02/20/2007 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 2/20/2007 Ordinance No. 2007-8 introduced by Mayor O'Grady was given its third reading. An ordinance amending Sections 172.01 and 172.02 of Chapter 172 of the Administrative Code, entitled "Tax Incentive Review Council," in order to bring the sections into compliance with State law, and declaring an emergency. Councilman Tallon moved for adoption. The motion was seconded by Councilman Miller and passed unanimously. Ordinance No. 2007-8 adopted. Ordinance No. 2007-9 introduced by Mayor O'Grady was given its third reading. An ordinance providing for the issuance and sale of $1,410,000 of notes, in anticipation of the issuance of bonds, for the purpose of improving certain designated streets in the City, in cooperation with the Director of Transportation of the State of Ohio and Cuyahoga County and otherwise, by grading, draining, constructing, reconstructing and rehabilitating the pavement base, curbs and sidewalks and adjusting, rehabilitating and reconstructing catch basins, manholes and water valve boxes, where necessary, preparing the surface and surfacing and resurfacing, in each case together with the necessary appurtenances and work incidental thereto. Councilman Tallon moved for adoption. The motion was seconded by Councilman Miller. Roll call: Tallon, yes; Miller, yes; Jones, yes; Barker, yes; Orlowski, yes, with comment that he would like the administration to keep Council apprised of the bid prices on the streets that are listed on this ordinance. Ro11 call continued: Gareau: yes, with comment, that almost one and a half million dollars is being spent to do the street repair. In the past, the city has engaged in similar spending tactics and then failed to actually maintain the streets. He does vote for this, but hopes, by the next time we see any proposed street renovations, we can look forward to a comprehensive street maintenance program so we can get out of the cycle of having short-lived streets which continue to collapse or not meet their usefulness from lack of maintenance. This occurred with the bridge over Rt. 252 where the State of Ohio was going to tell us to pay for the whale thing because we didn't maintain it. We got lucky there with some good work by the administration. If we are not going to maintain the streets after fixing them, then at some point in time harrowing money to fix them becomes kind of irrelevant. He hopes a discussion of how to maintain the streets will be had during the budget hearings. Roll call continued: Ryan, yes, with comment. Since the vote is 6-0, it would be easy for him to vote no and go against the will of Council on this issue. He deeply respects the will of Council on this because the money is coming out of the General Fund ultimately. He has been in the city 35 years and has seen how we handled the Recreation Center, sewer projects, and other projects where much of the money that is paid in interest on these notes goes outside the city. That money does not become part of our city by hiring workers and going into the infrastructure of this city. It deeply troubles him that once again we're on the path of borrowing money to do something this year, but we're going to have to pay for it for 10 or 20 years. There has to come a point in time where we have to start saying no. He has discussed this with the Finance Director who provided helpful information. He defers to her and to Council, and he assumes that Council has also taken a very careful look at this and feels this is the way to go. He is deeply troubled in voting yes, but he has to defer to Council and assume they know what they are doing on this. The motion passed unanimously. Ordinance No. 2007-9 adopted. Councilman Miller commented that Mr. Gareau had made very good points about the importance of street maintenance. Another issue which he, Mr. Limpert, 8