01/06/2009 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 1/6/2009 5) The North Olmsted Senior Center is taking appointments for income tax assistance. All persons over the age of 55 who need help filing. their taxes must call the Senior Center for an appointment, and those appointments can be made on any Wednesday beginning February 4 through Apri18. 6) The Recorder's office will be back at the Senior Center on January 15 from 10:30 to 1 to offer copies of deeds as well as to discuss those deeds. 7) January 24 is National Skating Day and there will be free skating all day long at the North Olmsted Recreation Center. 8) Due to building grade level realignment and changing student transportation patterns, the North Olmsted City Schools determined that fewer crossing guards are needed. An independent assessment by the North Olmsted Police Department in October confirmed that most locations were under utilized or in some cases had no children crossing. Therefore, school crossing guards will now be used at two locations: Butternut and Pine. The guards have been notified of this change which will become effective with the end of this current school semester, January 22, 2009. 9) A public hearing has been set regarding Suburban Collision Center for Wednesday, February 11, at 6:30 p.m. at the North Olmsted Library. A public notice will be in the Plain Dealer on January 13. Representing the City of Cleveland Division of Air Quality will be David Hearne. 10) The city's water study was completed by HNTB in coordination with the city of Westlake. A presentation to Council will be given on January 14 at 7 p.m. 11) During our last significant snow event of 2008, the Service Dept. used a new product called Clear Lane on our salt routes and at various important intersections. Due to the use of Clear Lane, less passes were needed to maintain the routes and keep them clear and the residual affects avoided overtime and re-salting on those same areas. Though more costly than rock salt, we have less total costs with savings in tonnage, fuel and man hours. Further reductions in the cost of de-icing will be achieved with the installation of anew brine tank and calcium tank. Brine is far less expensive than liquid calcium and just as effective except during extreme low temperatures when we would return to the use of calcium. 12) Ordinance 2008-164, which temporarily reduces the city's income tax credit, is now before Council. The administration proposes an amendment to that legislation based upon comments heard from members of Council. The change would be a two-year term, and the reduction of the tax credit would only be 25% in the second year. The tax credit in 2009 would be 50% and 75% in 2010. He strongly encourages Council to amend the legislation and pass it. The city has already had dramatic cuts in personnel as required by the current economic conditions. Without this additional revenue, additional cuts will be required. Additional cuts are of great concern to the Police Chief, the Fire Chief, the Safety Director, the Service Director, and to all in the administration. If it is not passed in January, it cannot be done later in the year. Councilman Gareau noted that the Mayor had not mentioned he would be traveling to Washington, D. C. in January and wondered if that was correct. Mayor O'Grady said he would be attending the United States Conference of Mayors. The primary focus is the economic stimulus package for Main Street. There have already been direct meetings between the U. S. Conference of Mayors and President-elect Obama. They hope to work 2