01/15/2002 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 1/15/2002 ,,~,, Councilman McKay noted that the amounts given are ranges and not necessarily the final .<Y.~ salary. Some of the positions aze being combined and some are being eliminated. Also, former Law Director Gareau had been subsidizing the department by using his own offices and secretarial staff. Don Pangrac, 23470 Sharon Drive, was interested in the discussion regarding salting as it has been a concern of his for many yeazs. For many yeazs he has complained that salt is being spread on driveways and past sidewalks. He believes that any local road with a 25 mph speed limit should be passable as long as it is plowed. Mr. Pangrac expressed concern that the Northeastern Ohio Sewer District is going to be raising our sewer rates again. Also, he feels our water rates are too high. Mayor Musial explained that North Olmsted is not part of that sewer district, and our sewer rates aze controlled by our ordinances. As far as the water rates, some time ago he submitted Mr. Pangrac's name for the Mayors/Managers Association committee to study suburban water rates. That committee has not yet met. Joseph Bouman, 23950 Lessner Road, expressed concern that the ordinances regarding the new composition of the Law Department would be passed under suspension of the rule. He does not believe there was public notification, and he had asked the Law Director to let him know when the plan for the department was set up. Law Director Dubelko apologized to Mr. Bouman for not contacting him about the committee meeting-it was not intentional. He explained that he is doing all the work for the department, and he does need to get his staff in place. He presented two memorandums to Council regarding his plans and did explain the plan in detail at the committee meeting. Financially, this will not impact any differently on the taxpayers. He has been very fiscally responsible and has eliminated some positions and juggled salaries in other so that the city wouldn't be paying any more out in compensation to staff the Law Department. He believes everything is being done according to the law. Min Crumbley, 24004 Ambour Drive, was hired by the city in January, 1978 and retired in September, 1999, and almost all of those years she was secretary to the Service Director. In 1978, there were problems with the Service Department snow removal equipment. Also, residents had many complaints about leaves. Flooding problems were of great concern during the 1980's with many basements and homes being flooded. Mr. Ralph Bohlmann was hired as the Service Director at the beginning of the Boyle administration. Under their leadership, they tackled the big problem first-that being the flooding. They weren't popular decisions because so much money was put into the storm sewer cleaning and repair programs, you couldn't see anything being done, but the necessary things were being done. Section by section, they did the parts of the city that were most prone to flooding. The last storm she remembers before her retirement generated only six flooding problems, four of which were due to faulty sump pumps. The two isolated cases were taken care of immediately by Mr. Bohlmann. Streets were being repaired as quickly as money permitted as were the sewer problems. It would either be done right, or it wouldn't pass Mr. Bohlmann's inspection. As money permitted, new equipment was purchased. Leaf pick-up was restored in great fashion. Ralph Bohlmann hired Dennis Long to get the city out from under the EPA. The treatment 7