Council of the Village of Yellow Springs

VILLAGE OF YELLOW SPRINGS

MINUTES

IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS July 17, 2006

CALL TO ORDER

President Jocelyn Hardman called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.

ROLL CALL

Jocelyn Hardman, Karen Wintrow, Bruce Rickenbach, Judith Hempfling and Kathryn Chase were present, as was the Village Manager Eric Swansen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Hempfling: On Thursday, July 24 th , Gypsy Café hosting a presentation of the Black Heritage Trail Event Brochure.

Hempfling: Energy Forum will be held Friday and Saturday the 21 st and 22 nd at the Senior Citizen's Center.

Rickenbach offered words of condolences and Shalom on the passing of Jocelyn Hardman's grandmother, grandfather and stepfather, Deborah Benning's mother and Eric Swansen's father. Hardman, Benning and Swansen thanked Rickenbach for his kind words.

REVIEW OF THE MINUTES

Review of the minutes from June 19, 2006 regular meeting. Rickenbach MOVED and Wintrow SECONDED a MOTION to APPROVE the minutes as amended. The MOTION PASSED.

REVIEW OF AGENDA

There were no changes to the agenda.

PETITIONS/COMMUNICATIONS

The Clerk will receive and file:

AMP-Ohio Newsletter(s)

Moriah Johnston re: Skate Park (New Business)

Paul Abendroth re: Cable Advisory Panel

Bill Mullins re: Cable Advisory Panel

OPERS re: Employer Voluntary Retirement Incentive Plan

Kroger Foods re: Donation/YS CIC

Norma Lewis re: Retirement

YS Library re: Program/Reptiles-It's Alive!

County Library re: Board Meeting

American Cancer Society re: Cancer Summit

Mayor's Monthly Statement

Statement of Cash Position

County Parks and Rec. re: August Events Calendar

County Parks and Rec. re: Weekender Newsletter

YS Chamber re: News update

YS Chamber re: Advertising Proposal

Bruce Rickenbach re: Connecting the Dots (New Business-General Fund)

PUBLIC HEARINGS/LEGISLATION

2 nd Reading and Public Hearing of Ordinance 2006-15 Approving Stancliff Neighborhood PUD-R/Final. Rickenbach MOVED and Wintrow SECONDED a MOTION for APPROVAL. Rickenbach explained that the developer has fully complied with the conditions set by Planning Commission and that Planning Commission recommends approval.

Hardman opened the public hearing. Having no comments, the public hearing was closed. The roll was called. The MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

1 st Reading of Ordinance 2006-16 Supplemental Appropriations thru June 30 th . Rickenbach MOVED and Wintrow SECONDED a MOTION for APPROVAL. Swansen reviewed the ordinance. The variance was $819,533 with the amended budget totaling $12,785,516. The roll was called. The MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. The public hearing was scheduled for August 7 th .

Resolution 2006-19 and Public Hearing Approving the 2007 Tax Budget. Rickenbach MOVED and Wintrow SECONDED a MOTION for APPROVAL. Swansen explained that this document demonstrated the Village's need for the taxes. Swansen would make his presentation to the Greene County Auditor next week. He added that the budget assumes existing funds and does not assume passing of any additional revenue. The roll was called. The MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

CITIZENS CONCERNS

Carol Gasho representing Community Resources stated that they were moving forward with the Army Corp of Engineers. They had an archeological assessment done on the Center for Business and Education land area and there were no significant findings.

SPECIAL REPORTS

There were no special reports scheduled.

OLD BUSINESS

Appointments to Charter Review Committee. Hardman reported that she and Rickenbach had interviewed all of the applicants. Hardman MOVED and Rickenbach SECONDED a MOTION to APPOINT Ron Schmidt, Jerry Sutton, Sheila Miller, Kent Bristol and Ron Lewis as members of the Charter Review Committee with Ron Lewis as Chairperson. The MOTION PASSED. The Clerk of Council was directed to send the members a copy of the information from the Village Solicitor, a copy of the Clerks suggested amendments and a contact list.

Appointment to Cable Advisory Panel. Chase MOVED and Hardman SECONDED a MOTION to REAPPOINT Paul Abendroth to the Cable Advisory Panel for another two-year term. The MOTION PASSED.

Appointment to Design Advisory Commission Wintrow MOVED and Chase SECONDED a MOTION to APPOINT Monica Hasek to the Design Advisory Commission. This appointment was for a two-year term. The MOTION PASSED.

NEW BUSINESS

Skate Park . Chase explained to Council that she had an impromptu meeting with a group of younger residents regarding the Skate Park . She further explained that the group was under the false impression that the park was closing. Chase stated that she did a brief overview of the Village's financial picture with the group. She reported that the group would be strategizing on how to raise funds to improve and upgrade the park. Entertainer Dave Chappelle who was in attendance at the discussion offered to help by performing at a benefit.

Planning/Zoning Quarterly Report. Planner Phil Hawkey and Code Enforcement Officer Ed Amrhein submitted the first and second quarter zoning reports. The First Quarter Report listed 13 various zoning permits that had been issued. The Board of Zoning Appeals did not meet during this period. The Second Quarter Report listed 22 various zoning permits. Two of the permits were for single-family dwellings, a two-family dwelling, a downtown commercial building and a modular classroom building. Ten Code Violation Notice letters were also sent. The Board of Zoning Appeals held two hearings.

Treasurer's Quarterly Report. Interim Village Treasurer Deborah Benning reviewed the 2 nd Quarter Investment Summary. Benning also reported that the staff was continuing to look at ways to streamline the financial processes, paying attention to invoice/check turnaround time. With installation of the new financial software, the Finance Director is now able to generate the Investment Summary electronically. Benning reported that the Village's Star Ohio account is continuing to show the best growth over 2006 with an average interest rate of 4.57%.

Economic Revolving Loan Fund Quarterly Update. Swansen reported that Euphorbia Landscape Maintenance is in litigation and The Gypsy Café is making payments.

Review of General Fund Capital Needs and Revenue Options. Swansen presented a review of the capital needs and revenue options regarding the General Fund. Swansen stated that expenses to provide the level of services the Village has received have exceeded the revenues for these same services since 2004. Highlights of Swansen's report:

Streets: To implement a street sweeping program and a pavement management program.

Pool: To keep the pool, there must be a plan to cover the cost for the gutter repair, feed/filter upgrade, and have a pool assessment and implementation plan.

Vehicle Replacement: Set aside funds annually to cover replacement costs for the police and utility vehicles.

Bryan Center : Has over a million dollars in outstanding debt and funds will have to be set aside for roof, heating and cooling repairs.

Library: To continue to fund major repairs and set aside funds for roof, heating and cooling repairs and upgrades.

Economic Development: Long-term fix would be in primary job development. The creation and implementation of an economic development plan.

Swansen then reviewed a set of Scenarios A through G that could address these funding issues. Swansen demonstrated what it would take to fund all or part of these programs by using different levels of increased property tax. This would be a ballot issue and Council would have to determine if there was a need for an increase and if so how much of an increase would be necessary. Swansen recommended Scenario A, with a 9.83 mill increase for five years.

Sue Abendroth supported the need to increase primary jobs but expressed concern over the increase in property taxes because of the significant school taxes that villagers already pay.

Council recessed at 10:16 p.m. and returned to the table at 10:25 p.m.

Council members Chase and Wintrow supported a general tax increase. Rickenbach added his support for a five-year general tax increased but added that it was very important that there be included a way to monitor what would be done with the funds and how to prevent the decisions from being changed. Rickenbach asked for self-discipline within the present and future councils, staff and residents to insure accountability so that the decisions made today would not be changed in the future. Hempfling wanted to have more public input regarding the scenarios before making the decision. Council directed the Village Manager to ask the Village Solicitor to draft a general ballot question. Council would insert the specifics at a later date. (See report).

MANAGER'S REPORT

Swansen reported that the ice cream would be a discontinued item at the concession stand at the pool. He further reported that there were several employees taking advantage of the Village's Early Retirement Incentive Program.

Sue Abendroth requested a cost savings analysis update as soon as it was available.

STANDING REPORTS

Kathryn Chase Village Mediation Program

Bruce Rickenbach Community Council

Judith Hempfling Environmental Commission

Judith Hempfling Human Relations Commission would need $70 for 4-color duplication of the new brochures. Hempfling would get a black and white copy to the Clerk for in-house duplication.

Kathryn Chase Cable Advisory Panel (On file). Chase would have another recommendation for CAP at the next meeting.

Karen Wintrow Chamber of Commerce (On file)

Jocelyn Hardman Library Commission

Jocelyn Hardman Reg. Planning & Coord. Com. Greene Cty.

Bruce Rickenbach Planning/Bike Comm./N. Gateway Commission (On file)

Karen Wintrow Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission (On file)

Hempfling MOVED and Hardman SECONDED a MOTION to REAPPOINT John Hart, Tony Bent and Richard Zopf to the Board of Tax Appeals for a three-year term each. The MOTION PASSED. The Clerk would continue to advertise the remaining vacancies.

AGENDA PLANNING The next meeting of the Council of the Village of Yellow Springs will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, August 7, 2006 in Council Chambers, John Bryan Community Center , 100 Dayton Street .

Items for discussion on Monday, August 7 th :

2 nd Reading and PH Supplemental Appropriations

Resolution: Village Solicitor Employee Agreement

Resolution: VMP Coordinator Employee Agreement

Resolution: Awarding Bid-Dayton Street Project

Proposal to set a specific time for Citizens Concerns-Hempfling

Resolution: Property Tax-Ballot Issue

Resolution: ODOT Grant- Xenia Avenue Repair

Special Meeting with the Superintendent of Schools and the YS Board of Education has been scheduled for July 31 st in Meeting Rooms A & B to discuss the Village's financial future.

Work Session for Council has been scheduled for August 2 nd in Meeting Rooms A & B to have additional discussion regarding the Village's finances and consideration of a property tax increase.

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

Thistle Creek Phase-2/St. Paul's Crossing

Center for Business & Education-PUD-I

Appointment to Human Relations Commission

Guidelines for Utility Resolution Dispute Commission

Fairfield Pike/Polecat Rd Citizen's Petition Update

Katrina Relief

Greenspace Fund

Sidewalk Obstructions

Interview for Village Treasurer

Municipal Credit Card
Pole Contact Agreements
       Marking State Route 68 Bikeway
       Conservation Easement-Well fields
           Parks & Recreation Master Plan
Review of the Village Manager Search Process

EXECUTIVE SESSION

There was no Executive Session scheduled for this meeting.

ADJOURNMENT

Having no further business, Rickenbach MOVED and Wintrow SECONDED a MOTION to ADJOURN. The MOTION PASSED at 10:50 p.m.

___________________________ _______________________________

Jocelyn Hardman, President Deborah Benning, Clerk