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MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORTH OLMSTED DECEMBER 2, 2008 Present: President of Council Kennedy, Council Members Barker, Gareau, Dailey Jones, Kearney, Mahoney, Orlowski, Ryan Also Present: Mayor O'Grady, Law Director Dubelko, Finance Director Copfer, Clerk of Council Seman President Kennedy called the meeting to order at 8 p.m. in Council Chambers, 5200 Dover Center Road, North Olmsted, Ohio. Members of the audience were invited to join Council in the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. The minutes of the Council meeting of November 18, 2008 were approved as written. President Kennedy announced the following legislation would be considered for passage under suspension of the rules: second reading, Ordinances 2008-142, 2008-143, 2008-14.4, 2008-145, 2008-146,_ 2008-150 and Resolution 2008-153; first reading, Resolutions 2008-154, 2008-157, 2008-158. President Kennedy announced a public hearing would be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 with regard to Ordinance 2008-131. REPORTS Mayor O'Grady: 1) When he took office, he stated the government needed to become more efficient and operated as a business and to search out and find those efficiencies that would reduce costs to our taxpayers. The approach he took would work to ensure that the burden of the reorganization did not fall on the shoulders of an individual through layoffs. In 3 % years, the size of the government has been reduced by about 10%, which was done without layoffs. That is about to change. Our economy is experiencing a downturn that has no precedent for generations. We are facing a fiscal crisis, and the crisis is striking evenly and everywhere. Part of this economic downturn has led to the requirement that the city issue five layoff letters to police officers and five to fire fighters, which was done after a great deal of effort to find alternatives. He does it with great regret and with an apology to each of those people. He will meet with each of those people, but he is offering a public general apology because, despite best efforts, he wasn't able to avert what is coming. He offers words of encouragement as well that, as these layoffs go forward, the administration will do everything in its power to support the people with counseling. And the administration will work within the existing structure so that, as soon as they are able, those same people are brought back in. He makes that .~ _,