March 28, 2016 – City Council Meeting followed by Special Committee of the Whole Meeting

North Canton Residents and Anyone having Interest in the Business of North Canton City Government:

Pasted below is a link to a video of the North Canton City Council meeting held on March 28, 2016.

https://youtu.be/sdhk-4Z-I0E

 

Description of Video: 

March 28, 2016 – City Council Meeting followed by Special Committee of the Whole Meeting: 

The video covers a Council meeting followed by a Special Committee of the Whole meeting for the City of North Canton. The Council meeting concludes at 1:12:30 minutes. The video of the two meetings combined lasts nearly one hour and fifty-five minutes.  

The video begins with the Council meeting being called to order and last this portion of the video lasts nearly fifty minutes.  

2:50 minutes into the video, a Hoover High School’s Engineering Instructor and two students spoke to Council about their recent win at the Buckeye Regional Robotics Competition recently held in Cleveland. 

15:10 minutes into the video, Council President Jeff Peters announces that a proposed Ordinance No. 32 – 2016 would be tabled. This is proposal to expand the City’s Community Reinvestment Area (CRA). The idea has generated a great deal of discussion on Council and has caused concern among City residents. During the “Public Speaks” portion of the meeting four City residents raised concerns about the proposed expansion. 

16:30 minutes into the video, City resident Chuck Osborne spoke out in opposition to the proposed expansion of the CRA in the City. 

At Council’s meeting of March 14, 2016, Director of Permits and Inspection brought to the attention of Council that the average age of homes in North Canton was 72 years old. The concern with the CRA is that rather than targeting the older homes for tax assistance, that the legislation will allow reductions of property taxes for construction of new homes as well. Consequently, someone could build a new home in North Canton and NOT be required to pay ANY property taxes on their new North Canton home for as long as fifteen years.  

North Canton has had some pockets in the City designated as CRAs for several years but I did not know they also included new construction. I learned last night that a home built on Harmon Street approximately five years ago qualified for the abatement of property taxes under previous legislation for a CRA. 

It should be quite obvious to anyone that future abatement of property taxes for construction of all new homes in North Canton will have a devastating financial impact on the North Canton City School District.  

The discussions of this proposal over the last two Council meetings shows how little City Council understands this topic and further, that there is a great deal of misunderstanding and miscommunication on all of this. 

21:40 minutes into the video, City resident Glenn Saylor speaks to City Council regarding his concerns with the proposed expansion of the CRA. 

26:50 minutes into the video, City resident Melanie Roll speaks to City Council regarding her concerns with the proposed expansion of the CRA. 

30:10 minutes into the video, City resident Miriam Baughman speaks to City Council regarding her concerns with the proposed expansion of the CRA. 

34:05 minutes into the video, the current President of the North Canton Jaycees, Colin Riley, addresses City Council and urges continued support from the City for the Jaycees.

 38:30 minutes into the video, three individuals speak in support of assistance for designated areas in the City for Community Gardens. This same group spoke to City Council two weeks earlier on March 14, 2016, on the topic. 

41:30 minutes into the video, Council votes on three pieces of legislation.

 

Ordinance No 23-2016 – 2^nd reading to seek bids for contracting out Dispatch Services for Police and Fire Departments.  

Ordinance No 26-2016 – Passed on an “Emergency” a two-year management agreement to have the North Canton YMCA manage the City’s Dogwood      Pool.

 

           Ordinance No. 27-2016 – Passed on an “Emergency” an increase in rates for

           season memberships and daily admissions to the City’s Dogwood Pool. 

            47:48 minutes into the video, Council reports are made by members of Council and Department heads.

            58:15 minutes into the video, Director of Finance Karen Alger begins her report. Mrs. Alger reports that tomorrow is the last day for one of the employees in her department who is retiring. Totally unexpected, Mrs. Alger announces her retirement as the City’s Director of Finance. I apologize that my video did not capture her on camera at the moment she announced her retirement. 

            1:00:20 minutes into the video, Director of Administration Mike Grimes begins his report acknowledging Director Alger’s announced resignation and then remarks that he is still working setting up streaming videos of Council meetings. Mr. Grimes briefly updates Council on his efforts to solicit bids to outsource dispatch services and alludes to the fact that some services to citizens will be lost if that proposal is implemented. 

            1:03:00 minutes into the video, Mayor Held begins his report by wishing Finance Director Karen Alger well in her departure. Among several comments, Mayor Held announces the creation of a Main Street Advisory Committee to be headed up by Councilmember Mark Cerreta. The committee will be composed of two additional members of Council and two members of his administration. 

            1:12:30 minutes into the video, the Council meeting is concluded and the Special Committee of the Whole meeting begins. 

            Chairman of Community and Economic Development Marcia Kiesling had two legislative proposals on her committee. 

            The first ordinance discussed in her committee was to continuing existing CRA agreements with two businesses. 

            The second ordinance was a continuation of the discussion to expand the boundaries of the City’s CRA. Mrs. Kiesling heard from Eric Bowles that the North Canton City School District officials have some very grave concerns with the proposed expansion of the City’s CRA. 

            As I stated above regarding the discussions on the proposed expansion of the City’s CRA, it is quite apparent that members of City Council have little to no understanding of how the CRA program functions and of the financial implications it has for the City and the City’s School District. Councilmember Mark Cerreta brings this fact out into the open in his remarks at 1:16:00.  

            1:25:45 minutes into the meeting, Councilmember Dan Griffith asks, do we really need incentives for new construction? Mr. Griffith points out that a new house is being built on Ninth Street and no tax incentives were needed there.  

            Mr. Cerreta raises the same argument stating, people are buying homes in North Canton. Why should we give incentives to build new homes? 

            1:26:40 minutes into the video, Director of Economic Development Eric Bowls uses as an example a new house that was recently built on Harmon Street as an example of why City Council should include CRA incentives for new construction. 

            The owners of this new house received a 100 percent abatement of property taxes for twelve years.  

            North Canton and City Schools cannot survive when policies like these are put in place. Why should residents pass the next school levy knowing City Council is handing out abatement of property taxes for individuals who can afford to build a brand new house?  

It is property taxes that fund our City schools! The discussion on CRA abatements of property taxes is very informative and would be well worth watching. 

1:40:00 minutes into the video, there is an explanation for the need for approval of an easement for a sewer line given by Councilmember Domonic Fonte.

            1:40:55 minutes into the video, there is informative discussion of planned improvement on East Maple Street for what is called Westgate at Walsh University. 

            1:51:40 minutes into the video, the meeting is concluded. The video runs for approximately four minutes and ends at 1:54:56 minutes. 

Thank you,

Chuck Osborne

March 14, 2016 - North Canton Special Council of the Whole meeting followed by City Council meeting

North Canton Residents and Anyone Having Interest in the Business of North Canton City Government

Pasted below is a link to a video of the North Canton Special Council of the Whole meeting followed by a City Council meeting held on March 14, 2016.

https://youtu.be/0WxJVsY94Qw

 

Description of Video:

March 14, 2016 – Special Committee of the Whole Meeting followed by City Council Meeting: 

The video covers a Special Committee of the Whole meeting followed by a Council meeting for the City of North Canton. The two meetings combined lasts nearly one hour and twenty-six minutes. 

The video commences as Council is adjourning from an Executive Session that had convened an hour earlier at 6:00 p.m. Executive Sessions of City Council are not open to the public, accounting for the lack of a video record of the meeting.  

The stated purpose of the Executive Session was “…to consider the employment of a public employee.” This is the fourth Executive Session to be held over the last two months with the stated purpose “…to consider the employment of a public employee. 

The meeting agenda for the Special Committee of the Whole consisted of three items for discussion:

 

1)    Establishment of a City-wide Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) and designating a housing officer to administer the program.

 

2)    Craft a two-year agreement with the North Canton YMCA to manage the City’s Dogwood Pool.

3)    Enact an ordinance to set rates for season memberships and daily admissions to the City’s Dogwood Pool.

            The Special Council of the Whole meeting portion of the video concludes at 19:00 minutes into the video and is followed immediately by the Council meeting. 

The agenda for the Council meeting consisted of fourteen ordinances to be voted

on. Five ordinances were given their third and final reading. Six ordinances were passed on emergency. Four ordinances listed expenditures totaling $2,847,283. 

            During the Recognition of Visitors portion of the meeting, six speakers addressed City Council. The speakers were: 

            23:45 minutes into the video, Dan Fonte asked that City Council pass a resolution in opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement, commonly referred to as TPP Free Trade Agreement. 

            29:25 minutes into the video, Chuck Osborne read a prepared statement asking that the City comply with a Public Records Request for a copy of the Conditional Use Permit that was issued by the Superintendent of Permits and Inspection following approval of the Conditional Use at a meeting of the City’s Planning Commission on October 8, 2014. After three record requests, the City had failed to provide the requested public record.  

            32:15 minutes into the video, North Canton residents Sue (unknown last name) and Dave (unknown last name) asked that the City designate an area for a community garden. 

            34:25 minutes into the video, Melanie Broemsen reported on a situation that involved the City’s Street Sweeper while the street sweeper was operating on Everhard Road. 

 

            36:20 minutes into the video, North Canton YMCA Director Ben Wheeler updated members of City Council regarding a sink hole that developed on YMCA property. 

            37:20 minutes into the video, Miriam Baughman made suggestions to members of City Council regarding the proposed expansion of the City’s CRA. 

            1:08:50 minutes into the video, the legislative portion of the meeting was concluded and members of Council and officials made final remarks. 

            1:25:00 minutes into the meeting, City Engineer Jim Benekos remarks that Council members have been slow in providing him with a list of streets that needed paving. 

            1:25:45 minutes into the video, the meeting is adjourned.  

            Lastly, Martin Olson, the author of the well-known Stark County Political Report (SCPR) was present for tonight’s meeting. Mr. Olson’s presence is known to keep North Canton City Council and its Law Director on their best behavior.

 

Thank you,

Chuck Osborne

 

March 7, 2016 - Council of the Whole meeting

North Canton Residents and Anyone Having Interest in the Business of North Canton City Government

Pasted below is a link to a video of the North Canton City Council meeting held on Monday, March 7, 2016

https://youtu.be/SdSZkieTb3k

 

Description of Video:

 

March 7, 2016 – Committee of the Whole meeting: 

The video covers a Committee of the Whole meeting for the City of North Canton that lasts nearly one hour and eighteen minutes.  

The video starts two to three minutes after the meeting is gaveled to order. Not recorded in the first few minutes of the meeting was a vote to excuse Councilmember Marcia Kiesling who was absent. This is Councilmember Kiesling’s second meeting absence this year as she was also absent at the February 8, 2016, meeting of City Council. 

The meeting agenda listed two items for discussion:  

The first agenda item was proposed legislation by Councilmember Stephanie Werren to seek bids to possibly outsource the City’s Dispatch services for Police, Fire, and EMS. This issue has been discussed in great depth numerous times in recent years and each time City Council has found no significant savings to proceed.  

The second agenda item is proposed legislation for additional funds in support of the City’s share for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. This is a program to continue a buyout of homes located in or near the Zimber Ditch that have experienced repeated flooding. 

The video begins moments after Councilmember Mark Cerreta begins a presentation of the City’s Master Plan to City Council.  

29:32 minutes into the video, Plain Township resident Randy Smith joins Mr. Cerreta in the presentation of the City’s Master Plan. The presentation and discussion of the City’s Master Plan concludes at 37:30 minutes. 

37:30 minutes into the video, Councilwoman Stephanie Werren presents her proposal to seek bids to possibly outsource the City’s Dispatch services for Police, Fire, and EMS.  

40:15 minutes into the video, Councilmember Cerreta speaks to Werren’s proposal and suggests to Mrs. Werren that the City needs to proceed with caution. Mrs. Werren responds to Mr. Cerreta’s urge for caution on her proposal stating she has information that supports outsourcing the City’s Dispatch Department and repeats her position on this throughout the meeting. 

41:45 minutes into the video, Law Director Tim Fox injects himself into the discussion on Werren’s proposal, as if he is a co-sponsor of her proposal. 

44:10 minutes into the video, Mr. Cerreta states “…he does not want to collaborate on the Werren proposal just to collaborate.” Mr. Cerreta is clearly reluctant on Werren’s proposal stating that the proposal “…would have to be cost effective and maintain the same services.” Councilmember Foltz follows up with similar remarks about the proposal to outsource the City’s Dispatch Department. 

48:30 minutes into the video, City Administrator Mike Grimes is asked for his thoughts on the proposal by Council President Peters. Administrator Grimes is critical of Mrs. Werren’s proposal. Mr. Grimes concludes his remarks on the Werren proposal at 52:30 minutes. 

52:30 minutes into the video, Law Director Tim Fox, holding what he believes is his dual role as a City Councilmember, and forgetting that no one asked him for a legal opinion, weighs in on the discussion, as he continually does. 

54:00 minutes into the video, Mayor Held points out that City Administrator Grimes has examined, on three or four occasions in recent years, the merits of outsourcing the City’s Dispatch Department. Mayor Held placates (my interpretation) Mrs. Werren by stating that in spite of the fact that the City has examined this proposal on numerous occasions, it will re-examine her proposal yet again. 

1:02:20 minutes into the video, Council member Dan Griffith discusses proposed legislation for additional funds in support of the City’s share for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (described earlier). 

1:04:00 minutes into the video, Councilmember Foltz asks that Council to amend the agenda to discuss issues related to Dogwood Pool. 

1:16:18 minutes into the video, the meeting was adjourned.  

The video was continued after adjournment to document the absence of Councilmember Marcia Kiesling for viewers. The video ended at 1:17:51 minutes. 

 

Thank you,

Chuck Osborne