02/01/2005 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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r~ Council Minutes of 2/1/2005 address all the issues from as strong a viewpoint as they can given the relative bargaining positions that just are facts of life in these negotiations. They will be ready, willing and able to talk about renewal and/or further extensions if the powers that be outside the bazgaining room can bring pressure to bear upon Mr. Calabrese and the RTA Board of Trustees. In summary, they are certainly always looking at all legal options litigation-wise but, at the table itself, all they are talking about right now is the acquisition. RTA has made it clear that, if we don't have an agreement of one sort or another, that they are ready, willing and able to continue transit services in this area with their own employees. Councilman Miller asked whether it would be appropriate to involve the state representatives in these efforts with RTA and ask for support. Congressman Kucinich has been very helpful, and we appreciate his efforts. However, he has not heazd anything with regard to the state representatives. Mayor Musial said the state representatives, other Congressional representatives and Senators have been communicated with by virtue of the correspondence that has been sent out to the various entities. The city has been directing most of its effort to Congressman Kucinich because of his influence involving federal dollars, but we would appreciate all the support we can get. Councilman Miller said he would hope that the unions and the administration could bring a little pressure on the state rep to get active and get involved. Mayor Musial: 1) This evening, Councilman Limpert will ask Council to reappoint Brian Zergott and John Crook to the Architectural Review Board for the term of 1 / 1 /OS through 12/31/06, and also to reappoint Don Frazier, Roy Garland, Barbara Brown, Gerald Yustick, Beverle Martindale and Christine Kilbane to the Cultural Activities Committee for the year 2005. It would be appreciated if Council approved these appointments. 2) The city submitted the names of Richard Jesse, Thomas O'Grady and Doug Sebring to the County Commissioners as reappointments to the North Olmsted Tax Incentive Review Council for the term of 1 /1 /03 through 12/31 /OS to be effective on or before 1 / 1 /O5. They have been approved, and it's going to take a few more weeks before they are made off cial, but they are able to participate in the Tax Incentive Review Council. 3) With regards to RTA, he has been in consultation with Loree Soggs, the executive secretary of the Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council. Mr. Soggs has indicated that he has to remain neutral because, after he talked to the RTA General Mgr. Joe Calabrese, there may be a jurisdictional dispute between the NOMBL union and the RTA union. The Mayor explained to Mr. Soggs that, if there is a jurisdictional dispute, it's present only if RTA takes over NOMBL. If RTA entered into another five-year contract with NOMBL, there wouldn't be a union jurisdictional dispute. He was unable to convince him, and so we will not have the support of Loree Soggs. He is not sure of John Ryan's position in this matter. Congressman Kucinich and his aide Martin Gelfand have been in contact with John Ryan but have not received a concrete answer one way or the other. Councilman Gazeau said he was not sure why there was a union conflict and asked about Mr. Soggs' union affiliation. Mayor Musial said Mr. Soggs is the executive secretary of the Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council. He represents all of the unions: the plumbers, the carpenters, the heavy machine operators and the like. Mr. Soggs says there may be a jurisdictional dispute and, if there is, he is not to get involved. Therefore, he is going to remain neutral. The union is probably interested in this thing going forward because of all the monies coming in on the Euclid corridor--construction jobs, etc. However, we were relying upon Mr. Soggs supporting us because we supported them a lot of times. 2