09/15/2009 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 9-15-2009 Councilman Kearney, Chairman of the Public Safety, Health, and Welfare Committee: 1) The Public Health and Safety Committee met September 8`" from 7:15 p.m. to 7:55 p.m. Present were committee members Orlowski, Kearney, and Mahoney; Council President Kennedy; Council members Brossard, Barker, Jones, and Gareau; Law Director and Safety Director. Discussed was Ordinance 2009-102 an ordinance sponsored by Council members Mahoney, Brossard, and Kearney. The ordinance amends Section 331.42 of the Traffic Code in order to prohibit text messaging while operating a motor vehicle and declaring an emergency, as amended. This law was originally written to prohibit talking on cell phones while driving. Today, texting while driving is used more and more and causes even greater distraction than talking and driving. Talking on the phone in North Olmsted is a secondary offense meaning that a police officer cannot cite a driver for cell phone use unless he is pulled over for a primary offense, such as speeding. This ordinance would make texting while driving a primary offense and would give police authority to pull over a driver solely for the texting offense. Presently a ticket for talking on the cell phone; a person can only be fined three dollars for the first offense. This ordinance will make a first time texting offense one hundred dollars on the guilty driver. Many pros and cons were discussed. The committee voted 3-0 in favor of Ordinance 2009-102. 2) Tonight at 7:25 p.m. the committee met to discuss a liquor license purchase by George Group Great Northern Ltd. D.B.A. Harry Buffalo at 4824 Great Northern Boulevard located at the old Bennigan's. The committee voted 3-0 to not object to the license. Councilman Kearney made a motion that Council not object liquor license for Harry Buffalo at 4824 Great Northern Boulevard. The motion was seconded by Councilman Orlowski and passed unanimously. No objection to the liquor license for Harry Buffalo. Law Director Dubelko gave a friendly reminder to Councilman Kearney to make a motion to amend 2009-102 consistent with the committee's recommendations. Councilman Kearney made a motion to amend 2009-102. The motion was seconded by Councilman Gareau and passed unanimously. Ordinance 2009-102 amended. Councilman Mahoney Chairman of the Recreation, Public Parks and Buildings Committee: 1) The Recreation, Public Parks and Buildings Committee met on September 9, 2009 at 7:55 p.m. There were two pieces of legislation on the agenda for that particular committee meeting. First was Ordinance 2009-101 introduced by Mayor O'Grady. It's an ordinance revising the organizational chart of the division of Springvale Golf Course by abolishing the position of Custodial Supervisor at the Springvale ballroom in order to deliver services in a more efficient and economical manner. Present were Council President Kennedy, committee members Brossard, Jones, and Mahoney along with Councilmen Barker, Orlowski, Gareau, and Kearney and Community Life Services Director John Dailey. Director Dailey indicated that after review and study of operations at Springvale, it was decided that in order to continually make efforts to cut costs whenever possible, that the current Custodial Supervisor position at Springvale be abolished. After listening to the presentation by Director Dailey, it was recommended by the committee to approve Ordinance 2009-101 by a vote of 3-0. Note to Council that this is on suspension this evening. 8