01/20/2009 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 1/20/2004 Councilman Kearney, chairperson of the Public Safety, Health & Welfare Committee: 1) The Safety Committee met from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 13. At 7:30 p.m., a short break was taken so the Finance Committee could meet. The meeting resumed at 7:45 p.m. Present were committee members Kearney, Orlowski, and Mahoney; the .President and all Council Members; the Mayor, Finance Director, Safety Director, Service Director, Police Chief, Fire Chief and guests. Agenda items included the following: • A liquor license transfer from Capital Funding Enterprises, DBA Clark Gas Station., 28925 Lorain Road to North Olmsted, Inc., DBA Clark Gas Station, 28925 Lorain Road. The committee voted 3-0 to not object to the liquor license transfer. Councilman Kearney made a motion that Council not object to the liquor permit transfer for the Clark Gas Station at 28925 Lorain Road. The motion was seconded by Councilman Orlowski and passed unanimously. • A discussion on the staffing of the Police and Fire Departments and how the recent layoffs affected the safety of the citizens. He and other members of Council had fielded questions from residents worrying about how the lack of manpower in the two departments might affect the safety of our city. The two Chiefs both stated, due to f nancial constraints, their departments must and will be able to carry on with business with no .affect to the safety of the residents. They believe the men that man the jobs are professionals and will handle their duties. Many fire fighters are concerned that the layoffs may affect response times if there are numerous calls at one time or calls back-to-back. These and other concenis worry the fire fighters, but he believes that to a man they will do whatever it takes to perform their duties. He called the meeting so that the administration. and unions could both air their thoughts and concerns. It was clear to hiin that the safety forces will do whatever it takes to maintain the level of safety that the residents of North Olmsted expect and deserve. This Council cannot do anything at this time about the layoffs; however, he for one will feel much better when these people are brought back to work for our city. The meeting ended at 8:20 p.m. Councilman Gareau noted there was legislation on the agenda concerning a tax credit reduction. He also noted that the appropriation Ordinance 2009-5 brought forward a balanced budget, and he asked the Finance Director whether it was correct that the balanced budget dial not depend on the tax increase. .Finance Director Copfer said that was correct or the appropriations legislation could not have been brought forward. Councilman Gareau said he also wanted to make very clear that at the last meeting the Mayor, in discussing the same legislation, indicated that, if Council did not pass the tax increase, without it there would be additional layoffs. Is Mrs. Copfer in a position to discuss whether or not there are additional layoffs included. in order to present Council. with. Ordinance 2009-5? Finance Director Copfer answered there are not additional layoffs included in Ordinance 2009-5. She believes the Mayor was stating that there is no cushion in this budget and, if one or more of the assumptions change such as when the State re-evaluates its budget and potentially reduces the local. government funding or some other changes such as the estate tax formula, that at that point in time the Mayor 6