02/07/2007 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 2/7/2007 Education Standing Committee. The committee had a representation from the office of Sen. Kennedy of Massachusetts who chairs the Senate Committee on Education. It was emphasized to him about the holes in the No Child Left Behind program, and the fact that the annual yearly progress (AYP) standard is unworkable. It will be interesting to watch over the coming year if true change and reform happens with regard to federal mandates on education. He encourages Council to get involved with the National League of Cities conference which is coming up soon. Law Director Dubelko: 1) The Law Department is looking into the issue of Tic Tac fruit machines which are located in businesses throughout the city. He has been talking with the Attorney General's office, the County Prosecutor's office and with other law directors in the county. Whether or not the machines are illegal is an unsettled issue in Ohio. 2) He has been working with the Mayor and Finance Director in formatting an administrative policy or practice that would help directors and division heads to determine when a written contract is more prudent than a purchase order for an expenditure. 3) He is preparing a legal opinion for Finance Director regarding her responsibilities with respect to financial operations in Rocky River Court. 4) The lease between the city and STC for property on Butternut Ridge Road has been executed and lease payments should begin. The lease provides for $750 a month, retroactive from October 1, 2006 to end of this year. 5) Prosecutor's report: total of 154 cases-69 of which were General Offenses, and the balance were traffic matters. There were two trials and two convictions. 6) Civil litigation: • City had an arbitration with the OPBA representing the dispatchers on a grievance filed regarding orthodontic coverage for the dispatchers. The arbitration was held on February 1, and it will be some time before the arbitrator issues its award. • C. & C. Realty v. North Olmsted Board of Zoning Appeals. City prevailed in the Court of Common Pleas, but the property owner took an appeal and the matter is scheduled for oral argument on March 5 at 10:30 a.m. • N. O. Fire Fighters v. City of North Olmsted-the city's motion to vacate an arbitration award regarding one of the management rights issues coming out of the Fire Dept. The case is assigned to Judge Jose Villanueva. Briefs are due on February 16, 2007. 7) Regarding real property maintenance issues, Asst. Law Director Carole Heyward is working with the Building Dept. in establishing a very workable and useful vacant housing report. The report will identify clearly which are the vacant properties, particularly housing properties in the city, and insuring that there is good coordination between the Building Dept. and the Law Dept. He has talked briefly with the Mayor about trying to put together a more comprehensive plan on attacking real property maintenance problems in the city that would coordinate the efforts of Building, Safety and Law. Regarding the Prosecutor's report and cases being down significantly, Councilman Ryan questioned how the city would make up the loss of revenues. Mayor O'Grady said that the STOP program had undergone changes with the aim of making it more transparent. 3