11/20/2009 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 10-20-2009 meetings regarding this issue. Councilman Mahoney thanked Mr. Sturgeon for his comments. He indicated that the Recreation, Public Parks and Buildings Committee meeting will be held on October 27 at 8:15 p.m. to discuss Ordinance 2009-109. The city is having financial difficulties and economic constraints which, in his opinion, took precedence over the dog issue. There have been no closed door discussions between him and the Mayor, and he had no further discussion with Mayor O'Grady. Mayor O'Grady said that Mr. Mahoney did say he was going to talk to him after the meeting. Councilman Mahoney said the Mayor left shortly after the meeting. Mr. Sturgeon asked Councilman Mahoney if he needs additional information. Councilman Mahoney said since Mr. Sturgeon's addressing him specifically, he will indicate that he needs no further information from him or from the Administration. Councilman Mahoney pointed out that the North Olmsted Soccer Organization as well as the Hot Stove League Operating in North Olmsted is against allowing dogs in the parks. They weren't present at the committee meeting, but he believes it was Councilman Gareau who indicated that the president of the North Olmsted Soccer Organization, Mr. Cora, and immediate past president, Marty Hayes, were against that particular Ordinance. There has been some negative indication from members of the community in regards to this particular Ordinance. On the 27t" next week at 8:15, they will have a committee hearing. If you wish to present any additional information or you wish to present your same position, you will have every opportunity to do that. Mayor O'Grady said North Olmsted is the only city around here that restricts pets. The city is restricting those people who are good, responsible pet owners. There is nothing gained by holding legislation in committee. Take action on things. Serve the people as you're elected to do and let's move this thing forward. If someone has a question or an issue about it, let's bring them in the meeting and have them speak. Let's hear what they have to say and make sure that we understand. Right now, the Administration is fully supportive, the Animal Warden's supportive, the Safety Director's supportive, and the Service Director's supportive Councilman Mahoney said he's somewhat baffled at the urgency and the timeliness of this. This is an Ordinance that the Animal Warden indicated he doesn't enforce anyways. Councilman Mahoney said on October 27, they will have the committee hearing and they will go from there. Matt Peters, 32869 Sorrento Lane, Avon Lake said he's here as a member of the North Olmsted Firefighters Local and a representative. He appreciates the words from his fellow member earlier and touching on the safety issues that they've come and talked to Council frequently about. They were one of the first unions to step up and offer concessions this past year to avert those layoffs and to keep the safety levels intact. The impacts have been very numerous. They may be hard to document. There may be small impacts -impacts that may not have occurred right that second. He said he has seen a stroke unfold before his eyes they responded in a timely manner, He was able to treat that patient effectively because he knew what happened and the timeline that happened. If he showed up just a minute or so later, and that person wasn't able to talk to him and give him that information that he got a minute before that, the care would have changed tremendously. Those are the type of impacts that they have talked about. They are looking to apply for a federal grant that's going to open up any time right now, that's going to give them access to federal dollars to possibly rehire firefighters that are laid off. 7