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MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE COUNCIL <br />OF THE CITY OF NORTH OLMSTED <br />DECEMBER 7, 2021 <br />Present: Council President Jones, Council Members Brossard, Glassburn, Hemann <br />& Limpert <br />Also Present: Director of Finance Copfer, Director of Law Gareau, Director of Planning <br />& Community Development Lieber and Clerk of Council Massarolo <br />Absent: Councilmembers Kelly, Schumann & Williamson; Mayor Kennedy <br />Council President Jones called the meeting to order at 8:00 p.m. in Council Chambers, <br />5200 Dover Center Road, North Olmsted, Ohio. <br />Members of the audience were invited to join Council in the recitation of the Pledge of <br />Allegiance. <br />The Council Meeting Minutes of November 16, 2021 were approved as written. <br />REPORTS <br />Director of Law Gareau: <br />First, in regards to the Westbury apartment complex. The City of North Olmsted <br />received a conviction in fines totaling $400,000 in total. There is $20,000 due <br />immediately with $380,000 suspended pending five years of probation. An order <br />to abate is also forthcoming and it is being drafted. This is the largest fine in at <br />least his 12 years of doing the job. The City is working with the Westbury to <br />provide financing for repairs. It was asked last week about the cost of repairs. So <br />far it is in excess of a million dollars and will likely be in the millions of dollars. <br />The City is actively involved in the discussions with the lender and the Westbury. <br />The Building Department is working to ensure the plans submitted for repair are <br />in accordance with Ohio requirements. The conviction and probation terms <br />provide the City additional tools to compel repairs. <br />On November 18, 2021 the City appeared in a preliminary injunction hearing to <br />enforce the order issued by the City to turn over the dogs in the Amanda Ramos <br />case. This is the civil matter scheduled downtown. On November 24, the Court <br />granted the City's order for the preliminary injunction. Ms. Ramos is now <br />enjoined on a preliminary basis to turn over the dogs for humane destruction. <br />Upon failure to do so, and she has not done so yet, the City will ask the court to <br />proceed with contempt hearings which could include additional jail time and/or <br />fines if found to be in contempt. A status hearing has been scheduled on <br />December 16 in the afternoon. In the criminal case there is also a pretrial <br />scheduled for December 16. The law department's position in the criminal case is <br />she can plead on the charges or proceed to trial. <br />As a follow-up to the last Council meeting, during my report a number of <br />questions were posed regarding the Westbury issues. The issue of condemning the <br />building was brought up by Councilwoman Hemann and she said the elevator had <br />