05/20/2008 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 5/20/2008 AIi1DIENCE PARTIC~'~-'i~N_ 1) Jennifer Rudolph, 3321 Walter Road, asked if the YMCA backed out of the Recreation deal or was it the city administration that was rethinking it based on public comment? Mayor O'Grady answered it was the decision of the city. Ms. Rudolph asked if public meetings would be held during June. Mayor O'Grady said every Council meeting is a public meeting. Ms. Rudolph indicated she meant meetings separate from Council meetings for people to address whatever plan is going to be. Mayor O'Grady said, if people would like to address this issue, they'll have that opportunity during the public meetings before Council. Ms. Rudolph questioned the use of levy money to conduct architectural analysis and planning as there was $40,000 allocated in 2006 to do much that same thing. Mayor O'Grady agreed that was part of the Recreation Master Plan which was a step along the way. Once we get to this stage, we are talking hundreds of thousands of dollars in costs for detailed engineering, detailed market analysis, detailed architecture. All of those costs go beyond anything we could budget for now. In order to get to that level, we need to have the approval of the citizens first before we make that kind of an expenditure. Ms. Rudolph noted the residents would be approving a levy for a new building and they will not really know the contents of that building until after those analyses are done and after the levy is passed. Mayor O'Grady agreed they would not know the specifics, but he indicated that residents can look at recently opened recreation centers in Westlake and Fairview Park to get an idea of what it will contain. There will be a significant concentration or attention to eardio, which is what people want. There will be courts available far playing basketball, running/walking track, cardio equipment. It's going to be a modern facility that is going to best serve the needs of the citizens. That will be determined through the study. Ms. Rudolph noted the project in Fairview Park was significantly more of a partnership between the schools than what was done in North Olmsted. Mayor O'Grady said that was correct. Certainly from our perspective in North Olmsted, we welcome partnership. Ms. Rudolph did not feel that it was invited, but Mayor O'Grady felt that statement was in error. 2) Dennis Lambert, 25057 Carey Lane, interpreted the Mayor's comments on the Recreation plan as: he tried to give the residents a plan, they didn't like it, so now he's not going to give a plan but will give a chance for people to vote on a paper plan. When that is paid for, citizens will get a plan they're going to like. Regarding Ordinance 200$- 67, he agrees with the original ordinance which required the Service and Safety Directors to attend Council meetings. He noted it was passed because Council at the time saw too many instances where questions were asked and administrators were not available at the Council meetings to answer those questions. He noted Council has a right to ask for the attendance of directors at Council meetings. If they need to miss a meeting, Council would certainly understand and is able to decide what is right or wrong. Mayor O'Grady commented it is not a question of whether or not directors should attend Council meetings; it is a question of who should require them. He has a policy to cover this. 3) Donald Pangrac, 23470 Sharon Drive, commented that other cities have been converting their traffic control lights to halogen which are much brighter and wondered if North Olmsted was planning to do the same. Mayor O'Grady said the city was looking at LED lights which have a far longer lifespan. They are clearer to see and their energy use 11