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Council of the Village of Yellow SpringsIN COUNCIL CHAMBERS September 17, 2007 Comments from the Public are welcomed at two different times during the course of the meeting: (1) Comments on items not on the Agenda will be heard under Citizens Concerns, and (2) Comments on all items listed on the Agenda will be heard during Council's consideration of said item. A Sign-In sheet will be made available on the small table at the rear of the Council Chambers. Please write your name and the topic you wish to discuss. CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL Karen Wintrow, Bruce Rickenbach, Kathryn Chase, Judith Hempfling and Kathryn Van der Heiden were present. The Village Manager Eric Swansen and Assistant Planner Ed Amrhein were also present. ANNOUNCEMENTS Charter Review Committee will hold a special meeting for the public regarding the proposed amendments to the Village Charter on Tuesday, October 9, 2007 in the Bryan Center Gym at 7:00 p.m. Special Meeting-Base Load Power with representatives from Amp-OH in Meeting Rooms A & B on Thursday, September 27 th . REVIEW OF THE MINUTES Review of the minutes from September 4, 2007 regular meeting. Rickenbach MOVED and Van der Heiden SECONDED a MOTION for APPROVAL as amended. The MOTION PASSED 4-0, with an abstention from Hempfling. REVIEW OF AGENDA Moved: Special Reports before Public Hearings/Legislation (Wintrow) Add: Budget Meeting Dates (Hempfling) PETITIONS/COMMUNICATIONS The Clerk will receive and file: AMP-Ohio Newsletter(s) Dana Murray Patterson re: HRC Application (Standing Reports- HRC) YS Chamber re: Closing Streets-Street Fair (Standing Reports) Mayor's Monthly Statement Bob Brecha re: Amp-Ohio Proposed Contract Brian Chase re: Amp-Ohio Proposed Contract YS Community Council re: United Way Cezarina Trone re: Resignation from HRC SPECIAL REPORTS Community Information Project-Jerry Sutton. Ron Schmidt and Fred Bartenstein joined Jerry Sutton from the Community Information Project in presenting Karen Wintrow and Eric Swansen with their new metal signs that can be placed at the entrances to the Village to welcome arrivals. Eric Ulmes, Executive Director, Greene County Career Center-Levy. Eric Ulmes explained that the levy would cost approximately $17.46 per $100,000 and would be used to replace the roof, windows, doors and the heating and air conditioning. This is a renewal of the 7.5 Permanent Approval Levy, which would allow the levy to continue but not increase the amount that property owners pay.
PUBLIC HEARINGS/LEGISLATION 1 st Reading of Ordinance #2007-16 re: Two additional Holidays. Rickenbach MOVED and Chase SECONDED a MOTION for APPROVAL. This ordinance allows for two additional paid holidays to be added to the Holidays listing in the Personnel Policy Manual for staff and employees. They would be a floating holiday and the Friday after the Thanksgiving holiday. Rickenbach and Chase agreed to a friendly amendment, which would change the language from the existing Veteran's Day holiday to a floating holiday. The Clerk was directed to make the correction before the second reading and public hearing. The roll was called. The MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. The second reading and public hearing was scheduled for October 1 st . 1 st Reading and Public Hearing of Ordinance #2007-17 re: Supplemental Appropriations, as an Emergency. Rickenbach MOVED and Hempfling SECONDED a MOTION for APPROVAL. Swansen explained that this ordinance reflects what funds are actually needed in the different line items. Swansen further explained that adjustments were made in dispatch services because the service would not be contracted out; the Water Fund changes were made to include a part-time staff person and the property taxes for the house located on the Sutton Farm. The Village owns the house. Wintrow opened the public hearing. Having no comments, the public hearing was closed. The roll was called. The MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. Resolution #2007-30 for Accepting Amts. & Rates & Authorizing Tax Levies. Swansen explained that in August the Budget Commission holds hearings to determine if the funds requested by the municipality are warranted. If they are, the Budget Commission then makes a recommendation that the funds be accepted and legislation is sent to the municipality for acceptance of the Budget Commission's recommendations. The roll was called. The MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. CITIZENS CONCERNS There were no comments.
OLD BUSINESS Base Load Power-Options Analysis. Wintrow reminded Council and the public of the upcoming special meeting with Amp-OH representatives on Thursday, September 27 th in Meeting Rooms A and B at 7p.m. They will present information regarding the AMPGS project. Swansen began his presentation on Base Load Power by explaining that by the year 2012 the Village would have to buy power on the open market. This is due to the expiration of several power contracts and the inability to renew those contracts. The Base Load Power is the power that is required 24 hours a day seven days a week. There is also intermediate power and peak power. Swansen reviewed the history of the Village's power sources along with a review of suitable power options. Swansen spoke briefly about biomass, solar, wind power, coal, oil and natural gas, and hydropower, all of which could be suitable options. Each option offers power, but not all options could be used for Base Load Power. Wintrow explained that not only would the power contracts end but the Gorsch plant would be closing. The Village must determine its power sources before the contracts end. Hempfling expressed concerns that Council was pushing the November 1 st deadline date rather than waiting to further evaluate the project and signing before the March 1 st deadline date. She stressed that Council should also wait until the Electric Systems Task Force has a chance to review the project and make a recommendation. She added that the National Resources Defense Council is against this new power project. She asked that Council take the time to review the information from the feasibility study that would be available early next year. Van der Heiden stated that after some extensive research she had discovered that Ohio is using and will continue to use coal has its main power source. She also wanted Amp-OH to explain the significance of the November 1 st and the March 1 st deadline dates. Audience member Pat Murphy asked what percentage of the base load would be coming from this new plant. Swansen explained that it would be one megawatt. Rickenbach suggested that if Council does not commit to this project by November 1 st there could be a chance that the power would not longer be available to the Village. Van der Heiden added that either way the Village would be using coal. Audience member Ellis Jacobs explained that the Village had been assigned 1000 kilowatts in its contract and added that this amount was guaranteed. He urged Council and the community to take the opportunity to get more information before making this decision. He added that this billion-dollar project has already had increased costs that have doubled the original costs. He further added that the Village would be locked into a fifty-year contract. Sue Abendroth explained that regardless of the power source whether it be through Amp-OH or another entity, the electricity would coal based. She added that she did not support the innuendo that the information from Amp-OH would be suspect. She explained that Amp-OH was a consortium of municipalities, which included the Village. She supported Council meeting with Amp-OH to order to get their questions answered and further added that even if Council signed the contract by November 1 st there would still be an opportunity to opt-out of the project before March 1 st of 2008. Hempfling again urged Council to wait and she added that she resented that Council seemed to be pushing the November 1 st deadline. She also reminded Council that she would be unable to attend the September 27 th meeting. Wintrow suggested that Council keep its meeting with Amp-OH on September 27 th and put the legislation on the agenda for October 1 st . Council could then decide if it would have the first reading or move the legislation to Old Business. She added that John Chambers the Village Solicitor would be invited to attend. Budget Meeting Dates. Hempfling expressed concern that the incoming council should be a part of the budget process and that this would not happen if this seated council made the budget decisions and passed the budget prior to the election. Council members agreed that since the budget could be amended at any time that they would proceed with the budget workshop dates that had been scheduled for October 3 rd and 11 th .
NEW BUSINESS There were no items under New Business.
MANAGER'S REPORT Swansen reported that the paving was still continuing throughout the Village and he urged residents to be patient with the process.
STANDING REPORTS Kathryn Chase Village Mediation Program Kathryn Chase Community Council -Chase reported that they have kicked-off the United Way Campaign. Judith Hempfling Environmental Commission (on file) The Commission is reviewing the Village's solid waste contract. Judith Hempfling Human Relations Commission (on file) With the resignation of Cezarina Trone from the HRC, Hempfling MOVED and Van der Heiden SECONDED a MOTION to APPOINT Dana Murray Patterson to HRC. The MOTION PASSED. Hempfling also reported that HRC would be actively supporting the Coretta Scott King Center . Kathryn Van der Heiden Library Commission (on file) The Commission would be meeting tomorrow. Kathryn Chase Cable Advisory Panel (on file) Chase reported that the Panel was concerned with the poor quality they were experiencing from Time Warner since the switch from Channel 13 to Channel 5. She added that TW could discontinue broadcasting Channel 5 at any time. Karen Wintrow Chamber of Commerce (on file) Hempfling MOVED and Van der Heiden SECONDED a MOTION to closed the requested streets for the October 11 th Street Fair. The MOTION PASSED 4-0 with an abstention from Wintrow. Kathryn Van der Heiden Reg. Planning & Coord. Com. Greene Cty . Bruce Rickenbach Planning /Bike Comm./N. Gateway Commission (on file) The PC minutes were included in the council packet. There were no questions from Council. Karen Wintrow Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission (on file) There would be additional funding available to municipalities. Ed Amrhein is looking into this and will keep Council updated.
AGENDA PLANNING The next meeting of the Council of the Village of Yellow Springs will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, October 1 st in Council Chambers, John Bryan Community Center , 100 Dayton Street .
Items for discussion on Monday, October 1, 2007: 1 st Reading of Ordinance re: Base Load Power
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Special Meeting-Base Load Power (9/27) EXECUTIVE SESSION There was no Execution Session
ADJOURNMENT Having no further business, Rickenbach MOVED and Chase SECONDED a MOTION to ADJOURN. The MOTION PASSED at 10:08 p.m.
_______________________________ ______________________________ Karen Wintrow, Vice President Deborah Benning, Clerk |
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