The August 18 meeting of the Wauseon City Council was called to order by Mayor Doug Shaw at 5:00 PM with Councilors Heather Kost, Kathy Huner, Shane Chamberlin, Jeff Stiritz, and Rick Frey in attendance. Mayor Shaw welcomed to the meeting Weblos 1, Den 3, Pack 8 to the meeting and asked that they lead those in attendance in the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.
Immediately following the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of Silence, Mayor Shaw expressed his condolences and offered prayers to the family of Councilor Don Mathews who had recently passed away after an extended illness. Mathews had been a council member for some years and worked diligently to provide positive representation of Wauseon and to help the city grow. His presence both on Council and throughout the City of Wauseon will be sorely missed.
Towards the end of the meeting Council approved the protocol to fill the vacancy left by Mathews. Council reviewed the prior list of applications submitted in connection with the filling of the unexpired term of Fred Allen and re-interviewed those applicants that they had determined to be most fitting. The interviews were conducted during executive session at the end of the meeting and council returned to open session with the unanimous decision to appoint Martin Estrada for the unexpired term of Don Mathews to December 31, 2015.
Estrada is the owner of Downtown Billiards and earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Bowling Green State University. He brings to the position five years experience in management with the United Parcel Service as well as six years of sales training in commercial insurance. Estrada’s specialization has been in commercial risk, contract law, and city ordinance interpretation. In his free time, Estrada spends time tutoring college students at Northwest State Community College in Anatomy and Physiology, Psychology, Chemistry, and all levels of Accounting.
Prior to the appointment of Estrada, Council heard reports from the Park Board and Finance Committee. Councilor Chamberlin reported for the Park Board that Mike Zunk had resigned from the board due to new job responsibilities. Dave Murry had also been on hand at the last Park Board meeting to update the Board on the new gazebo at Biddle Park. The Park Board also approved the proposal for trees to be planted at Homecoming Park as requested by the Tree Commission before they apply for a Revolving Loan Fund Grant. The subsequent recommendation was approved by council.
Chamberlin also explained that the Park Board members were informed that Council has tabled the pool location until Council can survey the public. Some discussion was had as to whether the pool committee or Council should be responsible for the surveys with the conclusion being made that, due to Council tabling the matter until such surveys were complete, that Council should be the entity to take action. Director of Finance Jamie Giguere noted that surveys could be included with the September water bills. Further action can be taken after the surveys are returned.
Council President Heather Kost reported that the Finance Committee had met with Kevin Stamm and Matt Rychener from Sara’s Garden regarding the requested funds from the Revolving Loan Fund to complete Phase One of the facility’s Handicap Playground Project. The playground will be used by the public as well and Sara’s Garden has so far raised $78,000, including a $10,000 grant from the Fulton County Commissioners. Kost explained that Sara’s Garden was requesting a grant of $75,000 from the Revolving Loan Fund and that the balance in the fund was more than sufficient to cover the grant as well as other projects that might arise. Kost also explained that the State does not look differently upon Council giving grants versus loans and that the State is primarily concerned with seeing that funds are being used for community improvement. The Finance Committee’s recommendation to award a grant of $75,000 from the City’s Revolving Loan Fund to Sara’s Garden for the Handicap Playground Project was unanimously approved.
In Department Head Reports Council learned:
~The Wauseon Fire Department has been working on school inspections to prepare schools for the start of the new year and that the Fireman’s Association bought several tickets for the Sara’s Garden fundraiser, won the drawing, and donated $4000 in prize money back.
~Police Chief Keith Torbet would like to remind everyone to take extra caution now that school is back in session. He would also like to remind everyone that the Police Department is currently taking applications for the Citizens Police Academy and that Drug Take Back Day will be held on September 27 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
~The Planning Commission will be meeting on a project on Glenwood Avenue and that the City will be moving forward with the agreement with Wood County to do commercial inspections. The agreement, later covered under legislation, was passed under emergency language in order to expedite the process for those waiting on inspections.
~The Fulton County Economic Development Corporation, the new private sector entity that is going to oversee economic development in Fulton County, recently hired Matt Gilroy as the new Executive Director.
~The results of the bulk safety salt bid opening were not favorable. As of now, there is enough salt in reserves for a typical winter and further investigation is being done to try to secure the best salt price for the year. Rates have increased due to the extreme weather this past winter.
~A total of 77 people have now signed up to receive their water bills electronically and Director of Finance Jamie Giguere has also placed the order for the requested recycle bins at Biddle Park.
In legislative matters
~No legislation was brought before council for first reading.
~Ordinance 2014-11, Amending “Part Thirteen – Building Code” of the Codified Ordinance passed under emergency language on second reading and will be in effect on September 17, 2014.
~Ordinance 2014-12, Authorizing a Request to the Ohio Board of Building Standards to Certify the City of Wauseon for Enforcement of the Non-Residential Ohio Building Codes with the Condition that the Wood County Building Inspection Department Exercise Enforcement Authority and Accept and Approve Plans and Specifications and Make Inspections, and Authorizing an Agreement for Such Enforcement Between the City of Wauseon and Wood County passed under emergency language on second reading and will be in effect on September 17, 2014.
~Ordinance 2014-7, Amending Section 147.08 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Wauseon to Define Part-Time Employee Hours and Full-Time Employee Hours passed on third reading and will be in effect on September 17, 2014.
In new business Council approved a motion to schedule Halloween Trick or Treat for Thursday, October 30 from 6:00 to 7:30 PM.
