10/01/2013 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 10-01-2013 Master Plan every 10 years. Sturgeon asked if it cost $75,000 ten years ago. Copfer said she will have to get the exact number but she remembers it being fairly costly. Wenger fiw said in 2003, the city applied for a grant for $30,000 through the County. This was used to do portions of the current Master Plan—the mapping and some element of the planning process. That was not nearly enough to help. She did most of the writing and most of the meetings and coordination. She now does not have the capacity to carry out her job function plus work on the Master Plan. She needs a consultant to assist. $30,000 does not give the level of detail for the community to look at specific plans and areas. It's more money than 10 years ago but the current situation is different. She wants a higher level of detail, and she needs a consultant that can do more of the plan with her guidance than her being the primary author of the plan. Sturgeon asked her about spending $75,000 over ten years, and Wenger said she feels it's worth it. The city has accomplished an amazing number of things from the current Master Plan. It has served the city well. The challenges the city faces in the next 10 years — especially climbing out of a recession — require creative ideas and innovation to overhaul the plan instead of just updating the current plan. The last Master Plan was the foundation of many different plans and projects, which led to millions of dollars in grants for the city. Sturgeon asked if the cost could be reduced. Wenger said the city can do anything, but you will get the quality you pay for at that point. Thomas O'Grady, 6328 Hastings said he and Mayor Kennedy have disagreed on the value of the Mayor's Court. He asked if the Mayor has assessed fees for the court such as electricity, gas, maintenance etc. that other departments in the city have to put into their budgets. Mayor Kennedy said no, they are consistent with other departments. For example, the Finance Dept. is not charged for electricity. O'Grady said he had the opportunity to visit the Mayor's Court. It was an interesting experience and the Magistrate is very gifted. He asked if the Mayor's secretary and Law secretary are being compensated for helping with Mayor's Court. Mayor Kennedy said yes. Gareau said his secretary is able to use compensatory time. If she assists on an evening of Mayor's Court, she is able to have time off the following day. Mayor Kennedy said his secretary does the same thing. O'Grady said he cannot see the cost of those employees even though they are working in the court. Doesn't this suggest that costs are being hidden? Mayor Kennedy said no, they work on court day for maybe an hour to an hour and a half. O'Grady asked if there is an accounting of two full time Secretary 1 with their pay and benefits rolled into the cost of the Mayor's Court. Mayor Kennedy said everyone on City Council has been briefed on this and they fully understand. O'Grady requested an accounting of the two full time Secretaries' pay and benefits within a week. Council President Jones said that O'Grady should be making his public records request through the Administration, not Council. O'Grady said that all public records requests go to the Clerk of Council. He said he will follow up with a public records request. LEGISLATION Ordinance 2013-83 introduced by Mayor Kennedy was given its second reading. An Ordinance amending Chapter 513 of the General Offenses Code of the Codified Ordinances of the City of North Olmsted entitled "Drug Abuse Control" in order to create N„_ a local Code provision making illegal the possession of marijuana drug paraphernalia. 5