsted in order to establish the requirement that certain members of the city Landmarks Commission meet specific professional qualifications and to otherwise satisfy criteria for certification by the Ohio Historical Society and declaring an emergency. This ordinance was requested by the Landmarks Commission and is part of a process that was initiated in 1999. If completed, the city may become eligible for federal grants to be used for historical preservation purposes. In attendance also were Landmarks Commission members Joe Lang, Paul Barker and Betty Lord. The committee recommended changes to Article VII, Section A to more clearly define membership and conform to language from the Ohio Historical Society and based on the federal code. Members of the Landmarks Commission who were present concurred with the amendments. The committee recommended passage of Ordinance 2002-106 in a 2-0 vote to include the aforesaid amendments. A discussion of library azchitectural plans. The committee and the Landmarks Commission members discussed the recommendations made by the Landmarks 7