CITY OF ROCKY RIVER The Meeting was called to order by Mr. Moran, President of Council, at 8:05 p.m. in the David J. Cook Council Chambers. Council Members Present: Mr. Hunt, Mr. Shepherd, Mr. O Donnell, Mr. Furry, Mr. Sindelar, Mr. Klym, Mr. Moran Administration: Mayor Bobst, Mrs. Costello, Mr. Thomas Law Director: Mr. Bemer Press: Ms. Botos Mr. Moran discussed Council s meeting schedule for December 2015. There will be a Legislative Meeting on December 14, 2015; a Special Meeting on December 21, 2015 followed by a Meeting. There will not be a Council Meeting on December 28, 2015. MAYOR S REPORT: The City of Rocky River had a very successful weekend. Thank you to Bill Brink who was instrumental putting everything together for the Holiday Walk through downtown Rocky River on Saturday. Thank you to the Rocky River Women s Club who sponsored All Aglow on Friday night and the Holiday Home Tour held on Sunday. Thank you to Emil Rosol, Fred Hobson, Ron Gottschalk, Jim Umerley and Chris Mehling for all their work to make this weekend a success. Throughout the month of December, there will be horse drawn wagon rides through Downtown Rocky River on Detroit Road to Herb s Tavern. Santa will be in attendance as well. Thank you to John Speilberger and JDS Properties for making this possible. The Mayor announced that Congress has passed the Federal Transportation Program, at least on the Congressional side, regarding the dollars that will go into the Highway Trust Fund. There hasn t been funding in place for approximately two decades. The City of Rocky River had a project approved by Congressman Kucinich that was never funded because the program was not in place. The Federal Transportation Program has a funding mechanism now and should be passed by the end of the year. Money was found in the Federal Reserve surplus in the amount of $300 billion dollars. Hopefully this will be a solution for the funding for the Highway Trust Fund. The Mayor has a call into Congressman Renacci s office to explore this further. Page 1 of 6
Last week the Mayor had a ribbon cutting at the new Orangetheory Fitness located at 19800 Center Ridge Road. The morning of the ribbon cutting, there was already full classes of students. Orangetheory Fitness is a popular workout space in other areas. Snowban signs will arrive in City Hall this week and will be posted soon. The city will be purchasing a Ventrac snowplow. This will be used along with the Bombardier where snow is heavy especially in areas where students are walking to school. This has been in the Capital Improvement Fund for equipment. The Mayor shared with Council a map created by Director Costello and Ron Gottschalk reflecting the paving projects. Council will be receiving a street ranking and their conditions soon. Mr. Moran thanked the Mayor for this outline and said it will be very helpful in showing residents how much work has been done. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: ORDINANCE NO. 45-15: This ordinance is still on hold. The Mayor suggested that this ordinance be postponed indefinitely at next week s meeting because an agreement is being redrafted. This will remove this ordinance from the agenda making way for a new ordinance along with a new agreement. ORDINANCE NO. 68-15: This ordinance is the annual sludge cake-keeping ordinance and is for the removal of grit and screenings from the WWTP. Two bids were received with Browning Ferris Industries, the current supplier being the successful bidder at $29/cubic yard. This reflects a 15% price increase but the previous rate was locked in for two years and the five-year average is $28.55. This will be read for the third time next week and is not utilizing emergency language. This will be placed on a consent agenda. ORDINANCE NO. 69-15: This is for the renewal of Cationic Polymer for 2016. Only one bid was received from the current supplier Polydyne, Inc., of Riceboro GA. The price is going down 17% from $1.68 pound to $1.40/pound. The five-year average is $1.65. This is also slated for a third read with non-emergency language. This will be placed on a consent agenda. ORDINANCE NO. 70-15: This ordinance is for the purchase of Ferric Chloride from PVS Technologies, Inc. This is the product that has had some volatility as the last five years have had a low of $297 and a high (not including 2016) of $436. PVS was the lowest and best bidder and will have a one-year option to renew at current pricing. The five-year average is $361. This will be read a third time and is also utilizing non-emergency language. This will be placed on a consent agenda. ORDINANCE NO. 71-15: This is for the removal of raw sewage sludge from the WWTP and is in place for emergency purposes only due to mechanical failure. This has NOT been utilized in the past but needs to be in place for the NPDES permit. This is a renewal of last year s Page 2 of 6
ordinance of which three bids were received with a range of $42.10 to $54.95 with Rumpke of Northern Ohio submitting the lowest and best bid. This will be read for the third time next week. Although it is for emergency purposes it will not be utilizing emergency language. This will be placed on a consent agenda. ORDINANCE NO. 72-15: This is another sewage keeping ordinance and is for the purchase of Sodium Bisulfite. Two bids were received with a range from $1.145 to $1.15 gallon. JCI Jones Chemical who has previously supplied the product was the lowest and best bid at $1.145 gallon. The five-year average is $1.17/gallon. This will be read for a third time next week and emergency language is not being utilized. This will be placed on a consent agenda. ORDINANCE NO. 73-15: This is for the removal of digested sludgecake for the WWTP to a landfill. This was formerly for the months of December 1 st to March 31 st due to regulations set by the EPA for the renewal of the NPDES permit. During the other months it was sent to Yaworsky Farms at a better cost but is not an option any longer. Agri Sludge Inc. being the lowest and best bidder at $31.95/ton. The five-year average is $39.99. The third read will be next week. This will also not be using emergency language. This will be placed on a consent agenda. ORDINANCE NO. 74-15: This is for the removal of digested sludgecake for the WWTP to a landfill. This is primarily for the removal of sludgecake from December 1 st - March 31 st due to regulations. The city is exercising an option to renew for a period of one year through March 31, 2016. This will have a third read next week and will not be using emergency language. This will be placed on a consent agenda. ORDINANCE NO. 75-15: This ordinance is for the purchase of sodium hypochlorite. Two bids were received last year with a range of $.715 to.72 with Bonded Chemicals of Columbus beating JCI Jones Chemical of Sarasota, FL. The city is exercising the option to renew at an additional year at the same price. The five year average is $.65/gallon. This will have a third read next week and will not use emergency language. This will be placed on a consent agenda. ORDINANCE NO. 76-15: This has been discussed several times. This ordinance deals with the authorization to pay for an invoice regarding repairs to the Tri-City Park Picnic Shelter Roof. The City of Rocky River is only responsible for a third of the total cost. This will be the third read next week and will be placed on a consent agenda. ORDINANCE NO. 77-15: This ordinance relates to the appropriations for the expenses for 2016, the annual budget projections. Thanks to the Mayor, Director Thomas and all the Directors, Chiefs, Superintendents, Commissioners and Judges and all who attended the meeting Friday, December 4 th. Thank you for all the time in preparation. All departments were covered and the plan has been laid out. Some of the Capital Equipment was presented in an outline and Council will be updating some of those items in 2016. Council will look forward to final numbers from the administration as soon as the final numbers in salaries for 2016 are realized. This ordinance has been read twice and may not be read at next week s meeting. Council will wait for the final documentation on salaries. Page 3 of 6
ORDINANCE NO. 78-15: This is the ordinance that purchases the insurance for the court operations. The city is exercising an option to renew this insurance. This increase is approximately 13% higher than last year but there is an underwriting change with the industry standard that rose from $10,000 to $25,000, which is a large part of the increase. If this factor is taken out, it is a modest 2.6% increase from last year. This will be placed on a consent agenda. ORDINANCE NO. 79-15: This is authorizing the option to renew this insurance. This is a 2% increase and will be paid from the Wastewater Treatment Plant Utility Fund. This will be placed on a consent agenda. ORDINANCE NO. 80-15: This policy will insure all the city s needs. This premium is allocated to various funds. The cost of past years tracks how the economy was each year. This ordinance shows a 2% increase. This will be placed on a consent agenda. ORDINANCE NO. 81-15: This ordinance will be read for a second time. This is for the lease at the Recreation Center for 2,000 square feet to be used by the Cleveland Clinic for a children s hospital for rehabilitation. This space has been vacant for a few years. ORDINANCE NO. 82-15: This ordinance authorizes the Mayor to enter into an agreement with MacKay Engineering Surveying Company. This was discussed at the last meeting and the next meeting it will be read for a second time. Mr. Shepherd will be asking for it to be amended. In the past, the city has given MacKay Engineering a two-year term and the amendment will seek to give it a two-year term. This agreement can be terminated on both sides within 30 days. Mr. Furry is concerned that under 2c the pay scale is bumped up by the same percentage increases that are received by non-bargaining employees. Mr. Furry brought this up two years ago. He sees MacKay Engineering as a vendor and not an employee. Mr. Furry would also like to see how much the city has paid MacKay engineering over the last year. Mr. Moran discussed this with Director Thomas. It is more than the salary for just himself. MacKay Engineering was used in the past even when the city had a full-time engineer. The Mayor said they have always followed the non-bargaining units and that is the way their contract is set up in Middleburg Heights and Fairview Park. When the city employees were at a zero percent increase, MacKay followed that as well. The Mayor reiterated the millions of dollars that this firm helps the city secure. The preparation of those grants and the detail comes from MacKay Engineering. The Mayor understands the concern but she also looks at what the city gains from this contract. If Council has an issue with the increase tied to a non-bargaining unit increase, the Mayor Page 4 of 6
will re-negotiate with MacKay. The Mayor asked Director Thomas to quantify what the total 2% raise would be each year. Mr. Shepherd said it should be looked at in the context of what the rates are currently and how these rates relate to the market place. If it is fair, this model has worked. Mr. Shepherd is not as concerned about this clause as Mr. Furry because there is a 30-day termination clause in the contract. Mr. Shepherd also mentioned that there has never been a change order with any of these projects. Mr. O Donnell mentioned that a resident asked about a check and balance system regarding engineering. There is considerable oversight through entities such as ODOT, the EPA, Norfolk Southern, etc. The city inspectors along with MacKay inspectors oversee the projects as well. Mr. Klym commented that he doesn t think Council has an issue with MacKay Engineering regarding their services, but the question raised is more about should a vendor have an escalating clause in a contract. Mr. Klym asked if the rates listed in this current contract are a 2% increase over last year s rates. The way Mr. Klym reads this contract language is that the costs will mirror an employee raise beginning in 2017. The administration will double-check these numbers. MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS: NONE COMMITTEE REPORTS: NONE NEW BUSINESS: ORDINANCE NO. 83-15: This ordinance is slated for three reads. This is to renew another two year AECOM Technical Services for the WWTP. This contract begins February 1, 2016 and will run until December 31, 2017. Mr. Moran asked if the AECOM ordinance should have the emergency language. Once this ordinance passes they will need to wait an additional 30 days for payment. Director Thomas will discuss this with Law Director Bemer. ORDINANCE NO. 84-15: Mr. O Donnell said this is for the purchase of a new ambulance with the cost not to exceed $231,182. This will replace the current 2002 that has over 71,000 miles on it. There is some specialization work that needs to be completed on the vehicle with delivery within 5 or 6 months after the purchase. Penn Care was the lowest and best bid with an additional $3,000 on the trade-in. The administration is satisfied with the pricing. ORDINANCE NO. 85-15: This ordinance is for emergency repair for the streets and sanitary storm sewers. This was last bid in 2011 and Fabrizi was the lowest bidder. Fabrizi is holding the same prices for 2016. This will have three full reads. Funds will come out of the Capital Page 5 of 6
Improvement Fund for Emergency Sewer Repair Account. This money does not have to be spent, but it needs to be in place for emergency work. RESOLUTION NO. 86-15: There is a revised copy of this at your places this evening. This is an emergency resolution adopting the Mayor and her designee s submittal of an application for a $45,000 grant for a Coastal Management Assistance Grant (CMAG) under the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Ohio Coastal Management Program. This involves Bradstreet s Landing with a potential grant of $45,000 with another $45,000 match from the city. This will provide engineering and planning services for Bradstreet s Landing. It would include changes to the park and also re-engineering of Spencer Creek. This was submitted on December 4, 2015. This will be read for the first time next week and will have three reads. COMMUNICATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS: NONE The meeting was adjourned at 8:57 p.m. James W. Moran President of Council Susan G. Pease Clerk of Council Page 6 of 6