President of Council Kathy McNear called Council to order on September 21, 2005, at 7:00 p.m.

The governmental body and those in attendance recited the pledge of allegiance. Mr. Knox gave the invocation.

Mr. Knox took roll call. Present were Council members Danbury, Galster, Pollitt, Squires, Vanover, and McNear. Mr. Wilson was absent

The minutes of September 7, 2005 were approved with six affirmative votes.

COMMITTEE AND OFFICIAL REPORTS

Civil Service Commission – Mr. Strange reported that they will be conducting a patrol officer test on October 15. We are looking at how we can get bilingual applicants to come to our community.

Rules and Laws - no report

Public Relations - no report

Public Health, Safety & Welfare - no report

Public Works - no report

Public Utilities - no report

Capital Improvements - no report

Finance Committee - no report

Planning Commission - Mr. Galster stated they had the Kemper Square landscaping and sign plan on the agenda. There was no representation and it was removed from the agenda. Glenmary Home Missioners asked for a driveway to either Yorkhaven or Ray Norrish Drive. They need a conditional use permit because it goes to a residential area. A driveway to Ray Norrish Drive was approved. There will be an electronic gate and it won’t be used as a cut-through street. A preliminary transitional overlay plan for a proposed insurance office at 309 West Kemper Road was recommended to Council for approval. A minor modification to the PUD at the mall for a bump out for Men’s Warehouse was approved 5-1.

Board of Zoning Appeals - no report

Board of Health – Ms. Pollitt said Mrs. Mitrione told the board about the River Valley Exercise that the health commissioner participated in. This was an exercise to meet a medical emergency. SOS is sponsoring Parent to Parent classes at the Community Center in October. Other health programs are also being presented at the Community Center. These programs are ones that the public considered concerns through a health survey that was conducted in Springdale. New FSO/RFE fees have been established and will be passed at a later meeting.

Veteran’s Memorial Committee – Mr. Galster said they met to do some brainstorming. They entered into an agreement with Kathleen Raabe to allow her to solicit funds on their behalf. We did receive a nice contribution from the Comer Family Trust.

Mrs. McNear said they are doing a rotation on that committee. Mr. Vanover will be coming off and Mr. Danbury will be going on.

O-K-I – Mr. Knox said I attended the meeting on September 8. The major portion of the meeting was presentations on the Banks projects.

Mayor’s Report – Mayor Webster said the Springdale history has started and stopped over the years. It has been stopped for far too long. I read the Village of Glendale’s history and was very impressed. We contacted the person who headed up the project, Rachel Schmidt and met with her. She is in the process of putting together a proposal to head the effort for us. In Glendale, Rachel was managing the volunteers. I don’t see a lot of volunteers here in Springdale, therefore, we’re proposing to engage the services of Rachel and she will be contracting with other firms to put this together. We have a meeting scheduled for Friday morning and have asked Mrs. McNear to join us to represent the Council. Hopefully, we will be prepared to present the proposal to Council on October 5. We’re still looking for photos. We don’t need to keep the photos; we just need to scan them and we will return them. Our tentative goal is to have the history book printed and available in 2006. That may be too energetic but that’s the goal. The first increment of our history was done by someone who is now deceased. That took our history to the late 1980s so we have a head start on text. The text needs to be compressed, the history up to 2000 added and photographs mixed in.

Mr. Danbury asked what would volunteers do?

Mayor Webster replied in Glendale they had committees to write articles, do research and text editing.

Mr. Danbury asked have you contacted any churches to see if they might lend a hand? The church I go to is interested in the bicentennial. There may be opportunities for them to put the word out for this.

Mayor Webster said we have contacted some of the churches trying to recoup pictures. We have not reached out for volunteers. I think if we’re going to get this done, we will have to farm it out. We have relied on Council and the Administration to do it and we both have failed. We are no closer to having a printed history today than we were ten years ago.

Mr. Galster asked do you have a dollar amount in mind?

Mayor Webster replied maybe after meeting Friday we will have some numbers. This will include printing 4,000 to 5,000 copies. There will be some recovery as we well when we sell those copies but this is an investment we are making in the history of the City.

Mr. Osborn stated we need citizen involvement in compiling pictures. We have text but no photos. We have run requests in our newsletters over the past year. We have been to the Historical Society. We’ve contacted churches. The tough part is finding a relative of someone who used to live in Springdale, who has the photos that Grandpa collected in 1910. We would appreciate anyone in the community in possession of photographs bringing them forward. They could be any photos that give a visual impression of what life was like in a particular period in the City’s history.

Mayor Webster reported we were notified three or four months ago that the Maple Knoll Senior Citizens facility was being considered for closing. The scheduled closing is December 31, 2005. We were asked if we would consider picking up all or some of the activities that take place in the Senior Citizens Center. We have looked at those and two questions came to mind. One, do we want to pick up those services and offer them to the Springdale senior citizens. In my conversations with all of you, it was a resounding yes. We want to make sure we get good use out of the Community Center, especially during daytime hours. Most of the activities take place between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The second question is the Maple Knoll Senior Center for Older Adults has 786 members. Forty-three percent of those are Springdale residents. Forest Park has 19%, Glendale, 4%, Greenhills, 9% and Lincoln Heights, Woodlawn, Lockland and Wyoming combined at 10%, Springfield Township, 8%, and Fairfield and Port Union have 8%. Three-hundred thirty-five out of the 786 are Springdale residents who are going to come up here anyway. Of those 335, 149 are already members of our center. Now, do we want to offer this to the other 451 people? After talking with Council, our recommendation is that we would like to accommodate the non-Springdale residents. We told the Senior Citizens Center that we would like to give this a try but we would like to have a subsidy to off-set the cost of bringing in the other 451 non-residents. Maple Knoll Center agreed to pay us $100 a year for every non-Springdale senior citizen who signs up for this program with a maximum of $50,000 for a two-year agreement. If, at the end of next September, we see that we don’t have the capacity to handle this, we have the option of opting out of the agreement effective January 1, 2007. Each non-Springdale senior who signs up pays $20 to Maple Knoll. They will pay that to us. An additional cost savings for the City is that every year since they opened that center we have given them very generous donations, some years $13,000 or $14,000. In recent years it has been $10,000. We found out that recently we are the only community that has been subsidizing that agency. We will be adding some staff. We will be adding a full-time senior programming director, part-time custodian, and maybe we’ll have to hire a part-time front office person. There will be very little budget impact for the years 2006 and 2007. In January 2008 we can start charging those people a fee or we can go to the communities in which they live. Some of the activities we are offering are duplicate bridge, party bridge, blood pressure clinic, Active For Live, movies, Red Hat Ladies Club, bingos on Tuesday (not the big ones they offer on Thursday and Friday), card games, tax preparation, financial planners, investment club, educational programs, themed socials, etc.

Mr. Osborn said non-residents will have limited use of the facility, no access to the fitness center or swimming pool. Their activities will be limited to the programs the Mayor just mentioned. Although there are over 700 members currently, the level of participation on a daily basis is substantially less than that. People will join but may not remain active. Our population is aging and we do need to provide programming tailored to a great segment of our population.

Mr. Danbury said the main bingo sessions will be moved to Greenhills. When we designed the new building we designed it for everyone. We are finding more and more seniors using it. Have we given any consideration to the total amount of handicap spaces we have at the Community Center?

Mayor Webster said we will monitor that but most of the activities take place between 9 a.m. and 2:30.

Mr. Galster asked how many people are you talking about for additional staff?

Mayor Webster said one full-time senior program director, one part-time custodian and possibly a part-time front desk person.

Mr. Galster asked were we considering hiring a program director for the Community Center in general?

Mayor Webster replied when we put the budget together we said we were going to hire back the third assistant.

Mr. Osborn said we are going to hire a third assistant to go back to the staffing we had before we had to reduce our staff because we need that person anyhow. The party we’re talking about here will have as his/her primary responsibility the organizing and executing of the programming for the seniors. If they can provide other assistance outside that, that would be fine.

Clerk of Council/Finance Director – Mr. Knox stated we are going to bring an ordinance before you to roll the note for $1.5 that we have had for the street program. We will be paying $250,000 of that off so the ordinance will be for $1,250,000. On January 14, 2006 we will be holding a seminar that will address the tax forms used by the City of Springdale. We are soliciting all residents who are interested in seeing changes to those tax forms to be at that meeting, and if possible, before that meeting contact the Tax Department with your questions so we can have a proper agenda.

Administrator’s Report – Mr. Osborn said last meeting I gave you an overview of disaster assistance that the public safety departments have offered to FEMA. Since then, David Butsch, Superintendent for Public Works, linked up with the Public Works Director for Biloxi, Mississippi. He was trying to organize a delivery of supplies that they would need in the course of restoring utilities, etc. Deliveries through FEMA negated that need. In his discussions with the Public Works Director, it was decided what they really needed was more managers involved in Public Works so they can address better coordination of restoration efforts. Mr. Butsch just returned from there. His specific assignment was to help bring back the sanitary sewer system. Because Biloxi is so low-lying, they have a lot of lift stations to lift sanitary sewage from lower areas to higher areas. He really brought home the scope of devastation down there. He said you could look horizon to horizon in every direction and just see devastation. While his time there provided assistance to that city, it also was a real benefit to us. It gave him hands on experience in the restoration process following a major disaster. I think he learned a lot about the fundamentals, what’s important. I have asked him to put together a presentation for our next staff meeting. We are going to try to use his experience to help reinforce our own Emergency Operation Plan.

Mr. Osborn stated the dedication of the historic plaque of the street clock at Kemper and Springfield Pike will be held on September 23.

Mr. Osborn said we are approaching the Community Block Grant application cycle. Under this program we have to hold two public meetings, advertised in advance, materials we may select as our projects. I was going to suggest that we do it October 19 and November 2. The deadline for submitting is November 4. We’re trying to ramp our housing and property maintenance code enforcement. We are going to look at what is eligible under this program, and if at all possible, target that area for funding, such as funding to supplement our inspection program, to help do rehabilitation.

Mr. Osborn reported that the City has been advised that we will be recipient of a 2005 historic preservation award from the Ohio Historical Society. When we became aware of this program, Dave Butsch and I both thought about St. Mary’s Cemetery. He put together an application with some very good before and after pictures. The award will be distributed October 8.

Mr. Osborn continued we have been updating our Emergency Operation Plan. We are in the process of collecting outstanding sets of the EOP and replacing them with the new, updated version.

Mr. Danbury said I asked before if we have an emergency plan. What would happen if there is some kind of event here? Who would we call?

Mr. Osborn responded it really hasn’t changed since we distributed the plan four or five years ago. It lays out the backbone for almost any type of disaster. The subplot changes. Our two biggest concerns are tornados and hazardous material on the railroad. The third would be a terrorist act. The chain of command does not change from disaster to disaster. We have a very active County EMA that works very closely with the State EMA. We drill regularly. The tabletop exercise that Marge mentioned also had our public safety departments sitting in on the final day. The command staff will be participating in a three-day long drill in November that deals with a regional event. We have regional facilities such as Cinergy. If Biloxi, Mississippi loses its power they have to beg people to come. If Springdale loses its power, Cinergy has resources all over the country that they can saturate this area with assistance. The same holds true for water and sewer. We take this very seriously. Our public safety departments drill all the time. We were very active when the tornado hit Montgomery and we learned a lot. We learned about the communications problems. I’m confident that we will be ready.

Mayor Webster said we have plans to respond to a disaster. It’s like a general laying out a war plan. As soon as the first shot is fired the whole battle plan changes. The same is true with a disaster. We can plan and plan but we’re not going to know until it happens. We can step back and make sure we’re ready. We can make sure we have the communications and the hierarchy in place.

Mr. Osborn said the idea of unified command has really taken root. The Mayor, Derrick and I, and everyone else involved in the first responder process has to pass a NIMS test on line before the end of this month. We have to be certified. That’s just the first step in an on-going process. Every organization has the same command structure. If there is a tornado in Springdale and Derrick and I have exhausted our ability to do our jobs, and we want to bring someone in from the outside, I know someone can walk right in and know our disaster plan because it’s just like theirs.

Law Director’s Report - no report

Engineer’s Report - no report

COMMUNICATIONS

COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE

Jerry Bridgeford, Olde Gate, said I am very much aware that Maple Knoll exists and am aware of all the things they have supplied in support of our various communities. The bingo income occurs twice a week. Can I assume that that income will go to Springdale?

Mayor Webster replied that income will not come to Springdale but they have to have some way to generate the revenue to pay us $100 per citizen of the non-Springdale residents who join the Community Center. That is probably one of the sources of revenue they will use to pay us, but Springdale has no involvement with that income.

Mr. Bridgeford stated that they have a number of volunteers who participate in their activities during the day. I would assume that the same people would be available here.

Mayor Webster said we will pass that onto our director and see if we can’t tap into that resource.

Mr. Bridgeford said you say all the activities are between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Mayor Webster said 95% of the activities take place during that time frame.

Mr. Bridgeford said I understand that their computers are going to be moved over here. Some people come in just to sit there. Some use desks in the lobby just for private bridge games.

Mayor Webster responded that probably will not be available in the evening hours when those rooms are scheduled for other meetings. If we have room available at 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon and four or five people want to get together and play bridge, that’s fine.

Mr. Bridgeford said there are probably over 150 members who voluntarily give money out of their own pocket to Maple Knoll. What’s going to happen to that money? Will you ignore it, not require it, not be interested in it?

Mayor Webster answered if anybody wants to give the City of Springdale money we will certainly take it, but we’re not going to make a campaign like they do. I also give and in the future I don’t expect to get a solicitation letter from them and I don’t anticipate giving that contribution to the City of Springdale.

Mr. Bridgeford asked is Springdale going to be involved with Lifesphere?

Mayor Webster replied no, this a municipal program. The only connection with Lifesphere that Maple Knoll will have is that they will be giving us a subsidy based on the number of people who join. They will have nothing to do with the programming, management, administration of programs, or anything else.

Mr. Bridgeford said I’m glad to hear what you are proposing. I did not want to see that area go away. I think the City should make a serious effort to get money from other communities. I am pleased to see the City get involved and provide services.

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

ORDINANCE NO. 41-2005 “AMENDING SECTIONS 155.002, 155.003, 155.010, 155.051, 155.063, 155.064, 155.065, 155.110, AND 155.111 OF THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE OF THE CITY OF SPRINGDALE AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY”

Mr. Squires made a motion to adopt and Mr. Vanover seconded.

Mr. Osborn said I would like to summarize for the public what changes are being made here. We have amended the section dealing with the declaration of policy to include aesthetics as a purpose for the ordinance. We have added the protection of property values to the purpose of the Property Maintenance Code. We’ve also added a section that will make it illegal for a person to deface the exterior of any building. This language will also give the Building Official or his designee authority to go on the property and remove the graffiti and assess the cost if the residents do not follow the directive issued by the Building Department in the time provided. Another factor we have run into over the years is that it currently says if a window is broken out, then it has to be boarded up and repaired in a reasonable amount of time. There is nothing that says what a reasonable amount of time is so we are changing that to thirty days. We are also adding language to the Code to allow City forces to go onto vacant property and perform work deemed necessary, and also this section provides for the City to recover its costs through assessment against the property. The purpose here is to address abandoned properties where, when we can’t identify the owner, or ownership is in dispute and nobody is taking responsibility. This will allow us to move against the property without any delay.

Mayor Webster said two or three weeks ago I told Council that we were taking a good, long look at the Property Maintenance Code and looking at other codes to see how we can strengthen that. At the last Council meeting we had some amendments in, and this is another series tonight. We already know of one procedural change that we’ll probably be bringing in at the next Council meeting. We are going to continue to review it. We have completed the first phase of a City-wide blitz and there will be several letters go out because of that. It’s really not part of the Property Maintenance Code but we have had several conversations with the Police Department regarding the pit bull enforcement and are pleased to report that we are in pretty good shape as far as the number of pit bulls in the City. I would encourage anyone out there watching, if there are pit bulls in your neighborhood I urge you to report those to the Police Department. If someone has determined that they want to house a pit bull, then they need to be aware of the fact that when those dogs are out of the house, need to be muzzled, need to be on a leash. When they are in the yard they must be in a pen. If the pen is not six feet in height, it must have a roof on it. The fence and pen must be on a concrete pad three feet into the ground. In addition, they need $100,000 liability policy which they must present if asked for by the Police Department. Failure to do any of these things will cause the dog to be seized and we are very aggressively enforcing the pit bull/vicious dog ordinance in the City of Springdale.

Ms. Pollitt asked will this code apply to residential as well as commercial property?

Mr. Osborn replied it is geared toward residential. The code applies equally to both. We are ramping up the residential efforts. That’s not to say that we are neglecting the commercial. Hopefully, as we ramp up certain recommendations we are going to have for the 2006 budget, we will also see a higher level of enforcement on commercial properties as well.

Mr. Osborn said the reason we are bringing in the next amendment the Mayor mentioned is because under the current language, when we have to give somebody notice to cut their grass and they live out of the city we can send them a certified letter, or if it’s a rental property and they live in another part of the City we can send them a certified letter, but if they live in the house we have to make personal delivery. Somebody who wants to avoid personal delivery can do so for quite some time. The five day requirement on cutting grass doesn’t start until we physically serve the party with the notice. In order to avoid delays that we encounter occasionally, we want to modify that section dealing with how service is made to a person owning and living in the property that has the violation. There will be some changes specific to that coming forward.

Ordinance 41-2005 passed with six affirmative votes.

ORDINANCE NO. 42-2005 “DECLARING TWENTY-TWO POLICE DEPARTMENT BICYCLES AS SURPLUS PROPERTY AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR TO DONATE THE BICYCLES TO VINEYARD COMMUNITY CHURCH AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY”

Mr. Vanover made a motion to adopt and Ms. Pollitt seconded.

Ordinance 42-2005 passed with six affirmative votes.

ORDINANCE NO. 43-2005 “VACATING PORTIONS OF ELM ALLEY, CHERRY STREET AND PLUM STREET, AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CLERK OF COUNCIL/FINANCE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR SAID VACATION AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY (SPRINGDALE TOWN CENTER)”

Mr. Vanover made a motion to adopt and Mr. Squires seconded.

Ordinance 43-2005 passed with six affirmative votes.

OLD BUSINESS - none

NEW BUSINESS

Mr. Knox said we have the transfer of a liquor license from Vincenzo Muzzoco to The Verda Enterprises. There were no objections.

MEETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Government Officials Night at Princeton High School September 23

Mr. Osborn stated tomorrow is the first anniversary of Jeff Tulloch, the Economic

Development Director.

Board of Zoning Appeals - October 18

COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE - none

UPDATE ON LEGISLATION STILL IN DEVELOPMENT

Real estate acquisition

RECAP OF LEGISLATIVE ITEMS REQUESTED

Property Maintenance Code - October 5

Rolling of Note - October 5

Council adjourned at 8:35 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Edward F. Knox

Clerk of Council/Finance Director

Minutes Approved:

Kathy McNear, President of Council

__________________________, 2005